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: Feb 3, 2026
On May 2, 2026, while the vehicle was in operation, the engine suddenly shut off without warning. At the time of failure, the instrument panel remained illuminated; however, the vehicle would not restart. In an effort to resolve the issue, the battery was replaced, but this did not correct the problem. The vehicle was then towed to a local Chevrolet dealership for further inspection and diagnosis... Read more
Incident date: May 11, 2026
This truck has a recall on it but by specific VIN numbers mine doesn’t fall into the VIN number but had the same catastrophic oil cooler line failure, which is in the recall which caused the engine tool expire with 40,000 miles on it. Truck is like brand new General Motors will not honor the warranty even though it’s the failure that’s in the warranty makes no sense.
Incident date: Apr 3, 2026
The rocker arm of the engine has failed, causing a repair for a full engine replacement. The car has always undergone maintenance timely, and upon inspection by the dealership technician, the report state the vehicle was up to adequate level. There were no symptoms before the issue occurred, only the sudden catastrophic engine failure.
Incident date: May 12, 2026
Car just starting shutting off only will drive a certain amount of time then turns off again
Incident date: Jan 1, 2017
I was on the highway heading home with my [XXX] son in the backseat and without warning the engine shut down and luckily we were on the exit ramp and away from heavy traffic. I pulled over to the side and tried to start it again but it won’t even crank. The cabin heater stopped working too, It was -9 Degrees outside that day and we started to freeze, luckily my wife was able to get to us in 20m... Read more
FORD
TRANSIT CONNECT
(2019) - ENGINE
May 12, 2026
Incident date: Apr 15, 2026
This vehicle burns oil excessively. From everything I've seen says this should be under recall but the Kia dealership tells me it's not because it's over 60,000 miles and I'm the second owner. They offered to do a oil consumption test for $900. I've already read complaints about this engine locking up and people being seriously injured. I have to put oil in it every thousand miles or so. For a new... Read more
Incident date: May 11, 2026
Engine was replaced in 2023. In March 2026 there was a fuel line leak to include fuel misting near heat components. The vehicle was in a fender bender but Hyundai determined this did not cause the leak which eludes to this being a faulty installation of the engine replacement associated with the recall. I’ve reviewed my 2023 engine replacement invoice. I see the Service Kits were used to transf... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
Right after i bought the car I had a very bad misfire on cylinder 1, the car would shake at idle. Took to dealership and they said they replaced all the spark plugs and replaced cylinder 1 coil. about a week later the misfire and shaking started again but this time it would come and go. the check engine light would be on then it would go away for a bit and then come back on over and over again. Th... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2026
The car stalls and began to jerk then shuts down the crash symbols comes on and goes off.
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
I am reporting Certification Fraud and severe safety violations by Central Florida Toyota. This vehicle was sold as "Toyota Gold Certified" on March 28, 2026, while having an active safety recall (NHTSA 26V203) with no available remedy. Furthermore, a professional inspection revealed a high-voltage hybrid system leak and structural damage (bondo/rust) on engine mounts, indicating a hidden prior co... Read more
Incident date: May 3, 2026
I am reporting a safety concern involving BMW vehicles equipped with the B58 Technical Update (B58TU) engine, commonly found in model years 2019–2021. These vehicles utilize a variable-displacement engine oil pump containing an internal thermoplastic adjusting component responsible for regulating oil pressure. Field failures are increasingly being reported in which this internal component fract... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
My 2024 Volkswagen Atlas began displaying multiple warning messages involving the engine, drive system, and powertrain. Warning messages included “Engine: error start/stop,” “Drive system, please service vehicle,” and other engine/powertrain alerts. The vehicle has had intermittent check engine lights, shaking, rough operation, abnormal noises, and repeated warning messages that disappear ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
I took my vehicle to a dealer to repair something unrelated to the engine. They said the oil pan was leaking and pulled the pan to discover the crank shaft bearings were failing. The vehicle has 53,765 miles at this point. This appears to be the same defect being recalled on the 2022 through 2024 models.
