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: May 6, 2026
On April 12, 2026, while traveling approximately 65 mph westbound on XXX in [XXX] (just east of Exit XXX), the engine in our 2022 GMC Yukon Denali failed without any prior warning. This occurred on a four-lane highway where I was in the lane furthest from the shoulder. The engine shut off, the vehicle automatically shifted into neutral, and I had to cross multiple lanes of traffic to reach the sh... Read more
Incident date: May 3, 2026
Motor started knocking My safety and my family safety was put at risk because we were driving down the street. The car is now at Woody dealership in Naperville, IL. Being inspected as we speak. No symptoms prior to failing.
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
My car burns oil very fast. I am putting in more than 5 quarts of oil in between oil changes. I have replaced the flex pipe, the catalytic converter two times, and both the upstream and downstream oxygen sensors. The catalytic converter now needs to be replaced again after only 7 months after being installed. The car keeps getting P0420 codes. I found out this last converter was bad while on the h... Read more
KIA
SORENTO HYBRID
(2025) — ENGINE
May 6, 2026
Incident date: Feb 10, 2026
Canister purge valve getting stuck open and causing a hard start
Incident date: May 5, 2026
unknown Car is knocking and consuming oil quickly. Oil changes done as appropriate. Timing belt/chain changed almost 2 years ago. Garage now says we have an oil consumption issue and need a new engine! We are out of warranty and power train.
Incident date: Apr 26, 2026
The vehicle was puttering and smoking from the exhaust. At first the mechanic thought it was a head gasket, but with further investigation it was the coolant/exhaust. The vehicle stalled out multiple times, twice while driving and once in a grocery store parking lot.
BRIDGESTONE
TURANZA T
(9999) — ENGINE
May 6, 2026
Incident date: Mar 14, 2026
Complete power loss from transmission. Yes available for inspection. Power loss was experienced on at least 4 separate occasions. This occurred during either slowing down or stopping to make a left hand turn while yielding to oncoming traffic. When re-engaging the accelerator to get across oncoming traffic zero power transfer occurred putting my self, my passengers, and the oncoming vehicles and... Read more
Incident date: Jan 9, 2026
when vehicle accelerates from stopping position motor immediately increases rpm's from 700 to about 4,000 and increases and decreases with jerking motion. sometimes much difficulty controlling speed and controlling car when there are approaching vehicles. the transmission does not perform safely there is the same problem when passing other vehicles and travelling uphill , sometimes 50 to 75 mph... Read more
Incident date: Jul 14, 2025
Engine blew a head gasket so had to have the engine rebuilt @ a cost of $13,000. Car only had 22,500 miles on it. I think that should instigate a recall.
COACHMEN
SPORTSCOACH
(2022) — ENGINE
May 6, 2026
Incident date: May 6, 2026
Loosing oil constantly. Always on the low end. I am having to keep oil in my car to put in it when needed which is often.
Incident date: Apr 27, 2026
At 170,000 miles, the 2019 Toyota Hybrid Camry LE has developed a consistent drive train lurch/stumble/shake around 20, 40 and 60 MPH, which is increasing in intensity and occurrence. This defect is quite startling and occurs regardless of efficiency, HVAC, cruise control, etc. settings. Examined twice by a Toyota dealer service department Toyota-trained licensed repair technician, no explanation ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 16, 2025
All lights on dash are on. Problem with running hot, oil is milky looking misfires, vibration is terrible. Cuts off and will not go over 5 mph sometimes.
Incident date: Jul 16, 2025
The vehicle has a dangerous hesitation and delayed acceleration when I am coasting and then reapplying the accelerator. This occurs in scenarios such as approaching a yield, slowing for a left turn on a green light, or slowing to merge where I reduce speed but do not come to a complete stop. When I press the accelerator to resume speed, the vehicle does not respond for a significant period. The tr... Read more
Incident date: May 3, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that while driving in first gear, the vehicle would independently enter limp mode as the check engine light would appear on the instrument panel. Due to the vehicle failing to accelerate above first gear, the contact would be forced to restart the vehicle as the vehicle would then resume normal operation. The contact stated that the ve... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2026
I am submitting this complaint regarding my 2015 Dodge Dart SXT with an active safety recall that currently has no available remedy. My vehicle experienced failure related to the recall issue, resulting in the vehicle becoming inoperable and requiring repair. At the time of failure, I was informed that the official recall remedy was not yet available and that the necessary part was on backorder. ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 20, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at lower speeds, pulling into an uphill driveway, the vehicle had independently accelerated while the accelerator pedal was depressed. In addition, the contact stated that she was not able to depressed in time and had crashed into the left side of the house, causing damage to the front driver-side bumper and quarter p... Read more
Crash
Incident date: May 6, 2026
This car burns through gas at an unbelievable rate. I have read that this is a common problem and Hyundai needs to address the problem - and REPAIR it - for all affected owners. I have about 75,000 miles and the problem has been ongoing for over a year. I have to add oil every week and if I forget, it is all burned up within 2 weeks.
