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: Dec 21, 2025

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of oil, and oil needed to be added frequently between scheduled oil changes. No visible external leaks were found. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V301000 (ENGINE); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was... Read more

Incident date: Jan 19, 2026

I WAS GOING UP A STEEP NARROW ROAD, A BIG TRUCK WAS COMING DOWN SO I STOPPED AND HONKED SO HE WOULD BACK UP. WHEN HE DID, I WAS UNABLE TO MOVE MY SUV. IT FROOZE ENTIRELY, WOULDNT GO UP, WOULDNT GO IN REVERSE, JUST STAYED ON BUT WOULD NOT MOVE. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS I WAS ABLE TO GO BACK A LITTLE AND MOVE TO A SIDE AND THEN I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE UP THE ROAD. THIS WAS THE 2ND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED... Read more

Incident date: Jan 1, 2026

While I was coming home from work driving up the mountain on highway 35 in Fort Payne Alabama my vehicle stopped moving and I rolled to a stop on the side of the road. I had to call a rollback and my dad so he could come pick me up. He heard the noise and knew it was the flex plate torque converter issue that Ford is having.

Incident date: Oct 19, 2025

While driving I received the infamous "Stop vehicle and check power supply" warning, and it was then inoperable, needed a tow to the dealer for ICCU replacement. I can't believe you terminated your initial investigation into this in 2023 because they did a recall (which my car received). That recall did not fix the issue. It is March 2026 and Ioniq 5 and other models with the same electric system... Read more

Incident date: Mar 18, 2026

-Car was leaking or burning coolant causing engine to overheat. -Car was diagnosed with: Exhaust heat exchanger is leaking coolant and needs to be replaced. After costly repair, car continued to leak coolant and overheated. -Car was taken back to the dealership and diagnosed with: Engine Assembly - Long Block - Replace | Engine long block needs replacement due to coolant in the oil. This was at ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 18, 2026

Driving on highway when engine shutdown suddenly and ended up on side of highway. Had a recall done a few months back for engine rods and dealership did not replace them and stated the test passed so not necessary.

Incident date: Mar 10, 2026

Was driving vehicle and it began to run hot, check engine light came on then started to make a knocking sound when getting to 30-35 mph. Was inspected by a service center. There it was confirmed an issue with the motor/head gasket

Incident date: Dec 9, 2023

Going home from work, At highway traffic light intersection and car began to shake, sputter.. Engine and Oil light briefly came on before car stalled and shut off. In panic put gear into park, turned ignition button, car started and was able to put into drive and proceed. Not long after, on a main road, waiting for turn light, stalled, lost power again. Did not have any acceleration or power. Car... Read more

Incident date: Dec 9, 2023

Engine has been making a knocking sound and shaking and vibrating very loud loudly. The engine light has been on as well as the traction light and it is acts like it’s going to stall every time I turn on the engine. Because of safety concerns, especially on the very busy highway, where I do a lot of driving, I have been afraid to drive the car. Sewell Cadillac is aware of the engine problem ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 18, 2026

2019 GMC Youkon with 94,659 miles. I am the second owner of this vehicle. I purchased it used in February 2025. Check engine light came on in route to work on March 5, 2026. Immediately took vehicle to Auto Zone to scan for codes. Multiple codes were returned. I drove it directly to a repair shop for further diagnostics. Return Results were massive lifter failure and cam shaft damage. Why wo... Read more

Incident date: Mar 16, 2026

The engine seems to be failing/affected. The vehicle is currently available for inspection at Huffines Kia in [XXX] where it has been since Saturday, March 14, 2026 and they have yet to perform the SC336 Safety Recall while trying to charge a diagnostic fee for a multipoint inspection that I did not ask for. The vehicle would not start which now I know is due to total oil consumption, which app... Read more

Incident date: Mar 9, 2026

The contact's girlfriend owns a 2022 Honda Odyssey. While the owner was driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle, and the engine seized. The message to pull over to the nearest fuel station was displayed. The contact stated that the tow truck driver attempted to start the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to start. Several unknown warning lights were ... Read more

