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 169,480 complaints - component: ENGINE
Incident date: May 28, 2026
As I was driving my vehicle, it stalled on me and my parking brake engaged. I had to put my vehicle in park, open my door to dis-engage the brake to restart. it has happened twice now, once on Saturday May 30th and June 2nd 2026.
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2024) - ENGINE
Jun 2, 2026
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
Engine began having coolant intrude into the cylinder bores. Similar to issues related to CSP 21N12.
Incident date: May 30, 2026
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated while driving. The contact stated that he was a mechanic, and the contact had retrieved a diagnostic code indicating a vibration in the pistons. The dealer and the manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 112,704.
Incident date: May 28, 2026
While operating the vehicle, I began to hear a metallic grinding noise originating from the center of the engine compartment. The sound was clearly audible within the cabin. Approximately one mile before the vehicle ultimately failed, the engine began to malfunction. As I slowed to a stoplight, the vehicle started to shake before shutting off abruptly and entering a coasting state. All electrical ... Read more
Incident date: May 20, 2026
The car that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replace Ac don’t blow any cool air To be driving with a minor child it put he’s health in a bad risky situation
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
The vehicle experienced a thermal event that was caused by a defective fan motor. The vehicle has been inspected by stellantis and a third party investigator. Report attached
Fire
Incident date: May 28, 2026
2021 Ford F-150 Lariat, 5.0L Coyote V8, purchased new, now 65k miles. Two interrelated safety defects: OIL CONSUMPTION: On 3/21/2026 at 62k miles, I discovered the engine was critically low on oil. Only 3 quarts drained during a full oil change, against a rated 8.8 quart capacity. The engine had been running on one third of required oil. The onboard oil life monitor showed 9% remaining and gave NO... Read more
Incident date: May 29, 2026
The vehicle experienced a thermal event that was caused by a defective fan motor. The vehicle has been inspected by stellantis and a third party investigator. Report attached
Fire
MINI
COOPER S CONVERTIBLE
(2005) - ENGINE
Jun 2, 2026
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
The 2018 F150 I purchased started out a good vehicle like most vehicle do. The problems then began to come one after the other. Routine oil changes on the vehicle at the dealership with no hiccups turned into “Your motor is low on oil”. The tech tried to find a leak. The motor wasn’t leaking ANYTHING, so naturally the tech told me the motor was burning the missing oil. The tech told me “th... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLE 450E 4MATIC
(2025) - ENGINE
Jun 2, 2026
Incident date: Aug 25, 2025
My car has started stalling and dying when i slow down, take off or when idling. No power when accelerated, and the smell of exhaust comes into my car. I was making a turn from a red light and my car spit, sputtered, and died right in the middle of the busy intersection. I was almost hit from the rear and another car had to go into on coming traffic to avoid T boning me. I took it to 2 different ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2026
Incident description: On three occasion I have had the same catastrophic Engine failure putting myself and my family along with the general public in harms way. Starting March of 2022 while driving at approximately 60 MPH on the West Shore Expressway my truck experienced a sudden and total loss of motor power. My engine stalled out and I lost my ability to safety steer and stop my vehicle. This a... Read more
Incident date: Apr 9, 2026
Today, my turbocharger was diagnosed as damaged and leaking coolant into the cylinders and visibly leaking throughout the undercarriage. Additionally, my cylinder 4 is misfiring. My mechanic said they've seen this problem many times and while the turbocharger can be replaced, it often fails or other parts of the engine are damaged beyond repair. I had sluggish performance, mainly with acceleration... Read more
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
The engine oil pump failed internally. The vehicle is equipped with a factory-installed variable-displacement oil pump that utilizes an internal thermoplastic adjusting ring. Due to heat cycles and mechanical stress, this plastic component degrades, becomes brittle, and catastrophically shatters or cracks.The first symptom appeared when the vehicle became entirely unable to complete an electronic ... Read more
Incident date: May 18, 2026
I have a ford edge 2016, which I can see online that many vehicles like mine are having the same problems. I am having a severe coolant leak into the engine. It trembles when I start it or when I am at a red light, white smoke leaks out of my exhaust when I first start my car after adding coolant. I am constantly adding coolant, mostly every other day because it burns it so fast. My vehicle aler... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
Fuel injector randomly went out, I dont have the HPFP recall done on my car. Caused a massive amount of power loss while I was going down the road. Now hyundai wants to pretend like the HPFP had nothing to do with this. I keep being told its an emission part and isnt covered under powertrain warranty. Recall in question is Extension Z04 (TSB 25-FL-002H).
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
I have had 2 different instances where my vehicle stops in the middle of a busy intersection or traffic and have no warning what so ever. Vehicle just shuts off and I am not able to turn back on to move out of the way. First time I got it repaired it was related to the fuel pump and now I am waiting to hear back from my mechanic to see what the issue is but so far it is an indication of the fuel p... Read more
Incident date: Mar 14, 2025
This is a know issue on 2021 models. The exhaust bracket is breaking away from the muffler/catalytic converter. The weld is breaking causing the exhaust to break away and both pipes must be replaced resulting in a 1500 repair. Why if it bad in later years is there no maintenance bulletin or mandatory fix for the 2020 models? It was repaired and fixed by McClusky Chevrolet in Cincinnati OH.