Incident date: Apr 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2023 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that all the warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle stalled upon starting. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the fuse was replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. While depressing the start button, the look in the rear mirror was displayed. The vehicle failed to start. The brake pedal was kickin... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2026
The engine malfunctioned, and the car is available for inspection upon request? My safety was put at risk because the car was backfiring in traffic due to the spark plugs filling up with oil. I reported the problem to the Libertyville Honda because they sold me the vehicle about 35 days before the issue started, but I have not heard back from them. I had the Odyssey inspected at Napleton Honda in... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2025
Faulty Radiator Inlet Hose, upper radiator hose failure, outlined in PIT6494A. This is the third time that the light on the dashboard has come on for failure, the first time they "Fixed it" the second time they said it was the Battery, it was NOT!! This time they are saying what it really is, The Radiator Hose FAILURE, since the vehicle is only 3 years old but over the 36k mile WARRANTY, they will... Read more
Incident date: Dec 6, 2025
On April 1, 2026 at approximately 7pm the vehicle had a complete engine failure exiting an interstate. As I was slowing to exit the interstate the truck, without warning, lost power and locked up the rear wheels. I was able to safely exit onto the off ramp, but did partially block the off ramp for 45 minutes waiting on a tow truck. Once I came to a complete stop the dashboard began displaying n... Read more
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER
(2015) — ENGINE
May 6, 2026
Incident date: Apr 1, 2021
The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly decelerated to 25 MPH with a “Vehicle Will Shut Down” warning message displayed. The contact stated that the engine then began to shut down, and although the accelerator pedal was depressed, the vehicle failed to accelerate and stalled. The failure occurred on multiple... Read more
Incident date: May 5, 2026
While driving at highway speeds, the vehicle experienced a sudden jerking and a catastrophic loss of motive power (Limp Mode). Simultaneously, multiple safety systems failed, including the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Adaptive Cruise Control, and Road Departure Mitigation. The vehicle became a road hazard in active traffic. A certified Honda dealership technician inspected the vehi... Read more
Incident date: Jul 17, 2025
I was traveling with my family on the Ohio Turnpike. We were traveling west in our 2023 GMC Yukon Denali when we lost all propulsion and the engine seized. There was no warning lights or other symptoms prior to this incident on May 3, 2026. In fact, I had the vehicle in for the prescribed recall to test the engine for the known defect earlier in 2026. The vehicle passed that test and was g... Read more
HYUNDAI
SANTA FE HYBRID
(2025) — ENGINE
May 6, 2026
Incident date: May 6, 2026
My 2018 Ford Escape with 1.5L EcoBoost engine had repeated overheating and coolant loss over time. The vehicle was repaired multiple times for cooling system issues (hoses, coolant, water pump), but the problem persisted. It has now been diagnosed with internal coolant intrusion requiring engine replacement. This matches known issues reported with this engine.
Incident date: Apr 19, 2026
Immediately following the implementation of Service Campaign 9C2 and TSB 25-01-087H - ECU Update for THETA II Emissions Logic Improvement, the vehicle exhibits poor drivability (staggering/missing/hesitation) until the engine warms up. This is most noticeable just prior to the shift from first to second gear.
Incident date: May 3, 2026
Experienced catastrophic engine failure with no known cause. The car had been inspected and had an oil change 3,000 miles prior to the incident. Thankfully, I had already exited the thruway and was on a quiet backroad but if this had happened 15 minutes earlier on the thruway this could have been a much different story.
