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 8, 2026

When driving home on the evening of 3/24, I was on the interstate (70mph) when my 2021 Nissan Rogue started to decelerate and would not gain speed. I got off at the next frontage road exit and when at the stop sign my check engine light came on and shortly after my car started sputtering when stopped and would barely gain speed. There was no prior warning lights or signs to indicate an issue. The ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 25, 2026

We have already filed a report regarding multiple unresolved warranty defects that Ford Motor Company has refused to address for over a year. Among these is a recurring fuel pump failure—an issue that has now occurred multiple times. The most recent incident happened just a couple of weeks ago in the Twin Cities after being told by our dealer that there was not an issue or fix for the fuel pump ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 25, 2026

My check engine light came on stating my engine coolant was low. I took it to a shop and was told I needed to replace my filter/coolant housing assembly.

Incident date: Mar 21, 2026

2021 Yukon Denali 6.2L V8, 137k miles- engine failure—driving down road 55mph and engine light came on, along with check esc and check traction warnings, vehicle began to rough idle and shake, motor knocking. Personally feel this is related to recall but my vin not included says dealership- I feel this recall is affecting way more vehicles than vin’s included. Dealership charged 220$ to plug ... Read more

Incident date: Feb 1, 2025

While driving, the vehicle stutters during acceleration, creating hesitation and inconsistent power delivery. This occurs during normal driving conditions and has not improved after being inspected by a dealership. The issue has been reproduced multiple times and remains unresolved. The vehicle was taken in for service, but no effective repair was provided, and the condition persists. There is a... Read more

Incident date: Mar 20, 2026

My car was taken in as a part of recall bulletin 203 for improperly heated piston rings treated pistons rings that result in premature engine failure and possible fire on 12/5/25. The knock sensor test was performed and the KSDS software was installed. On 3/12/26 my daughter who was on the way home from a trip called because her checking engine light started flashing and the engine was knocking.... Read more

Incident date: Mar 21, 2026

I am submitting this complaint to report what I believe to be a serious and systemic safety defect involving GM 6.2L engines equipped with fuel efficiency systems such as Active Fuel Management (AFM) or Dynamic Fuel Management (DFM). I have experienced catastrophic engine failure in two separate GMC Yukon Denali vehicles with nearly identical symptoms, which strongly suggests a broader design def... Read more

Incident date: Mar 23, 2026

2023 Yukon XL Denali passed the pico scope changed to 0W40 and 3 months later stopped working in the middle of driving just completely shut down. Engine started to smoke had it towed to dealership and they removed my oil filter and found crankshaft bearings in the filter. Needs a new engine now. Bought it brand new only has 45,000 miles on it currently.

Incident date: Mar 23, 2026

The engine started making a lot of knocking sounds and it has no oil pressure now. The shop says the engine needs to be replaced.

Incident date: Dec 31, 1969

While driving the brake pedal suddenly became hard to push making the car unable to slow down. Put car in neutral and managed to get off street into parking lot and coast to a stop. Car would no longer start. Towed to dealership for assessment. Reports of broken vacuum pump pieces and related metal debris found in engine. Dealership recommended engine replacement. Notified GM, they provided a case... Read more

Incident date: Sep 30, 2023

TO: USAA Claims Department; Jaguar Land Rover North America Customer Care CC: Jaguar Land Rover Parsippany; Jaguar Land Rover Glen Cove; Jaguar Land Rover Freeport I am writing to formally report a serious safety hazard involving my 2015 Range Rover Sport and to request immediate intervention. Vehicle Information: Year/Make/Model: 2015 Range Rover Sport VIN: [XXX] Current Mileage: Approximately 1... Read more

1 injured

Incident date: Mar 25, 2026

Coolant leak and dealership advises that the car will need a engine replacement to fix the problem. The car is constantly running rough and misfiring. Driving this vehicle this way put myself and small children at risk that there could be a potential complete engine failure while driving the vehicle. This problem has been confirmed by the dealership and I was told that Ford Motor Co. is aware o... Read more