Incident date: Jan 16, 2026

On 7 March 2026 our Kia Sportage PHEV died its first time on the highway with less than 1000 miles on it. There were no warning lamps or messages before the issue happened. The car's acceleration pedal stopped working and it slammed us from 70mph to less than 20mph. It had a loud grinding noise and the check engine light came on. My family was almost hit by a semi truck because of this. The car w... Read more

Incident date: Jan 16, 2026

Please add me to the compliant pool. My transfer case/transmission went out - 2022, 80,000 miles. March 6, 2026 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: DP26001 OPEN INVESTIGATION All wheel drive allegation NHTSA Action Number: DP26001 Components: POWER TRAIN Opened From: March 6, 2026 – Present Summary The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a Petition dated January 9, 2026, requesting an investi... Read more

Incident date: Aug 20, 2024

I am submitting a complaint regarding a 2019 Honda CB300R with approximately 1,225 miles. This vehicle is subject to an open recall (NHTSA Recall 19V-412) involving a transmission mainshaft circlip that can detach and cause gear misalignment and shifting issues. Prior to service, the motorcycle exhibited a symptom where it would not shift or operate properly beyond 4th gear. The motorcycle was ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 17, 2026

I am reporting a serious safety concern involving a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport with approximately 132K miles. While driving at highway speed, the vehicle suddenly lost power/velocity and the engine light flashed. This created an immediate safety hazard, as maintaining speed is critical in highway traffic. Within seconds, the vehicle regained power and the warning light turned off, giving the impr... Read more

Incident date: Mar 17, 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 16, 2025

Multiple safety systems on my 2019 Honda Odyssey Elite have simultaneously failed, including LKAS, ACC, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Auto High-Beam Headlights, and other driver-assist features. The dashboard displays warnings for nearly every safety-related system, and the vehicle disables these features without warning. **Detailed Description of the Problem:** Whenever I start my vehicle,... Read more

Incident date: Sep 18, 2025

Ram is refusing to repair and item on my truck egr cooler is cracked, leaking and burning coolant. They have recalled every year model but mine. All have same issue, all have same part and part number. Dealership suggested I contact NTSB to see if I could get it recalled. It is said to cause ifres in some trucks

Incident date: Mar 17, 2026

I was driving on RT80 in NJ and my 2019 GMC Yukon lost power. I took it to my local Chevy dealer. The scan code was p0300 engine misfire. They removed right side valve cover and found no bent pushrods. Inspected camshaft and found damage from failed lifter. I had to get a new engine and pay out of pocket $14,435.44

Incident date: Mar 18, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH in the fast lane, the vehicle experienced head gasket failure. The vehicle lost automotive power and decelerated to 5 MPH. The contact was able to pull over safely. The engine light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer the next day, where it was diagnosed with a misfire in cylinders #2 and #3, ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 8, 2026

Without warning, the connecting rod broke while the vehicle was in motion in traffic. Catastrophic engine damage caused engine failure and loss of power. Created a safety hazard to guide the vehicle from travel lanes to soft shoulder of the roadway using only the remaining kinetic energy of the vehicle while it had power.

Incident date: Mar 16, 2026

I took my car is for service at the Cadillac dealership and they stated there was an oil leak from the camshaft carrier. When I asked more questions they stated it was a fairly common problem with the XT4 and a few other models where there was a faulty seal at the "T-joint" (cam carrier T-joint). My car is no longer under warranty, but had under 26000 miles at the time. There were no warnings or s... Read more

Incident date: Mar 9, 2026

The truck engine light came on and was not able to be driven very far without stalling. Took it for repair and 2 valve lifters were bad. We had to pay for replacement ourselves. This happened at 41,786 miles. This happened again at 46,000 miles because of faulty GM parts and they needed to be replaced again. The parts were under warranty so there was no charge. This happened again at 59,000 miles ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 17, 2026

On 3/16/26 I attempted to accelerate and the vehicle experienced severe "bucking" and gear hunting hesitation before losing all drive power and stalling. Following the stall, the engine would not crank or "catch" despite multiple attempts. State Police arrived as I was in an unsafe location (blind on-ramp to highway) they called their tow trucks deeming it hazardous to wait as Honda Roadside Ass... Read more

Incident date: Mar 18, 2026

Total Engine Failure

Incident date: Mar 18, 2026

My 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 170 High Roof caught fire suddenly and without warning. The vehicle was in its original condition and had not been modified in any way. The fire escalated quickly and resulted in a total loss. The cause of the fire is unknown. This incident raises serious safety concerns.