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2021) - ENGINE
May 12, 2026
Incident date: Jun 1, 2025
My 2021 Mazda CX‑5 is experiencing excessive oil consumption. The vehicle is burning oil between regular oil changes, and the oil level drops noticeably before the recommended service interval. I have noticed a burning smell and/or signs of oil loss without visible leaks. This raises concerns about potential engine damage, stalling, or fire risk while driving. The issue has occurred repeatedly a... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2021) - ENGINE
May 12, 2026
Incident date: Jun 1, 2025
Had my oil changed Wednesday and noticed a new noise. Brought to dealership, this particular year is known for 6.2 L engine failure but was told mine wasn’t in the recall. Well I was told today I have engine issues and they are replacing
Incident date: May 6, 2026
No warning lamps until catastrophic engine failure. Power loss and that puts myself and others at risk. I have had multiple issues going back to first year owned when I had power loss while driving through interactions and on the freeway. Dealership tried to state it was due to bubble in coolant system. Then first engine failure occurred and was replaced by Ford
TESLA
CYBERTRUCK
(2025) - ENGINE
May 12, 2026
Incident date: Aug 22, 2025
My 2013 Kia Optima was running fine at 65 mph when suddenly the engine stalled. I then coasted to the shoulder and smelled burning plastic. As soon as I opened the hood the engine started being consumed in fire, it quickly went to a very large engine fire that consumed the front half of the car. There were no other vehicles involved with this incident. Vehicle is a total loss.
Fire
TESLA
CYBERTRUCK
(2025) - ENGINE
May 12, 2026
Incident date: Apr 21, 2026
2021 Ford Explorer used a work vehicle (house cleaning business) and family vehicle after hours (driving my daughter to soccer practice 4 times a week). Vehicle has been professionally and properly serviced since we first purchased it in 2021( we have been the only owners). Car has worked great not one single problem other then regular things like tires, brakes and battery all purchased and instal... Read more
TOYOTA
COROLLA CROSS
(2023) - ENGINE
May 12, 2026
Incident date: Mar 28, 2026
I've sent earlier not sure if it went through transmission dropingvout of gear at any time putting my. Life in danger, and family, hope I don't end up needing a lawyer if a major fatality happens
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2024) - ENGINE
May 12, 2026
Incident date: May 1, 2026
My truck engine seized at highway speeds on 4/29/2026. Machining debris seized to the engine’s bearings causing oil to dump from the engine and the engine to completely seize. This is the same issue that NHSTA forced Toyota to issue a recall on 2022-2024 Toyota Tundras.
Incident date: May 11, 2026
There has been an ongoing issue! Changed the sparks plugs, coils everything. The car will shake. It will be fine then the acceleration was slow, pressed the gas again then the check engine light will come on and blink. There has been many issues with this car. My engine is blown!
Incident date: May 11, 2026
Check engine light turned on. Dealership inspected it and advised me there was a PO456 error code. My understanding is that a P0456 code on a 2022 Ford Bronco indicates a very small leak in the Evaporative Emission (EVAP) system, which prevents fuel vapors from escaping into the atmosphere. The most common cause is a faulty canister purge valve. The dealership advised me that this issue was not co... Read more
Incident date: Mar 8, 2026
While driving my 2016 RAM 1500 Eco diesel, the vehicle suddenly lost power and would not accelerate beyond 40 mph. The malfunction occurred while driving under normal road conditions and created a safety concern because the truck was unable to maintain normal traffic speed. Prior to failure, a warning light appeared on the dashboard related to emissions/exhaust system. The truck entered into a ... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2026
Had to replace transmission at 133k miles. It was jolting sometimes providing a hard jolt at times will driving. There are also times of what feels like a cylinder misfire. Oil is constantly leaking and have to replace oil every 1k Miles. Have had multiple shops look at it and not able to find anything. Now during acceleration there is a huge grey smoke cloud coming from the exhaust. Looking at th... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2026
