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: Mar 6, 2026
The engine has a coolant intrusion problem with a rough idle and potential for complete failure. This problem is documented as a known problem with this engine and Ford has in the past provided extended warranties including engine replacements. Ford had earlier released TSB 20-2100 and has acknowledged the problem.
Incident date: Mar 19, 2026
engine failure from the connecting rod and/or crankshaft. There is a current recall for this and my vehicle should be a part of it. I broke down on the side of a highway and had the vehicle towed to GMC dealership. There are now warning lights on with code P0016 and P0324
NISSAN
PATHFINDER
(2022) - ENGINE
Mar 19, 2026
Incident date: Mar 13, 2026
2026 GMC Yukon XL Denali, VIN [XXX] , 6.2L V8 L87 engine. At 3,168 miles, vehicle developed rough idle and knocking noise. Delivered to Sewell Buick GMC Dallas on 3/2/26. Dealer diagnosed crankshaft thrust bearing spun. Tech pinpointed bottom-end noise via stethoscope, found excessive metal debris in oil and oil filter. Engine teardown confirmed thrust bearing failure. Required complete engine rep... Read more
Incident date: Sep 26, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated on three occasions while driving at various speeds, there was a clunking or clicking sound coming from the engine compartment, before the vehicle lost power. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with engine rod bearing failure. The contact was informed that the rod bearings and engine block needed to be replac... Read more
Incident date: Mar 5, 2026
My 2020 Hyundai Kona (VIN: [XXX] ) has a persistent engine stalling safety defect that matches Recall 203 (22-01-042H, NHTSA Campaign 21V301000 – Nu 2.0L Atkinson Engine Inspection and Replacement). The recall addresses improperly heat-treated piston oil rings causing cylinder bore scuffing, accelerated oil consumption, abnormal knocking, and potential engine stall while driving (increasing cras... Read more
Incident date: Mar 19, 2026
after a recent recall (68C) for my 4xe the driving characteristics of my vehicle have totally changed. accelerationis delayed and jerky with the engine cutting in and out very unpredictavely now. electric range has also gone down in a real world scenario. Jeep has not clarified or explained that the recall did to the driving dynamics of the vehicle after the recall.
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
After having the initial engine failure recall completed by the dealership by switching to a different viscosity oil… While traveling at 45 mph the motor made a knocking or ticking sound with a squeal and then “hiccuped “ and immediately lost all power. I was only able to steer the vehicle onto a busy sidestreet. The vehicle had recently been serviced by Cadillac. Once stopped, the vehicle c... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2018) - ENGINE
Mar 19, 2026
Incident date: Oct 22, 2025
Car shut off multiple times while driving including coming to complete stop on the freeway in traffic
Incident date: Feb 6, 2026
I was driving and the car gave an electrical system warning, slowed, and thereafter would not go above about 20mph. Fortunately this happened on a local, low speed limit street. I'd rather not think about what might have happened if this had happened on a highway. The Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU) is no longer working as it should. The problem has been confirmed by the dealer/manuf... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2024
On March 10, 2026, my 2017 Hyundai Tucson entered 'Limp Home Mode' while driving, a known safety defect that causes a sudden loss of engine power. Diagnostic testing confirmed error code P1326 (Knock Sensor Detection System - KSDS). Despite this vehicle being covered under the Theta II Engine Class Action Settlement (Recall 209), which provides a 15-year/150,000-mile extended warranty for this spe... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2026
Oil Filter Housing failed causing immediate loss coolant rendering the vehicle inoperative.
Incident date: Mar 19, 2026
I was merging into traffic on interstate. The car lagged as if it wasn't getting gas. I pulled over to get out of traffic. Scary situation. Please advise!
Incident date: Mar 13, 2026
I am a subsequent owner of this vehicle and it was sold to me with the known issue of coolant intrusion. Not only have I spent over $1000 in repairs. The issue is a known defect with the short block on the engine. While traveling down interstate 275 my car overheated without warning and shut off almost causing a four car collision.
Incident date: Mar 13, 2026
On March 19, 2026 around 830AM EST, the vehicle turned off while I was driving around ~40mph. I lost all power while on a busy street and I was unable to move the car to the side of the road. The car would not shift into drive or neutral, and therefore remained in the middle of the road until a tow truck had to flatbed it to the Cadillac dealership. The L87 recall on this vehicle was performed in... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2025
While driving my 2020 Acura MDX A-Spec at approximately 63,744 miles, the vehicle suddenly lost all engine power without warning while passing through a busy multi-lane intersection. The loss of propulsion prevented acceleration and forced us to coast across traffic lanes to reach the shoulder, creating a significant safety hazard. The engine would not restart. The vehicle was inspected on 3/17/20... Read more
Incident date: Mar 18, 2026
The vehicle experienced a sudden and complete electrical failure while driving, related to the DC converter. Warning lights did appear prior to the failure; however, I was driving down a mountainous road and do not recall the exact messages. Shortly after, the vehicle shut down and lost power, causing it to roll to a stop in active traffic. At the time of the incident, I was partially in the road... Read more
Incident date: Mar 16, 2026
2017 ford fusion started to drive rough and minutes later the check engine light illuminated. The car was immediately turned off and taken to a mechanic. The mechanic diagnosed it with coolant intrusion and advised to check for recall. There are no active recalls associated with the VIN. The car needs a new engine at 70,000 miles.