Fire

Incident date: Feb 25, 2026

On December 24, 2025, while driving in traffic, my Kia Sportage experienced severe lurching, bucking, and jerking, causing the engine to shut down. All dashboard warning lights illuminated, including a message prompting me to "turn engine back on." The vehicle would not restart, necessitating a tow to Horne Kia. After several days of diagnostics, it was determined that a blown ignition fuse and a ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 11, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was intermittently illuminated. The contact restarted the vehicle to correct the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel Sys... Read more

Incident date: Mar 17, 2026

While driving 65mph, the vehicle’s engine shut off, a ‘Reduced Acceleration Drive with Care’ message showed up and I had to coast to the side of the freeway. Engine would not restart and dealer confirmed a piston contacted a valve and a new engine is needed.

Incident date: Jan 15, 2026

Car uses excessive amount of oil! We have had the timing replaced and now it’s stating the P0420 catalyst system efficiency below threshold bank 1.

Incident date: Feb 25, 2019

Subject: URGENT SAFETY COMPLAINT - 2022 Nissan Rogue (VIN: XXX) - Recall Remedy Failure I am filing a formal complaint regarding a life-threatening defect in my 2022 Nissan Rogue. This vehicle has experienced three (3) total losses of motive power at highway speeds, nearly causing multiple accidents. I am now afraid to drive this vehicle as it remains a substantial safety hazard. Recall & Repair F... Read more

Incident date: Mar 18, 2026

The vehicle was recalled. I took the vehicle to the dealer where it was purchased. It was serviced. The engine issue was addressed, so we thought. The repair/replacement parts did not remedy the issue, despite it being in the shop for over 6 months. The problem persists. It is overheating in a 5 minute drive. The local service department is saying there is no other remedy. They keep asking... Read more

Incident date: Feb 27, 2026

Description of Safety Defect: While operating the vehicle at approximately 25-30MPH and make a right turn, the vehicle experienced a sudden and total loss of power/engine stall, accompanied by a "Check Engine" light and a "Reduced Engine Power" notification. This resulted in a near-collision on a public roadway. The vehicle's steering and braking response were significantly compromised during thi... Read more

Incident date: Feb 25, 2026

coolant bypass valve

Incident date: Dec 7, 2025

My vehicle is equipped with the same V35A-FTS 3.4L Twin-Turbo V6 engine and #1 main bearing assembly that is currently under federal recall for catastrophic engine failure (Recalls 24V-381 and 25V-767). Despite the shared mechanical defect of machining debris and bearing tolerances, Toyota has excluded the i-FORCE MAX Hybrid models based on the assumption that the electric motor provides sufficien... Read more

Incident date: Mar 9, 2026

To the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, I am filing this formal safety complaint regarding a dangerous engine failure incident involving my 2017 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid. Description of Incident: While traveling on CA-85 near Mountain View, California, at approximately 65 miles per hour, the engine suddenly and without warning lost all power. The vehicle began to slow down i... Read more

Incident date: Jun 18, 2024

Year 2019, code P1101- vehicle hesitates while drive, will reduce power while driving, while sitting idle at a stop the car will die and I will have to restart the vehicle. Multiple times while driving on the highway at 70mph my car has all of a sudden either reduced power causing the car to jerk and shudder very hard or has lost all power completely and forced me to pull over while avoiding other... Read more

Incident date: Feb 4, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Ford Maverick. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. There was a fuel odor on the exterior and interior of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a fractured fuel seal. Th... Read more

