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: Dec 5, 2024
I have been getting recall notices for over 2 years on my 2004 Sentra concerning airbag replacement. I called the number on the recall mailing and was told on multiple occasions that the car was dangerous to operate. I am a [XXX] and was assured that the Nissan recall team offered a mobile repair service and that my repair was in the range of mobile repair service technicians and that a repair ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 28, 2025
The front seat passenger airbag has an amber colored lighted alert indicator on the dashboard that is supposed to change from “off” to “on” when an occupant of sufficient weight is seated in that position. The dealer who recently sold me my new 2025 Subaru Outback advised me that this indicator is calibrated to trigger when a passenger weighing over 85 pounds occupies that seat. However, w... Read more
TOYOTA
COROLLA CROSS
(2022) - AIR BAGS
Mar 15, 2025
Incident date: Mar 14, 2025
Airbag system did not deploy but smoke in cabin during a crash. Video of front, rear and inside cabin shows the rear end passenger side impact at an estimated 45-50 MPH. I saw smoke in cabin, disturbed with anxiety after crash waiting for bags to deploy accidentally. The airbag deployed red light illuminated notifying an airbag deployment. I received a GM message through the vehicle report appl... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Mar 15, 2025
Dealership unable to schedule recall fix appointment.
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2016) - AIR BAGS
Mar 14, 2025
Incident date: Mar 14, 2025
I had a car accident on Feb 10, 2025 and my air bag did not deploy
Crash
3 injured
Incident date: Nov 13, 2024
The contact owned a 2023 Vinfast VF8. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, another vehicle driving on the opposite side of the road aggressively proceeded into the front passenger side, causing a t t-boned collision. The impact caused the other vehicle to be pushed back to the opposite side of the road. The contact's vehicle then veered to the right and crashed into two more vehicles t... Read more
Crash
3 injured
Incident date: Mar 14, 2025
I have recall on my vehicle for driver frontal airbag. I contactes both my local dealerships and VW USA. I have been told that the part needed in on backorder and they have no ETA for availablity. I feel extremely unsafe driving a car with malfunctioned driver airbag which may explode any time and cause fatal injuries. I asked VW to provide me a loaner or to reimburse me for rental but they didn... Read more
Incident date: Mar 11, 2025
Passenger sensing device for the passenger seat is failing intermittently. Service airbag light is coming on periodically, and, when it does, the passenger "Airbag ON" light fails to illuminate even if a passenger over 100 lbs is in the seat. This is a long recurring issue with all GM cars where the sensing pad goes bad.
Incident date: Mar 3, 2025
The contact owned a 2023 Honda HR-V. The contact stated while driving at approximately 45 MPH and decreasing in speed to exit the highway, a vehicle in front stopped abruptly. The contact depressed the brake pedal with force, however, the brake pedal was soft and traveled to the floorboard. The contact stated she turned the steering wheel in the left direction but was difficult to turn and crashed... Read more
Crash
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2018) - AIR BAGS
Mar 14, 2025
Incident date: Dec 2, 2024
The airbag light appeared on my dashboard in late December. On 1/8/25, I took it to Auto Nation Nissan in Tempe to have it checked. They determined that the driver's side seat back needed to be replaced. That is where the airbag sensor is located. As of today, 3/14/25, they still do not have an ETA for the seat back. I have been driving for almost 3 months now without the airbags working. I a... Read more
Incident date: Mar 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Lexus ES350. 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 experienc... Read more
Incident date: Jan 17, 2025
Confirmed through dealership that the Clock Spring in the steering column needs to be replaced as it is defective. Ford has indicated that my vehicle vin is not a part of the current clock spring recall.
Incident date: Dec 2, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 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 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... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2023) - AIR BAGS
Mar 14, 2025
Incident date: Mar 13, 2025
Air bag sensor light came on. Took to dealership - Suburban Subaru, Troy, MI. $189 to diagnose....then received this note: Air Bag - Control Module: scanned vehicle using ssm4 and found codes B1185, B1195 and B1196. per subaru diagnostics, replacement of the SRS module is recommended to complete repair. repairs will include removal and replacement of current module as well as passenger seal Occ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 12, 2025
r 2022 Toyota Highlander was involved in a motor vehicle incident wherein the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and front airbags may not have functioned as expected.
Crash
4 injured
Incident date: Mar 1, 2022
My passenger air bag doesn’t turn on when passenger is in vehicle, sensor for air bag turns on and off as if it can’t determine if a person is on the seat. My dashboard has the SRS OCS light on. My vehicle has already been seen by Mazda to fix the recall but I am afraid to drive and suddenly air bags go off.
