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: Aug 19, 2026

My RDX experienced a water-intrusion failure involving the panoramic sunroof drainage system and associated electrical components. An authorized Acura dealer diagnosed the right-front sunroof drain as backed up/overflowing, allowing water to reach the Body Control Module (BCM/Multiplex Control Unit). The dealer attributed abnormal security-alarm activation and battery drain to the water-damaged BC... Read more

Incident date: Feb 10, 2024

The gas pedal acceleration and a cruise control came on and got stuck between 35 and 45 miles an hour time I hit the other vehicle and laying on the brakes was probably 38 to 40 miles an hour prior that I was doing 72 miles an hour and 40 miles an hour zone. How are you able to get a vehicle hitting the brakes brake and then it would help. I barely hit the other car in the cars spun out and hit ot... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Mar 2, 2026

turbo and the head gasket

Incident date: Jul 31, 2026

I am requesting a formal review of an engine failure involving my 2021 Kia Seltos LX with the 2.0L engine. At approximately 103,000 miles, the original engine failed after losing nearly all of its oil. There was no obvious external oil leak or oil puddle, suggesting that the engine may have been consuming oil internally. Earlier in my ownership, the vehicle also unexpectedly shut off while operat... Read more

Incident date: Aug 17, 2026

Coolant leaked into the engine and the car began shaking and overheating. The check engine light began blinking when this occurred. The shaking of the car and overheating of the engine created unsafe driving conditions in the middle of driving my family to an event. The vehicle still starts but is unsafe to drive given the shaking and persistent concern of overheating.

Incident date: Aug 10, 2026

I experienced a check engine light and had the vehicle diagnosed with codes P0017 and P0014. The vehicle was taken to a Kia dealership, where the technician found that the exhaust camshaft was free-spinning without the phaser and that the pin connecting the two had sheared. The dealership replaced the exhaust camshaft and phaser and released the vehicle as repaired and operating normally. Less th... Read more

Incident date: Aug 5, 2026

Whole engine replacement at 20000 miles.

Incident date: Aug 20, 2026

2020 Ford Mustang with the 2.3L EcoBoost engine. The vehicle has a documented history of coolant loss with no visible external leak, consistent with the known coolant-intrusion defect in Ford's 2.3L EcoBoost engines where coolant leaks internally into the cylinders. The vehicle previously threw a cylinder misfire code (P0301) and now shows a crankshaft/camshaft timing correlation fault (P0017). A ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 10, 2026

My vehicle is experiencing transmission shuddering, and after taking it to an authorized Ford dealership for diagnosis. I was told that there is a problem involving the torque converter. I was initially quoted approximately $7,000 for the torque-converter repair and was subsequently advised that the dealership would recommend replacing the entire transmission at an estimated cost of approximately... Read more

Incident date: Feb 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate and failed to exceed 52 MPH. The vehicle shut off. The contact stated that the engine was running rough while stationary and the vehicle shut off without warning. The vehicle was taken to an Auto Parts Store, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the vehi... Read more

Incident date: Aug 17, 2026

The vehicle radiator exploded while driving on the freeway. Towed to mechanic radiator replaced and housing. Problem persosted. With a simple pressure test the coolant in the reservoir began to boil immediately meaning there's a cracked engine block.

1 injured

Incident date: Aug 3, 2026

I purchased a 2012 Chevy Sonic with 65k miles on it from Carvibe LLC earlier this month. When I took it into Firestone for a full inspection, they found that the car has severe rusting to the mechanical parts along with the body of the vehicle - the entire structure of the vehicle is compromised. Someone spray painted the rust black but Firestone was still able to see the covered up rust. Fireston... Read more

Incident date: Aug 10, 2026

The high voltage battery junction box connector has failed. There have been two recalls one software and one to replace this part the high voltage battery junction box with a more robust part to handle thermal loads. As of now there are zero recalls on my car open so they are all done. The first time this component failed was around 24k miles ish it's now 56k miles ish and it has failed again even... Read more

Incident date: Aug 14, 2026

Complaint Description: On XXX, my 2021 Nissan Rogue would not start due to a busted engine block, rendering the vehicle inoperable. The vehicle was serviced exclusively at Kraft Nissan in [XXX], from the time of purchase until approximately one year prior to the failure, following the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule. I contacted Nissan regarding the engine bearing recall affectin... Read more

Incident date: Aug 17, 2026

I had been shopping, as I attempted to increase speed, my car wouldn't respond. I smelled something burning and I switched lanes because I needed a safe place to stop. I turned onto [XXX] in Pembroke (I think) and still had no forward (or backward) movement. The lower gears (D5 & D4 ) DID NOT show on the dashboard indicator. I called my husband and he came to me. Then we called AAA and had the c... Read more

Incident date: Aug 3, 2026

Vehicle was traveling at 65 mph on a busy highway when vehicle engine stopped. A message on the dash appeared indicating to driver to shift to neutral and try to restart engine. As vehicle was quickly loosing speed it was decided to coast to the side of road to avoid someone running into vehicle causing multiple cars to crash. After stopping vehicle, an attempt was made to start vehicle. Engine wo... Read more

Incident date: Aug 10, 2026

for the 3 years i have had this car the engine has just died no sensors no engine lights no dashboard indicators bells whistles NOTHING it just stops running and wont start the dealership replaced it the first 2 years it happened this time they are trying to say we drove it overheating and that isnt true i have AAA and the only service calls have been once a year to have it towed to Cochran in Mon... Read more

Incident date: Aug 19, 2026

This started May 8th and is still going on. Engine randomly shuts down while driving. Vehicle alarms and message says Engine OFF Shift to P or N then start engine. No warning, happens about once a week. Very scary when in traffic and I cannot move because my engine randomly shuts down. The dealership has had it 3 different times totaling 6 weeks and 5 days and cannot duplicate it.

