Consumer Safety Complaints

Search 2,192,899 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA — including 137,559 crashes, 55,854 fires, and 8,555 deaths.

2,192,899 Total Complaints

137,559 Reported Crashes

55,854 Reported Fires

8,555 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 2,192,899 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 161,337 complaints — component: ENGINE

Incident date: Aug 15, 2025

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Accord. The contact stated that occasionally, while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked and the engine lost compression. The check engine warning light was occasionally illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the spark plugs needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccur... Read more

Incident date: Sep 4, 2025

On September 4, 2025 as I pulled on to Interstate I-70 my car suddenly lost power. Gas engine died. Loud attention sound started. Instrument cluster started flashing red with message "EV system failure, stop immediately" EV battery showed full depletion although a moment before it showed about 75% power. There was only enough propulsion to keep moving slowly. Since this was a construction zone th... Read more

Incident date: Sep 24, 2025

As I was exiting a highway, and my foot was on the brake, the engine increased from about 15 MPH to about 30 MPH. I had to put the car in park. I almost hit the car in front of me. The engine increasing like this happens when I slow down for A red light or stop sign.

Incident date: Mar 1, 2025

The oil consumption is burning at a faster rate than normal. My oil changes are always on time but for months I have been having to take it for an oil change about 2,000 miles below mileage time. I have had it inspected but found no oil leaks. This is a major problem for the engine and safety.

Incident date: Sep 21, 2025

I came to this website because it was suggested to me to look for a recall. While there is an active recall with my car, the interesting part to me is the fact that the issues I'm having with my car match a recall for the same model as mine, just a different spec. To me that seems odd, I'd have the same type issues... I was wondering how to get this examined.

Incident date: Aug 28, 2025

MY Jetta is only 6 years old and has only 27,350 mileage when this issue happened. Low oil light came and took it to a Local Shop where they put it on a lift and saw oil all over the bottom of the car. The technician told me this car is not safe and you need to have it towed to VW and see what is happening. I had it towed to VW where I purchased the car. The technician removed the upper timing c... Read more

Incident date: Sep 7, 2025

I’ve had my battery and alternator checked and both are good. Multiple times now my car has either not started until it gets a jump. Took it to a shop and was told its electrical issues. I was at my a football game for my kids out of state and my car would not start after having it off for over an hour,me n my kids were stuck for 3 hours before they got someone out to jump start the car. I take ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 25, 2025

Failed Motor Generator @ 74,000 miles while is covered under the Federal emissions warranty. Vehicle has been off road for 30 days with no ETA on replacement parts

Incident date: Oct 29, 2024

The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle entered LIMP Mode, lost motive power, and was unable to accelerate above 30 MPH. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway to turn off the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to restart. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle wa... Read more

Incident date: Sep 12, 2025

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at a slow speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle stalled. Additionally, the steering wheel seized. The message “No Letter D” or “P for Park”, was displayed and flashing on the instrument panel. The contact was able to coast to the side of the... Read more

Incident date: Sep 3, 2025

Oil leak from engine constantly from FRONT DIFFERENTIAL, rec cvt pump reseal with new trans seal, pump is leaking causing drips ; drain plug is also leaking. Need to Replace Front and rear Pads & Rotors at 35k miles which is unheard of. Accessed by suberu dealership.

Incident date: Aug 6, 2025

When I’m driving, especially when I come to a stop or when I try to accelerate from a stop, the car kind of chokes or hesitates. It feels like it’s about to stall, but it doesn’t fully turn off. It keeps doing this off and on when I stop or try to go again. It's very scary and dangerous.

Incident date: Sep 19, 2025

After starting the vehicle, fire smell came into the cab. After exiting the vehicle smoke was coming from the engine. The engine caught on fire and car was totaled within 10 minutes.

Fire

Incident date: Sep 24, 2025

Constant engine issues. Cams, lifters, now needs new motor. Motor apparently unavailable.

Incident date: Sep 24, 2025

Constant engine issues, cams, lifters. Transmission problems. These engines in these vehicles need to be RECALLED. I have bought 6 of these trucks and all of them have the same issues. SPENDING 14k on new engines one after another is ridiculous. These are classified as “work” trucks and can’t handle “working”

Incident date: Sep 24, 2025

Incident date: Jun 24, 2025

The contact owns a 2019 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the failure had occurred several times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion and engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The ve... Read more

Incident date: Feb 1, 2025

Car started jerking multiple times and then RPM went down to zero and stopped driving while in traffic.

Incident date: Sep 17, 2025

Vehicle stalling at low speeds Oil pressure solenoid stuck fault and P0011 camshaft fault.

