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
Incident date: Sep 2, 2024
Occupant classification System (OCS) for front passenger seat kept alerting while driving both with and without any person or object in the seat. I contacted Tesla service center and they stated that the occupant classification system (OCS) AND the front passenger airbag require replacement, otherwise the front passenger airbags will not function properly in a collision. I asked if this was a rec... Read more
Incident date: Sep 2, 2024
Driver and passenger Curtain airbags may not deploy as intended. The vehicle would not have been purchased and driven around had this been known at the time of purchase. Lexus has no remedy and this is completely Unacceptable.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2024
The front passenger active head restraint deployed without being involved in an accident and without warning. Upon inspection, we found that the plastic used to hold the metal rod under tension (until released by the crash sensor) broke. No one was hurt but could have been as this happened just as we were getting into the vehicle.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2024
On July 21, 2023, I was vigorously hit in the rear by someone. According to the police report, this person's airbags deployed. Unfortunately, my airbag, although hit extremely hard, did not. I was injured pretty bad and had to get treatment for over a year. I am still not completely healed. I was uneasy about my airbag not deploying and was sent a safety recall notice explaining why it did not. To... Read more
Crash
2 injured
MAZDA
CX-90 PLUG-IN HYBRID
(2024) - AIR BAGS
Sep 1, 2024
Incident date: Sep 1, 2024
I was involved in a rear-end collision where I was completely stopped at a green light due to traffic congestion and the person driving behind me hit my car from behind that caused me to hit the car in front of me. The impact was hard that the Tesla model 3 immediately turned on the hazard lights and called 911. The screen of my Tesla model 3 stated "airbag deployed;" however, no airbags deploye... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Aug 31, 2024
Air bag warning light repeatedly on due to a bad harness connection under the drivers seat. This is the fourth time.
Incident date: Jul 29, 2024
There is a common issue with these makes and models with the drivers side knee air bag having issues with connecting which cause the SRS light go on the dashboard. I called Lexus corporate office and local dealer and they said there was a recall but it expired in 2020. From the research i did, this was a small window and there shouldn’t have been an expiration on the recall for something that is... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS CROSS SPORT
(2020) - AIR BAGS
Aug 31, 2024
Incident date: May 7, 2024
Lexus has failed to provide a timely repair for this simple recall issue, and has not provided any remedy or free loaner car. Their dealers rep has said to just "drive with the windows up, and you will be fine".
Incident date: Jun 24, 2024
I called the dealership a year ago about this recall. I just found out today that the manufacturer defect cannot even be fixed! I have been waiting a whole year for the part to come in just to be told today that there is NO remedy or fix for this recall. I was told that my airbag inflator in my 2017 Chevy Traverse can explode, even without a crash, due to a manufacturing defect!! Now I am scared t... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
AMG GLE43
(2018) - AIR BAGS
Aug 30, 2024
Incident date: Aug 30, 2024
My father in law drove my highlander car and got into an accident on 8/27/2024. Front of the car was damaged but did not deploy the airbags. And as far I know it is equipped with automatic braking system but the damaged looks really bad.
Crash
CHRYSLER
PT CRUISER
(2003) - AIR BAGS
Aug 30, 2024
Incident date: Dec 14, 2023
The contact owns a 2008 Saab 9-3. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 14V318000 (Seat Belts) and 16V063000 (Air Bags); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted; however, the dealer declined to service the vehicle. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repai... Read more
Incident date: Jul 28, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Acadia. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not 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 experi... Read more
Incident date: Jul 2, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Acadia. 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. VIN tool confirms parts not a... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2022
This is for a 2014 BMW 550i. Getting a red warning light indicating the passenger airbag is malfunctioning. The driver side had a recall but not the passenger. This is very dangerous and should be addressed. The dealership wants over $2,700 to fix it. Doesn't feel right. Reading on the message boards and sounds to be a common problem with these cars. Could use your help.
Incident date: Aug 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Passport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was... Read more
Incident date: Aug 29, 2024
See attached document for complaint.