Incident date: Jul 24, 2025

Engine started knocking loosing power just like our 4cylinder GDI engine. These engines are also not safe to be operating

Incident date: Jul 24, 2025

I had my oil changed and the next day the check engine light came on. I looked on the Chevy app to see what it was and it said Varuable Valve timing issue. I Click further into the app warning and it said, Engines equipped with this system use sensors that regulate the opening and closing of the intake and exhaust valves to optimize performance and efficiency. I live 3 and a half hours away fro. ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 25, 2026

After a routine oil change, the check engine light came on and would not go off. Soon after the idling warning came on, blinking and indicating a system malfunction. The vehicle has been inspected by the Nissan dealership in my area and the piston has been damaged in the engine. This has put my family and myself at risk of having possible engine failure and possible car accident.

Incident date: Mar 12, 2026

My 2017, Chrysler Pacifica van just stopped for no reason whatsoever scaring me to death, I was just driving with no issues then all of a sudden as, drove into a Restaurant parking lot my van just turned off on its own before I could get in parking spot. It would not restart so I had to get it tolled. Ended up spending over $3000 two different Mechanics, one being the Hawk Chrysler dealer, in Fore... Read more

Incident date: Mar 24, 2026

‘Coolant Intrusion’ - A defect in engine design where coolant leaks into the cylinders, depleting coolant along with damage to motor etc. Overwhelming amount of both frustrated Ford owners suffering from having to pay for engine replacement while not at fault, and even larger amount of PROOF that this should be a recall, that it is still happening after year of insult and that Ford is content ... Read more

Incident date: Feb 17, 2026

Component/System Failure: The turbocharger system failed, specifically the wastegate arm, resulting in loss of boost and reduced engine performance. The failed component should be available for inspection upon request through the servicing dealership. Safety Risk: The failure caused a sudden loss of engine power while driving, placing me and others at risk, especially in traffic situations where ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 12, 2026

My 2016 Subaru Outback CVT transmission has exhibited an intermittent jerking and grabbing sensation when accelerating from a stop, worse when cold, since at least February 2023. This is a known defect covered under Subaru warranty extension bulletin 16-115-18. February 2023 — An authorized Subaru dealer documented the complaint in writing. The technician stated the vehicle never warmed up durin... Read more

Incident date: Mar 25, 2026

While driving on an interstate on March 12, 2026, the engine stopped working requiring that the car be pulled over to the side of the road. There were no indications of issues as oil had been regularly changed, and the battery and tires were replaced in fall of 2025. The check engine and oil lights all flashed at the time of the incident, not before. Fortunately, we were able to pull over to the ... Read more

Incident date: Feb 2, 2026

Sudden and complete failure of the water pump causing an explosion of the part. While traveling down the interstate, put lives in danger due to sudden jolt and rapid deceleration. Recently brought the vehicle in to correct recall on the engine coolant bypass valve. Issue with the bypass valve hastened the deterioration of the water pump to the point of failure. Told by mechanic that this is a know... Read more

Incident date: Mar 25, 2026

My car started shutting down while driving. After the engine started seizing the key wouldn't turn in my ignition. Took car to dealership immediately on 10, 2026. Took again in 2024 for recall and other repairs. Found out after requesting previous service incidents they failed to do recall repairs and never notified me of it, or to come back. I've requested current diagnostic report several times ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 21, 2026

On [XXX], while driving my 2021 Ram ProMaster 2500 at highway speed in Florida, the van suddenly lost all power and came to a near stop, then re-engaged. Vehicles were in front and behind me, creating an immediate risk of serious collision, injury, or death. I pulled over ~30 minutes, restarted, but it could not exceed 20 mph while RPMs were high. AutoZone confirmed limp mode and advised a dealer.... Read more

Incident date: Mar 21, 2026

I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious and ongoing safety issue with my 2017 Honda CR‑V equipped with the 1.5L turbocharged engine. While driving, the vehicle experienced sudden and unexpected power loss, creating a dangerous situation, particularly while in traffic. During this incident, the vehicle also began emitting visible smoke, indicating a serious mechanical or engine-relate... Read more

