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
SILVERADO 1500
(2010) - AIR BAGS
May 2, 2024
Incident date: Jan 26, 2024
Extensive leaking from the windshield area that is causing a significant amount of water to flood the passenger floorboard and the middle console where the screen for the radio, ac/heating control, and navigation system is. The lights on the middle console screen have become wet and are now blinking. The radio and the ac/heating screen is not allowing for any adjustments. The airbag light is now o... Read more
Incident date: Feb 10, 2024
The following article describes eyeglasses that are not made of polycarbonate material may cause irreparable eye injury as a result of vehicle airbag deployment with eyeglasses sunglasses composed of this material shattering into fragments https://www.11alive.com/article/money/consumer/sunglasses-safety-in-crash/85-7a8eebdc-3478-42e5-a9e5-465dac28425b This should be a warning in the owners manua... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: May 1, 2024
Recall Airbag/electrical and cylinder won’t change to next gear m, know several people with the same truck and same issue.
Incident date: May 1, 2024
Passenger Airbag and seat are faulty. Received error message on my car “front passenger safety restraint system faulty”. Tesla is wanting to replace the airbag and passenger seat and seat belt and it will cost few thousands dollars.
FORD
F-150 LIGHTNING BEV
(2023) - AIR BAGS
May 2, 2024
Incident date: Apr 11, 2024
I didn’t have any accidents but I when to many mechanics shops and each saying that it is an electrical problem with my 2008 Buick enclave CXL 3.6 also an issue with the airbag on the dash it showing service airbag soon I brought this car a couple of years ago and the airbag light was on when I brought it. VIN [XXX] I can be reach at [XXX] [XXX] or email me at [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED P... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2024
During heavy rains, I noticed some water leaking through the A pillar where the air bag is housed. I am concerned that the water may damage the air bag overtime. More importantly, if the air bags are deployed in low temperature (when the water becomes ice), it may create great safety problems.
Incident date: Feb 8, 2024
Dashboard is literally disintegrating into many small pieces. The area over the passenger airbag will come at the passenger as plastic shrapnel. It will also probably affect the force the bag has when inflated. This issue is from using substandard materials.
Incident date: May 1, 2024
My 2021 Volkswagen Atlas has been sporadically giving me an error message for my airbag. Upon googling the issue, it appears that VW did in fact recall the airbags for many VW Atlas years 2018-2021. When I called the dealership to get the airbag issue resolved, they informed me that my vehicle was not recalled for this issue. When I took it to the shop, the code being read from my car is the exact... Read more
Incident date: Apr 6, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 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 manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 29, 2024
I received a recall notice dated June 2023 regarding the front driver airbag inflator. It may contain a defect resulting in inflator rupture during deployment. An inflator rupture may cause metal fragments to pass through the airbag and into the vehicle interior which may result in injury or death to vehicle occupants. To date, there is no remedy. I find that unacceptable.
Incident date: Mar 27, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Buick Enclave. The contact stated that a message indicating that the front passenger's side seat belt was not buckled and that the front passenger's side air bag was enabled was displayed, even though the front passenger's side seat was not occupied. Additionally, the contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the re... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 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 made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2021
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds or while parked, the electric windows, seats, sunroof, and radio failed to operate as needed. Additionally, when coolant was added to the coolant reservoir, the A/C unit blew warm air for 15 minutes before cooling down. The seat belt warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken ... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2024
The contact owned a 2011 Lexus ES 350. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, another vehicle crossed over into oncoming traffic, resulting in a head-on collision with the contact's vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss by the contact insurance provider. A police report was filed, and injuries... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Apr 24, 2024
I backed out of a parking space, put my foot on the brake and shifted into Drive to finish maneuvering out of the space. Although I didn't remove my foot from the brake, my Forester immediately accelerated at extremely high speed, striking the two cars parked next to me, and seriously damaging both. Rather than slowing down after hitting the other two vehicles, my car continued to speed up, only c... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: May 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Yaris. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the seat belt light flashed on the instrument panel, indicating that the seat belt was not being worn. The air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the wiring harness. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. After investigatin... Read more
Incident date: Jul 15, 2023
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 manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 6, 2024
I have contacted Honda Dealer and Customer Service in regards to NHTSA Recall Number 24V-064. Honda is declining to correct the recall due to shortage in supply of parts. Honda is indicating that only vehicle with the airbag sensor light on are being prioritize. This makes me uneasy as I do not know whether or not my vehicle airbag will work properly in case of an incident. There is no waitlist fo... Read more
Incident date: Mar 6, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Buick Enclave. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (Air Bags) and the recall repair was performed. The contact stated that after the repair was performed, the driver’s side “Air Bag Service” warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer for additional diagnostic testing or r... Read more
Incident date: Apr 30, 2024
SRS Driver side knee air bag DTC B1861
Incident date: Apr 22, 2024
My vehicle has a safety recall and the manufacturer has not remedied a part to fix it yet.
