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: Nov 4, 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 unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
My name is [XXX] and I live in Plainsboro NJ. I own a 2015 Chevrolet Traverse. I received a letter from General Motors letting me know about a recall in June (attached). The letter states that it is a Safety Recall having to do with the driver side airbag which may contain a supplier manufacturing defect that may result in an inflator rupture during deployment. It goes on to say that the infl... Read more
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2021) - AIR BAGS
Nov 6, 2023
Incident date: Feb 14, 2022
My airbag light keeps coming on. It has been happening for the last 4 years. Everytime there is a temperature change more than 10 degrees the light comes on and stays on during driving. After the car is driven for a while and it's parked and turned off it resets. I've had the dealership check it and they say there is no code that shows the light being on. The app says I don't have any unresolved r... Read more
Incident date: Nov 5, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Chrysler 200. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the local dealer for an inspection, where it was determined that the air bag and engine warning lights were illuminated and were under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was unknown.
Incident date: Oct 23, 2023
Hit a buck on highway. When airbags went off I felt sudden sharp pain in my left arm. I was later advised that it most likely was shrapnel from the airbag. It was obvious from the injury something hit my arm with a lot of force. The car was a total loss and in possession of insurance company. Concerned that it could have been my eye.
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Oct 24, 2023
Car accident November 3, 2023. A dear ran in front car while traveling 55mps. As the impact took place causing front and of the car to be smashed Air bags in the car did not deployed. Causing head to hit steering wheel.
Crash
Incident date: Nov 5, 2023
Headrest airbag deployed for no reason, no accident
Incident date: Nov 4, 2023
Safety of my wife and 5 children are at risk every time they get in our family vehicle.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2020
On October 18, 2023, at about 11 am, I was approaching to enter our driveway with my foot on the brake system when all of the sudden the car sped up at a very high speed that I was unable to control. The speed was so forceful that the car crashed unto the house resulting in a lot of damage to our house, all this happened in less than one second. I had a next door neighbor in the car with me and ... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Mar 17, 2023
Car was involved in a pretty substantial accident and not a single airbag deployed!
Crash
Incident date: Jul 21, 2023
The steering wheel was dysfunctional; the wheel was locked in the middle of the highway, and the car started to change lanes, causing a massive accident. There was a significant accident between my car and a truck; both cars were totaled. My airbags didn't open as well. I got a massive concussion, and I do not know about the condition of the other driver. There was a recall about the steering wh... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Aug 17, 2023
My airbag light came on mechanic said it's rc174 and tsb [XXX] is the # want to know if it's covered or if there's a recall on it would love a respond asap taking it to dealer in Honolulu on the 12 Dec. appt. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash
Incident date: Oct 15, 2022
10/31/2023 my daughter was in a car accident driving this vehicle identified by the VIN above. The car was totaled. Airbags did not deploy.
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Oct 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2009 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 contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The contact stat... Read more
Incident date: Nov 3, 2022
This has been a safety recall since May 2023, I have returned to the dealer each month since then and have been given the same answer that there is no remedy at the moment. So I asked to get a loaner vehicle until they can fix this and they said they cannot. So I asked them, "to be clear, there is nothing you can do with a known safety recall and if i or my wife get injured its on us?" They contin... Read more
Incident date: Nov 8, 2022
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 made aware of the issue. 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 no... Read more
Incident date: Nov 3, 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 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 m... Read more
Incident date: Oct 21, 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 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 ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 3, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 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 not made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2014) - AIR BAGS
Nov 3, 2023
Incident date: Jun 8, 2023
The contact owns a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the air bag warning light illuminated. The warning light flashed on and off intermittently. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 199,181.
Incident date: Apr 18, 2023
My SRS System's light came on. When I went to the dealership to have it checked, they stated it was an Airbag Seat Sensor that was bad in the passenger side seat. I talked to the warranty people and they stated it was not covered under the warranty and it would cost me over $2000 to repair. I reached out to Honda and I have received nothing back from them. I don't have that kind of money. I purcha... Read more
CHRYSLER
TOWN AND COUNTRY
(2015) - AIR BAGS
Nov 3, 2023
Incident date: Oct 19, 2023
There was no incident, yet, but GM is for whatever reason dragging their feet for a solution. It has been almost 7 months since I received the recall notice and nothing has been rectified. I fear every time I get into my car to go anywhere!
Incident date: Oct 29, 2023
I was unaware of these recalls but have had issues with the air bag sensor in the passenger seat, the automatic doors and with the turn signals switching the way they respond.
Incident date: Sep 25, 2023
Related to a car accident when getting hit in the front my air bags didn’t deploy . Only the driver side was hit pretty bad . Another car accident related to a tree branch no air bag deploy . I was told that you have to be hit in a certain way to deploy the air bags . Hearing that makes me switch from a Toyota to a Kia . I have my toddler .
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Nov 2, 2023
Vehicle has been involved in 2 major accidents and no airbags deployed either time. In the most recent accident, the vehicle struck a light pole (splitting it in half) and then went into a ditch.
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Nov 2, 2023
Back up camera went out and later came on. Today we have been driving the last hour with airbag indicator on. Camera incident was 10-29-2023.