Incident date: Mar 18, 2026

Vehicle completely lost power and quite running in the middle of the desert in Arizona. This relates to Saftey Recall 93c. I had to have the car towed and repaired in Scottsdale, AZ. I have been told that this repair (which was expensive) might not remedy the problem and it could reoccur. It's been over six months since the recall was issued and yet no remedy is available and I have not receiv... Read more

Incident date: Mar 24, 2026

As soon as I got to work and put it in park I got a message on the dashboard saying “Engine Temperature Too Hot. Do Not Drive. Allow Engine To Cool”. No other warning signs were shown before this. I looked up on google what maybe it meant and to my findings it mentioned gasket and all I noticed recent complaints and claims filed with 2018 Honda accords for a known issue with these Honda accord... Read more

Incident date: Mar 11, 2026

1) At D/S Stow and Go seat malfunctioned and was repaired by CarMax Service Center Jan 2023 - 2) Around 97,000 so - Engine started ticking on or about JUL/SEP 2023, enstate Lloyds Automotive in Spokane Valley replaced out engine due to manufacture defect in Oct 2023. 3) At 103,672mi - P/S stow and Go seat was repaired for same issues as D/S stow & Go Seat by Lloyds Automotive Oct 2023 when engine ... Read more

Incident date: Oct 28, 2025

The contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle failed to immediately start, but started after several attempts. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the starter, oil filter, and engine filter, and changed the oil. On a hot day, there was a loud so... Read more

Fire

Incident date: Mar 25, 2025

I am reporting a repeated safety-related issue involving my 2021 Jeep Cherokee Overland. The vehicle has experienced ongoing engine misfires and overheating, which create unsafe driving conditions. The issue presents as follows: -Engine begins to misfire, causing rough operation and shaking. -The check engine light flashes intermittently indicating active misfire. -Vehicle performance becomes... Read more

Incident date: Feb 3, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled and failed to return to normal functionality. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the rod bearings needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the... Read more

Incident date: Mar 24, 2026

This vehicle is facing the common "rod knock" issue known with the 2016-2022 Honda Pilots Diagnosis by Honda pending but symptoms present

Incident date: Jan 6, 2026

The contact owns a 2024 Cadillac Escalade ESV. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the 6.2-liter gasoline engine was on a national back orde... Read more

Incident date: Feb 19, 2026

THIS IS MY 3RD COMPLAINT (Ref: Previous Reports). THE VEHICLE IS NOW A TOTAL LOSS. 1. UNRESOLVED ENGINE/STEERING (Prior Complaints): This 2013 Malibu has a documented history of sudden engine stalling and total loss of power steering at highway speeds. Despite reporting this twice to the NHTSA and to GM, the manufacturer failed to provide a remedy. 2. RECENT SYSTEMIC COLLAPSE: Prior to the car bec... Read more

Incident date: Mar 21, 2026

My 2025 Honda Odyssey has had trouble turning on since it has been about 9 months old. It doesn't always turn on from being off. It doesn't always turn on when the vehicle is already on and the auto-start-stop system turns the engine off. More often than not it struggles to start but eventually does. I took it in for service and the dealership replaced the battery. It continued to not start. T... Read more

Incident date: Feb 23, 2026

While driving engine shut off and car will not start. Garage states engine is seized up. It is same engine that Kia recalled

Incident date: Mar 7, 2026

When I am stopped at a light or stop sign and go to pull into an intersection, halfway into the intersection the vehicle stalls and does not want to move. It has caused me to almost get into several car accidents and thankfully other vehicles have been able to brake before hitting me. It has been scary as I have had my daughter each time in the back seat and a few times it would have been on her s... Read more

Incident date: Mar 7, 2026

3 Years ago a new motor and starter were put into my car. Now it won't start again and the dealership says the motor is blown again. They tell me that it is not covered under the warranty from the engine that was put in 3 years ago. How is that not covered. I now have a vehicle that I can't drive and no warranty on it and still have a loan on it. This needs to be fixed or covered. Please have some... Read more