Incident date: Mar 1, 2025
Ford explorer had known issues with connectors under the rear passenger seats which they did a recall for certain VIN numbers. They said it only effected certain VPN which were from a specific factory in Chicago I have the same issue and my VIN is not listed and Ford and the dealership will not do anything to help fix the problem. If I pay out of pocket they want 500 dollars to fix it. The issue i... Read more
Incident date: Jul 18, 2024
One recall was for air bag deployed I had the light for it on but it was on when I got it the original owner said it popped on him well he was parked and he never fixed it or did anything ... The other was a part of the computer pretty much in charge of cooling the car down it can make fire from melting and cause unfixable/ to constant issues .... Well my hole engine stopped working it was getting... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Nov 13, 2024
Took car to local mechanic for airbag light. The passenger seat sensors register that someone is not sitting in the seat when someone is. The passenger seat OFF light is constantly on regardless of someone in the seat. Mechanic tried to reprogram and fix the car computer. That did not work so mechanic took the rogue to the local Nissan to have them reprogram the computer. The dealer could not repr... Read more
GRAND DESIGN
SOLITUDE
(2024) - AIR BAGS
Mar 13, 2025
Incident date: Aug 10, 2024
There is a serious safety recall on NHTSA #24V-198 recall #19B 2018-2021 LD LXSABIC INFLATOR. IMHAVE TAKEN CAR TO DEALERSHIP MINIMUM 4 TIMES TO GET THIS RECALL CORRECTED. THYE JUST KEEP SAYING THEY DONT HAVE A FIX FOR IT. WELL, THATS UNACCEPTABLE I HAVE MYSELF AND SMALL KIDS THAT HAVE TO RIDE IN AMUNSAFE VEHICLE. I AM NO LONGER DRIVING THE VEHICLE OUT OF FEAR IF IT BURST WE COULD BE KILLED WHAT IS... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH and after driving over a bump in the road, the vehicle experienced a "Death Wobble" causing the driver to lose control of the steering and crash into a garbage truck. During the crash, the front end of the vehicle was severely damaged but the air bag did not deploy. The driver sustained a head injury and... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Mar 13, 2025
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Veloster. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle started to shake. The contact stated that after shifting into gear the vehicle became difficult to drive. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the vehicle was diagnos... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Jeep Patriot. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V668000 (Seat Belts, 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 manufa... Read more
Incident date: Feb 13, 2025
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 made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer... Read more
Incident date: Mar 13, 2025
The contact owned a 2021 Honda Civic. The contact stated that his wife was driving at 30-35 MPH, when another vehicle suddenly merged in front of the vehicle causing a T-bone collision. The vehicle was pushed into the middle of the road from the impact where it came to a stop. All air bags deployed. However, the front passenger-side air bag deployed backward onto the front windshield instead of de... Read more
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Jun 12, 2024
We purchased our vehicle brand new in 2015 with 6 miles on it. 1. The vehicle has always shifted hard, but every time I brought it up at the dealership I was told that "the car is just learning my driving habits" Here we are 10 years later and my car is still shifting hard and it still won't fall into gear like it's supposed to. 2. Within the first 6 months the airbag light came on and would th... Read more
Crash
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2023) - AIR BAGS
Mar 13, 2025
Incident date: Sep 21, 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 unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was 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
VOLKSWAGEN
PASSAT
(2021) - AIR BAGS
Mar 13, 2025
Incident date: Mar 13, 2025
i was just driving my bmw and a airbag light and a malfunction error popped up on my dashboard, that read that the Passenger restraint system has malfunctioned. and i was doing some research on what was wrong with my car, and all the forums are indicating that this is a very common issue on these cars due to a bad seat occupancy sensor mat. to fix this you either still have to have an extended war... Read more
Incident date: Mar 12, 2025
Known issue in previous VW models. Broken clock spring in steering wheel from normal <100k miles no connection for all steering wheel electronics (airbags, radio controls, etc)
CHRYSLER
TOWN AND COUNTRY
(2015) - AIR BAGS
Mar 12, 2025
Incident date: Dec 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated. The air bag light warning light illuminated and remained constantly illuminated since the day of the failure. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired because it was not under recall. The manufacturer ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 28, 2024
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 had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted; however, the contact was informed that parts were not yet available. The manufacture... Read more
Incident date: Jun 10, 2024
I was involved in an accident due to what I believe was a malfunction in my Tesla’s steering system. While driving, the car unexpectedly turned the wheel to the left on its own and collided with a parked car. Despite my efforts to regain control by turning the wheel to the right and applying the brakes, the vehicle did not respond, and I was unable to prevent the crash. Given the lack of control... Read more
Crash
1 injured
FORD
FUSION HYBRID
(2010) - AIR BAGS
Mar 12, 2025
Incident date: Mar 12, 2025
Airbag lights have been going on and off ever since I took it into to get my airbags recalled and Subaru will not take a look at it with out me signing a form saying I am liable to pay 200 dollars if it happens to be anything else unrelated to the recall warranty.