Incident date: Aug 21, 2024
The front passenger safety restrain system keeps switching off and showing an error randomly during driving, especially with younger passengers on the passenger seat. The problem was already fixed by Tesla 4 times and is appearing again.
Incident date: Aug 30, 2024
Light blinks for (no airbag on passenger side) working. Light also blinks on dashboard showing no airbags. My car has just over 76,000 miles with meticulous maintenance and no crashes, accidents or even bumps. There are countless complaints, inquiries and threads on the internet regarding the above mentioned problem. I don't know if anyone has taken the time to make an official inquiry but it... Read more
Incident date: Aug 22, 2024
The SRS airbag system malfunction went off and the seat keeps beeping for a long time before finally stopping I’ve taken it in to get fixed to the Stockton dealership but they said there’s no available fix yet, but then when I went to pick it up after my oil service they said for $200 they could fix it.
Incident date: Aug 23, 2024
The contact owned a 2015 Lexus ES350. The contact stated while driving at 60 MPH during heavy rain weather conditions, the vehicle was hydroplaned, control of the vehicle was lost, and crashed into the concrete median. The contact heads impacted the steering wheel and the vehicle ricocheted off the concrete median and spun three times. The vehicle crashed into a wall and the vehicle came to a stop... Read more
Crash
1 injured
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2021) - AIR BAGS
Aug 29, 2024
Incident date: Nov 17, 2022
There are several recalls associated with this vehicle It is NHTSA RECALL NUMBER: 23V-858 MFR CAMPAIGN ID: KIZ CAMPAIGN DESCRIPTION: 2013 Odyssey Fuel Pump Module Set/Assy Exp 2 12/28/2023 NHTSA RECALL NUMBER: 17V-725 MFR CAMPAIGN ID: POQ CAMPAIGN DESCRIPTION: 2nd Row Outer Seat Striker Bracket (Seat Tipping) RECALL DATE: 11/17/2017 NHTSA RECALL NUMBER: 16V-933 MFR CAMPAIGN ID: KD5 CAMPAIGN DE... Read more
Incident date: Aug 29, 2024
As of 10May2023 the Driver Front Airbag Inflator May Rupture and could cause death to occupants of the car. All in my car are at risk for metal parts flying in the cabin of the SUV if the airbag inflator ruptures. This could cause death per recall notice. I called all the dealers near me and GM no one can get the parts to fix this potentially life threatening defect. Please help them get the pa... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while entering a parking lot, the brake pedal failed to respond, the driver was unable to control the steering wheel and crashed into a Ford vehicle and a tree. The air bags deployed, and the vehicle stopped shortly after. The forward collision emergency braking system failed to engage. There were no warning lights illuminated. The veh... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Aug 26, 2024
"Supplemental Restraint System Problem. See Your Dealer" and the air bag warning light was turned on multiple times. Upon turning off and restarting the vehicle, the warning lights are not turned on sometimes. But at random times, the failure reoccurred persistently. Noticed that my vehicle has 5 different Recalls but my VIN only has one recall needed(?). Managed to figure out that the SRS system ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 29, 2024
See attached document for complaint.
Incident date: Aug 13, 2024
The contact owns a 2002 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the driver's side air bag warning light remained illuminated. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 354,000.
