Consumer Safety Complaints
Search 2,215,138 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA — including 138,663 crashes, 56,255 fires, and 8,561 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 2,215,138 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 164,804 complaints — component: ENGINE
Incident date: Mar 8, 2023
For the past several years, this vehicle has experienced a recurring and unresolved engine malfunction that creates a safety hazard. The problem manifests as follows: Symptoms when check engine light illuminates: • Idle RPM elevation to approximately 1500 RPM (normal idle: 800 RPM) • Sudden unintended forward acceleration when foot is removed from brake pedal • Significantly reduced accelera... Read more
Incident date: May 18, 2026
Rear main seal has blown three times since I purchased my vehicle from Carvana. I’ve pulled the engine out myself as I cannot afford another $3,500 at the shop. I’m a single income household that makes too much for financial assistance. The Chevy Equinox was the only vehicle in our price range. That was prior to the seal blowing, again.
Incident date: May 16, 2026
Bought in Dec 2022, in February engine seized due to oil pressure issues, was told it needed a new engine. In communications with Ford, they were aware of issue, but it was not a recall issue at that time. I believe that if this issue occurred before recall, that they were replacing these parts with ones known to be faulty. Approximately, 60,000 miles later, I am dealing with the same issue that I... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2026
The engine will shut off completely while traveling a a normal rate of speed. The temperature gauge will malfunction and report high temperature (when there is none) and the engine will shut off. It cannot be restarted without putting the car in park and pressing the brake while in the midst of moving traffic. This has happened to me multiple times. At first, turning off the auto stop/start fe... Read more
DODGE
GRAND CARAVAN
(2014) — ENGINE
May 19, 2026
Incident date: Jan 15, 2026
The contact owns a 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle would lose automotive power and the steering wheel became difficult to veer in either the left or right direction. No warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the VIN not being included in any recalls. U... Read more
Incident date: Oct 14, 2024
I purchased my 2022 Hyundai Kona on August 28, 2024, and I am the first registered owner. Only 48 days after purchase, the vehicle suddenly broke down without warning while stopped at a red light in [XXX] after traveling from [XXX] . The vehicle had to be towed. Since then, the vehicle has repeatedly experienced dangerous engine and timing-related issues despite major repairs, including an engine... Read more
Incident date: Mar 25, 2025
My 2013 Hyundai Sonata suffered engine failure consistent with Hyundai Theta II engine defects. The vehicle became inoperable/unsafe. Hyundai denied warranty coverage despite my maintenance records and documentation.
Incident date: May 4, 2026
After the installation of the Service Campaign 9C2 engine update, the car now seems to surge or rev up briefly at lower speeds like it can't find the right gear or is trying to briefly accelerate. It doesn't seem to be as noticeable at highway speeds, but in residential or low speeds, it's very noticeable and a little unsettling as the car feels like it wants to briefly lunge forward. No lights ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 5, 2025
Air bag system i bought the vehicle like that fuel pump and gas tank safety is ben loose brake s car stops driving brake locks
Incident date: Apr 15, 2026
The following mandatory software update was performed on my vehicle: ECU SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR THETA II EMISSIONS IMPROVEMENT (SERVICE CAMPAIGN 9C2). After this update my vehicle drivetrain is quite erratic. In particular when the engine is cold it appears to jerk even when in Parking gear position. When cold the drivetrain experiences erratic gear shifts. This provides little confidence when drivin... Read more
Incident date: Jan 2, 2026
Prior to August 2024, this vehicle operated with zero check engine lights or drivetrain faults. In August 2024, BMW of Pittsburgh executed federally mandated Safety Recall 23V-707, which required opening the cylinder head. Immediately following this service, the Check Engine Light began illuminating persistently.On or about October 3, 2024, an independent diagnostic scan at Bobby Rahal BMW pulled ... Read more
Incident date: May 18, 2026
While driving the vehicle on a public roadway at approximately 70mph, the vehicle suffered a sudden and catastrophic powertrain failure without timely warning. The check engine light illuminated, the physical engine oil pressure gauge dropped to absolute zero, and the dashboard immediately flashed a critical "Hybrid System Malfunction" warning. > This mechanical and electrical failure triggered an... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2026
