years. so you could be waiting a very, very long time. you re never guaranteed that your complaint is going to be investigated. but as a consumer, you have little choice. nhtsa is really your only outlet to complain. if your brakes are performing unpredictably and the mechanic hasn t been able to fix the problem, you have to file a complaint online at nhtsa.gov or call 888-327-4236. but i m not saying it s going to be handled tomorrow. well, okay, i ve done what you suggested. i ve made the call or i ve filed the complaint and i guess you re telling me that it may not be responded to quickly? reporter: that s correct. now, it s a process, right. so the next thing that happens is that you are investigated to see if it s part of a safety defect trend. there is some info you ll to have fill out and give them, including the model of the car, the vehicle identification number. we re all familiar with vins now. you ll be prompted to fill out the following information.