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.

2,245,377 Total Complaints

140,173 Reported Crashes

56,794 Reported Fires

8,580 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 2,245,377 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

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 169,480 complaints - component: ENGINE

Incident date: Feb 7, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Camry. The contact stated while drivng at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed, however the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The vehicle was towed to the dealer ted after several attempts, the vehicle eventually started. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, howver the vehicle failed to accele... Read more

Incident date: Mar 12, 2026

If I leave the auto idle engine stop on,and come to a complete stop, the auto engine stop turns on, but as I release the brake to drive, the vehicle stalls in drive and engine shuts down. I will have to manually turn the car back on and restart the whole system before being allowed to continue. All while at a green light and a ton of traffic waiting behind me to move! Its very disappointing and em... Read more

Incident date: May 22, 2026

NO power till car warms up for 5 minutes. It will be jerky on highway. The gas mileage is going down drastically, I was doing 32 miles to gallon and now it's 22mpg. All this is after the recall we just had performed. I have no power trying to avoid accidents, taking off from stopping. Car smells weird now.

Incident date: Apr 1, 2026

In May 2026, the Emission Warning Light unexpectedly illuminated on my 2016 Honda Pilot. I immediately sought an inspection, and repairs were completed on 5/9/2026. Failed Component: The fuel injection system failed. Specifically, the injectors for cylinders #4 and #5. The replaced parts [are / are not] available for inspection. Safety Risk: This defect caused the engine to run dangerously rich, d... Read more

Incident date: Apr 30, 2026

was driving along at 65mph when i heard a pop and then truck shut off said loss of oil pressure along with a few other warnings. managed to cost to the side of a hwy that has no shoulder msg came up saying put in neutral to start did so the motor cranked but would not turn over like it had lost all compression. got towed to a local repair shop spun a main bearing which in turn broke the timing cha... Read more

Incident date: May 8, 2026

Engine has consumed an alarming rate of oil for years. I brought to a mechanic and they performed a $2,600 repair on engine. It ran fine for while and got much worse with oil consumption to the point that I needing to add oil monthly. It has been difficult to keep up on keeping enough oil in car and engine has now sustained damaged. There is no ticking or noise, but there is a loss of power and so... Read more

Incident date: May 17, 2026

Truck engine shut off doing 60. Has major recall and issue these trucks are unsafe i was very scared.

Incident date: Apr 22, 2026

Sometimes my backup camera will not show a screen. I have considerable amount of trouble trying to connect my phone to the car. Hands down can I use the GPS on the car. Lights do not come on my dashboard. The RPM bounces up and down from starting it all the way to the while you're driving. The car does not want to stay started it does not like to go it does not hands down not like sitting still.... Read more

Incident date: May 22, 2026

Driving to work at 0730 on 20 may, i put my foot down to accelerate from 40mph and nothing happened, i tried again thinking foot placement and the engine died. All ligjts went out, engine turned off and i free coasted for 100 -150yards. Once stopped i mangaed to get the hazard lights on, and get out the vehicle. I was 30yards from traffic lights on a 3 lane road. Once pushed from the road, the ca... Read more

Incident date: Nov 27, 2025

The vehicle turned off at a red light and would not start up again.

Incident date: May 17, 2026

Formal Consumer Complaint Statement — GM / Crivelli Buick I am filing a formal consumer complaint against Crivelli Chevrolet Buick GMC and General Motors/Buick regarding what I believe was discriminatory and unfair treatment in connection with a warranty-covered vehicle repair. The customer is [XXX] , owner of a 2017 Buick Encore. The vehicle was serviced by Crivelli Chevrolet Buick GMC in Mt.... Read more

Incident date: May 18, 2026

STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, WHEN IT CHANGED TO GREEN THE TRUCK WOULD NOT MOVE. DISPLAYED HYBRID SYSTEM STOPPED WORKING, SHIFT INTO PARK. WE WERE THE FIRST VEHICLE AT THE LIGHT IN A HIGH TRAFFIC AREA WITH NO SHOULDER. TRAFFIC TRYING TO MANOUVER AROUND OUR VEHICLE WERE AT RISK OF CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. PARAMEDICS ARRIVED TO TRY AND DIRECT TRAFFIC. THE TRUCK HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY V... Read more