After the car was.parked in sun for aome time during shopping at Costco, it did not start. We had to use remote starter which worked. However, upon doing some research I found that overheated starter is a known and recalled problem with 2021 X5 and remote start could have caused fire. Dealership also confirmed it to be the smae pronlem , but BMW has not listed this vin as recalled. I contacted... Read more
Incident date: May 14, 2026
The vehicle was driving down the highway at highway speed when it began to shut down. This put myself & other drivers at serious risk as I had to navigate several lanes of traffic with a dead vehicle. When I took it to the dealer, the dealer stated that the vehicle crankshaft position magnetic tone sensor had broken off and was no longer sending the tones to the crank shaft position sensor. T... Read more
Incident date: Feb 23, 2026
2017 Kia Soul, 1.6L Gamma GDI engine, ~82,000 miles. Vehicle exhibits excessive oil consumption consistent with the known piston ring defect addressed in Kia TSB ENG222 (covering 2012–2019 Souls with Gamma/Nu engines) and consistent with the E2 Class Action Settlement that covered the same engine in 2012–2016 model years. The oil consumption has destroyed the catalytic converter, causing the e... Read more
Incident date: Apr 20, 2026
My 2022 GMC Yukon XL with the 6.2L L87 engine was previously subject to NHTSA Recall 25V-274 / GM Recall N252494000 for L87 engine loss of propulsion. The recall was closed by the dealer as “PicoScope Inspection — Engine Passed / Update Engine Oil Type,” with the oil/cap/filter remedy. The vehicle was later brought back to the dealer for engine noise/knocking, check-engine light, and engine... Read more
Incident date: Dec 12, 2025
I took my car to the dealership because it was leaking oil and coolant. Upon verification, I was informed that my vehicle had a cracked cylinder head. They told me that the repaired will cost me $5500. Unfortunately this is an amount that I do not have. So I reached out to the Mazda Corporate and they told me that there is no repair assistance can be provided and that I should reach out to Mazda D... Read more
Incident date: May 19, 2026
This engine uses a metal timing chain inside the engine. Infinit chose to use plastic guides and tensors to keep the chain in place and not wear stretch. This choice of PLASTIC results in the eventual failure of the components that are needed to keep the chain in place. First signs of impending failure is a rattle inside the engine. Eventual the chain will break loose and destroy the engine. ... Read more
Incident date: May 19, 2026
The catalytic converter heat exchanger failed internally, causing coolant to leak into the exhaust system. Symptoms included white smoke from exhaust and coolant loss with no visible ground leak. This is a documented factory defect per Toyota Technical Service Bulletin T-SB-0135-19 affecting 2016-2019 Prius models. Toyota has denied warranty coverage despite the vehicle was originally bought & spe... Read more
Incident date: Jan 13, 2026
MY FORD EDGE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH, THE TEMPERATURE WAS INCONSISTENT, AND IT WAS HAVING ISSUES STARTING. THE FINAL STRAW WAS THE HEAT STOPPED WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER. WE NOTICED THAT THE COOLANT WAS CONSISTENTLY LOW BUT THAT WAS AN ONGOING ISSUE. WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE FORD DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC AND THEY CONFIRMED IT WAS A COOLANT LEAK INTO THE ENGINE AND IT NEEDED AN ENGINE REPLACEME... Read more
Incident date: Jan 8, 2026
On January [Insert Date], 2026, my 2024 Ford Escape suffered a sudden turbocharger failure that saturated the vehicle’s internal HVAC system with toxic ethylene glycol coolant. The vehicle’s ventilation system subsequently pumped these toxic chemical vapors directly into the enclosed passenger cabin. The inhalation of these toxic chemical vapors posed an immediate, life-threatening risk to my... Read more
TOYOTA
GRAND HIGHLANDER
(2025) — ENGINE
May 19, 2026
Incident date: May 19, 2026
On multiple occasions (four) my 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max has failed to accelerate when I push the gas pedal. Once in traffic, which was extremely scary and a huge hazard. I have contacted the dealership about this issue and have not heard back from them. It has been almost 2 weeks. No warming lamps turned on and this issue lasted about 15 seconds each time. I press the gas, the ca... Read more
Incident date: Mar 20, 2021
On going issue with many 3.5 EcoBoost engines having numerous oil leaks due to plastic manifold, valve covers, and oil pan. They heat up and crack over time causing oil leaks on both the top side and bottom of the engine. Being a serious fire hazard with a costly repair that is common in these F150 trucks. 03
MITSUBISHI
OUTLANDER
(2022) — ENGINE
May 19, 2026
Incident date: Apr 19, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, however the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The RPM's increased. In addition, the vehicle hesitated and jerked. o warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The dealer was made aw... Read more
Incident date: Jan 13, 2026
Had to replace entire engine for same reason other GM engines are recalled for, the lifters and shifting cylinders. This should also be covered under a recall! It left me and my kids stranded.
