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: Apr 15, 2026
On April 15, 2026, I brought my 2018 Ford Edge SEL to an authorized Ford dealership with a loud rattling noise at startup and an illuminated check engine light. Ford Motor Company had previously sent me two written notices (September 2022 and June 2023) identifying a known cracked flexplate defect on my vehicle under Customer Satisfaction Program 22N12, describing these exact symptoms. The defect ... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2026
We have had multiple issues with the exhaust system and the brackets that hold the catalytic converter in place. The catalytic converters have been replaced two times in the last 3 years with them currently needing to be replaced AGAIN. This is supposed to be our family car and it is in no way reliable. Not when we have to take it in every couple thousand miles on it to have the exhaust system... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
My 2018 honda accord 1.5T EX-L has a head gasket failure, creating the potential for the engine to misfire and stall while driving. The car has been well maintained with all scheduled maintenance done on time. The need for new head gaskets has been assessed by a local dealership, and quoted at 4500-8500 dollars. The spark plugs have also seized, and if they break off during the repair, then that a... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2014) - ENGINE
May 1, 2026
Incident date: Apr 23, 2026
My vehicle is a subject of recall 22V-406 (FCA recall number Z46 [XXX] ), and the repair work for that recall was completed on April 26 of 2024. On April 23, 2026, the vehicle failed in the exact way described in the recall: loss of power, particulate in the fuel lines, failed high-pressure fuel pump. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Incident date: Apr 25, 2026
On April 25, 2026, while the vehicle was stopped at a red light on [XXX] , the vehicle suddenly became inoperable and displayed multiple warning messages and warning lights. The warning messages included “Brake System Problem” and “Auto Idle Stop System Problem.” Additional ABS/VSA, battery/electrical, and system warning lights were also displayed. The vehicle was occupied at the time, inc... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2016) - ENGINE
May 1, 2026
Incident date: Apr 26, 2026
The AFM code p3400 was activated on the truck and the lifters went bad and caused damage to the cam shift. Lifter failure which caused fuel to shoot down exhaust and burned out the catalytic converters. Dealership wants 10k to fix not including the catalytic converters.
Incident date: Mar 11, 2026
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that the engine was damaged while being repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V101000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The contact stated that while the dealer was replacing the fuel rail as per the recall remedy, pressure built up, causing a valve cover leak, which damaged the oil pressure sensor. The dealer replaced the valve cover gasket and the ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 31, 2025
Vehicle loses coolant over time and requires periodic refilling. There is a medium white smoke puff from exhaust on startup after the vehicle has been sitting for a few hours. Smoke disappears after initial startup. No constant smoke while driving. Mechanic suspects possible coolant intrusion issue.
Incident date: Feb 2, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently shut off in the middle of the road. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was immediately restarted and driven to the residence. Additionally, while at a complete stop at a red traffic light, the engine Auto START/STOP system failed to restart the vehicle after... Read more
Incident date: Mar 31, 2026
I am reporting a potential safety recall violation by Honda Mall of Georgia (3699 Buford Dr, Buford, GA 30519). My vehicle experienced engine noise, vibration, and warning indicators, which the dealership attributed to 'fuel contamination' to deny warranty coverage (attached), and charged approximately $3,392.99 for repairs. However, I have a certified laboratory analysis (attached) from the Georg... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving at slower speeds, the vehicle lost motive power. The message "Place Vehicle in Park - Press Brake to Restart" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mile... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2026
My engine needs to be replaced at 55,000 miles due to a known coolant leak issue that I had no knowledge of when I purchased the vehicle. The issue has been confirmed by the dealer. The vehicle shakes when turning on.
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLB 250 4MATIC
(2020) - ENGINE
May 1, 2026
Incident date: Apr 30, 2026
I have a passenger malfunction with airbags warning coming. I also just experienced getting gas. My milage counted down to zero which it never has before and my engine light came on. I went and got gas 3 times spending around $70 and my gas mileage still says 0 and my engine light is on.
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2023) - ENGINE
May 1, 2026
Incident date: Mar 30, 2026
Engine sudden loss of power. Wheels locked up and I skidded off the road.
Incident date: Apr 17, 2026
I have the 2015 Hyundai sonata with the 2.5 GDI engine that eventually will seize due to internal damaged caused by manufacture design flaws. My Hyundai threw a P0010 code which causes my car to idle high and causing low vacuum affecting my brakes. I had a diagnostic test done at a Hyundai dealership that told me it was a cvvt cam sprocket issue and that it was the beginning of the end of the engi... Read more
Incident date: Apr 23, 2026
Vehicle lost all power while driving on interstate, there were no warning messages displayed. The initial recall was performed on vehicle.