Incident date: Oct 24, 2024
FRONT LEFTSAFTEY RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAULT/SERVICE IS REQUIRED TESLA WANT TO CHARGE $351 TO START FOR THE SERVICE
Incident date: Mar 12, 2025
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 made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact decided to leave the vehicle with the dealer until parts became available. The contact stated that the manufac... Read more
Incident date: Feb 11, 2025
I was backing up in traffic and when I turned the truck to drive it would not shift into drive. The truck reved up like it was in neutral or park and wouldn’t move forward. I had to put the truck in reverse again and then back in drive a second time to get it to shift into drive. This incident almost caused a wreck, because the truck would not shift into drive and move. The traffic coming from b... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the front passenger’s seat air bag sensor had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags). The air bag warning was illuminated approximately one and a half years later. The vehic... Read more
Incident date: Mar 12, 2025
My vehicle started flashing my seatbelt light when I was driving and I was buckled and then my airbag light came on and my automatic start and stop light came on and have stayed on. I took it into Chrysler Dodge Jeep ram and they charged me $203 to tell me that I don’t have any shorts in the seatbelt wire harness and they found a O.L (over limit) indicating that I have a internal open within the... Read more
Incident date: Dec 16, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Camry. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was 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: Jan 26, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving during a snow day at approximately 15 MPH, the vehicle lost traction and crashed into a curb on the front driver's side where it came to a stop. The crash was minor. No property damage was on the curb. The air bags deployed with excessive force. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle was taken to a local independent deal... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Nov 13, 2024
The air bag was fixed by honda dealer free but now it shows the red light.automatic emerlgency brake light lane keeping assistance
Incident date: Mar 11, 2025
Volkswagen doesn’t have a repair for the front passenger airbag not going off due to a sensor failure. Customers such as myself were made aware in June of the issue and there is STILL no fix!!!
Incident date: Nov 8, 2024
I was traveling in my 2021 gmc Acadia in which I have had numerous issues with is the almost 4 years I have owned it. The back up camera 2 weeks after purchase it went out in June of 2021. After that The vehicle In October of 2021 I get in the vehicle on rainy day. Infotainment systems reads error with the SD card that Issue progressed I called dealer finally I get service appointment after strike... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Mar 1, 2025
air bag light comes on sometimes not other car panic alarm goes off at random times backup camera sometimes work sometimes glitches
HYUNDAI
SANTA FE SPORT
(2013) - AIR BAGS
Mar 11, 2025
Incident date: Jan 15, 2021
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was ... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLE 350 4MATIC
(2025) - AIR BAGS
Mar 11, 2025
Incident date: Mar 11, 2025
POLICE VEHICLE WAS CLEARING INTERSECTIO WHEN A UPS TRUCK COLLIDED WITH IT'S RIGHT SIDE FORWARD. THE COLLISION CAUSED THE SIDE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. THE OFFICER'S VEST, SWEATER, UNDERSHIRT, T-SHIRT AND THE OFFICER'S RIGHT SIDE SUFFERED THERMAL BURNS FROM THE EXHAUST PORT. THE OFFICER SUFFERED 3RD DEGREE BURNS AND HAD TO HAVE SURGERY AND SKIN GRAFT.
Crash
2 injured
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2024) - AIR BAGS
Mar 11, 2025
Incident date: Mar 4, 2025
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Ranger. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V788000 (Air Bags). The contact stated that while stopped at a red light, both driver and passenger front air bags deployed without impact. The contact lost control and the vehicle then crashed into the rear of another vehicle. The contact received shoulder and neck injuries, medical attention was ne... Read more
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Aug 11, 2023
Airbags failed to deploy in a right front collision with a deer. Banged head off steering wheel. GEICO repaired over 8000 in damage. Took 19 days to repair.
Crash
Incident date: Jan 1, 2024
Vehicle was involved in a collision with major front end damage and no airbags deployed. The brakes have been soft or spongy. I have not seen any leaks for the brake issue. I have bled the brakes several times the master was replaced by the original owner.
Crash
1 injured
TOYOTA
SEQUOIA HYBRID
(2024) - AIR BAGS
Mar 10, 2025
Incident date: Mar 7, 2025
Indicator is on, saying airbags are at risk.