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2022) — ENGINE
May 19, 2026
Incident date: Jul 15, 2022
Phantom radio, screen changes and saves pre-programmed stations by itself and doesn't response to toch or buttons. When turning vehicle off start buttons stays lit for a long period of time and prevents you from locking the doors and causes the horn to beep twice if you exit thee vehicle prior to igniting start light going off. Also headlights will stay on also until start button light turns off... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Forte. The contact received a notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the vehicle was denied repairs due to lack of engine oil maintance records. The contact stated that after the vehicle was powered on with the ignition key, an abnormal fuel odor would leak into the interior cabin and the engine would shudder. No warning l... Read more
Incident date: May 19, 2026
UNKNOWN -A catalytic converter clogged after being installed - only 14 months following installation, causing rough and unsafe acceleration, inability to shift gears properly, and need to drive with hazards on. It is clear that there is an issue with the engine/exhaust and system in this vehicle. Additionally, the car needs oil added regularly and seems to be burning it, as indicated by low level... Read more
Incident date: May 16, 2026
- the car's automated systems randomly applies severe breaking at improper times - the cars head gasket has blown and in turn has blown the radiator and thermostat
Incident date: Apr 30, 2026
The engine failed. The car stopped completely with no warning. The same issue that other models are being recalled for turned out to be the problem with this engine. We had to have the engine replaced
Incident date: Feb 27, 2026
While driving highway speeds. The vehicle lost power. A warning light came on saying no power to the vehicle. The sudden lost of power to vehicle locked my power steering. Vehicle would not drive. When attempted to restart vehicle. The vehicle would not turn over and burning smell came from vehicle. Toyota stated it was the engine that failed due to recall 25TB14. It’s now 05/19/2026 and no r... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2021) — ENGINE
May 19, 2026
Incident date: Apr 22, 2026
2021 GMC Sierra AT4, VIN [XXX] , NHTSA Campaign 25V-274, GM Case XXX. Brake pad monitor failed at 128,923 miles -- 24 miles after leaving Penske Chevrolet (released at 128,899, RO XXX, 04/17/2026). Brakes became spongy immediately following service. Monitor disabled entirely to stop recurring red Service System alert. Root cause is a burnt fuse block ground fault confirmed in writing by two GM-aut... Read more
Incident date: May 16, 2026
As my car was driving my vehicle encountered sudden changes and my engine light went on. As the vehicle stopped driving on its own there was smoke coming from the hood and a fire stared shortly after underneath the car.
Fire
Incident date: May 16, 2026
While driving my 2013 Chevrolet Malibu (2.5L), I experienced a sudden and severe failure of the braking system. [Insert exactly what happened here—for example: 'The brake pedal suddenly went completely to the floor,' 'The brakes unexpectedly locked up,' 'The vehicle experienced a sudden loss of braking power,' or 'The brake warning lights illuminated right as the brakes failed']. This occurred w... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2026
The engine shut off as I was leaving a stop sign and stopped working as I was driving the vehicle.The car shut off and I had a very limited amount of time to pull off to the side which I was halfway able to do and was halfway on one lane and halfway on the shoulder. During this time the car had switched to neutral but since the problem had not occurred before and there was no engine lights on, I t... Read more
Incident date: May 14, 2026
On 5/14/26 around 8:00am, I just dropped the kids off to school and entered onto the 5 lane freeway, 290, driving into work. Driving 70 miles an hour, the steering light and a warning light came on and then other lights started flashing. The engine shut off, and the steering wheel felt like it locked-up. I managed to exit off the freeway and the car came to a stop. The car would not restart. A tow... Read more
Incident date: May 8, 2026
After performing all preventative, regular, and even proactive maintenance, the vehicle started shaking and shutting down with 2 miles. We are now being told (by 3 separate mechanics) that it needs an entirely new engine.