Incident date: Jun 13, 2025

The intake valve cam Engine Variable Valve Timing (VVT) Sprocket pin wasn't properly seated in the phaser and worked its way out. Additionally, the corresponding hole in the camshaft was machined too deep, allowing the pin to completely depart the phaser and move into the camshaft. This resulted in no control over valve timing and the Bank 2 camshaft over-advancing the intake valves to 63 degree... Read more

Incident date: Sep 15, 2025

Car has died 10+ times in the last 2 weeks. Will not hold a charge and it’s getting to the point that my car is dying in the middle of the road, during heavy traffic. That or the car will just not start unless jumped

Incident date: Apr 18, 2025

Originally I took my vehicle into Nissan of Gadsden due to issues with the EGR System Failure in April 2025. The egr system was already replaced once a year before, but due to past recalls they replaced the system without appropriate diagnosis/scanning dtc codes. They had the car for 2 weeks and after picking the vehicle up the motor shattered itself while traveling at interstate speeds almost ca... Read more

Incident date: Dec 27, 2024

The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that the vehicle was purchased in 2024 from a Used Car Dealer. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated after the vehicle was driven off the dealer lot. The contact drove to the destination and restarted the vehicle and the message "Distressed Vehicle Start" was illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle back t... Read more

Incident date: Sep 8, 2025

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the power steering assist fault message was displayed. The power steering function was inoperable. The check engine warning light was illuminated due to a possible canister purge valve failure. Upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The local dealer w... Read more

Incident date: Jul 13, 2025

On highway was accelerating to pass another vehicle the transition froze , engine revved with no acceleration ( transmission skipped) this has happened several times over the 5 years. The lasted event we documented the date and mileage it happened date 7/13/25 mileage is 34990. These skips have put us in extremely dangerous situations. Transmission has been making growling noise now under normal ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 1, 2024

Smell antifreeze occasionally and have had to add occasionally. Car only has 18,085 miles. 2022. Spoke to my mechanic and he said it could potentially be a bad oil cooler gasket or a cracked manifold. Have smelled this for at least a year or longer

Incident date: Sep 12, 2025

My 2018 Honda Accord EX is currently having FUEL injector problems at 41,000 miles. Honda is trying to tell me that FUEL injectors do NOT get affected by the recalled FUEL pump. This is very silly because the FUEL pump and FUEL injectors work together. They want $1,800 to replace the FUEL injectors at Honda. I already completed the recall on the FUEL pump, and afterward, they told me my injector ... Read more

Incident date: Sep 24, 2025

The oil pump is defective and is a known issue at Alfa Romeo which causes the car restrict function which could result in loss of control of the vehicle.

Incident date: Aug 1, 2025

When cruising or coming off a stop, my car is incapable of accelerating promptly if I am trying to get out of the way or even merge into oncoming traffic on a highway. There is a severe acceleration delay perhaps with the throttle body. I have seen online complaints but the dealership said there has to be an actual recall number to correct this. My car has been in several times to fix this. A comp... Read more

Incident date: Sep 5, 2025

The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while having a routine oil change at a local dealer, the contact was informed that the engine was blown. No warning light was illuminated. In addition, upon further notice, the contact's husband heard an abnormal clicking sound coming from under the hood. The vehicle was diagnosed, and determined that the engine needed to be replaced... Read more

Incident date: Aug 21, 2025

120k J35Y6 engine with good oil service and no major issues before. I heard a tapping/ticking noise emanating from the engine. So I brought the car to the local Honda service center for a diagnosis. Without opening the engine (i.e. purely based off sound) they claimed that the sound was "rod knock" caused by the crankshaft pin and the connecting rod bearing, and that the engine was effectively tot... Read more

Incident date: Jul 24, 2025

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that three months after purchasing the vehicle, while her husband was driving, the vehicle was driving roughly, and the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. The contact was unaware whether any warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that there was a misfire in cylinders #... Read more

Incident date: Dec 31, 1969

I am a single mother raising my 6-year-old daughter on my own. This past year has been extremely difficult, as my car has been constantly in and out of repair shops. I have spent more than $8,000 in the last year and a half on unexpected repairs, many of them involving serious safety issues. I was never informed about the recall and never received any notice. This situation has caused me a lot of ... Read more

Incident date: Sep 18, 2025

While driving 40 miles per hour a sudden explosion happened with no warning. Thought it was the engine due to the smoke coming out of rear of the vehicle but realized that engine was still on and steam was coming out. All coolant drained out of vehicle and on road. Vehicle was towed to a Porsche dealership in Duluth Ga. The coolant tank exploded causing minor body damage and sudden loss of all coo... Read more

