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: Mar 20, 2026

Coolant Intrusion – Engine Defect Concern “Coolant intrusion” is a known engine design defect in which coolant leaks into the cylinders, leading to internal damage, misfires, and eventual engine failure. In our case, we own a 2017 Ford Escape 1.5L EcoBoost, which is now inoperable. The vehicle was properly maintained, with no prior issues. At approximately 103,000 miles, the engine began t... Read more

Incident date: Mar 26, 2026

On two separate occasions, my 2023 Nissan Rogue has experienced major loss of power while driving 80 mph. The first time, all of the dash lights were blinking and there was an awful noise coming from the engine. I could not drive over 10 mph. The vehicle had to be towed 200 miles to the nearest Nissan dealer in Billings, MT. They cleared the codes, test drove it and said everything was fine. The s... Read more

Incident date: Jan 28, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. Moments later, the vehicle stalled after driving a very short distance. An independent mechanic arrived at the residence to perform an oil change and found metal shavings inside the oil. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer... Read more

Incident date: Jan 28, 2026

The car engine stalled on highway and was not able to stall. Mechanic shop checked the car, and told me that the problem is a seized engine.

Incident date: Jan 28, 2026

While driving on the highway on 02/20/2026 at approximately 152,000 miles, my 2019 Ford F-150 3.0L Power Stroke diesel caught fire and was completely destroyed. The day before the fire (02/19/2026), the FordPass app logged an electrical system error that self-cleared the same day. Believing the issue resolved itself, I continued normal operation. The following day the vehicle caught fire on the hi... Read more

Fire

Incident date: Feb 20, 2026

I was driving at approximately 75 to 80MPH on the highway when my engine shutoff and the vehicle died while driving it. I was able to coast to the side of the road but had to cross two lanes to the left to do so while weaving in traffic to get to the shoulder of the road. There was no warning of any kind that would have made me aware of an issue prior to this happening. I was unable to get the veh... Read more

Incident date: Mar 14, 2026

The EcoBoost engine showed a low coolant level and white exhaust smoke. Ford has diagnosed the vehicle and the Ford Edge needs a new engine due to Ford’s flawed engine design. Ford is aware of the issue and a recall is not issued and they are not taking any financial responsibility. Refer to Ford technical service bulletin 19-2346

Incident date: Mar 30, 2026

While driving on the 60 East highway (approximately 65-68 mph), the vehicle did not accelarate and became completely non-responsive. Each time I pressed on the gas pedal, the RPM needle started trembling between 600-1100, which is much lower than where it should be while the vehicle was in Drive and traveling at this speed. This was an extremely dangerous situation as I had my wife and 5 month old... Read more

Incident date: Mar 23, 2026

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Sierra 2500 Denali. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the knock sensor had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The veh... Read more

Incident date: Mar 26, 2026

The contact owns a 2024 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled and shut off. The vehicle was restarted but failed to shift into gear. The messages “Engine Malfunction - Reduce Power - Slow Down” and “Shifter Power Malfunction” were displayed. The dealer was notified of the failure, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The... Read more

Incident date: Mar 25, 2026

Transmission is now not shifting out of park and this is after having issues with the engine allowing coolant to get in and causing damage with the cylinders. Would not pass the pressure test. When calling ford customer service and headquarters telling me there is no way they can help with good will. Find this troublesome when they already know the EcoBoost causing issues to the car and my car is ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 23, 2026

I am filing this complaint regarding Hyundai Motor America's failure to complete a vehicle repair in a timely manner on my 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 (VIN: [XXX] ), which has been at Hyundai of Leander, an authorized Hyundai service center in Leander, Texas, since September 2025 — more than six months — awaiting a replacement high-voltage battery. (Case No. XXX) I purchased this vehicle in Septembe... Read more

Incident date: Mar 28, 2026

The vehicle is a 2018 Jeep Wrangler with a 3.6L engine and approximately 124,000 miles. The engine has experienced a failure involving multiple components, including suspected head gasket failure, significant oil loss with no visible external leak, low oil pressure, and engine knocking. Diagnostic trouble codes P0365 and P06DD were present, indicating camshaft position sensor issues and oil press... Read more

Incident date: Mar 27, 2026

My original factory 2020 Escalade 6.2L engine suddenly without warning seized while driving on a two lane undivided highway. I was forced to steer and brake the vehicle from 70mph to the shoulder of the road. My Vehicle had to be towed to GM dealer who diagnosed a seized engine. GM Replaced engine under warranty. This incident is identical to the 6.2L engine failures of the 2021 to 2024 recall.

