Consumer Safety Complaints
Search 2,245,377 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA, including 140,173 crashes, 56,794 fires, and 8,580 deaths.
What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?
A consumer complaint is a free-form report filed by a vehicle owner directly to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) describing a safety concern about their vehicle. NHTSA collects these reports through its Vehicle Owner Defect Report (VOQ) system and publishes them publicly. Each complaint includes the affected component, the date and circumstances of the incident, whether the failure caused a crash or fire, and any reported injuries or deaths. The owner's full narrative description is included verbatim, NHTSA does not edit or moderate the descriptions.
The database below contains over 2,245,377 individual complaints. NHTSA's investigators monitor it for clusters of similar reports, when enough owners describe the same failure mode on the same vehicle, NHTSA may open a Preliminary Evaluation that can lead to a recall. Many of the largest recalls in U.S. history, including the Takata airbag recall and the Hyundai/Kia engine fire recalls, started as patterns visible in this complaint database years before they became formal recalls.
How to interpret what you read
A few principles for reading consumer complaints usefully:
- One complaint is anecdote; a hundred similar complaints is data. NHTSA does not investigate the truthfulness of any individual report, that's the job of the Office of Defects Investigation, which looks at the full pattern. When evaluating a vehicle, look for whether multiple owners describe the same chain of events.
- Crash, fire, injury, and death flags are owner-set. They are not verified by NHTSA. They are still useful as a filter, because owners who tick those boxes are typically reporting more serious incidents than those who don't.
- Component categories are NHTSA-assigned, not owner-assigned. NHTSA standardizes the component field so that complaints can be aggregated. The owner narrative often goes into more detail than the component category captures.
- Complaint volume scales with sales volume. A best-selling model will accumulate more raw complaints than a niche model even at the same defect rate. To compare across vehicles, look at complaints per 100,000 units sold, not raw counts.
If you've experienced a defect
File a complaint. NHTSA's investigators rely on this database to detect emerging defects, and useful complaints, specific, concrete, with dates and mileage and clear descriptions of what happened, feed directly into the agency's pattern detection. The form takes about 10 minutes and is at nhtsa.gov/recalls under "Report a Safety Problem." Your complaint becomes part of the same public record that this page is built from. Owners filing detailed VOQs are how recalls get triggered.
Read more from our blog
Showing 129,250 complaints - component: AIR BAGS
CHEVROLET
EQUINOX EV
(2024) - AIR BAGS
Jan 17, 2025
Incident date: Jan 17, 2025
I received notification that my vehicle had a recall for related to emissions. At the dealership for repair, I was also informed of a second recall concerning airbags and they may no deploy if needed. The emissions recall was completed however the airbag recall procedure could not be performed due to what the technician described as a "weak" battery in my vehicle. If my vehicle’s battery was in... Read more
Incident date: Dec 5, 2024
See attached document for complaint.
HONDA
CR-V HYBRID
(2022) - AIR BAGS
Jan 17, 2025
Incident date: Dec 30, 2024
See attached document for complaint.
Incident date: Jan 1, 2015
Passenger head rest went off with car off and no one near it.
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2024) - AIR BAGS
Jan 17, 2025
Incident date: Jan 16, 2025
Airbag warning light for front passenger seat on permenently.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2024
Passenger headrest popped open while the vehicle was unoccupied, discovered it the next day taking my daughter to the bus stop. Drivers side head rest popped open a couple weeks later while we were driving about 35mph. Vehicle was not in any kind of collision when either of these incidents happened.
Incident date: Aug 16, 2024
Leather dashboard is shrinking. The cut out for the passenger airbag is no longer in line and will likely result in the airbag not deploying correctly.
Incident date: Jan 9, 2025
Leather dashboard cover is separating from the dashboard with staples being pulled up. I am concerned the airbag in the dash may deploy improperly and/or dangerously.
Incident date: Jan 1, 2024
Passenger presence does not detect people in it and makes it unsafe for passenger without airbags. This got closed and was state that there was a Chevy program to fix this as cited in the closing . I have called all over Chevy and there is no one who knows anything about this at all. If you know it or if they just started it to make it go away, please tell with with whom I can contact within Chev... Read more
Incident date: Jan 15, 2025
Manufacturer has not repaired recall in a timely manner. Airbags unsafe and unable to deploy.
Incident date: Jan 15, 2025
System warning for the rear left safety restraint. Took it into Tesla and they charged me.