Incident date: Jun 2, 2025

I am writing to formally report a concerning issue with my 2022 Toyota 4Runner, which currently has approximately 22,000 miles. The vehicle is regularly serviced at a certified oil change facility, and during routine use, I noticed a puddle of oil forming in my driveway. Upon contacting the service center, I was advised to bring the vehicle in for inspection. The technician identified a crack in ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 31, 2025

1. The engine consumed oil to where it soaked up all the oil in the engine likely as part of a piston ring failure. We have had it at the shop for the last 9 weeks, and cost to replace engine is $10,500 and because extended warranty explicitly wrote this out of the contract as this is a known issue and Kia has stated as such, but not a recall yet so nothing they will do to help. It is available fo... Read more

Incident date: Jul 10, 2021

I started having oil issues 3 years after purchasing my hyundai Tuscan 2015. I took my vehicle to hyundai several time all of which I was told by service guy and I quote “Hey its Hyundai, just following up so right now we have a consumption issue. It is currently 2.5 quarts low. The tech recommends re doing the oil change and returning in 1000miles and recheck. When you return and we see that th... Read more

Incident date: Mar 1, 2025

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Accord. The contact stated that two weeks after the vehicle was repaired under an undisclosed NHTSA Campaign, the message "See Dealer" was displayed. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the same local dealer, and the fuel injectors were replaced. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the e... Read more

Incident date: Jun 15, 2024

In June 2024, my 2019 Ford Expedition experienced serious transmission and powertrain problems. Diagnostic testing identified catalyst efficiency codes (P0430), and I was given a repair estimate that included catalytic converter replacement. The vehicle also displayed repeated “Service Engine Soon” and “Powertrain Malfunction/Reduced Power” warnings. Because the vehicle became undrivable a... Read more

Incident date: Sep 3, 2025

Timing chain and gears need to be replaced. Check engine light came on. This should not be happening to a newer vehicle with 100,000 miles on it. I looked up other complaints and multiple people have filed complaints about the timing chain going out on their vehicle.

Incident date: Aug 6, 2025

On the afternoon of Wednesday August 6th I was no less that 3-4 miles from my home when the car stopped in the middle lane of a very busy 3 lane highway and never started again. It was 90+ degrees outside and even hotter inside the vehicle with leather seats. I became extremely nervous and my small 10 pound puppy began to have anxiety and overheat. When I pulled away from my home the car was buc... Read more

Incident date: May 4, 2025

Engine failure in my vehicle equipped with the VQ35DD engine, which I believe is the result of a widespread and well-documented design defect involving internal sludge buildup. I have owned this vehicle for over five years and have followed the recommended routine maintenance schedule, including on-time oil changes using high-quality oil. At no point during any inspection, service, or maintenance ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 2, 2025

The contact owns a 2025 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while her son was driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact stated that her son observed that the check engine and the Forward Collision Avoidance warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that her son stopped and turned it off and restarted the vehicle, but after shifting to drive(D) a... Read more

Incident date: Sep 15, 2025

There is coolant intrusion that is a known issue with this model. Coolant is leaking into cylinder 1, which has damaged the engine.

Incident date: Jul 3, 2025

I purchased a brand new 2020 Ram 1500 with 5.7-liter hemi ETORQUE engine in 2020. The vehicle had been making a squealing noise since before 40k miles. Dealership was unable to identify issue on numerous occasions. On 4/8/2024, with vehicle mileage at 74k miles, the noise worsened to a point where the vehicle was not drivable. They identified the "Alternator" (MGU) to the etorque needed to be repl... Read more

Incident date: Nov 10, 2021

rattle or knocking sound from the engine, particularly on startup with only 30,000 miles on it started happening around 20,000 miles now I have my truck jerking when I hit the gas before it is apparently saying this is not on recall even though it should be because this is not my fault and clearly these parts are really bad or they did not have it tuned correctly somehow

Incident date: Sep 1, 2025

My vehicle has an oil consumption problem that the dealership and every other Kia dealership knows about. They are Facebook groups about the Kia Telluride oil consumption problems. I’ve had my vehicle in the shop countless times and it’s cost a lot of money. It now needs a new engine along with every other Kia Telluride on the social media groups, complaining about the oil consumption and thei... Read more

Incident date: Sep 24, 2025

We have a fleet of 2023-2025 Nissan Frontiers. Starting in December of 2024 we began having problems with the vehicles electrical system going wild and shutting the trucks down. It causes all of the lights to come on and the truck to stall and not restart, We did not realize that we had a problem until it happened to multiple vehicles over the last several months. A few of them were brought to... Read more

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