Incident date: Dec 3, 2025

"My 2015 Ford F-150 is experiencing an intermittent, complete loss of the Output Shaft Speed (OSS) signal within the 6R80 transmission lead frame. While driving at speed, the speedometer suddenly drops to zero, the 'wrench' light illuminates, and the vehicle performs an unintended, harsh downshift into a lower gear (Limp Mode/3rd gear). This creates an immediate safety hazard of rear-wheel lockup ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 20, 2025

I am writing to formally report a failure by Classic Kia of Streetsboro to provide the federally mandated safety remedy under Recall SC336 for my 2021 Kia Soul (VIN: [XXX] ). I have reason to believe the dealership has bypassed the mandatory safety protocols by intentionally omitting my documented diagnostic data—specifically Codes P0014/P0017, engine stalling, and excessive oil consumption—fr... Read more

Incident date: Feb 1, 2026

After replacing both batteries in my jeep compass 2019. The “Stop safely vehicle will shut down” message kept coming on. In traffic the car shut off completely and wouldn’t start. This is a reoccurring issue and jeep doesn’t care. It needs to be fixed. To shut off completely during driving is a safety hazard!!!

Incident date: Mar 30, 2024

Vehicle has failed to start with NO WARNING LIGHTS (completely blank infotainment screen) and no sounds when start button is pressed. Vehicle also completely shuts down when stopping in traffic and takes several attempts at restarting before the vehicle actually starts and able to move. This is a SEVERE LIFE THREATENING OR SERIOS INJURY SITUATION that Hyundai seems to have no interest in solvin... Read more

Incident date: Mar 26, 2026

Coolant control valve replacement after 5 years of purchasing the vehicle. Put at risk of over heating while driving, fan stays on after vehicle is turned off. Problem confirmed by 2 dealerships. Check engine light on for a long time, fan over working, staying on after the vehicle is off. The only warnings were the engine light coming on to get inspected and fan over running. 1st came up in Decemb... Read more

Incident date: Nov 27, 2024

The component that failed is the coolant bypass valve, which is part of the engine cooling system. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The issue was first indicated by an "Engine Maintenance Required" warning message that appeared on the dashboard. No prior symptoms were noticeable before the warning appeared. The warning came on suddenly during normal driving conditions. This ... Read more

Incident date: Feb 9, 2026

Vehicle Information Year/Make/Model: 2018 Mazda CX-5 Engine: 2.5L Mileage at Failure: Approximately 115,000 miles Component: Engine Complaint Summary: I am reporting a sudden and unsafe engine failure involving a cracked cylinder head in my 2018 Mazda CX-5. This failure occurred without warning at approximately 115,000 miles and resulted in significant oil leakage from the engine. Description ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 10, 2026

Excessive oil consumption Engine damage or failure Ticking noise from the engine Loss of power when driving Rough idle, shaking the car is not able to be used, for safe.

Incident date: Apr 28, 2025

The contact owns a 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55-60 MPH, the vehicle stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer 10 times and the dealer retrieved diagnostic trouble codes for the control module, body control module, rear parking assistance, loss of communication, and transmission solenoid. The vehicle was no... Read more

Incident date: Mar 23, 2026

I am reporting a serious and ongoing safety issue involving my 2023 Kia Forte GT. The vehicle has experienced persistent mechanical problems, including a check engine light and multiple diagnostic trouble codes, including P0420 (catalyst system efficiency below threshold – Bank 1), P0300 (random/multiple cylinder misfire), P0304 (cylinder 4 misfire), and P0301 (cylinder 1 misfire). These codes h... Read more

Incident date: Mar 26, 2026

The transmission drops out of 6th gear to natural when accelerating.