I have encountered several instances where the vehicle goes idle at a spot light as expected. However the vehicle fails to restart when letting off the brake. Instead, the vehicle shifts into park. Once the vehicle shifts into park, I am unable to shift into drive. I must restart the vehicle and try en shift into drive. This is extremely dangerous and has happened multiple times. This vehicle is o... Read more
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2022) - ENGINE
May 11, 2026
Incident date: May 11, 2026
Driving home on [XXX] , coming back from [XXX] the car started to tick, then a loss of motive power happened then knocking really bad. The rest of the trip home was in the slow lane with hazards, tops 35 miles an hour. I also have videos sent by Honda. That confirms rod, knock and the sound of the engine INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Incident date: May 11, 2026
On April 13, 2026, at approximately 67,312 miles, my vehicle experienced a fuel system failure when the main fuel supply line leading to the high-pressure fuel pump cracked and began actively leaking raw gasoline onto the top of the transmission in the engine compartment. There were no prior dashboard warning lights or error messages; the only symptom leading up to the failure was a extremely st... Read more
Incident date: May 11, 2026
My 2019 Ram 1500 equipped with the eTorque system experienced a sudden failure involving the eTorque/hybrid system at approximately 88,000 miles. The failure caused the vehicle to become disabled and left my [XXX] daughter and me stranded on a busy roadway, creating a serious safety hazard. The vehicle required towing and diagnosis by an authorized Ram dealership. I was informed that the failure... Read more
Incident date: Mar 21, 2026
This is an electric vehicle. I experienced a sudden loss of all power while traveling on the interstate in heavy traffic. I nearly lost control of the vehicle as it would not respond to my inputs. I had to cross two lanes of dense interstate traffic to get to a safe area to pull over and it was terrifying because the car just suddenly shut down while traveling at highway speeds. The dealership tha... Read more
Incident date: Mar 21, 2026
I am filing this complaint regarding my GMC Yukon Denali, currently at Greg Lair GMC in Canyon, Texas, for GM Safety Recall N252494000, NHTSA Campaign Number 25V274, L87 Engine Loss of Propulsion. My vehicle has been at the dealership for over two weeks for this recall, which in my case requires a complete engine replacement. I have been advised the repair may take another 4 to 5 weeks. During th... Read more
Incident date: Feb 23, 2026
6.2L V8 engine. 2020 build, GMC Sierra 1500 series. Same engine in the existing recall for 2021-2024 models. Received a call from the service department of the dealership that after changing the oil and restarting the truck to reset the oil change indicator the engine shut down. Assistant service manager, Stephen Poulson [XXX] ) called and provided information that the engine seized and that th... Read more
HYUNDAI
VELOSTER N
(2022) - ENGINE
May 11, 2026
Incident date: May 1, 2026
I am the original owner of a 2013 Hyundai Sonata (under 90K miles). In April 2026 the engine suddenly locked up without warning. The vehicle was towed to Massey Hyundai (Hagerstown, MD) and a claim was submitted to Hyundai Motor America for an engine replacement under Hyundai’s lifetime engine warranty program for affected 2.4L and 2.0L Theta II engines. I provided records I could obtain. Some o... Read more
Incident date: May 11, 2026
15000 miles and the engine spun a bearing and the engine blew
Incident date: May 10, 2026
I have received this warning a few different times “Steering Assist is Reduced". Which causes my vehicle to not blow cold air when AC is on. Fans are louder than normal. And when I turn off my vehicle fans continue to run for roughly around 8 minutes.
Incident date: May 3, 2026
Vacuum pump failed: On May 28th, 2025 the brake pedal on our 2019 Chevrolet Equinox became very hard along with check engine light, a "Reduced Power" notification, and "Brake Assist Failure" notification. After a mechanic inspected the engine, he found that the vacuum pump had shattered. The mechanic replaced the pump with an OEM replacement from GM. On May 11th, 2026 the same exact issue happen... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
In the middle of driving car stuttered, engine light went on, and car stalled. Unable to restart, Engine cranks but would not turn over. Had car towed for repair. Diagnostic shows engine coil short causing blown fuse. Subaru has an active recall for this identical issue for my same year and model 2019 Crosstrek but the recall does not cover my VIN.