Incident date: Mar 31, 2026

I believe that I was sold a car with an unsafe engine. I bought the van from Libertyville Honda in Libertyville on [XXX]. The car had 107K miles on it. A liile over a mounth later the check engine light came on and the van started running bad. When I did some reasearch I found out that a safty report to an iscident dated [XXX] when the car had 107k miles on it. This means that the car was not driv... Read more

Incident date: May 22, 2026

This is supplemental evidence for NHTSA Safety Complaint #11739200 UNIFIED SUPPLEMENTAL EVIDENCE PACKET SEE UPLOADED FILE

Incident date: May 22, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact observed excessive oil consumption, which has progressively caused the vehicle to stall 2 to 3 times per week. While the engine can be restarted, it idles and runs roughly immediately afterward. Additionally, the contact noted a distinct smell of burning oil exiting from the exhaust system. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (E... Read more

Incident date: Apr 3, 2026

I am reporting premature cooling system failure on my 2021 Audi SQ7 equipped with the 4.0L twin-turbo V8 (EA825 engine). The vehicle developed a coolant leak from the water pump and thermostat housing assembly at relatively low mileage (less than 27,000 miles). The failure caused coolant loss and low coolant warning messages, requiring major repair due to the engine’s integrated “hot-V” coo... Read more

Incident date: May 14, 2026

I brought my Ford EcoSport into the Baxter. Ford, in Papillion, Nebraska, because it was malfunctioning, the oil pressure got real low and my car was not accelerating like it should Also I advise them that there is an open recall on the vehicle. As well and I that the recall and the engine malfunction are related. They told me that it wasn't, and I'm sure it was. Then, they advised me that after s... Read more

Incident date: May 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2024 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated while driving at 45 MPH, the check engine light illmiunated. The contact mention when depressing accelerator pedal, the RPM's get suck independently and the vehicle fails to respond as intended. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed, however the dignanoses was unknown. The vehicle was not repaired. The man... Read more

Incident date: Sep 6, 2024

While driving on highway with cruise control set at 65 mph, the engine started misfiring, lost power and multiple warning lights came on. This was the first and only time I had engine problems and I never had any warning lights come on prior to this incident. Dealer confirmed engine experienced complete failure and need to be replaced.

Incident date: May 15, 2025

My wife was driving our 2021 Honda Pilot with 102,000 on the interstate when the check engine light came on and the engine began to lose power. She was fearful of being hit by other traffic due to engine dying in middle of mutiple lanes of traffic. The engine began to have a knocking sound. We shut off engine and had it towed to Southpoint Honda in Durham NC. We were told it has a rod knock, the e... Read more

Incident date: May 21, 2026

Total engine failure in the Ford Explorer XLT 2.3L ecoboost.

Incident date: Feb 20, 2026

Hello, I am the Buyer of the subject Vehicle, Upon doing my research, I found out several reports stating that The subject vehicle's 2.4L engine has manufacturing defect, that causes Head Bolts to get stripped/melt down in to oil causing Engine failures and Life threating risk in the middle of the road.

Incident date: Aug 1, 2025

I am reporting a serious safety defect in my 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLS450. My vehicle experienced low oil pressure warnings and engine warning lights, which were diagnosed as a faulty oil pump solenoid valve. The repair required removing major engine components, resulting in a cost of $5,000 that I paid personally. It is important to note that Mercedes-Benz updated the valve design in the following ... Read more

Incident date: May 21, 2026

Automatic start stop completely turns off car when pulling up to a stop sign, light, or yield intersection. Car completely turned off and wouldn’t start on a bridge overpass causing a safety hazard. Took a solid minute for it to restart.

Incident date: Mar 16, 2026

My Vehicle is having an issue with the idle stop feature. Multiple times when stopped at a red light or when idle the car stops and will not turn back on. I have to turn the car off completely open the door to simulate leaving the car, wait a minute then start the car again to be able to move.

