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 8, 2026

The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. While driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal, pungent odor coming from the vehicle. The contact was unsure if any warning lights were illuminated. On a separate occasion, the vehicle drove roughly with an abnormal sound coming from the engine. Additionally, the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The contact had ... Read more

Incident date: Sep 1, 2025

While driving home from Costco with my entire family in the vehicle (4 children and my pregnant wife), I noticed the engine misfiring while traveling on Interstate 80 and mentioned to my wife that something felt off with the vehicle. After exiting I-80 onto Route 46 East at the Denville exit, the truck reached the first traffic light where the vehicle rumbled violently, shook, and completely shut ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 9, 2026

09/01/2025 - Claim submitted under recall for "2016 Honda Odyssey, the Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) system can cause premature piston ring wear, leading to oil consumption, spark plug fouling, and misfires (P0301-P0304)" 09/24/2025 - Honda sent email confirming all required documents submitted and reimbursement would be processed in 6-9 weeks. 03/13/2025 (today) - No reimbursement received.... Read more

Incident date: Jun 9, 2025

Car would not engage in reverse. Stranded and needed a tow into dealership. Also experienced rough shifting especially when accelerating in lower gears. Dealership said It needs a new Transmission Control Valve which is a known issue with my model and there has been a recall yet my specific VIN was not included in this recall!!! Dealer says the part needed is on backorder with no listed date of wh... Read more

Incident date: Jul 22, 2025

burning/ oil/gas in oil/stalling/engine light on...open recall of other models of same car not includin tghis one.seems to be same issue.

Incident date: Mar 12, 2026

Unintended acceleration, on 2 occasions. First occasion, car was in DRIVE waiting at a traffic stop and the engine radically increased it's RPM from idle to over 6000 RPM, remaining there. Braking control maintained the automobile's position. Shifting the car into neutral caused RPM to increase further. The car was shut off, restarted, and seemed to function normally. On the second occasion, whi... Read more

Incident date: Apr 1, 2025

The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced engine failure. The vehicle made a knocking sound prior to the failure. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence and eventually towed to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer acknowledged the engine failure... Read more

Incident date: Dec 31, 1969

6.2L ENGINE NOISE AT START UP AND STAYS ON AND LOSES ENGINE POWER SLUGGISH ALL OF A SUDDEN WHILE DRIVING SAME ISSUE LIKE THE CURRENT RECALL ON ALL 6.2L EXCEPT MINE WAS BUILT RIGHT BEFORE APPROVED RECALL DATES BUT HAS SAME ENGINE L87 WITH SAME ISSUE AND IS CURRENTLY UNDRIVEABLE AND DANGEROUS IF TAKEN ON ROAD. REGULAR OIL CHANGES AT 50% OIL LIFE WITH RECOMMENDED MOBIL1 OIL & ACDELCO OIL FILTER.

Incident date: Mar 11, 2026

While driving down the highway experienced a partial loss of engine power causing jerky/rough operation, harsh shifting, and unpredictable behavior. Was told by the dealer service manager that it was likely a misfire in one of the cylinders. After diagnostics and servicing that included changing spark plugs, wires, and a full engine service it was later confirmed to most likely be due to a stuck l... Read more

Incident date: Mar 11, 2026

The contact owns a 2022 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V467000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The contact stated that while driving with the RPM at 2,000 RPM, the vehicle sputtered and skipped, with the check engine and power train warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed, and determined that the fuel injectors... Read more

Incident date: Feb 27, 2026

My 2015 Ford Edge suddenly turned into a nightmare on what started as a normal drive. I noticed the temperature gauge climbing quickly, the engine started overheating, and then the check engine light came on. Almost at the same time, the engine began feeling like it was slipping—power dropped off, it hesitated and ran rough under acceleration, almost as if the transmission were slipping, but it ... Read more

Incident date: Sep 10, 2025

2021 Silverado LTZ L87 6.2L V8 engine. 49753 mi. February 27th 2026 total loss of power when parking. A few weeks later hearing knocking noises coming from driver side engine area. this is my daily driver and need this issued fixed.