Incident date: Aug 29, 2024
HONDA CR-V 2000 - I repeatedly contacted dealer in 2020 to get airbag replaced due to recall, but they said they didn't have replacement parts. 11/1/24 I brought car to Honda El Cerrito for airbag replacement due to recall. SRS light was on after their repair, but I didn't know that was a problem. I brought the car to another mechanic a couple weeks later for visual inspection prior to sale, and h... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS CROSS SPORT
(2022) - AIR BAGS
Jan 16, 2025
Incident date: Jan 16, 2024
Dear NHTSA Representative, I am writing to formally express my concern regarding the failure of Honda to notify me of a safety recall related to my vehicle, as required by 49 U.S.C. § 30119. As a current owner of the vehicle in question, I was never informed of the recall despite actively driving the car with my children, unknowingly putting our safety at risk. According to the law, manufacture... Read more
Incident date: Jan 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V464000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer had not informed the contact of the cause of the failure but informed the contact that the part to do the recall repair was not yet ava... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2025
I was mailed a recall for a warning light for the passenger air bag. It covers a time period of 15 years. I had the warning light come on as described in the mailer for the recall that was sent to me ( the original owner of a 2013 Nissan Altima ) and I set up an appointment with the dealership to have it repaired. No sooner did I leave after dropping off the vehicle that the dealership called to i... Read more
Incident date: Jul 16, 2024
Service safety restraint system notification is coming on, vehicle has 45,000 miles on it.
Incident date: Jan 15, 2025
A crack on my dashboard by the airbag above glove box. I use a windshield screen and armor all it to protect it I’m afraid if there’s an accident the airbag will not work as designed and it could cause injury or death Kia said after 5 years it’s normal wear and tear I bought car new oct 2019
TOYOTA
SIENNA HYBRID
(2023) - AIR BAGS
Jan 16, 2025
Incident date: Jan 16, 2025
I was slowly backing out of a parking space, with no cars coming in either direction, and the car had a loud warning sound and my driver airbag deployed and exploded in my face. The car filled with smoke. I was only halfway out of the parking space when this happened, I was able to pull forward and park safely. I did not hit anything and there was no damage to the car whatsoever. Consequently all ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2025
The vehicle, a 2020 Hyundai Palisade SEL, was located in a closed garage, unoccupied. Within 10 minutes of parking the car in the garage, it caught on fire, possibly originating on the front, driver's side. Due to this incident occurring inside a garage, there was damage to our home and a high risk of safety (including loss of life) to the home and its occupants. At this time, we are waiting for t... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jan 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2010 Nissan Versa. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The steering wheel enclosure failed to close. The contact stated that the horn was inoperable. The vehicle was previously taken to the local dealer and was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V449000 (Air Bags) and 18V044000 (Air Bags). The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. Th... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
JETTA
(2009) - AIR BAGS
Jan 16, 2025
Incident date: Jan 11, 2025
2012 Infiniti G25x: Occupancy sensor failed (diagnostic code B1018) around 132,000 miles. This is a common problem with Infiniti cars. Apparently for 2007 and 2008, there were recalls, but this problem continued into later years with no recall. The cost I was quoted to repair this (replacing the entire passenger seat) was $5,000, which is not practical for a 12 year old car. Although I haven'... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2023) - AIR BAGS
Jan 15, 2025
Incident date: Jan 15, 2025
The truck has been having the inactive airbag sign on for about the two years that we have had it.
Incident date: Sep 15, 2023
After contacting the dealer several times, I’ve been told the parts for the recall are unavailable and it has been more than 6 months. The recall is over air bags that may not deploy correctly. Additionally, the electrical panel is periodically going out, the electrical on the seat isn’t working, and the car charger isn’t working. Finally, the car hesitates when going from reverse to drive. ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2024
Contacted FCA Recall Assistant Center on 10/23/2024 and filed a complaint against Corwin Chrysler Dodge, 3306 E. Kearney St., Springfield, MO., 65803 regarding Safety Recalls that Corwin Chrysler Dodge fraudulently checked off in the system as fixed, but they were not fixed. Case# [XXX] was assigned to the complaint. Keith is the assigned CS Manager and can be reached at 844-378-0575, ext: 3124.... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2025
Airbag light is on after a clock spring issue. Dealer is stating new airbag is needed for vehicle that has never had an accident. Airbag light was not on prior to clock spring malfunction. Clockspring was repaired, but airbag light remains on.
Incident date: Dec 30, 2024
I got an accirdent Jan 9,2025 and my car was totally wreck. Im in body pain and therapy right now and in working status report because of my situation. The airbag didnt deployed at the time of accident. Mitsubishi outlander has 7 airbags , but nothing has comes out. This is very dangerous. God is really works for miracles coz me and my daughter are alive even were having pain in our body. I have p... Read more
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Jan 13, 2025
SRS light came on. Vehicle didn’t have any change in driving performance.