Incident date: Jul 18, 2026

I was on the interstate as I got off the interstate had a complete loss of power and heard what sounded like metal banging against metal in the engin. I was broke down in the middle of the intersection. Had to push the sub out of the road. The vech was towed to Nissan dealership and was told my vech was not covered under the engine recall.

Incident date: Aug 14, 2026

Vehicle abruptly lost power on the highway and limited itself to 3000 RPM. PCV valve failed and oil pan cracked at only 45k vehicle miles.

Incident date: Aug 15, 2026

Over the course of two days, the engine stalled when decelerating at intersections three different times. The engine died with warning lights on the dash and a message: “ Engine Off! Shift to P or N then start engine.” I had to completely stop, shift gears, and then restart the engine, then back to drive. This happened at or near intersections, creating a significant hazard for myself and oth... Read more

Incident date: Aug 19, 2026

This is the second time this occurred. Please refer to 11757120. While travelling approximately 65 mph the vehicle had a complete shutdown including the engine and all electrical systems in the chassis. When a vehicle has a complete shutdown while driving it is inherently dangerous and life threatening. The problem has been confirmed by Westlies Truck Center in Minot ND again. To my knowledge the ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 14, 2026

Vehicle was losing coolant, running rough and check engine light was on. We took it to a Ford dealer who told us: Stored Codes P1299 and P0302 for the cylinder 2 misfire due to the coolant intrusion in the cylinder. The fix is to replace the entire engine at a cost of $15,735.95!! This is a 2019 Ford Escape. We've owned it for six years. We had planned on keeping it another six years, at least. A ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 3, 2026

Good Day! I bought my 2021 Subaru Outback XT Onyx in Jan 2021. I had waiting 6 yrs for Subaru to use the Turbo Motor in the Outback again. I've had this car for 5 years with my warranty running out Jan 2026, but I only drive 5000-7000 miles per/yr. Current odometer is 29,901 miles. At my most recent oil change service at the Dealer, they showed me a video of my cars drivetrain from underneath. The... Read more

Incident date: Aug 15, 2026

Ecoboost Coolant Intrusion. 2.0L Ecoboost engines common in (2015-2018) models suffer from a design flaw where the coolant leaks directly into the combustion cylinders. Took my car to to Ford repair shop Lucas Ford on [XXX] in New Jersey and they said I need a new engine due to this exact flaw. I was quoted $9000. If this is a known flaw Ford Company should pay or replace my engine. INFORMATION R... Read more

Incident date: Aug 6, 2026

6.2 liter vehicle engine failure while moving on interstate April 1, 2026 … (I responded to first recall notice and Hendrick Chevrolet of Naples, Fl. completed inspection and oil replacement in 2025) … engine replaced by Estero Bay Chevrolet June 2026 at 72,495 miles on odometer … engine failure (76,004 miles on odometer) while moving August 6, 2026 towed to Hendrick Chevrolet (Naples, Fl.) ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 20, 2026

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The check engine warning light illuminated after the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the vehicle was diagnosed with a failed crankshaft sensor. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was t... Read more

Incident date: May 12, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while the vehicle was receiving a routine oil change, the contact was informed that the oil pan was empty. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer. The contact was informed about a possible oil consumption test. The contact was informed that there was carbon blowing out of the vehicle. The contact stated that three m... Read more

Incident date: Jan 1, 2026

Engine power reduced Car will not accelerate Jerks after a long stop Have replaced engine and transmission same problem occurred

Incident date: Jan 1, 2026

I believe there’s an ongoing lawsuit against Ford regarding these truck models, specifically their gearboxes, which are failing and slipping gears. After the initial recall for the new software gearbox mapping, my gearbox has started slipping, causing issues during downshifting, acceleration, and upshifting. There are frequent loud bangs

Incident date: Oct 25, 2025

The Auto Idle Stop mode has caused my car to stall out at least 10 times since I bought the vehicle in August 2024. Each time it has occurred, it has taken me several minutes to restart the car. I’ve bought my vehicle to Hilton Head Honda in Bluffton, SC two times to have them inspect the vehicle. The only thing they have done is replaced the battery which has not solved the problem.