Incident date: Feb 19, 2026

An unknown coolant leak with my 2017 2.7 engine causing sufficient damage due to a manufacturer error and needing a new engine. I had several people tell me this is a common issue with 2.7 engines.

Incident date: Mar 7, 2026

First I would get a check engine light and infotainment screen would go black and odometer started blinking. Restart required. Occasionally the key fob is not detected. Reset the check engine light twice. Once at Huntington Beach RAM and once at Sunnyvale Chrysler. Both times the technician was unable to determine cause of fault. Slowly the failures became worse. The vehicle infotainment sys... Read more

Incident date: Feb 1, 2026

Vehicle runs low of engine oil quickly. I've gotten oil changes by dealer and always explain i have to purchase oil every 3 weeks to top off. Was told its a leak but I never see oil on the ground where I park.Its been like this since I've purchased the vehicle. The headlights are not bright no matter if i change the bulb or the actual headlight

Incident date: Mar 29, 2026

Truck has less than 1800 miles. Was at a stop light and the vehicle started shaking and making metal tin rattling sounds. Stopped for gas, started the vehicle all noises went away. Got onto the freeway and about 1 mile down the road the truck lost power at 70 MPH. I slowed down and the vehicle continued to lose power. I put my flashers on and started to pull over and the truck died, all dash l... Read more

Incident date: Nov 28, 2025

I bought a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe from a dealership in May of 2023. Ever since then I have paid around $8,000 in repairs for this car. These repairs have been so expensive and time consuming that last year I wasn’t able to drive it for 6 months because it was in the shop for most of the year. I had to fix the Fuel pump, the Battery, timing chain valve TWICE, O2 sensor , Catalytic Converter, Engi... Read more

Incident date: Mar 27, 2026

Vehicle is subject to two active safety recalls, both listed as “remedy not available.” One recall involves a potential engine defect related to manufacturing debris, which may result in engine damage and sudden loss of motive power. Manufacturer recall documentation indicates this condition may increase the risk of a stall, particularly under sustained load such as towing or highway operatio... Read more

Incident date: Feb 1, 2026

While driving, I accelerated to merge onto the highway. The check engine light flashed a few times and the engine started wobbling like it was misfiring. I have also been having a parasitic drain on my auxiliary batter that makes the car not open to my key fob that I know works. The dealership told me it was bad fuel, but they “tested the fuel” with no diagnostic report/proof/records, saying t... Read more

Incident date: Feb 20, 2026

The dash board lights up and the check engine light comes. It’s hard to accelerate or reverse and its idles high. I have replaced coils, spark plugs, censors and it’s costs me thousands of dollars and it’s still not fixed.

Incident date: Nov 21, 2025

While driving on the interstate at highway speed, the vehicle suddenly lost acceleration and stalled. I was forced to pull over. After stopping, the vehicle displayed a message to restart, but it would not start. All electronic accessories (lights, dash, etc.) remained functional, but the vehicle would not shift into drive or neutral. The message “Conditions Not Correct for Shift” appeared. Ne... Read more

Incident date: Jan 16, 2026

This is an intermittent issue that has been happening for a while now and the car was sent to the dealership twice but the issue still persists. The engine would shuts down or partially loses torque all of a sudden and the steering becomes very stiff. At the same time you would see all kinds of alarms, error messages, and check lights on the dashboard. I would then have to pull over to the side ... Read more

Incident date: Feb 27, 2026

While driving, the vehicle experienced sudden and complete loss of throttle response, resulting in little to no acceleration. This occurred in active traffic and created a dangerous situation where the vehicle could not maintain speed or safely move out of traffic. The vehicle has been serviced multiple times by Nissan of Kenosha, including a full transmission replacement under warranty. Despite ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 1, 2026

2017 Ford Escape equipped with 2.0L EcoBoost engine with coolant leaking into engine cylinder head leading to possible safety concerns and engine damage due to coolant intrusion into engine cylinders (according to Ford dealership)