Incident date: Mar 16, 2026
Beginning about a month ago, I noticed a rattle upon the engine start up that lasted for a 1-2 seconds then stopped and everything sounded normal. I thought it could be b/c of the cold weather. I went in to get a routine oil change on 03/11/2026 and they said the oil looked fine, but it was about a quart low, indicating it was burning some oil somehere. They said to check in in a few months and th... Read more
Incident date: Dec 4, 2025
Reported issues of lag in acceleration and harsh shifting into reverse, the vehicle has been brought to the dealership multiple times stemming from shortly after previous, there are no warnings lights on. I requested the dealership provide in writing if the deemed the vehicle safe for operation. They would not do so. I requested a loaner while my vehicle is being reviewed for repurchase and was de... Read more
Incident date: Feb 19, 2026
My Acadia keeps an error message of "Shift to Park" this has been happening on and off for about 8 months. Now it goes on every time I try to shut my car off. I have to stop and start it up to 20 times before it shuts off. I am concerned that I may be somewhere and won't be able to turn it off. I know there have been recalls for this and I need this repaired. It's obviously a flaw on GMC and hones... Read more
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
I have my vehicle at the dealership to check a ticking noise from the 5.7L engine in my truck. I was told that there are broken exhaust bolts causing the noise. I see online that this is a common issue and that there is a recall for this issue, but my vehicle is not included in the recall list. I feel that the recall should cover my vehicle as well. Since it is the same issue of the current recall... Read more
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Infiniti QX50. The contact stated there was a grinding sound coming from the engine while driving at various speeds and while accelerating from a stop. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the engine mounts were fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The failure persis... Read more
Incident date: Feb 7, 2026
While driving at normal road speed, the vehicle suddenly lost propulsion and entered limp mode. A turtle warning icon appeared along with multiple system fault messages. The vehicle began slowing down on it's own and was unable to accelerate. I pulled to the side of the road. The vehicle displayed an error "Stop Safely Vehicle Will Shut Off Soon". After sitting for a period of time, the vehicle r... Read more
TOYOTA
SIENNA HYBRID
(2025) - ENGINE
Mar 19, 2026
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
Engine light came on loss of power. I had to have it towed back home. A independent shop investigated the situation found coolant in the cylinder head. They found out it was a bad head gasket, which led to engine failure when going to replace the head gasket part of the cylinder wall peace was missing. I had to replace the whole engine.
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2022) - ENGINE
Mar 19, 2026
Incident date: Mar 6, 2026
My transmission jumps or skips or sometimes simply doesn't engage between gears, resulting in upshifting for a slow performance when I need to cross a busy intersection, or staying in low gear and revving up when trying to get on the highway. Some days it works okay, some days it doesn't; but rarely does it work right.
Incident date: Mar 18, 2026
2018 Ford Fusion SE 1.5L EcoBoost, just purchased the car 10 days ago and I already have antifreeze that's mixing with the oil causing the car to overheat and white smoke coming from the back cannot drive the car took it to three mechanics they told me it needs a new turbo and a head gasket which will cost well over $4,000 which I don't have the money that I bought the car with I borrowed from fam... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 2500
(2026) - ENGINE
Mar 19, 2026
Incident date: Feb 28, 2026
Electrical problems have been occurring. My lights keep getting dim, then bright. Check engine light is on, the truck is making a loud noise, overheating, battery draining fast. Please note that the battery is new, starter is new, water pump is new , I got new engine fans, radiator and the truck is still running hot, battery dies over night. I need some help this is my only vehicle and I've spent ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 13, 2026
The vehicle is currently exhibiting a loud, rhythmic metallic ticking/tapping noise from the top of the engine. This is a known precursor to a sudden, catastrophic loss of motive power as documented in GM Service Bulletins PIP5847A and PIP6101. The cause is attributed to manufacturing debris within the hydraulic valve lash adjusters, which prevents proper lubrication and causes valvetrain desynchr... Read more
Incident date: Feb 6, 2026
Head gasket had to be changed out. I have seen multiple cars having the same issue with this model. The vehicle sputtered and would not let me drive above 40mph. It was a safety issue when I first had it and it occurred in the freeway.
Incident date: Aug 17, 2025
I was driving down I-5 at 75mph and the truck shut off while driving. Couldn’t get to start. Paid over $1k for a new battery cause dealership couldn’t replicate problem. Next day doing 75mph on freeway engine through a rod.
Incident date: Mar 5, 2026
consuming oil a quart every 2-3 weeks sonata hyundai in 2000 miles 3 quarts of oil were used. what happens when the motor locks up from be extremely low on oil. Possible accident! I cannot expect my wife to be checking the oil level every time she drives.