Incident date: Apr 25, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 Ford Bronco. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling, a fire originated near the dashboard area without warning. The occupants inside the vehicle first noticed an abnormal smoke odor inside the vehicle. Shortly afterwards, the contact and passenger’s eyes started burning and their throats became irritated. The driver opened and then closed the windows and the... Read more
Fire
Incident date: May 1, 2023
Constant Mis-firing, must put oil in car every 3 to 4 weeks. Hesitation when driving and sputtering.
Incident date: Dec 12, 2025
My van was at the dealership for about 5 months getting a new engine while there I was told the recall would be fixed. My van is used for work & I can’t use it until the recall is fixed!
Incident date: Jan 1, 2023
Around 100,000 miles car started burning through oil. Have to check oil weekly. No warning lights come up when the oil is low. Patiently waiting for them to put a recall on it.
Incident date: Apr 8, 2026
4/8/26 I took my car to a Nissan dealership for low coolant issues. I agreed to pay a 225 diagnostic fee. Nissan held my vehicle for 2 days eventually giving me the car back stating nothing was wrong. The car was returned to me in worse condition than before with white smoke and starting was rough. I called them to inform them as well as making a new appointment. They did a 2nd diagnosis allegedly... Read more
Incident date: Apr 23, 2026
Coolant is leaking into the piston heads because of a commonly understood design flaw with the cooling systems between the piston heads. Ford knows about this flaw but refused to replace it.
KIA
CARNIVAL HYBRID
(2025) - ENGINE
May 1, 2026
Incident date: Apr 29, 2026
Despite being only 18 months old with under 26,000 miles, the vehicle suffered a catastrophic failure with no prior dashboard warnings. While driving at highway speeds, loud cracking noises occurred while the engine was running, though we were able to pull off safely. The incident resulted in a burning smell, fumes, and rapid battery drain; subsequent inspection revealed a sheared tensioner spring... Read more
Incident date: Oct 3, 2025
Engine – connecting rod bearing failure. Theta II engine. Hyundai confirmed the defect via Bearing Clearance Test (BCT) on October 3, 2025. The engine can seize without warning, causing sudden loss of power while driving – a clear safety risk. The problem has been confirmed by an authorized Hyundai dealership (Hertrich Hyundai of New Castle). The manufacturer issued Technical Service Bulletin ... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
TIGUAN
(2021) - ENGINE
May 1, 2026
Incident date: Jan 1, 2026
Excessive oil consumption. Paid out of pocket and 2 weeks later the same issue. Dealer is aware of this common problem and refuses to do anything. These vehicles have faulty piston rings and PCV valves.
Incident date: Mar 28, 2026
I am the 2nd owner of my 2016 Ford Escape 1.6L ecoboost, my aunt and uncle were the original owners. Between us we have every maintenance record of every on time and professionally performed requirement the Escape has needed and it ran beautifully. Then, in February 2026 the idle started to get a bit rough and I was preparing to put in the OEM sparkplugs when 3/28/26 the engine overheated, I was s... Read more
Incident date: Apr 30, 2026
I was pulling into a parking spot almost stopped when the vehicle suddenly surged forward. I slammed on the brake and put the car in reverse since it had driven upon the walkway. This happened earlier today and I plan to have it checked out as soon as possible . Never have had this problem before, no warning lights or messages.
Incident date: Apr 19, 2026
Component: Engine My 2020 Hyundai Palisade (approximately 155,856 miles) experienced a serious and dangerous engine-related failure that resulted in a vehicle fire. My 16 year old daughter was driving alone at the time of the catastrophic failure and fire. For approximately six months prior to the incident, the vehicle was consuming oil at an abnormal rate with no visible external leaks. This ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Apr 27, 2026
I am submitting this complaint to report serious, recurring, and potentially dangerous safety defects involving my 2024 Chevrolet Trax. Timeline of Safety-Related Mechanical Failures: March 12, 2026 – First Highway Safety Incident While driving to work on [XXX] [XXX] ight activated, and the vehicle began to hesitate during highway operation. This occurred during my daily commute at highway spee... Read more
Incident date: Apr 3, 2026
I was driving when a turtle popped up on my dashboard I pulled over to Google what that meant and popped the hood cause I seen a little smoke within 3 sec the car busted in flames I ran back and grab my daughter out the back seat we were almost locked in due to the car melting the wire and flames started coming inside the car
Fire
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER
(2021) - ENGINE
Apr 30, 2026
Incident date: Apr 28, 2026
My vehicle was parked for about an hr 30 min , and it started smoking from dashboard area and immediately went into flames .
Fire
Incident date: Dec 30, 2025
The failed component is the engine assembly in my 2017 Hyundai Sonata SE with the 2.4L Theta II GDI engine. The failure involves excessive oil consumption and internal engine failure, specifically suspected piston ring deterioration allowing oil to pass into the combustion chambers. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Safety was put at risk because the engine was losing oil rapi... Read more
Incident date: Apr 25, 2026
Crack in Cylinder Head of engine. Mazda has been sued about this and have issued recalls on turbo engines, but not on non turbo ones though its the same systemic design issue with these engines. Wants me to pay 5-7k out of pocket.