Incident date: Mar 27, 2026

While driving on the interstate I was trying to pass a vehicle and the vehicle all systems but the brake system issue. Check engine, emissions, power steering, hill start assist, traction assist. The vehicle would not accelerate. When I got on the shoulder the engine was struggling to stay on and had a loud knocking sound. Had the vehicle towed to nearest exit and had someone come pick me up with ... Read more

Incident date: Feb 23, 2026

Have had to replace the VVT solenoids several times within a year spam. Had to replace the rear main seal because it blew out due to carbon build up. Having issues with excessive oil consumption. Now the vehicle just started with: going from a stop position to accelerating at low speeds the vehicle stalls and dies. I want GM to take accountability and fix this issue as it is a safety issue to myse... Read more

Incident date: Mar 25, 2026

Hello… this has happened at least four times.. the car goes to stand by/idle mode when the auto shut off is engaged. I was at a light and car went to idle and when it goes to green. Car just goes to idle mode. I had to put hazards on and restart car. People honking while I’m trying to restart car from this state. It’s like the car does not return on after the gas is engaged.

Incident date: May 13, 2025

Random catastrophic engine failure Randomly made a clunk noise and oil pressure dropped to 0. Engine needs replaced

Incident date: Jun 5, 2025

The oil consumption issue has begun. At about 75k miles, my 2018 Hyundai Tucson 1.6L Turbo is burning oil at an insane rate. And there is no indicator of it occurring (no codes or anything on the dash) until it's too late. Hyundai is now WELL KNOWN, and aware, for this problem and it is a catastrophic safety issue because of the possibility of the engine seizing and disabling the vehicle. It isn't... Read more

Incident date: Oct 1, 2025

The vehicle is burning oil even when oil changes are done routinely. Then all of a sudden I have total loss of power will not go over 35 miles an hour. And climbing hill would not go over 20. It just happened no warning lights on dash So now I have a car that is still owning 8 grand on. So now a lawn ornament. I have seen on different formats. That there is hundreds having the same issue. ... Read more

Incident date: Feb 13, 2026

I have had shifting issues with the transmission since 2 months into having this vehicle I have been reporting it to the dealership who has told me consistently that jerking grinding and loud noises are totally normal then the recall came out for these specific issues in the 2017 Silverados though my VIN is not listed but I still haven't always have had the very same problems stated in the recall

Incident date: Dec 31, 1969

Transmission issues that I have reported since 2 months into owning it. Anti-lock brake issues or braking issues where brake pedal is stiff but not stopping vehicle. Front grill shutter issues Temperature Transmission thermostat issues

Incident date: Dec 11, 2023

My 2022 keeps burning oil and I am having to put a quart to a quart and a half of oil about every 10 days into my car

Incident date: Mar 29, 2026

Oil pan leak.

Incident date: Jan 1, 2022

Coolant intrusion into cylinder heads requiring a full engine replacement. Posted in a Ford technical bulletin, but not covered by Ford at all. Expecting full price for service to change the engine.

Incident date: Mar 29, 2026

Safety Hazard: Oil Pump Failure Leading to Sudden Engine Stall (BMW B58TU engines) Description of Defect: The oil pump module in the 2020 BMW X5 (G05) contains internal plastic components that are prone to thermal degradation and premature failure. These plastic parts can crack or disintegrate, causing a sudden loss of oil pressure. Safety Risk: A failure of the oil pump leads to insufficient lu... Read more

Incident date: Mar 28, 2026

ENGINE. IT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. NO IT WASNT REPRODUCED OR CONFIRMED BY A DEALER, BUT HAVE BEEN TOLD BY A COUPLE AND ALSO ME SEEING THAT THE ENGINE WASNT ABLE TO MANUALLY BE CRANKED AT ALL. NO INSPECTION WAS DONE BY MANUFACTURR, POLICE, OR INSURANCE, BECAUSE IT DIDNT CAUSE A ACCIDENT. JUST ENGINE LIGHT WHICH HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLED THEY COULDNT FIX IT, BUT THAT W... Read more

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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

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