Incident date: May 3, 2026
My 2021 Honda Passport Elite suffered cataphoric engine failure at 90,000 miles. The 6th cylinder bearing was missing when my vehicle was towed into Honda for diagnosis after my engine shut off while I was traveling 55 mph. I had no warnings for this failure including no engine noises and no check engine lights. I had to have a new engine put in my vehicle and Honda refused to cover the cost at ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 8, 2026
My check engine light came on and I took it to a repair shop and they said that I had antifreeze in my oil and would need a new engine and that it was a defect in the engine and Ford hasn’t done a recall on it so I would have to pay the $9000 to replace the engine.
CONTINENTAL
CROSSCONTACT LX SPORT
(9999) — ENGINE
May 6, 2026
Incident date: Apr 24, 2026
My 2020 Subaru Crosstrek experienced a sudden loss of motive power and stalled due to a blown ignition fuse. Diagnostic code P1604 (Startability Malfunction) was stored. Inspection by Wayne Subaru (Invoice #25340) confirmed the Cylinder 3 ignition coil had shorted and physically melted. This is the exact failure mode described in Subaru Safety Recall WRE-21 (NHTSA Campaign 21V825000), which curren... Read more
Incident date: Mar 31, 2026
Vehicle with 42k miles and regular dealer maintenance suddenly stalled out in traffic, creating dangerous situation for driver and children passengers. Towed to dealership from which it was purchased. Told it was a catastrophic engine failure and had coolant and oil mixed. Dealer unwilling to explore exact cause. Vehicle 11 months past 5 year power train warranty but well under mileage.
Incident date: May 5, 2026
2015 Honda Accord EX-L presenting with constant knocking in the lower back part of the engine. Knocking varies with engine RPMs and is consistent across all drives. Oil has been maintained and at time of checking full, oil presented with copper fragments within the oil meaning a rod bearing has failed. Engine is a, 3.5L 6Cyl GAS J35Y1 Naturally Aspirated, not currently covered by the NHTSA 23V-751... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
This vehicle has ongoing drivability issues that have not been resolved despite multiple repair attempts involving engine-related components and repairs. The issue began in November 2024 while the vehicle was under warranty with coolant and engine warnings. At that time, I reported coolant loss, warning messages, hesitation during acceleration, and abnormal vehicle vibration. I was initially told... Read more
Incident date: May 4, 2026
Check engine light appeared, Car began shaking and struggling to accelerate. Independent mechanic and OReileys test stated cylinder 3 misfirw. Dealership stated GDI fuel injectors were leaking and is a known issue in several 2022 Hyundai Tuscon and needed to be replaced.
Incident date: May 5, 2026
The engine catastrophically failed on an 45 mph road. There was no warning leading up to this incident at any time previously. The engine lost all power and the car shut off on this road. My husband was able to pull it over and tow it into a mechanic. The mechanic said the oil was disappearing somewhere without any residue, and without triggering any warning light of any kind. In essence the oil i... Read more
Incident date: Apr 29, 2026
The vehicle would jerk when changing gears and would have a rattle and vibration when accelerating.
