Consumer Safety Complaints

Search 2,192,899 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA — including 137,559 crashes, 55,854 fires, and 8,555 deaths.

2,192,899 Total Complaints

137,559 Reported Crashes

55,854 Reported Fires

8,555 Reported 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 2,192,899 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

How to Read NHTSA Consumer Complaints › How NHTSA Investigations Work › Used Car: 7 Recall Checks to Run First › The Takata Airbag Recall: Full Story › OBD-II Codes Explained › All Articles ›

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Showing 127,896 complaints — component: AIR BAGS

Incident date: Aug 30, 2023

Driving home and the air bag light came on

Incident date: Jan 25, 2023

The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V945000 (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 co... Read more

Incident date: Apr 15, 2023

I am experiencing the airbag issue described in the recall campaign. The passenger seat airbag warning light goes off constantly. Current "solution" is to not use the passenger seat until a repair can be made... however it has been nearly 6 months without any updates.

Incident date: Aug 3, 2023

Vehicle was sitting, not driven and parked for a couple days, got into the car and the saw the front passenger headrest airbag had deployed. Vehicle has not been in an accident or been damaged.

Incident date: Aug 23, 2023

The automatic occupant detection system sensor no longer registers if a passenger is sitting in the front passenger seat, thus the front passenger’s frontal airbag is not turned on when driving with a passenger in the front seat.

Incident date: May 22, 2023

Driver and Passenger side seat belt pretensioners failed and have resulted in airbags being inoperable.

Incident date: Jun 15, 2023

The air bag system light comes on, the code is B0020 - Side A/B module LH, and I am able to reset the system with a code scanner. The light goes out and operates normally for a few days or weeks, then without warning the A/B illuminates again for no apparent reason. I understand this is not a component problem but a wiring issue. I have read that the path the wire harness takes from the connect... Read more

Incident date: May 10, 2023

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 available. 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: Jun 15, 2023

Airbag fault lamp illuminated. Trouble code U0433 stored in body module (CEM). The problem described is with the closing velocity module, a component of the collision mitigation system. There is a TSB available from Volvo for this code, reference number US25146.1.1. It states a software update must be performed to resolve the error. My complaint is that the airbag system is affected and shows an a... Read more

Incident date: Aug 24, 2023

I work for a body shop and we took this seat out in order to replace the frame underneath. While the seat was sitting on the ground, no one near it, the airbag deployed. We have it on video. We have concerns about replacing the seat/airbag if it's going to randomly deploy and potentially injure our technician or the customer. According to Mazda, there are no known recalls related to this and the c... Read more

Incident date: Jul 30, 2023

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the air bag module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed there was no recall on the VIN related to the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 89,000.

Incident date: Aug 25, 2023

Front end accident-airbags did not deploy

Crash

Incident date: Aug 30, 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 not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that the part for the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not ... Read more

Incident date: Nov 8, 2021

The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact received notification of; NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V586000 (Steering), NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V645000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), and 21V504000 (Air Bags). The contact stated that while parked and the vehicle powered on both sides torso air bags deployed without a collision. The driver sustained an ear injury. The vehicle was not diag... Read more

1 injured

Incident date: Aug 30, 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 and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 30, 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 not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experien... Read more

Incident date: Oct 28, 2022

This 2020 Mustang GT VIN# [XXX] with 9,600 miles was a total loss that happened on 10/28/2022 paid out by Insurance company USAA 1-800-531-8111. Please take note that this vehicle was a TOTAL LOSS with severe FRAME DAMAGE. My Name is [XXX] and owned the vehicle when it was a TOTAL LOSS due to a meager collision on 10/28/2022. If you have any questions please contact me at [XXX] or [XXX] . I hav... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Feb 1, 2023

The Air bag system on a 2018 Infiniti Q50 AWD is malfunctioning. I’d like to get it checked out especially if this could be a tentative recall issue for myself and other owners of the same vehicle. I feel very unsafe for my family and I because the system was never tampered with, yet the light used to go away randomly. Currently, the light is permanently on, and passenger airbag light states th... Read more

Incident date: Mar 1, 2023

Driver side head rest air bag deployed completely on its own while I was sitting at a red light. It slammed forward with such great force hitting me in the back of my head and caused a horrible headache. It is available for inspection. My safety is at risk everytime I get in my car due to the fact it is a safety feature put in place by Jeep to prevent whiplash or any type of head or neck injury. ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 29, 2023

Head rest in drivers side deployed while driving home from work today after inspecting it once home seems to have a broken clip

Incident date: Aug 29, 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. The contact had not expe... Read more

Incident date: Aug 11, 2023

The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH while slowing down, the vehicle rear ended by another vehicle which caused the contact to crash into the vehicle in front. The air bags did not deploy. The contact struck the steering and had major injuries to the nose and neck and they required medical attention. The contact was unsure if the other drivers were in... Read more

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Jun 29, 2023

This car is having tons of electrical issues. From wire malfunctions in the radio to the ORC module failing. All lights for air bags, abs breaks, check engine, and everything electrical are beeping and flashing. The air bags will not work if I get in an accident and I've read they can deploy at any time while I am driving! If you look online, Chrysler/Jeep has LOTS of ORC failure issues and have ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 29, 2023

The contact owns a 2010 Nissan Frontier. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V067000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not mad... Read more

Incident date: Jul 14, 2023

The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Golf. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light and the air bags warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V892000 (Visibility, Air Bags) however, neither the VIN nor the model vehicle was included. The v... Read more

Incident date: Aug 29, 2023

Warning light stated “Vehicle Restraint System requires Service”. Dealership looking into warning light.