Incident date: Mar 13, 2026

Error message that said 'drive start control malfunction. Took 6 mos and numerous attempts to resolve. Replaced numerous parts including the fuel pump because the plastic it's made out of was just disintegrating and and cracking. This has cost thousands of dollars in parts and labor. Also getting a msg on info screen 'connected device not supported' now. Apparently toyota did an update and ther... Read more

Incident date: Mar 11, 2026

I am the owner of a 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe which is currently subject to two urgent safety recalls: Recall 68C (NHTSA 25V-741) regarding a high-voltage battery fire risk, and Recall 95B (NHTSA 25V-766) regarding engine sand contamination. On March 13, 2026, I attempted to have these recalls addressed at an authorized dealership (Brooksville Jeep). I reported two specific safety symptoms: A... Read more

Incident date: Mar 9, 2026

Failing front exhaust pipe mounting bracket. GM has a special coverage program (N212356540) for 2019-2020 Chevrolet Traverse which covers the repair for 15 years or 150,000 miles from the original service date. The coverage is VIN specific. My vehicle has been having this issue for two years now and my VIN is not covered. This is unfair to the consumer/Chevrolet owners who's VIN's are not lis... Read more

Incident date: Mar 10, 2026

Dealer diagnosed coolant intrusion into cylinder 2, confirmed through a pressure test and borescope inspection. The dealer referenced TSB 19-2346.

Incident date: Mar 13, 2026

Catastrophic Engine Failure - Cam phasers blew apart and severely cracked the valve covers. This occurred with no prior warning lights. Minutes before failure, there was engine hesitation and noise and then severely reduced power, causing a safety issue while driving. Vehicle was towed to local Hyundai dealer who identified the cam phaser failure ausing external engine damage of the valve covers... Read more

Incident date: Mar 12, 2026

I have not had no incident yet but my 2026 Genesis GV70 3.5 UNINTENDED ACCELERATION BY ITSELF. WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE ACCELERATE BY ITSELF. WHILE COASTING THE VEHCLE ACCELERATE, i ALMOST HIT THE GARAGE DOOR. A recall should be called on all 26 model GV SERIES. This should be looked at before someone gets injured. The service advisor informed me all 26 GV MODELS DOES THA... Read more

Incident date: Mar 12, 2026

To Whom It May Concern, I am the owner of a 2026 Honda CBR600RR. I recently learned that this motorcycle is affected by an active recall related to potential engine defects that can lead to oil loss, rod bearing failure, and possible rear wheel lock. As a new rider, I do not feel safe operating this motorcycle until the recall repair is fully implemented. The first stage of the recall was comple... Read more

Incident date: Mar 8, 2026

While driving I had a sudden loss of power. Contacted dealership and was ask for engine code light. Told them no light had appeared on dashboard. Did note intermittent shift changes while driving after this occurrence. Transmission and or engine feels like it has a studder. Concerning.

Incident date: Feb 28, 2026

I was driving my car and my car all of a sudden dropped speed and when I pressed the gas my car started shaking and jerking.

Incident date: Jan 2, 2026

Engine lights on Glass Recalibration failed multiple times. Engine failure when Jeep comes to a complete stop vehicle totally shuts down and needs to be restarted. When manufacture was contacted: not able to sell new engine. Resolution used engine with same issue. No real Resolution.

Incident date: Feb 27, 2026

While driving the Engine warning light, service ESC light, and collision light all came on and an engine knock started. I also experienced a loss of power at the same time. Car was taken to local Chevy dealership for evaluation and repair. Dealership advised that they dropped the oil and found metal shavings in the oil. After further investigation, we were advised that it was a crankshaft connecti... Read more

Incident date: Jan 21, 2026

FEDERAL REPORT ON TECHNICAL OBSTRUCTION AND WARRANTY FRAUD (THETA II SETTLEMENT) TO: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) FROM: [XXX] VIN: [XXX] REPAIR ORDER (RO#): XXX VEHICLE LOCATION: Hyundai Shop - [XXX] HYUNDAI CORPORATE CASE: #XXX STATE COMPLAINT (AZ AG): XXX I. CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS AND EVASIVE TACTICS All documentary evidence has been formally submitted to Hyundai Motor... Read more