VOLKSWAGEN
GTI
(2015) - AIR BAGS
Apr 30, 2024
Incident date: Apr 23, 2024
My clock spring on my jeep stopped working. I know when I looked online there is a recall on 2015 jeep wrangler clock spring being bad. My horn, steering controls, and air bags aren’t working correctly. If it’s recalled it should be fixed free of charge.
Incident date: Apr 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 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 manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experien... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2019) - AIR BAGS
Apr 30, 2024
Incident date: Apr 25, 2024
May 10,2023 Manufacturer Recall NumberN232404980 NHTSA Recall Number23V334 Recall StatusRecall Incomplete, remedy not yet available My complainant is that it's been also most a year since the recall was issued and they still have no parts available.
Incident date: Apr 23, 2024
No local dealer to complete recall NHTSA Recall Number 20V002000. Vehicle is too old, too high miles to be trusted to take on an extended road trip to a dealer. Contacting Subaru wasn’t any help.
Incident date: Jan 1, 2023
The passenger seat occupancy mat is faulty - same as in many other BMW models for which BMW has issued a 15 year warranty. The car chimes and states "fasten safety belt" for the passenger seat when the passenger seat is entirely empty. This error comes and goes, and stops when the belt is buckled.
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
The front dashboard panel that protects the passenger side airbag has cracked in several different places. These cracks have created pieces with sharp and pointed edges that may cause injuries to face, eyes and upper body of the passenger in case of an airbag deployment.
Incident date: Apr 4, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 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 made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced... Read more
HONDA
ACCORD HYBRID
(2023) - AIR BAGS
Apr 30, 2024
Incident date: Apr 16, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLC300. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the air bag warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that he observed a rattling noise emanating from the steering column while making right turns. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the clockspring needed to be replaced. The vehicle was ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 30, 2024
See attached document for complaint
Crash
Incident date: Nov 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 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 manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced... Read more
Incident date: Feb 9, 2024
Passenger side airbag error code is displayed on my dash. It is error code B1018 occupant sensor malfunction.
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2011) - AIR BAGS
Apr 30, 2024
Incident date: Jul 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 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 not 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 experien... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
E550
(2014) - AIR BAGS
Apr 30, 2024
Incident date: Feb 6, 2024
I had an accident on 4/15/2024. I blacked out and ran into an oak tree but none of my airbags deployed.
Crash
Incident date: Apr 30, 2024
Both driver and front passenger headrest airbags have deployed for no cause. This is is the second time this has occurred on both sides. No collision occurred in both incidents. First time it occurred under warranty and Mercedes fixed the issue. This time it occurred again and the car is not in warranty. Without functional headrest airbags the safety is greatly compromised for the occupants of ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 29, 2024
A recall has been issued on my vehicle since February. It is now almost May and when I call Honda about the recall they tell me that they do not have the solution as of yet.
Incident date: Mar 16, 2024
I have owned this F-150 since new and most of its life it has been stored indoors. Recently I noted that any time the vehicle is driven in the rain or left outside while it rains, the rear corners of the cab leaks water. The source of that water is a failed seal surrounding the rear window, which I diagnosed in my shop after removing the headliner and other trim in order to observe the leaking wit... Read more
Incident date: Apr 29, 2024
On January 25, 2024 my son was driving this truck and hit a dog on the highway. His driver side airbag deployed, the driver side seatbelt would not retract, and there was some minor body damage. The engine of the vehicle is fine and completely operational. Since then, we have been waiting for repairs to be made. Per USAA, repairs will be approx $5000 or less. The vehicle is worth over $12,000 so ... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Feb 28, 2024
The vehicle is reporting an error on the display. "Supplemental restraint system problem. See your dealer" a quick Google search in Honda Pilots forum confirms numerous vehicles experienced this same issue. Seems like we have multiple failures for tge air bag or restraint systems.
Incident date: Jan 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 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 "Service Air Bags" message was displayed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
CLA 250
(2023) - AIR BAGS
Apr 29, 2024
Incident date: Apr 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 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: Nov 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (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 not made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact... Read more
KUMHO
CRUGEN HT51
(9999) - AIR BAGS
Apr 29, 2024
Incident date: Apr 20, 2024
Airbag light came on randomly. Dealership says the unit needs to be replaced. 2900 dollar cost. No reason light came on, airbag was never deployed. Clear safety risk driving the vehicle if the airbag would not deploy.
Incident date: Jan 14, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Elantra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) 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 contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The air... Read more
Incident date: Jan 20, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. 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 not made aware of the issue. The contact had not exp... Read more
Incident date: Feb 15, 2024
See attached document for complaint
Incident date: Mar 2, 2024
The contact owned a 2002 Honda Civic. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 15V370000 (Air Bags) and 15V320000 (Air Bags) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted.
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2017) - AIR BAGS
Apr 29, 2024
Incident date: Feb 23, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while his daughter was coming to a complete stop at a stop sign, the vehicle was rear-ended by a distracted driver. The air bags did not deploy, resulting in injury. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. A police report was filed, and injurie... Read more
Crash
1 injured
FORD
MUSTANG MACH E
(2022) - AIR BAGS
Apr 29, 2024
Incident date: Apr 19, 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 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 experience... Read more