Incident date: May 17, 2023
My husband was involved in a single-vehicle accident where he left the highway at around45 mph, went downhill for 50+ feet where he crashed into a concrete culvert, front impact. The airbags did not deploy. We bought the Ranger from friends, who believed that the Takata recall was completed before we bought it. There have been no accidents since the recall. The truck remains at the service lot... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Oct 31, 2023
In a rear end accident the airbags never deployed. The seat belt also didn't catch me and my chest hit the steering wheel. I pressed hard on the breaks but it didn't feel like it was slowing down. I now have a fractured sternum and cannot drive or work. I have filed insurance claims and been to the hospital. No one was in the car with me. There were no warning lights/signs before.
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Dec 28, 2019
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-250. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The contact stated that the dealer had not provided any diagnostic information. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V337000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exce... Read more
Incident date: Oct 30, 2023
August 2022 Passenger Vehicle Seat Belt system light came on, concern was if the seat belt would work when occupied. Vehicle was taken to Baytown Nissan for Passenger seat belt light malfunction, was advised to replace the Occupant Control Unit and Occupant Pressure Sensor with Callibration 3.0. The light eventually corrected itself. August 2023 The Passenger Airbag Light stayed on and says the A... Read more
FORD
F-150 HYBRID
(2023) - AIR BAGS
Nov 2, 2023
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
Sienna had recall on airbags that were fixed. I have a warning dashboard light that says there is an issue with my airbags and the seat belt light is on. According to the dealer there is an issue with the computer board. They purposed to fix the issue at 800.00 dollars. This is a safety issue due to the expensive cost to fix this. The dealer already had to replace the airbags and now there is ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 31, 2023
I have been in contact with GM to find a remedy since they do not have a repair option for my vehicle yet. My car now is displaying the service airbag warning light, and I cannot get any service department to take a look at this to make sure it’s safe to be driving without paying a $260 diagnostic fee. I am a single mom, I do not have an extra $260 to pay without knowing if it’s something they... Read more
Incident date: Oct 5, 2023
I purchased this vehicle 05/05/2019 as a certified pre-owned vehicle from the dealership. I have kept regular maintenance on the car. Three same day of purchase, the engine quit as I was driving it. I was making a left hand turn and it quit while I was in the intersection. My children were in the car. Hyundai replaced the engine, but about a year and half later, that engine did the exact same thin... Read more
Incident date: Oct 3, 2023
Was rear ended while at a stop in traffic. Was pushed into another truck in the front and ricochet back and was hit again by the car that hit me. After everyone came to a stop my dashboard information center stated the SRS Airbag System Malfunction Visit Your Dealer. My truck was totaled.
2 injured
Incident date: Oct 25, 2023
My son and I hit a deer and his back passenger seat seatbelt didn’t lock and my air bag light came on but they never deployed
Crash
1 injured
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLC 300
(2018) - AIR BAGS
Nov 1, 2023
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Xterra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23E012000 (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 and confirmed parts were not ... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2014) - AIR BAGS
Nov 1, 2023
Incident date: Aug 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Frontier. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23E012000 (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 not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms par... Read more
Incident date: Jun 14, 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 local dealer was made aware of the issue. 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... Read more
Incident date: Mar 9, 2020
The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Beetle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V945000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue 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 manufact... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2023) - AIR BAGS
Nov 1, 2023
Incident date: Nov 1, 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 not yet available. The contact stated that the message "Service Air Bag" was displayed. An unknown local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a rea... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2023) - AIR BAGS
Nov 1, 2023
Incident date: Nov 1, 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 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 ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2022
The contact owned a 2008 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while the wife was driving at 30 MPH, the contact's wife was involved in a no-fault accident. The other vehicle involved was a 2020 Yukon Denali, which ran a stop sign and crashed the front driver's side. The contact stated that none of the air bags deployed. The contact's wife was taken by ambulance to the hospital for medical ... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: May 10, 2023
The contact owns a 2008 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 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 air bag warning light illuminated, and th... Read more
Incident date: Oct 26, 2023
Air bag sensor not functioning as advertised. I have opened 4 service actions with Tesla. I have been told the sensor activates the airbag for passengers weighing 100 lbs or more. My wife weighs approximately 120 lbs, and we are having continual failures of the system to activate the front passenger airbag, despite her occupation of the seat. We have provided time and date information as reque... Read more
Incident date: Apr 7, 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 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 av... Read more
Incident date: May 22, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 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 air bag warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of... Read more
Incident date: Jan 31, 2023
It has been over a year to get my air bag repaired. Still has not been done.
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2014) - AIR BAGS
Oct 31, 2023
Incident date: Oct 23, 2023
When my wife, 5 ft 5 in about ~100lbs sits in the front passenger seat (legs and feet forward in a regular up-right position), the airbag does not always turn on. It is intermittent and unpredictable when it turns on vs. off. It even turns off and on while driving. It makes us uncomfortable not knowing if she is protected in a crash. Rivian has told us it's working as expected but the photos... Read more
Incident date: Oct 10, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 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: Oct 20, 2023
My name is [XXX] and I live in Plainsboro NJ. I own a 2015 Chevrolet Traverse. I received a letter from General Motors letting me know about a recall in June (attached). The letter states that GM has a Safety Recall having to do with the driver side airbag which may contain a supplier manufacturing defect that may result in the inflator rupturing during deployment. It goes on to say that the ... Read more