Incident date: Aug 1, 2025
On 4/27/26, my family and I were traveling south on Colorado C470 at 8 AM. Our 2021 Chevy Silverado 1500 had catastrophic engine failure at highway speed as we were passing an 18 wheeler. The failure caused the vehicle to lose power and engine, and the display said to put the truck in Neutral and restart the engine. After coasting to the shoulder, the engine would not restart. We were stranded on ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 9, 2026
2018 Kia Sorento, under 88,000 miles, with Theta II engine defect. KSDS update installed. Oil consumption issues requiring adding at least one liter of oil every 1,000 miles in between regular oil changes/ maintenance. Oil warning lamp does not illuminate at all or only blinks on for a second then stays off, even when oil is less than 1 liter. Noticed slight jerking/hesitation at acceleration fo... Read more
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER
(2020) — ENGINE
May 5, 2026
Incident date: Apr 19, 2026
Vehicle was being driven on the highway when suddenly engine hesitated and started stalling. Speed was reduced from around 65MPH down to the low 40s. Cars were stacking up behind and passing, causing potential hazardous conditions. Vehicle was taken to a mechanic shop and diagnosed with misfiring, after reading OBD II with many alerts coming on. Further diagnostics revealed cylinder head gaske... Read more
Incident date: Apr 11, 2026
I own a 2015 Ford Fusion SE. I bought it used when it only had 47,000 miles on it. Over the course of time since buying it in DEC 2022 until now, it has had low coolant that I have had to address but no visible leaks. Current mileage now is 87,100 and just recently the coolant was low again and the check engine light came on for DTC P0301 -Cylinder 1 misfiring. It has had rough start ups, rough id... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
I have a 2018 Ram 1500 ecodiesel with the 2nd gen 3.0L V6 diesel engine. This engine has a well known defect causing the tone wheel to delaminate and stall the engine. This is what happened to me and the dealership is telling me I need my tone wheel and position sensor replaced. Per what you have put out [XXX] My truck should be covered under the recall 73A as I meet all the requirements. Stel... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2021) — ENGINE
May 5, 2026
Incident date: May 3, 2026
I reported the issue yesterday, but we have additional information. Here is a timeline of the incident as recorded by the doorbell camera: 2026-05-03 085400 Car parked 101423 Car is already trying to start by itself 101713 Car still starting, starter slowing down 101734 Starter sounds overheated 101740 Starter slows to stop ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Apr 23, 2026
On 3/17/26, my husband and I started heading N on RT 83 to a medical appointment in our 2025 Honda CR-V Touring Sport. We were doing between 40 to 50 miles/hr. Twenty minutes later, we smelled faint smoke which was attributed to the trucks driving around us. Upon exit to our next route we immediately came to a red light and stopped and found heavy dark smoke coming from inside the front of our ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Apr 24, 2026
I recently purchased a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee and began experiencing serious issues almost immediately after taking possession of the vehicle. The vehicle has stalled unexpectedly while driving on multiple occasions, including during active driving conditions. It also has difficulty starting and has shut off without warning. The vehicle has already undergone multiple repairs within a short peri... Read more
Incident date: May 4, 2026
Within 24 hours of buying the vehicle back in February, the truck has not run red Lightning bulbs, electronic throttle control system Lights all started coming on that system was replaced by a certified mechanic. The system then did it again, literally, 1 day later. Now I'm not certain about the new part, which has been discontinued. It's some sort of pigtail off of that. And again the wiring pig... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2022
Ecm, p0303, yes, not yet, no, cel light before the car was brought to the dealership, 2019 Hyundai Sonata SE, 2.4L Theta II GDI. Perryville Hyundai IL refused applicable TSB in writing 5/4/26 despite active P0303 misfire, fuel-in-oil smell, crankcase pressure. I have Photos prove falsified multi-point inspection: 1.0 inch (.0833') wheel well discrepancy, same mileage in/out. Vehicle has stall ris... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2026
Despite proper maintenance, the vehicle is burning oil at an excessive rate. I have already replaced the oil pan, but the issue persists. I now have to add oil frequently between oil changes. This creates a serious safety concern, as low oil levels can cause engine failure while driving, leading to sudden loss of power or stalling in traffic. This puts me, my passengers, and other drivers at risk.... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2018) — ENGINE
May 5, 2026
Incident date: May 2, 2026
Getting P06DA trouble code meaning that there is something wrong with the oil pressure solenoid in the oil sump. this is a known issue where the wiring of the solenoid get frayed. cost of repair for the (cheap part) is $7,500 because of 18 hour labor involved. MB knows this is an issue with the wiring in the solenoid. I'm not sure if there is a fire risk because of the frayed wires.
Incident date: Nov 26, 2025
Description of Incident: The vehicle is experiencing significant engine oil dilution by gasoline. Upon inspection of the dipstick, the oil level is consistently found to be well above the "Full" mark, and the oil emits a strong, pungent odor of raw fuel. This indicates that unburnt gasoline is bypassing the piston rings and entering the crankcase during normal operation, particularly in colder tem... Read more
Incident date: May 3, 2026
Ford has acknowledged the defect (recall 26S28). · my truck experienced the dangerous downshift and wheel lockup. · Ford has no fix available until June 30th, leaving me without a safe vehicle. · Ford is refusing to provide a loaner or rental. The wheel locked on me and causing the vehicle to be uncontrollable, in wet condition. Causes a near fatal accident. I do have a dash Camera recording to... Read more