Incident date: Mar 13, 2026

Vehicle experienced a sudden and total loss of propulsion while driving due to an internal failure of the rear electric motor. The dealer diagnosed it as 'coolant intrusion' into the motor unit. This is a known manufacturing defect in the 2019 e-tron (TSB 2073858/2) where internal seals fail, allowing coolant to destroy the motor. This created a high safety risk on the highway. Audi is refusing to... Read more

Incident date: Mar 15, 2026

The power window on our 2022 Ford Escape will remain down after being rolled down and cannot be raised. This issue has occurred three separate times. When it happens, the vehicle cannot be secured and is exposed to weather and theft. The failure appears to be intermittent but recurring, indicating a possible design or electrical defect rather than misuse. This creates a safety and security risk, e... Read more

Incident date: Dec 5, 2023

This car has major oil consumption that affects the engine and catalytic converter. This can cause engine damage and stalls in driving that affect safety on the roads because the car doesn't accelerate properly. There were no warning signals to indicate this being a problem with the car, especially at purchase. This car will get an oil change and in less than a week, the oil is gone and bone dry.

Incident date: Mar 11, 2026

This 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC 63 AMG has experienced repeated and escalating warranty defects involving engine performance, loss of acceleration, air suspension failure, and now inoperative advanced safety systems including blind spot and active brake assist. Despite numerous repair attempts at authorized dealerships, including extensive engine teardown and cylinder head replacement, the manufacture... Read more

Incident date: Jul 10, 2021

Bought truck 0n 12/26/2025 from lot in Michigan had it transported to Missouri. First time I drive it Check Engine comes on and goes into "Limp Mode". Had it towed to GM Dealer and they say it was the high pressure fuel pump. Got it back and check engine light comes back on then goes off then back on again. Not happy at all!!!

Incident date: Mar 16, 2026

In October of 2025 my car stalled in slow traffic after a 100 mile car ride. After 20 minutes, it started again. The engine code was P0507. Two weeks later, without warning as I was accelerating on the highway the car stopped in the middle lane. This was incredibly dangerous. I had to wait 30 minutes in busy am traffic for a police escort. And the event was costly as I had to pay $200 to be towed... Read more

Incident date: Feb 3, 2026

As my [XXX] son was driving, his car, out of nowhere, stopped working and the steering wheel became incredibly hard to turn. It put him and other vehicles around him at risk as he was doing 50mph and his car suddenly stalled. No warning. No dash lights. It was hard for him to pull over to safety. We replaced the battery and tried to restart the car, then the engine started smoking. We immediately... Read more

Incident date: Feb 15, 2026

My 2018 Mazda CX-5 AWD (2.5L SKYACTIV-G, non-turbo) was diagnosed by a Mazda dealer with a cracked/leaking cylinder head, a known manufacturing defect in the casting of the aluminum cylinder head. Engine oil is leaking from the rear of the cylinder head onto the exhaust manifold, creating a burning oil smell and visible oil accumulation at the rear of the engine. This is a documented fire hazard. ... Read more

Incident date: Feb 22, 2026

I contact the Hyundai dealer about my 2016 Hyundai sonata. for all I know those vehicles have recalls with engine failure/stalling due to premature rod bearing wear, fire risks from malfunctioning electric oil pumps. My car is having those exact problems with the abs lights being on and is also have problems with the VVT sprocket. And the oil I called Hyundai and they said my vehicle only has a re... Read more

Incident date: Jan 20, 2026

I was driving to work as I normally do and work is only 15 miles away from home I get to work turn into the parking lot stop to scan my badge and I hear knocking noise I thought it was coming from the truck in front of me but after he moved on I still heard the noise and I found a parking spot as soon as I could and the engine light on the dash came on and the motor that was knocking is definitel... Read more

Incident date: Mar 16, 2026

Vehicle: 2016 Hyundai Tucson Issue Category: Engine / Powertrain / Vehicle Safety Complaint: I am reporting a serious safety issue involving my 2016 Hyundai Tucson equipped with a Theta II engine. My vehicle first displayed an engine oil warning light. I immediately took the vehicle to an authorized Hyundai dealership, where I was charged approximately $500 for an oil change and diagnostic test... 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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