POLESTAR
POLESTAR 3
(2025) - ENGINE
Jun 2, 2026
Incident date: May 30, 2026
Engine died hard to stop with no power stopped vehicle in middle of intersection .
Incident date: Jun 1, 2022
Went from 65 and dropped down to 40 going up grades on the freeway. Started shaking, check engine light went on and electric battery disappeared from dash. Got to top of grade, went back to normal. Problem repeated on next grades. Car had just left dealership lot an hour prior where it was safety inspected and they said all was fine. Took back to dealership for inspection and they said that the... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2025
Following a coolant rapid mate replacement performed by an authorized Tesla service center, the vehicle experienced a complete shutdown on a public road the same evening it was returned. The high-voltage cooling system was not properly purged of air following the service. This caused low coolant flow to the rear drive unit during a 63-mile drive in record heat. The fault cascade included a HIGH VO... Read more
Incident date: Aug 29, 2025
The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving, check engine light illuminated, with a loss of power when accelerating. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with power train failure and received diagnostic code P040100. The vehicle was repaired; however, the issue persisted. The vehicle was returned to the dealer multiple times but still ... Read more
Incident date: May 28, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized. The contact stated that the failure occurred while making a left turn. In addition, a malfunction error message illuminated. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start with the push to start. However, the vehicle did start using the ... Read more
FORD
MUSTANG MACH E
(2022) - ENGINE
Jun 2, 2026
Incident date: May 24, 2026
There was a recall-SC209A for a faulty piston ring. This vehicle “passed” prior to my purchase. I was unaware that my vehicle was part of the recall- when the VIN is entered in the NTSB website, no active recalls show. Starting in 10/24, the vehicle began having problems accelerating, and when I brought to my local mechanic it was found to be nearly empty on oil despite a recent oil change. ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 25, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at highway speeds the engine had suddenly revved very high and the RPMs had increased but the vehicle had failed to accelerate and began to reduce speed. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder and parked. After restarting the engine the vehicle operated as normal. The contact indicated that the failure had occurred ... Read more
FALKEN
WILDPEAK AT3W
(9999) - ENGINE
Jun 2, 2026
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
Completed the oil change requirement in the recall for the 6.2L but engine blew while driving on I-10 while doing 75mph. 50k miles. Completely left stranded on major highway with family in car and vehicle flying by. GM needs to be held accountable. Their fix is not a fix.
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
Engine Overheat, white smoke from exhaust, and coolant leaking. Empty coolant reservoir.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that days after the engine oil was changed the check engine warning light had remained illuminated. The vehicle as taken to the local auto service center who replaced the replaced the crank shaft sensor and camshaft sensor but the failure continued to occur. The cause of the failure was not determine. The manufacturer was notified of the failu... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2026
2018 Ford Escape 105K miles. Check engine light came on, car ran rough, white smoke coming out of tail pipe. I took it to a third party mechanic, they ruled out coolant intrusion (or so they said) replaced a coil and spark plug and cleared check engine light. One week later after I had driven maybe 100 miles it had a very rough start in the morning and the check engine light came on again. I noti... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2026
Sudden loss of power while driving on the interstate (65 MPH) , car would no longer accelerate and slowed down to ~10 MPH. Had to merge onto emergency lane, car struggled to power over 30 MPH. Warning light came up to "Park with engine On to charge battery". Parked car and restarted car and still did not resolve issue. Had to switch the car into "Sport" mode to drive home.
Incident date: May 31, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle would independently activate Limp mode and would not accelerate past 30 MPH. In addition, the vehicle would not shift into the Reverse gear as intended. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with error codes: P0777 and P18A1. The vehicle was not repaired due to pa... Read more
Incident date: May 29, 2026
On or around March 20, 2026, my 2017 Kia Niro Hybrid experienced a complete failure of the high-voltage hybrid battery system, rendering the vehicle undriveable. The vehicle was towed to Kia of South Austin. As of the date of this complaint (74 days later), no diagnosis has been provided, no parts have been ordered with trackable confirmation, and no repair timeline has been given. Kia Techline co... Read more
Incident date: Mar 20, 2026
New motor put in due to drive train seizing up sept 2025. “Oil pressure low” and died while stopping at a red light in May 2026. Would not crank back. New motor only had 40k miles. Supposedly GM will not cover tow or rental.
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER
(2018) - ENGINE
Jun 2, 2026
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
Engine failure due to leaking coolant. Leaked coolant into turbo and catalytic converter causing damage. Currently at Nissan of yuba city. Engine malfunction and check engine light came on after failure.