Incident date: Dec 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was scheduled for an upcoming diagnostic test. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bag... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware that there was a fracture under the Ford emblem on the steering wheel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be inspected. The contact was informed that the front driver's side air bag needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised to contact the manufac... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2025
It's been a year that this situation is still under a recall and there is no remedy. Keep receiving constant notices and every time I call its something new and yet they still don't have a remedy. I was told last year not to have anyone sit in my passenger seat until a remedy is found. I feel unsafe and have been financing my Toyota RAV4 since August 2020. My recent call they wont have a remedy Ju... Read more
Incident date: Nov 23, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V945000 (Air Bags) and was repaired; however, approximately 2 years later the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the passenger seat air bag sensor failed to recognize when an occupant was seated in the seat. The deal... Read more
Incident date: Dec 14, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while driving 30-35 MPH with the seat belt engaged, the vehicle in front of the contact suddenly stopped at a set of train tracks, and the contact crashed into the rear of the vehicle, and that vehicle crashed into the rear of the vehicle ahead. The contact stated that the air bags failed to deploy. A Police report was filed. The conta... Read more
Crash
1 injured
FORD
MAVERICK HYBRID
(2022) - AIR BAGS
Jan 14, 2025
Incident date: Jan 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Passat. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not exp... Read more
KIA
SPORTAGE HYBRID
(2023) - AIR BAGS
Jan 14, 2025
Incident date: Nov 5, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Acura RDX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Incident date: Sep 6, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The air bag and seat belt warning lights were illuminated. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was... Read more
Incident date: Jan 13, 2025
The Aston Martin part number 6G33-13B524-CH is a convertible roof module for the V8 Vantage. When this fails it takes most of the electronics with it. Dashboard fails which includes: speedometer, tachometer, turn signals, warning lights (giving false positives on many); power windows; Glove Box; Trunk lid (which includes a fuse box); and of course Convertible roof cannot be raised or lowered. B... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2022) - AIR BAGS
Jan 13, 2025
Incident date: Jul 3, 2023
While driving the morning of 13 Jan 2025 my Airbag sensor light on the dashboard illuminated. Shortly after that me and my wife smelled smoke in the vehicle cabin and then we heard a loud explosion and the seatbelt instantly tightened around my chest and waist. It was after I was able to stop safely and research the incident that I realized my drivers side “pretensioner” detonated while I was ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 28, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Lexus ES 250. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not... Read more
Incident date: Jan 13, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confir... Read more
Incident date: Nov 12, 2024
I did not have an incident(accident), I noticed issues with my car, that seem to be prevalent with other Nissan Vehicles. This report is mostly proactive. I took the vehicle to the dealer for inspection and repair however was unable to come to a conclusion due to multiple inspection charges done by dealer but no fixes. Issue 1. Airbag Fault Warning Light on the dash. Turns on when I start the car... Read more
Incident date: Jan 13, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Buick Enclave. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconn... Read more
Incident date: May 14, 2021
The contact owns a 2014 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while stopped at a yield sign, the contact was rear-ended by another vehicle. The contact stated that the air bags partially deployed upon impact which resulted in the contact hitting her head on the steering wheel. The contact later went to the hospital where she was treated for whiplash and a concussion. A police report was filed... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Dec 23, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution di... Read more
Incident date: Jan 11, 2025
The airbag light on my vehicle comes on quite often. If there is a passenger sitting in the seat, it tells me that the airbags off. Nothing has happened yet but if the airbag doesn’t go during your crash, could cause severe injury. Can be inspected but plan to see what issue is and have it fixed soon.
Incident date: Jul 10, 2024
While turning left on a snowcovered road, my passenger airbags deployed when I slid into the curb. The only damage was to my rear passenger wheel. The force to the vehicle should not have been hard enough for the airbags to deploy. No warning lights prior to the accident.
Crash
Incident date: Jan 12, 2025
Have tried twice by phone to request the closest Jeep dealership recommended on the numerous recall cards mailed to have recalls fixed at Williams Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, 1100 E Main st., Stigler, OK. 74462. Each contact with dealership to get appointment to fix recalls fixed the individual asks “what is the VIN number?” give requested info then ask “Did you purchase at our location?” No ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 11, 2024
I purchased a this vehicle at a dealership Laurel Ford as is no warranty for $14,000 and not even in a week of me having it the key fob was not working and it’s been giving me problems so now it’s not is not reading the ignition switch and it won’t turn on it’s not drivable, and I have small three kids. I love it but the headache I can’t deal. Please help!!!!