Incident date: May 11, 2026
own a 2019 Infiniti Q50 3.0t Sport with approximately 80,000 miles. The vehicle began experiencing engine knocking/ticking noises, rough idle, hesitation under acceleration, shaking, and intermittent misfire symptoms. The issue continued even after replacing spark plugs and ignition components. The dealership/mechanic reported possible internal engine damage and metal shavings in the oil, indicat... Read more
Incident date: May 18, 2026
This has happened multiple times. When driving the engine shuts off and an error message appears to shift into neutral or park and restart the engine. Brought the car to liberty Kia in Ramsey NJ and they said found no errors in the computer and test drove and could not recreate. My odometer did not change from drop off to pick up so I can tell it was not test driven.
Incident date: Mar 15, 2026
The vehicle's head gasket failed prematurely, resulting in coolant intrusion into the engine cylinders and combustion chamber. This caused the engine to unexpectedly overheat while driving at highway speeds, creating a severe safety hazard and loss of acceleration in active traffic. Additionally, it had a very rough idle when starting.
CHEVROLET
SUBURBAN 1500
(2025) — ENGINE
May 18, 2026
Incident date: May 8, 2026
3.0 Duramax engine failure at 5900 miles. Apparently is from the known thrust bearing issue. MIL, CEL, TCM illuminated. Failure occurred at 60 mph during rush hour traffic. Engine is being replaced under warranty. GM should issue recall for the affected lot of this engine.
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2020) — ENGINE
May 18, 2026
Incident date: May 13, 2026
The defective manufacturer lifters on my 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 went on my truck damaging the lifters, camshaft, oil pump and I'm sure more than that. I know it's an ongoing investigation/lawsuit with General Motors, but they need to held accountable and should fix this issue free of charge. Not everyone has $5k-$10k+ to repair their engine due to their negligence. Thank you
Incident date: May 16, 2026
I was leaving my neighborhood on Saturday night 5/16 around 5:30 and on the way out all of a sudden the dashboard started lighting up and the speed was dropping despite me being on the gas. The screens kept flashing then the car stopped and went into park and I could not get it out of park. I was at the front of my nieghborhood entrance and it made it hard for others to come in and out. I tried... Read more
Incident date: Dec 30, 2024
I purchased a 2023 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid 2023 on December 15, 2023, and since early ownership I have experienced persistent jerking/clunking while slowing to a stop, harsh downshifts, hesitation during braking, and rough transitions between electric and engine power. The issue was first documented around 5,744 miles and continued through approximately six to eight repair/work orders, where dealer... Read more
Incident date: May 18, 2026
Engine light came on. Fan ran high. Had it towed to the dealership. Has 39,000 miles on it. Needs a new upper radiator hose due to a defective hose. Apparently, after reading online, GM is aware of this issue. Now we have to pay the diagnostic fee and $850 for a new hose and a flush, as well as the tow bill! Now can’t get the part for a week or 8 days and then have to wait on the repair. This is... Read more
Incident date: May 17, 2026
Engine failure. Car quit while driving down main highway. Taken to garage and they reported that many of the same engine for Hyundai have been recalled. When investigating, my car did the exact same thing being reported, but is not included in the recall. I have maintenance records for all oil changes as required as well. No lights came on to indicate failure.
Incident date: Oct 31, 2024
I experienced engine failure and the dealership, corporation and warranty are refusing to replace the engine. My engine falls under an engine settlement. The denial states the corporation will not approve because i do not have a system update. The system update was issued while in the dealer’s inventory, part of the Certified Pre Owned inspection, it is required that the dealer updates all recal... Read more
Incident date: Feb 12, 2025
I bought this vehicle used in 2022 from CarMax. According to Jeep (Stellantis) Co. multiple recalls were fixed by the previous owner, but the patch available for 2018 Jeep Wranglers was not done. In 2024 my iphone and Mac laptop were hacked and shortly after I began having problems with my 2018 Jeep Wrangler. My alarm system started going off while I was in my home without touching or being near t... Read more
Incident date: Dec 5, 2025
the car has two issues. brake issue (gas pedal is soft and sinks) and engine power ( gas pedal is soft and not responsive) Brakes are soft and spongy some times and sometimes hard. even you push the brake pedal twice or three time it takes long distance to stop. some times the brake looks good but for short period of time. the brakes inconsistent. I took to the dealer where I bought it hey refuse ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 31, 2026
Transmission making noise and getting worse. Can’t get repaired or replaced for at least six months. Engine warning light is now on. Recently told this is a known issue with several class action suits being filed.