Incident date: Dec 20, 2025

A 2018 Honda Accord 1.5T developed an engine misfire, coolant loss, and reduced acceleration shortly after purchase from a dealership on 01/07/2026 (around 156,000 miles / $15,000). On 01/23/2026, during a Honda dealer inspection at about 157,255 miles, the technician noted misfires on startup, found the coolant overflow reservoir empty, pressure-tested the system, and confirmed coolant leaking in... Read more

Incident date: Dec 20, 2025

My 2018 Honda CR-V EX-L (1.5L Turbo) experienced complete head gasket failure at 43,568 miles, resulting in total engine failure. The vehicle is now completely non-operational. TIMELINE: • Jan 2023: Collision repaired at body shop ($20,340) • Mar 2023: Repair completed • May 2023: Engine overheating; body shop could not reproduce • Aug 2023: Overheating recurred, coolant loss; advised eng... Read more

Incident date: Feb 16, 2026

While driving a flashing engine light came on in my 2019 Hyundai Tucson. This made the car slow down and have no power. I brought the car to the nearest mechanic, they told me it was the knock sensor and told me it was a recall for this car, I should bring it back to the dealership. I called the dealership and they had told me to bring the car in. They inspected the car on 8/30/24 at 44,990 mile... Read more

Incident date: Mar 12, 2026

I’m experiencing issues with the Auto Idle Stop system. The engine fails to restart on its own after a complete stop. I get an error message and I have to manually restart. This has happed at stoplights and in the middle of an intersection during heavy traffic which is a big safety issue.

Incident date: Mar 12, 2026

The vehicle is affected by a manufacturer safety recall # 25TB14 related to the engine. A loss of motive power while driving at higher speeds can increase the risk of a crash. Because of this I have stopped driving the vehicle. According to the recall, The manufacturer has stated that the fix will require replacement of the engine assembly, but the remedy is not yet available and no expected reme... Read more

Incident date: Jan 26, 2026

Transmission failed at 94,000 miles Misfire 80,000miles AFM/DOD issues $10,000 in repair bills still not fixed

Incident date: Jan 26, 2026

My 2017 Kia Sportage with approximately 98,000 miles suddenly started using oil at times. It would go for several trips with everything fine and then it would be a quart low. I continued to drive it and check the oil before every trip. At approximately 106,000 miles, I suddenly lost engine power, a small puff of black smoke from the exhaust, and the check engine light came on. I crippled it ho... Read more

Incident date: Dec 15, 2025

This car is a very well-maintained, low-use vehicle with regular oil changes and routine maintenance performed on schedule. Early in this drive, I noticed an unusual hissing sound as I approached a stop. When I tried to brake, I realized my brakes didn't seem to be responding. I pressed the brake pedal harder and realized that with 50-100 pounds of pressure (guess), I could slow the car down. ... Read more

Incident date: Dec 10, 2025

2013 BMW 328i, N20 engine. Timing chain guide assembly and oil pump drive chain failed catastrophically. Vehicle is available for inspection, however the authorized BMW dealership has already made clear they will accept no responsibility, and I would bear the expense of towing it two hours to their facility. The failure is a known issue with a class action case, but BMW took no responsibility, and... Read more

Incident date: Dec 10, 2025

I have 2020 Chevy 1500 with L87 engines on it. We have the exact same issues that the 2021 1500 recall is having. Loses power, noisy engine when at start. Paradise Chevrolet in Temecula told me that they were going to replace the engine per GM but then GM only auth the repair. 8 barring kits, 8 rings 8 piston kits lot of bolts and gastkit and seals. Talked to GM every tho it’s the same engine th... Read more

Incident date: Feb 2, 2026

In April, 2025, my vehicle's engine power was significantly reduced while on the highway. I could not keep pace with traffic. My mechanic said there were recalls for the turbo engine but my car was not included. I paid forbthe part and repair. Less than a year later and the car began burning a lot of oil very fast. I add oil weekly. The car has again been losing power and there is still no recall ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 5, 2026

Engine has a crack in the head, well under 100,000 miles. It's a known defect but Mazda refuses to do anything about it. It is currently a very expensive paperweight sitting under our carport.