Incident date: Apr 30, 2026

Toyota made a defective coolant valve in their 2019-2021 cars that leaked spontaneously in these vehicles. Over 950,000 cars have been affected to date, including my 2020 Rav4. They are aware of the issue and made a customer support program for this issue which led to engines overheating/electrical code problems, which can cause a severe safety issue if left unrepaired. The program however has a l... Read more

Incident date: May 22, 2026

Vehicle was driving at 50-55 MPH on [XXX] . The vehicle immediately gave multiple warning systems such as "Dream Drive Unavailable" "Regenerative Braking unavailable, use brake pedal" "Hold unavailable" "Dynamic handling unavailable" "Car will Power off in 5 minutes" and the car started applying the breaks and went into a "turtle" mode. It went from 50 miles per hour down to 35 miles per hour in ... Read more

Incident date: May 22, 2026

The car shook and lights came on at a stop light and began violently knocking. Since it was at a stop light the safety was a risk had the hazard lights weren't engaged immediately. The dealer confirmed it was a catastrophic engine failure. An inspector for the warranty company was deployed two times. The lights only appeared at the time of engine failure.

Incident date: Nov 18, 2025

Following a recent $9,000 engine replacement performed by an authorized Kia dealership, my vehicle suffered a catastrophic, simultaneous mechanical and electronic systems failure while in operation. Without warning, the vehicle triggered the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) and entered "Limp Home Mode," severely restricting vehicle power. Immediately following this, the vehicle experienced a t... Read more

Incident date: May 12, 2026

I have had the car in twice to the mechanic within the last 6 months for check engine light. He said I keep loosing oil, but there is no leak and it's something with the Engine. Hyundai will not recall the engine, but I see so many people are having the same issue. On a 2020 vehicle, you should not have engine issues. At what point do they have a recall on this issue, as so many are reporting ... Read more

Incident date: May 19, 2026

Incident date: May 22, 2022

NHTSA Safety Complaint – 2016 Mercedes-Benz C300 Vehicle: 2016 Mercedes-Benz C300 | Mileage: 74,662 miles What Happened I’m filing this complaint because my 2016 Mercedes-Benz C300 suffered a sudden, complete engine failure at 74,662 miles, and I believe it’s a safety risk that deserves investigation. I’ve owned this car since 2016 and followed every recommended service interval. All a... Read more

Incident date: May 18, 2026

After having to have my vehicle towed to & held by the dealership for a total of 3 months altogether over the course of two separate engine rebuilds due to a national recall on faulty oil pump parts, my vehicle's check engine light came on & gave a message that there was an issue with the emissions system. I am now experiencing multiple engine system faults EVERY SINGLE TIME I refuel my vehicle wh... Read more

Incident date: May 21, 2026

The oil filter housing failed and needed to be replaced due to be leaking coolant.. after changed that the failure of the water pump started to failed and engine started to spike high temperatures..

Incident date: May 21, 2026

On May 13. 2026 traveling southbound on I15 Utah at 75 MPH the engine Stop and put the tranmisson in N and I move the truck to a stop. then the Truck shut Down. I had the Truck tow to the nearest GMC and was informed that the Engine had sezed. I had recalled done to pervent engine failure.

Incident date: Nov 22, 2025

On may 20 2026 car died out multiple times when driving but would start back up. Today may 21 2026 car was lacking power and engine making noise while driving. Then the check engine light came on also the oil light flashed then turned off. Checked the code it said p00114. Then checked oil it was about 1 1/2 quart low after we did complete oil change a month ago. I then found this engine has the sa... Read more

Incident date: May 21, 2026

While driving on the highway in my 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan (approximately 70,068 miles), the EPC warning light and oil warning light illuminated and the vehicle began to stall/lose power. I exited the highway immediately and shut the vehicle down safely. A substantial amount of engine oil leaked from underneath the vehicle after stopping. The vehicle was towed to a Volkswagen dealership. Dealer d... Read more

Incident date: May 18, 2026

Formal Complaint – 2018 Ford Fusion 1.5L EcoBoost – Engine Block Defect Statement of Issue:I am writing to report a premature engine failure on my 2018 Ford Fusion 1.5L. The vehicle is exhibiting all symptoms of the well-documented "coolant intrusion" defect described in Ford Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 22-2222. Despite following all recommended maintenance intervals, the engine block h... Read more