Incident date: May 11, 2026
since recalled was published Nov2025, no remedy has been taken, and manufacture seems not prepare to repair the issue which is a big safety concern
Incident date: Apr 16, 2025
To Whom It May Concern, I am submitting a formal complaint regarding the handling of an unresolved safety recall involving my vehicle by Nissan, as well as the lack of communication, escalation support, and resolution provided by Nissan Customer Affairs. Despite multiple attempts to resolve an active safety recall, I have not received a follow-up call or any meaningful update regarding the statu... Read more
Incident date: May 10, 2026
Engine light comes on starts flashing as well as the oil light occasionally. If you slow down or have to stop it completely shuts down you have to put in park and restart the car to get anywhere and start stopping in front in the middle of traffic. So if you slow down to go up a hill or anything, it just stops completely. Also making a clicking or grinding sound not sure.
Incident date: May 10, 2026
This 2019 Mazda CX 5 is experiencing a crack in the oil cylinder. THis appears to be connected to: There is no official, broad NHTSA recall for cracked oil cylinders in the 2019 Mazda CX-5, but Mazda has issued a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB #SA-031-21) to address this known issue. It affects certain 2018–2021 CX-5s, particularly those with 2.5L engines, where a cracked cylinder head leaks co... Read more
Incident date: May 11, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Sierra. The contact stated that while driving at 20 MPH, the check engine light began to flash. The driver pulled over. The vehicle was knocking. The contact stated that failure was due to premature engine failure. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with a cylinder 3 lifter malfunction. The vehicle had misfired. The vehicle was not repaire... Read more
Incident date: Apr 30, 2026
2018 Camry XSE, Vacuum pump went on my car less then a year ago. I had my car towed to the dealership for the recall to be fixed. Since that incident my car hasn’t been the same. While stopped at a light my dash board lite up with every issue the car could possibly have. Lane departure assist, secondary breaking system failure, engine coolant too hot, emergency brake failure and then the check... Read more
Incident date: Sep 15, 2025
On Thursday May 7th, while driving the 2017 Honda Pilot Elite it lost power and all the dash lights started to come on. Once we limped it to our home, and the code information was obtained, it revealed number 3-cylinder misfire. After replacing all the spark plugs, I started the car to make sure all the codes were cleared and heard a "knocking noise". After further investigation noted the follo... Read more
Incident date: Aug 26, 2025
When turning on the heater or AC, the car blows out a coolant smell out of the vents. It does it every time the heat is turned on or switched over to AC. We have another appointment with the dealership to have this looked at, as well as many other issues we're having with this vehicle.
Incident date: Oct 15, 2025
The car thinks the key fob is inside the vehicle when it is not. If you get out of the vehicle it will not self lock even if you have that feature set up. It will also beep consistently for about 10 seconds when you press the lock button on the key fob when your outside of the car, indicating that there is a key fob in the car....but there is not. The most concerning thing is you can get into the... Read more
Incident date: May 8, 2026
The light appears on my dash indicating low oil level frequently between oil changes. I have to add oil to my car every 2-3 weeks. An abundant amount of white smoke comes from the exhaust pipes. I’ve been told it’s burning oil. This could ruin my engine or become catastrophic by fire. I was told it could be something to do with the pistons or cylinder head. Mechanic shops don’t want to/have ... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
EQB 250
(2023) - ENGINE
May 11, 2026
Incident date: May 11, 2026
My cars check engine light keeps coming on and the first time it came on with an engine under boost failure and I took it to a 3rd party shop to get fixed and they had to replace the turbo charger. I paid $2500.00 for that. 2 weeks later the same light came on and they had to replace it again. Well now the light came on again after a month for the same thing and I am taking it back into the shop ... Read more
Incident date: May 11, 2026
Special coverage programs for the 2018 Chevy Traverse front exhaust pipe mounting bracket failure. GM has focused on coverage specifically on 2019-2021 models, but 2018 models are affected as well. I'm being forced to pay for a new exhaust when 2018 models should have been included for the Specific special coverage (e.g., N212356540, N222385510) exists for 2019–2021 vehicles, offering repairs (s... Read more
Incident date: May 10, 2026
The vehicle drove normally earlier in the day with no major drivability concerns. Later, reverse gear suddenly stopped functioning and the engine would rev abnormally without the vehicle moving properly while in reverse. Shortly afterward, while driving, the vehicle displayed the warning message “Reduce Acceleration – Drive with Care” and began losing acceleration and propulsion. The vehicle... Read more