Incident date: Oct 28, 2025

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, the check engine warning light was flashing on the instrument panel. There was a misfire coming from the engine. The contact stated that the vehicle was sputtering while depressing the accelerator pedal and cautiously drove to the nearest independent mechanic. The mechanic used a code scanner and retrieved a fault c... Read more

Incident date: Mar 9, 2026

6.2 Liter Engine failed at 34,000 miles. The engine failure was confirmed by Luther Brookdale GMC in Brooklyn Center Minnesota. They said the engine failed and replaced it with a new 6.2L engine as part of the recall. No warning lights, or indication of failure, some very minor noises were coming from the engine. It did not fail on the highway, but at the dealer but could have killed my family... Read more

Incident date: Mar 24, 2026

The contact owned a 2026 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that after arriving at her job and safely exiting the vehicle, white smoke was noticed by her manager on duty coming from under the hood. In addition, prior to the failure, the contact stated that while stopped at a red light, the vehicle had hesitated to maintain automotive after independently jolting forward. No warning lights illuminated... Read more

Fire

Incident date: Aug 7, 2023

Driving on Interstate at a speed of 65, truck lost power. Check engine light and all lights on dash appeared I initially mistakenly reported the wrong mileage of 160k. My vehicle only has 135k miles on it

Incident date: Feb 26, 2026

Driving on Interstate at a speed of 70 when truck lost power. Check engine light came on and other lights on dash came on also. 2007 with 160k miles original barely driven. This year should be a part of the Class Action Suit

Incident date: Jan 18, 2025

Safety Hazard: Oil Pump Failure Leading to Sudden Engine Stall (BMW G05 X5) 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 lubricati... Read more

Incident date: Sep 10, 2025

I was driving and I got check engine light and all safety features disabled while I was in the freeway, luckily I was able to drive to nearby Subaru dealer for inspection and I found out that there was a recall on the engine for this vehicle and when I contacted the manufacturer they asked me to take it for diagnostics and I did that at a Subaru retailer, but the case manager told me that this rec... Read more

Incident date: Mar 24, 2026

I am filing this complaint regarding an unresolved safety recall (Recall 78C) on my 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe, which has now been open for approximately 139 days without a remedy. This recall involves engine manufacturing contamination that may lead to catastrophic engine failure, loss of propulsion, and potential fire risk. Despite the seriousness of the recall, Stellantis has failed to provid... Read more

Incident date: Feb 25, 2026

The vehicle suddenly stopped and died while driving. The mechanic confirms that the engine is gone, contact Hyundai. Ourisman of Rockville and Hyundai Motor America (HMA) refuses to replace the engine for free. The vehicle has now developed a severe engine knock consistent with the well-documented defect affecting Hyundai’s Theta II engines. Hyundai has publicly acknowledged this issue and i... Read more

Incident date: May 1, 2025

My engine completely died, and a complete loss of propulsion happened. My safety was put at risk due to no power while on busy highway. This problem with L87 engines (6.2) has been reported extensively. The vehicle was inspected for GM Program # N252494000, NHTSA 25V74 for above issues and was inspected on 2025-08-28. Inspection passed, but the failure ultimatel happened on 2025-02-25. Dealer... Read more

Incident date: Nov 26, 2025

I was driving to work at about 4:30am and was stopped at a stoplight. When the light turned green I tried to accelarate and the engine stalled. The engine temperature warning light came on. I waited a few minutes and the vehicle started right up.

Incident date: Jan 5, 2026

I’m experiencing the cam phaser rattle on startup on my 2018 Ford F-150 3.5L

Incident date: Jan 5, 2026

I was driving home from work and stopped at the stoplight. When the light turned green, I tried to accelerate and the engine stalled. The service engine, electronic throttle control and the stop/start system warning lights all came on. I waited a few minutes and restarted the engine.

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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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