Incident date: May 15, 2026

After the vehicle was purchased in October 2023, it immediately had an issue shifting very hard. After numerous trips to the servicing dealership in attempts for error codes to be discovered with no success, the dealership gave the recommendation to flush the transmission as this was a fix for this type of engine in November 2024. The transmission was completely flushed in November 2024. The vehic... Read more

Incident date: May 18, 2026

My 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit EcoDiesel (VIN: [XXX] ) experienced a catastrophic engine failure at approximately 116,000 miles while driving. The vehicle suddenly displayed an oil pressure warning, and I immediately shut the engine down to avoid further damage and potential safety risks. At the time I shut the engine off, the engine was not making catastrophic knocking noises and was not lea... Read more

Incident date: Apr 17, 2026

I am writing to formally log a safety defect complaint regarding a severe mechanical failure in my 2014 Hyundai Elantra, equipped with the Nu 1.8L engine. The vehicle has been professionally diagnosed with severe internal engine knocking stemming from catastrophic piston slap, a manufacturing defect inherent to this engine family block that causes premature cylinder wall scuffing, piston ring degr... Read more

Incident date: May 14, 2026

Engine failure after passing PICO test. Engine completely locked up on a busy highway without the ability to even put it in neutral. Yes, confirmed by dealer that there were metal shavings in the fluid. Inspected by authorized dealer. No lights came on in the vehicle prior to the engine failure.

Incident date: Oct 15, 2025

My 2019 BMW X3 equipped with a B46 engine developed a significant coolant leak at approximately 80,000 miles. The vehicle displayed a low coolant warning, and coolant was visibly leaking underneath the vehicle. Around the same time, I began noticing excessive white exhaust/steam during cold starts and, for the first time since owning the vehicle, had to add engine oil between scheduled oil changes... Read more

Incident date: May 15, 2026

The vehicle was brought to an authorized GM dealership for a scheduled appointment to address a check engine condition related to a purge valve and an open safety recall for the lower control arm. The VIN was provided and confirmed at the time the appointment was made; however, the recall was not completed during the visit. The dealership replaced the purge valve without documenting diagnostic te... Read more

Incident date: May 18, 2026

On Saturday, April 25, 2026, I experienced engine failure on my 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe 6.2L V8. This was a very dangerous situation, and could of been potentially dangerous to others around me on the highway. There was no warning just complete loss of engine propulsion at highway speeds. It was towed to the dealership on this same date. On Monday, April 27, 2026, it was confirmed by the Chevrolet De... Read more

Incident date: May 21, 2026

I was driving doing errands when suddenly a warning popped up that my engine needed to shut down for cooling. I pulled over and shut down. After about 30 minutes, I started up again and the engine ran very rough and after a short distance, warned again. I took the vehicle to the shop and was told there was an engine defect known to ford causing coolant intrusion into the cylinders. Because ... Read more

Incident date: May 10, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 HYUNDAI Kona. The contact stated while driving the vehicle at an undisclosed speed, he noticed he had an engine knock, and noticed that the engine was consuming a good amount of oil with no warning lights or oil leaks. The contact pulled over to the side when the knock started and noticed the vehicle was starving of oil although a recent oil change shows it was recent. The ... Read more

Incident date: May 21, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota C-HR. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was sputtering while driving after 20 minutes of driving. Their vehicle failed to accelerate. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was contacted, who confirmed there was no recall coverage. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the failure was... Read more

Incident date: May 18, 2026

I have owned this vehicle since 2019 and the auto start has ALWAYS stalled out when I stop at a light or stop sign. The vehicle needs to be put in park and restart the car. It is very dangerous

Incident date: Feb 18, 2026

Apparent coolant leak identified in my 2014 Ford Escape 1.6L (Ecoboost). The car loses approx. 500mL of coolant each time I drive it, and I need to refill the coolant tank before every time I need to use it. I traced the coolant leak back to the blockheater, which has a failed seal. There is currently a recall for leaking block heaters on the 2.0L Escape motors, but this problem appears to extend ... Read more

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Consumer Safety

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Consumer Safety Complaints

What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?

How to interpret what you read

If you've experienced a defect

Read more from our blog