Incident date: Aug 6, 2026

Ford has had a long known issue with 2011-2015-FIESTA ( Cuautitlan ) they issued a Customer Satisfaction Program that ended June 2025. I purchased the car July 2026 used w/o none issues. Checked VIN for recall and Maryland Inspected. Driving it one week and the check engine light comes on. Apparently the TCM recognized a change in driving pattern but FORD will not honor the replacement. How i... Read more

Incident date: Aug 12, 2026

Engine has rough idle and can stall. Ford says engine has coolant intrusion and needs a new engine. The repair will cost between 8500 and 10000 dollars.

Incident date: Jun 1, 2026

The connecting rod snapped in my 2019 Honda Pilot V6 engine at 102,000 miles. This is the exact mechanical failure described in NHTSA Recall 23V-751, but Honda is refusing to repair it due to a VIN exclusion. The dealership has confirmed this was a sudden, unpreventable structural component failure.

Incident date: Aug 16, 2026

The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross. The contact stated that twice while driving at various speeds and slowing down to make a turn, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to slow down as intended and the steering wheel locked up. During the first failure, while the contact’s husband was driving, the vehicle lost power. The vehicle was driven to a gas station and then resta... Read more

1 injured

Incident date: Jun 1, 2026

The Chevy Malibu is displaying a “Shift to Park” message even when the gear selector is physically in the Park position. This indicates that the vehicle’s computer may not be recognizing that the vehicle has been placed in Park, which is commonly associated with a faulty or failing internal park-position sensor/switch. The issue is affecting the vehicle’s ability to shut down properly. It... Read more

Incident date: Aug 15, 2026

2020 ford fusion taken to Bessemer Ford dealership July 20 2026 with issues to vehicle sputtering. The vehicle was returned as no problem found On August 15, 2026vehicle ran hot and shut down 140 miles away from home. The vehicle was then towed to Huntsville Ford. I was sent a video by the dealership of the coolant being milky brown but have had no contact with them at this time. When I call o... Read more

Incident date: Mar 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated and failed to accelerate as needed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

Incident date: Aug 19, 2026

Vehicle began losing engine coolant. No external leaks visible. Took to Ford dealership for inspection and diagnostics. They found coolant intrusion in cylinders 1 and 2. They say that TSB 22-2322 applies to this issue. Vehicle has 86,896 miles and warranty started on February 16, 2019.

Incident date: Aug 16, 2026

The connecting rod on my 2017 Honda Pilot is coming apart and metal is present in the oil. The engine began knocking and progressively got louder. The sound was coming from the bottom of the engine around cylinder 1. We shut the car off and had the vehicle towed to the dealer. The dealer service center confirmed that the connecting rod on cylinder 1 was coming apart and found metal in the oil and ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 23, 2026

My engine started smoking and eventually completely stopped on side of road. There were no warning lights or errors until issues started.it found have exploded or I could have been seriously injured as I was on expressway.

Incident date: Jul 1, 2025

The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that the engine light was illuminated. The transmission emission message was displayed. The contact stated that the failure was associated with DTC: P0777. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who recommended a transmission flush. After the transmission flush the vehicle failed to shift from second to third gear. The vehicle was taken t... Read more

Incident date: Aug 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2022 Ford Bronco. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V455000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) and 26V468000 (ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer wa... Read more

Incident date: Aug 19, 2026

Daughter was driving and smoke starting coming out of car. Had to pull over on side of the road - which is unsafe. The radiator Fan Assembly needs replaced, PCV valve needs replaced, CVT fluid which has been confirmed by Ted Russel Nissan in Knoxville, TN. No warnings went off for her to be prepared. This is a known issue and a class action lawsuit was filed in 2026.

Incident date: Aug 17, 2026

I have a 2024 GMC Yukon Denali equipped with the 6.2L L87 V8 engine. The vehicle has approximately 23,000 miles. The vehicle previously underwent the remedy associated with the L87 engine recall. The engine now uses SAE 0W-40 dexos R oil and has the corresponding 0W-40 oil fill cap. After the recall remedy was performed, the check-engine warning light began intermittently FLASHING while I am driv... Read more

Incident date: Aug 11, 2026

I was having trouble with my left driver tire. 2 mechanics went to test drive the car to see what the problem was. As they were driving, the car died. They got it started but it ran horrible back to the garage. When they pulled in the driveway of the garage, the car started on fire. It was an engine fire but undetermined what exactly was the cause. The vehicle was looked over by the insurance... Read more

Fire

Incident date: Aug 18, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. There was smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact exited the freeway and waited for AAA to tow the vehicle to the residence. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that the oil pan swi... Read more

Incident date: Aug 20, 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving or while the vehicle was parked, there was an abnormal fuel odor inside the vehicle. The vehicle was leaking fuel from the high-pressure pipe leading to the fuel pump. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V907000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine); however, VIN was not included in the recall. The dea... Read more

Incident date: Aug 10, 2026

I am a working parent filing a formal complaint against Kia America and Classic kia of Carrollton for non-compliance with the Theta II Class Action Settlement mandates. My vehicle experienced a qualifying engine failure and is currently held at the dealership. The dealership is actively refusing to provide a mandatory free loaner vehicle and is delaying the 5-minute diagnostic scan. Kia Corporate ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 11, 2026

sudden loss of propulsion / limp mode, particularly under load or at highway speeds.

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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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