Incident date: Apr 30, 2026
The engine seized up and car will not start. Luckily, I was trying to start the car in my driveway when this happened, but it would have been dangerous had it happened while I was driving. All of the warning lamps and messages started when the issue begin. The vehicle was inspected and the problem has been reproduced by a service center AND a Honda dealer. I have attached the invoice from the s... Read more
Incident date: May 29, 2026
Head gasket went bad after only 107,000 miles . A lot of other Honda accord owners have the same problem . Had to get it repaired . This should be a recall . Not safe to drive .
Incident date: May 23, 2026
While driving on interstate 380 south,with cruise on ,my engine failed with loud knocikng, Ihad two tractor trailors behind me ,i was lucky to get off road onto side of shoulder this was on May 5,2026. this was the second 2.4 liter theta 2 motor in my sorento, first motor failed at 58.000 miles, second motor failed at 138,000miles. auto was taken to kia dealership in Blakely ,Pa. a NEW MOTER HAS B... Read more
Incident date: May 23, 2026
On May 27, 2026 at around 7:30pm my 2018 GMC Yukon XL Denali engined failed. I was exiting E-470 southwest bound at Gartrell Road in Aurora and the engine started knocking loudly and completely quit. As I rolled to a stop I correctly suspected that the engine seized. It would not turn over, a bad odor was present, and smoke was coming from the top of the motor. It was hard to tell exactly from ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 4, 2026
Pulled up in my drive way turned car off and when I went to start ut to go to work it just would not start anymore
Incident date: May 29, 2026
While driving, the engine began making a loud knocking/rattling noise and the check engine light began flashing. The vehicle experienced a loss of power and was unsafe to continue operating normally. The vehicle was taken to a Hyundai dealership for diagnosis. The engine requires replacement. Hyundai denied coverage, claiming excessive oil consumption and/or maintenance concerns. However, upon in... Read more
LAND ROVER
DISCOVERY
(2019) - ENGINE
Jun 1, 2026
Incident date: Oct 20, 2025
Engine burns 1quart of oil, 100 miles. Brakes went to floor, brake lines had holes at 69,000 miles. Driver rear axel leaks. 2006 Cadillac CTS is a lemon!! Money Pit !!!
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
On [XXX], my 2015 BMW 328i xDrive (VIN: [XXX] , N20 engine, 124,250 miles) suffered a catastrophic engine failure while in operation. Component/System Failed: The timing chain guides and oil pump drive chain module failed. The plastic timing chain guide broke apart inside the engine. The vehicle was salvaged and is no longer available for inspection. Safety Risk: The oil pressure warning illumin... Read more
Incident date: Feb 14, 2019
So the ultimate failure is from a catastrophically failed crankshaft journal thrust bearing. Which could be caused from one of two things: 1) The crankshaft thrust bearings they are putting in these motors are made with inferior materials, probably cheap Chinese crap or 2) The crankshaft end play tolerance was never set properly, giving the crankshaft the ability to move forward and backward in th... Read more
Incident date: Sep 17, 2025
Contact owns a 2017 FORD EDGE. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle would hesitate and stutter with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that while driving at various speeds and stops the heat would independently turned off and on in the vehicle. Contact also stated the coolant low warning light illuminated in the vehicle and coolant was ad... Read more
Incident date: Jan 2, 2023
The engine light has come on several times. I was told it was the battery ignition switch, then the sensor in front of the car and now they are saying it is the turbo
Incident date: May 8, 2026
I am filing a safety complaint regarding my 2025 Cadillac Escalade, which experienced a catastrophic engine failure while being driven on a public roadway with approximately 13,000 miles on the vehicle. While traveling from [XXX] to [XXX] , the vehicle suddenly lost power while in motion. A warning message appeared stating “Press to Start Again.” The engine shut off completely while driving,... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
EQB 300 4MATIC
(2023) - ENGINE
Jun 1, 2026
Incident date: Feb 16, 2026
DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND KNOCKING/BUMPING NOISE CAME FROM ENGINE AREA AND SMOKING BADLY. ALMOST IMEDAITALLY LOSING POWER. OIL SPRAY FROM ENGINE COVERED RUNNING BOARDS AND BACK OF VEHICLE. NOT SURE OF EXACT COMPONENTS COULD ASLO BE MORE POWERTRAIN COMPONENTS AND NOT JUST ENGINE. WE CAN MAKE SURE VEHICLE IS AVAILABLE FOR YOUR INSPECTION IF NEEDED. THE DEALER CONFIRMED "CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILUR... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE L
(2022) - ENGINE
Jun 1, 2026
Incident date: May 20, 2026
Hola me informaron k mi carro tiene un recall el día jueves 05/28 se kedo afuera del trabajo de mi esposo ya no kiso prender ,prendía se temblaba y se apagaba llamé a un número k nos dieron k nos Iván a ayudar Nissan carreteras o algo así ellos me dijeron k si tenía k ver todo con el recall k no se me IVA a cobrar nada k llevarían el carro al Nissan más cercano me estubieron llamando d... Read more
ACURA
MDX TYPE S
(2022) - ENGINE
Jun 1, 2026
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
Engine replacement required due to coolant intrusion. Codes P0303 and P0300.