Incident date: Apr 24, 2026
Coolant hose on bypass valve came off. Dumped coolant and engine overheated. Tech said it just came off, service advisor said I “hit a bump”.
Incident date: Oct 1, 2023
This vehicle has a major engine flaw; Hyundai USA KNOWS about it, and STILL will not issue a recall for EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. First episode: October 2023 at 86,371 miles. Dealership replaced leaking valve cover gasket and changed woefully-soiled spark plugs. Still under manufacturer warranty, but I paid the balance. Second episode: FOUR MONTHS LATER (Feb. 2024; 89,078 miles), another limp m... Read more
Incident date: Apr 30, 2026
The coil component for the spark plug melted completely which caused the vehicle to stop working leaving me stranded on the side of the road.
VOLKSWAGEN
JETTA
(2023) - ENGINE
Apr 30, 2026
Incident date: Apr 28, 2026
About 6 months after I bought my car the check engine light came on, took to vw still under Warranty. And they said it was just a harness on sale about 4 months later, it came back on and they kept my car for a week. And when I got my car back about 2 to 3 weeks later, it came back on again, and they cound't figure it out and said its something wrong with the emmission and now it's back on so I do... Read more
Incident date: Apr 30, 2026
I have taken the vehicle to 2 auto places both have confirmed it has engine failure. It only has 140,000 miles
Incident date: Dec 10, 2025
I am reporting a safety concern involving a 2019 BMW X5 that experienced a sudden and catastrophic engine failure at approximately 75,000–80,000 miles. The failure occurred without any prior warning indicators, dashboard alerts, or fault codes. The vehicle lost engine function and required inspection by an authorized BMW dealership. The dealership documented internal engine damage, including met... Read more
Incident date: Mar 23, 2026
Without any warning, the V8 L87 6.2 liter engine suddenly seized up, began shaking with significant reduced power. I was fortunate that I could drive slowly to safety and was not on the expressway. In my research, I understand this is related to a design/manufacturing issue with the connecting rods and crankshafts in this type of engine. As I investigated the issue, I found that 600,000 vehicl... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2024) - ENGINE
Apr 30, 2026
Incident date: Apr 30, 2026
driving normally → brief stumble/sputter/deceleration → engine died/no power → check-engine light → vehicle coasts with no throttle response → would not restart, then restarted briefly with rough idle and immediately died. Reproduced. Towed. Dealer has not yet seen the vehicle. Inspection. No. Notification. Check engine light illuminated, truck automatically went into neutral. ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 22, 2026
Incident Details: While traveling on MD-152 (Mountain Road) in Fallston, MD, the vehicle suffered a sudden and complete loss of motive power without any prior warning or dashboard indicators. There were no warning lights, no temperature spikes, and no mechanical noises before the engine seized. This sudden failure occurred in active traffic on a busy road, creating an immediate risk of a rear-end ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 28, 2025
Driving my 2012 dodge ram 3500, just as I was crossing one of the busiest intersections in my town my truck lost all power and dropped from 35mph to 5 mph. Barley made it acrossed and pulled over. As soon as I pulled over the engine light comes on, checked code, and U010C lost coms with turbo actuator comes up. Turned truck off and rest code and everything back to normal. About a week later it hap... Read more
Incident date: Apr 30, 2026
I am reporting a serious engine safety issue involving coolant intrusion into the engine, resulting in misfires, loss of power, and potential engine failure while driving. My vehicle began experiencing rough starts after sitting overnight, including shaking and hesitation. in a few dayna, the issue worsened and is now accompanied by the following: * Coolant loss requiring refill approximately ever... Read more
Incident date: Mar 9, 2026
On March 9, 2026, I brought the vehicle to BMW of Fairfax for a scheduled appointment. In the week leading up to the visit, the vehicle intermittently failed to start and required jump-starting using a portable battery starter. Despite this issue, the car drove normally, showed no warning lights or error messages, and had approximately 69,000 miles on the odometer at the time. After jump-sta... Read more
Incident date: Aug 25, 2025
The primary failure is the engine assembly and turbocharger, specifically caused by the failure of the oil pump drive belt and tensioner system (subject of Safety Recall 23S64 / NHTSA 23V-905). Despite an attempted recall "remedy" on August 25, 2025, the engine suffered internal oil starvation due to belt debris (rubber fibers) remaining in the oil passages. The dealership has confirmed in writing... Read more
HONDA
CR-V HYBRID
(2020) - ENGINE
Apr 30, 2026
Incident date: Apr 30, 2026
Description of event: I was driving approximately 35 mph when the check engine light began flashing, the engine began shuddering, and acceleration began decreasing. I was able to safely pull over and turn off the vehicle. After approx. 10 minutes, I turned on the car and plugged in a code reader but no codes were available to view. I restarted the car and it functioned normally and the check engin... Read more