Incident date: Mar 5, 2026

Vehicle was brought to an authorized Ford dealership for coolant leak. The dealer confirmed a coolant leak originating from the internal water pump. The water pump on this engine is chain-driven and located inside the engine behind the timing cover, requiring approximately 12 hours of labor to access and replace. This is a known design defect affecting millions of Ford vehicles with the 3.5L Cyclo... Read more

Incident date: Jun 20, 2025

My vehicle is experiencing EV system failures, stalling, and system shutdown warnings that make the vehicle unsafe to operate. These symptoms began after a recall repair that was performed by the dealership. The dealership initially stated the recall was repaired, but the same symptoms have continued and have now worsened. The vehicle will display EV system warnings and will stall or shut down sy... Read more

Incident date: Mar 3, 2026

I made a turn onto a highway. I got up to 45 mph after my turn and my car stalled. It felt like a was reared ended, my car came to just about a complete stop. It then began to shake and would not accelerate past 5mph to get me over to the side of the road. The check engine light came on. On 2/28/2026 my engine came on, I took it to Kia and they replaced my spark plugs, I got my vehicle back on 3/1... Read more

1 injured

Incident date: Mar 10, 2026

I own a 2020 Lexus RX 450h with approximately 129,803 miles. The check engine light came on and the vehicle stored diagnostic trouble code P0A2D, which indicates a failure of the drive motor/temperature sensor circuit that is integrated into the transmission/hybrid motor assembly. According to the Lexus dealer’s diagnosis, the temperature control sensor located on the transmission/hybrid drive u... Read more

Incident date: Mar 10, 2026

While driving in traffic the vehicle suddenly began to sputter and lose power with check engine light flashing on the dash board. I was able to pull over and limp the car the one mile to my home on side streets. I parked the vehicle and called for a tow truck to tow the vehicle to my local dealership that I purchased the car from brand new. This is the third time this failure has occurred. The ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 18, 2025

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle eventually stalled on the side of the road. The key, battery, oil, and engine warning lights were illuminated. There was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated the failure was related to NHTSA Campa... Read more

Incident date: Jan 10, 2025

Coolant smell when parked with engine running. Radiator was replaced under warranty at ~16,000 miles Coolant smell again ~49,000 miles. "Pressure tested at dealership with following notes: "Found radiator core on driver side seeping/leaking. provided estimate on cost. no repair made during this visit." Many forums on 2021 Chevrolet Blazer note poor quality in radiators. This would be the 3rd radi... Read more

Incident date: Mar 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while stopped, the vehicle hesitated to respond, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, it was shaking unexpectedly with a misfire coming from the engine, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and deter... Read more

Incident date: Dec 31, 1969

When changing vehicle oil it has been noticed that there is contaminants appearing to be metal bits/glittery could possibly be rod bearing material. Also have noticed fluctuating idle

Incident date: Feb 9, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while towing a camper at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle occasionally hesitated to upshift in gear while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that while driving at high speeds with cruise control, the vehicle shuddered abnormally. The contact pulled over to the shoulder ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 7, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Versa. The contact stated that while driving approximately 4 MPH, the vehicle was shaking violently. There were no warning lights illuminated. When the heater was activated, there was a loud clanking sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but the technician was unable to duplicate the failure. The failure reoccurred. While st... Read more

Incident date: Dec 19, 2025

My 2018 Mazda CX-9 experienced catastrophic engine damage after a radiator failure allowed coolant to enter the engine. The vehicle provided no dashboard warning, overheating alert, or coolant warning before the failure occurred. Modern vehicles are designed to alert drivers to overheating or cooling system failures. The lack of warning prevented me from addressing the issue and resulted in catast... Read more

Incident date: Dec 26, 2025

My 2022 Honda Odyssey experienced a sudden catastrophic engine failure at approximately 154,000 miles while driving under normal conditions. The failure involved the vehicle’s engine and resulted in a loud knocking noise followed by loss of engine power and the vehicle becoming inoperable. The Honda dealership diagnosed the engine as having internal engine failure with metal contamination prese... Read more

Incident date: Dec 26, 2025

knocking noise from engine, oil light, blinking CEL, no acceleration, vehicle stalled. Brought to mechanic, from noise he said it sounds like a rod knocking and advised to contact Honda because on known issues.

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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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