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
CHARGING SYSTEM DEFECT: The manufacturer-supplied portable charger (rated 9.6kW at 240V/40A) delivers only 7.4kW — a 23% shortfall. The authorized dealer confirmed this measurement in March 2026 but refused to repair, stating "no issues." The charging rate also degrades over time without manual reset. The vehicle also intermittently fails to charge at DC fast charging stations — it begins cha... Read more
Incident date: Dec 5, 2025
On 3/3/2026 during the night-time hours, I was traveling on the freeway in my 2023 GMC Yukon at over 65 MPH when I received a notice from the instrument cluster stating that the battery was low and oil pressure was low. Before I could pull over to a safe location, the Yukon turned off while in motion. My wife and two children were in the vehicle. The Yukon stalled in the number one lane of the off... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2025
There was one alert soon after I left Gallup NM, the engine heat light went off very briefly then went off (mile marker 6). The close to Miler marker 340 in AZ the card complete shut down and I had no control over the car. I had to pull over. I was in the middle of no where with no cell service. I was eventually able to reach my father Via Whatsapp/ I tried multiple times to call my husband but ha... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
I see the NHTSA has issued a recall against Ford 2.0L Ecoboost engines for sudden loss of power. This model of Land Rover Discovery Sport also has the same engine in it. I experience this problem with my vehicle, at low speed and when cresting hills at highway speed of 45-55mph. is there anyway this recall can be expanded to include Land Rover? I can be reached at [XXX] if you have any questions ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 4, 2026
Due to a design flaw the 2.0 Ecoboost engine has confirmed coolant intrusion. This diagnosis has been confirmed by both the Pierre Ford Dealership and a local mechanic, Chaplin Auto. The car is available for inspection. The engine light came on before full engine overheating. As soon as the light came on I had it checked immediately and the only code pulled had to do with the evap. I was told that... Read more
FORD
MUSTANG MACH E
(2023) - ENGINE
Mar 18, 2026
Incident date: Mar 6, 2026
On a fateful day, I, [XXX] , found myself in a harrowing situation on the interstate. While driving, my car unexpectedly flipped over, tumbling four times before coming to a jarring stop. The chaos began when my engine backfired violently, which was followed by the alarming sight of smoke rising from under the hood as flames erupted. To make matters worse, my four-wheel drive system malfunctione... Read more
Crash
Fire
1 injured
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2021) - ENGINE
Mar 18, 2026
Incident date: Mar 18, 2026
The engine seems to be stalling, more than likely being caused by the piston rings being defective. With the piston rings being defective, this can cause oil to be lost, and then in turn causing damage to the vehicle. This can put others at risk as this will stall the vehicle, and in any form of traffic, can cause an accident. The problem has been confirmed by a dealer, but they claim it is ano... Read more
Incident date: Mar 14, 2026
I am reporting a vehicle fire involving my 2008 BMW X3, which had an active safety recall for the Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve heater (Recall Campaign No. 22V-119). This recall identifies a risk of short circuiting, overheating, and potential fire. On February 27, 2026, I contacted BMW after discovering multiple active recalls on my vehicle. I specifically asked whether the vehicle ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Sep 1, 2022
The vehicle is sluggish while driving as if trying to pick up speed as if it is not shifting into the next gear. The other day while making a hard left turn, the vehicle stalled and when picking up speed continued to stall and struggled to gain power. When looking under the hood when it was safe to stop, there was smoke. Thank you.
Incident date: Feb 13, 2026
Shortly after a routine oil change performed at a Kia dealership, I discovered a significant oil leak underneath the vehicle the following day. Within a short period of time, the vehicle began experiencing engine-related issues including a cylinder misfire, noticeable shaking while driving, and loss of power, particularly when accelerating or driving on inclines. The vehicle also displayed a chec... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
Car was jerking when acceleration. Dealer inspected the vehicle and said the head gasket is blown. It overheated a day after Honda dealership fixed my water pump.
Incident date: Feb 2, 2026
The brake booster vacuum pump went out in my car it broke which caused hard breaking while driving vehicle. When the brake booster vacuum pump broke a piece of it damage my camshaft as well as my timing chain in my motor.
Incident date: Nov 18, 2025
The contact owns a 2024 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle shut off while making a turn and started shaking abnormally. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated and the contact pulled over to the side of the road and turned off. The vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and was diagnosed, and it was determined that the engine had s... Read more
Incident date: Mar 6, 2026
When put in park car started idling rough and then stalled. Engine light, collision warning light, and traction control light came on. Code scanned as a P0101 code.
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
The engine in my 2015 Cadillac Escalade failed unexpectedly at approximately 53,000 miles. Immediately prior to the failure, the engine developed a noticeable knocking noise, indicating a potential internal issue. While attempting to park in a public parking garage, the vehicle suddenly lost power and the engine shut down without any warning lights or alerts. This created a hazardous situation in... Read more
Incident date: Aug 25, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while his wife was driving, the battery, check engine, and oil warning lights were simultaneously illuminated. The driver reported hearing a low rattling sound and observed smoke coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the dealer declined to service the vehicle because the knock sensor was not installed by the previou... Read more
Incident date: Mar 18, 2026
My 2024 GMC Sierra 1500's engine has gone bad, and needs to be replace after only 71,000 miles, and this is only 90 day after already replacing the transmission