Incident date: Aug 28, 2020

The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the ignition turned off and the vehicle coasted. The contact stated that power steering and the brakes failed to function. The contact coasted to a parking lot and was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The contact stated that the failure had become a recurring failure. The contact ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 21, 2023

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota C-HR. The contact stated while driving 35 mph, while depressing the brake pedal the failed to stop and the vehicle and crashed into a brick mailbox. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. No air bags deployed, and the front driver side seat belt failed to retract. The contact sustained injuries on his neck and back and sought medical attention at a near... Read more

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Aug 29, 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. VIN tool confirms part... Read more

Incident date: Aug 29, 2023

I am filing a complaint in regards to Volkswagen failing to offer a solution to repair the Takata airbag which was recalled. I have tried contacting VW numerous times over the past two years as I live in Juneau, Alaska, which is landlocked and the only option is to send the vehicle on a ferry to either Anchorage or Seattle, WA to have this repair completed. The vehicle has not been driven in years... Read more

Incident date: Aug 29, 2023

I received a recall notice for the defective driver airbag. The nearest dealership is 10 hours away. I called Customer care and they said I would be responsible to transport my Volvo to the dealership in Billings Montana. The vehicle is a 2004 Volvo with 188k miles. Expense and travel is prohibitive to me. I am on a fixed income and I would worry about making a 20hr round trip in an older car.... Read more

Incident date: Aug 29, 2023

The contact owns a 2015 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: Aug 10, 2023

The area in the dash where the passenger airbag is contained recently got two Cracks along the edges of the airbag compartment as if the airbag tried to go off and didn't. There was no collision, the dash just cracked. The very next day the airbag light came on and had been on ever since. This seems to be a common problem. With. These cars. Hyundai needs to step it up

Incident date: Aug 29, 2023

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 and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made... Read more

Incident date: Aug 29, 2023

Incident date: May 27, 2023

2018 kia forte kept stalling out, 3 times in 2minutes. Drove it home, had it towed to Kia Spitzer West, it'd been there since May27, 2023. They will not repair, they will not replace, they won't even call me back. It's a disgrace

Incident date: Aug 28, 2023

I took my RV for the airbag recall to Ron Carter Dodge in Alvin, Texas. They repaired driver and passenger side airbags. When I left the SRS light was on and the tech told me he couldn’t get it to go off. Turns out the passenger airbag was never properly plugged in so it would not have worked in a collision. The service department let me leave with an improperly installed airbag.

Incident date: Aug 29, 2023

I received a letter 2 months for a fix for airbag recall; however, there still isn’t a fix. GMC is refusing to do anything and they insist that it’s safe for me to continue driving my car when they know that the driver side airbag is unsafe. They said it will get fixed whenever they get the parts and just continue driving it until then.

Incident date: Aug 22, 2023

The contact owned a 2014 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while stopped at a red light a vehicle one rear-ended the vehicle. This caused the contact to crash into in front of her. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The contact sustained back and neck injuries. Medical attention was needed. Additionally, the driver of vehicle three ... Read more

Crash 2 injured

Incident date: Aug 25, 2023

I was driving at 50mph and a car pulled out infront of me. I had no option but crashing into them. The impact was in the front end of my vehicle causing enough damage to total the vehicle and the airbags did not deploy. The insurance aduster did look at the vehicle.

Crash

Incident date: Aug 12, 2023

Airbag warning

Incident date: Aug 28, 2023

The contact owned a 2023 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, another vehicle cut them off, and caused the contact to swerve in order to avoid the vehicle this caused the contact to crash into an electric pole. The air bags did not deploy. The contact had a bruise on his legs and between neck and shoulder. No medical treatment was needed. The vehicle was towed from the sc... Read more

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Aug 4, 2023

02/16/2023 i purchase mini cooper s from a private owner i paid cash 6,0000 for the car 2 months later my car broke down i had my car towed to a shop i was told that my motor mounts had no bolts or screws and that what cause my car to break down it also broke my intake and wheel bearings had to be replaced total cost 1,600.00 On 08/04/2023 my car breaks down i was told that my valve broke an... Read more

Incident date: Aug 15, 2023

The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V215000 (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 wa... Read more

Incident date: Aug 4, 2023

Driving making slight turn car locked up steering wheel, brakes and gas all locked up ran in to a wall. The vehicle just failed with no prior warning.

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Aug 28, 2023

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 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 not made aware of the issue. The contact had not exp... Read more

Incident date: May 30, 2023

There is an open recall with no available fix. I don’t feel safe driving this car without the fix. We basically have to purchase a new car with less trade in value as it os unethical to sell or pay for a loaner. I called GM & they referred to the dealership. 2 different dealerships including dealership of purchase say there is nothing they can do as there is no fix. Please help.

Incident date: Aug 15, 2023

My check airbag light came on. Also, when I'm driving, my car stalls in the middle of the road and is unable to move, and it keeps doing that. And it does not have a check engine light, but it keeps stalling.

Incident date: May 10, 2023

The contact owns a 2017 Buick Enclave. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V3340000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. An undisclosed dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was mad... Read more

Incident date: Mar 28, 2023

The contact owns a 2008 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and turned off at the residence, the front windshield cracked. Upon inspection, the contact noticed that the front driver's and passenger's side air bags had deployed without impact. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that a short circuit was caused by water... Read more

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