Incident date: Sep 8, 2023
My vehicle was stolen in downtown New York
MERCEDES-BENZ
C 300
(2019) - AIR BAGS
Aug 29, 2024
Incident date: Mar 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that the front passenger's side air bag and seat belt warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the front passenger's side seat sensor was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The dealer contacted the manufacturer, and the manufacturer advised the dealer that the front passenger seat needed to be replac... Read more
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER HYBRID
(2023) - AIR BAGS
Aug 29, 2024
Incident date: Feb 29, 2024
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 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 contact had not experienced a failure. The manufacturer was not made... Read more
Incident date: Aug 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Dodge Charger. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V198000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was ... Read more
FORD
F-150 HYBRID
(2023) - AIR BAGS
Aug 29, 2024
Incident date: Jun 29, 2024
My wife weighs about 125 pounds. When she sits in the front passenger seat of this car, often (but not always) an indicator will light up on the dashboard, saying "Passenger Air Bag OFF." Even if she shifts around in the seat or bounces up and down, the indicator light will stay on. I have taken the car to my local Acura dealer twice, asking that this problem be diagnosed and fixed. The first time... Read more
Incident date: Aug 28, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Buick Enclave. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the message "Service Air Bag" was displayed. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amo... Read more
Incident date: Aug 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2006 Audi A3. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the passenger’s side air bag warning light illuminated. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, he heard an abnormal rattling sound coming from the passenger’s side of the dashboard where the air bag was located. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer and was informed that parts were not availabl... Read more
Incident date: Aug 27, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (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 made aware of the issue. The contact had not experie... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2023) - AIR BAGS
Aug 29, 2024
Incident date: Jun 15, 2023
I’ve had 11 times back at the dealer to fix my airbag, pre-collision and battery. Ford can’t figure out the solution and keeps throwing parts at it. Already replaced my computer, computers, my wiring, harnesses, my charge port, my wiring harness for the charge port, my seat cushion for the airbags. Ford no longer knows how to fix the problem And is leaving the truck in the backyard for over si... Read more
HONDA
CR-V HYBRID
(2020) - AIR BAGS
Aug 29, 2024
Incident date: Aug 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (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 made aware of the issue. The contact had not experi... Read more
Incident date: Jul 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The contact stated while making a left turn, the steering wheel made a complete 360-degree turn; however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. Additionally, the horn and the buttons on the steering wheel became inoperable. The contact pushed up on the steering wheel, applying a lot of pressure, to steer the vehicle while turning. Additionally, when t... Read more
Incident date: Apr 5, 2023
Supplemental RestraintSystem Problem warning keeps coming on. I have taken it in to the dealership and made them aware of this. However they keep telling me that when I take the vehicle in they don’t see anything wrong with it and that warning light isn’t on. I have been told to take it in when it stays on completely. It never stays on completely, it comes and it goes. Worried
Incident date: Aug 27, 2024
The contact owned a 2017 Jeep Patriot. The contact stated that while in stopped traffic, a pickup truck rear-ended and the air bags failed to deploy. The adult son sustained injuries that required spinal surgery. A police report was filed. The vehicle was deemed total by the insurance company. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 89,646.
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Aug 26, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Dodge Charger. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V198000 (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 made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced... Read more
Incident date: Aug 27, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Buick Enclave. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V3344000 (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 n... Read more
Incident date: Jul 5, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Buick Enclave. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (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 contact had not experienced a failure. The manufacturer was made aware of... Read more
Incident date: Jun 30, 2024
Air Bag malfunction, Car was total loss. Message of the car screen attach to this report.
Crash
4 injured
Incident date: Aug 28, 2024
THERE IS NO FIX AVAILABLE YET AND MY CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE TO ME AS A CONSUMER. ADDITIONALLY I CAN NOT TRADE IN MY CAR TO PURCHASE A SAFER VEHICLE.
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER HYBRID
(2023) - AIR BAGS
Aug 28, 2024
Incident date: Jan 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V046000 (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 contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle l... Read more
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER HYBRID
(2023) - AIR BAGS
Aug 28, 2024
Incident date: Jan 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 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 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 n... Read more
Incident date: Jul 27, 2024
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, there was a hesitation, and the vehicle surged forward before coming to a stop. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact became aware of TSB 0059/23, NHTSA ID Number: 10244133 (Electrical System, Air Bags, Service Brakes) for the 2021 - 2022 Toyota Highlander. The vehicle was ta... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS CROSS SPORT
(2020) - AIR BAGS
Aug 28, 2024
Incident date: Aug 21, 2024
Front passenger air bag seat occupancy sensor (OC3) mat. The air bag is on for a while "passenger restrain system", nothing really happened it appear one day and never left.