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 5, 2026

I was driving, and the SUV all of a sudden lost power. I was trying to press harder on the gas pedal to keep up with the traffic, but the SUV was stalling. The SUV would not move, and as I kept trying to press on the gas pedal, a roaring noise like something was trying to turn but the engine kept trying to move the car. It felt like something in the car was trying to move but something kept slippi... Read more

Incident date: Jul 30, 2026

The vehicle experiences sudden, complete electrical power loss while driving at speed on highways and city streets or on the parking. All digital displays turn off, the engine shuts down, and power-assisted steering and braking are instantly lost without prior warning, presenting an extreme collision risk. The issue first occurred in August 2025 at approximately 48,000 miles and was taken to an a... Read more

Incident date: Jun 12, 2026

adaptive cruise disengaging alert on dash- no cars or weather conditions to induce this. loss of power and bucking on highway( near accident caused) catostostrophic sudden loss of power engine/transmission failure while mechanic driving resulting in car towed back to dealer. loss of power multiple times causing near accidents. sudden jolting at stop light causing car to propel forward requiered bo... Read more

Incident date: Jul 28, 2026

Driving down the highway on a family road trip the car suddenly flashed all warning lights and goes in to limp mode. We’re on the highway surrounded by cars going 80+ and trying to get to the side. We’re reach an exit and limp to an autozone where they read a code about an EGR system. Car gets towed to the dealer and they’ve determined there is coolant in the oil and the engine needs repla... Read more

Incident date: Aug 5, 2026

Started having problems with the engine losing power and sputtering was told by a repair shop that the engine needs replaced it has been sitting since

Incident date: Jun 12, 2026

I am reporting a recurring safety-related issue with my 2024 Mazda CX-90 Turbo S Premium involving the mild hybrid system. The first failure occurred at approximately 28,000 miles. While driving, the vehicle displayed multiple warning messages, including "Mild Hybrid Battery Malfunction," "i-Stop Malfunction," and "Engine Malfunction." Shortly afterward, the vehicle entered a reduced-power (limp ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 30, 2026

Nelson v. Ford Motor Company is a class action lawsuit targeting a defect in Ford's 2.3-liter EcoBoost engines. The suit highlights coolant leaks into engine cylinders, overheating, and catastrophic engine failures. I have had my 2016 ford mustang ecoboost in and out of mechanic shops for months now accumulating well over $7K in out of pocket expenses. I have been to multiple mechanics trying to d... Read more

Incident date: Feb 1, 2026

When driving at lower speeds the car jerks/misses. A local Ford dealership confirmed it's the torque converter. Even purchased a warranty that is suppose to cover the issue and even they are being difficult about wanting to fix it!

Incident date: Aug 4, 2026

unknown

Incident date: Jun 6, 2026

The Components that have malfunctioned are the airbags, exaust system, electrical systems, sensors, gaskets, and a few other things. We had 5 failed clockspring repairs. The first (3?) under warranty, we paid for another when they said it was our fault, then that mechanic said that it needed to go back to a dealership because it was defective. I advocated for months for it to be evaluated. No one ... Read more

Incident date: Jan 1, 2026

Engine temperature went up while driving. The warning light came on and I immediately pulled to the side of the road. After 6 minutes on the side of the road the engine started to smoke and then caught fire.

Fire

Incident date: Apr 17, 2024

My 2019 Genesis G90 (3.3L twin-turbo) previously received Recall 019G for the left turbocharger oil feed pipe at a authorized Genesis dealership. At approximately 137,508 miles, the right side turbocharger oil feed pipe failed. I experienced an engine oil leak, a strong burning oil smell, smoke from the engine compartment, engine light on, lost of power and oil leaking onto hot engine components. ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 5, 2026

2023 Volkswagen Atlas R-Line. While driving (moving) on a congested road the vehicle signaled "Please start engine manually" the gas pedal became unresponsive. Power steering, radio, A/C, all still worked, but I had to come to a complete stop to restart engine. The same thing has happened multiple times now with the last one being in the middle of the road trying to complete a U-turn. This is incr... Read more

Incident date: Jul 4, 2026

Major safety issue will lead to loss power and visual hazard for cars on road. 2018 accord 1.5 has a coolant leak in cylinder 2 and three via scope verified , shop said it needs a headgasket. It had misfire codes on scanner and shakes when start up. This will be potentially big issue if motor blows up on free way from overheating. Honda corporation won’t do a replacement for the good faith becau... Read more

Incident date: Aug 5, 2026

Ever since I bought this truck new, I noticed a lot of metal shavings and debris in the oil filter every single time I changed the oil. I took it to the dealership multiple times to have this looked into before the engine recall came out. The dealership took pictures of the metal and sent them to a General Motors engineer, but the engineer just told them it was "normal." Later on, the truck went i... Read more

Incident date: Aug 5, 2026

Incident date: Dec 31, 1969

On XXX while driving my brand-new 2026 Subaru Crosstrek with approximately 63 miles on the odometer, the vehicle suddenly lost acceleration. The AT Oil Temp warning flashed, followed by the Check Engine Light and multiple EyeSight and driver assistance warning lights. I immediately pulled off the road because I did not feel it was safe to continue driving. My [XXX] grandson was in the vehicle at t... Read more

Incident date: Aug 3, 2026

The check engine light illuminated with diagnostic code P0018 (crankshaft/camshaft position correlation, Bank 2), first recorded on a scan XXX. The vehicle was taken to a franchised Kia dealership in [XXX] on XXX at 88,719 miles. The dealer performed an engine teardown and provided a written diagnosis on XXX: metal debris on the exhaust camshaft position sensor, damaged camshaft phasers, a sheared... Read more

Incident date: Aug 4, 2026

Engine / Short block assembly / Connecting rod bearing seizure. The engine suffered a sudden, catastrophic seizure while I was actively driving on a steep incline mountain road with a cliff on one side and forest on other. The vehicle experienced an immediate, total loss of motive power, forcing an emergency maneuver onto the shoulder in 5 seconds with no power steering or power brakes, creating a... Read more

Incident date: Aug 5, 2026

Exhaust manifold turbo charged cracked while driving. Exposing everyone in the vehicle to raw exhaust inside the vehicle every time it is driven. The replacement part is back ordered until September 16th from the dealership. I was told this is an extremely common issue with ford explorers. I don’t understand how this part is not recalled. It has slowly gotten worse and worse. No warning lamps ca... Read more

Incident date: Jul 3, 2026

Car wouldn't start. Makes clicking sound. Mechanic diagnosed it and said timing chain is broken, valves are bent and pistons broken.

Incident date: Jul 29, 2026

Follow-up to a prior complaint on this VIN regarding a dangerous limp-mode event caused by a failed DEF injection nozzle. While climbing a steep grade on XXX in [XXX], the DEF dosing nozzle leaked, putting the vehicle into limp mode. Vehicle was limited to ~27 mph while surrounding traffic, including semi-trucks, moved at ~65 mph, creating a serious collision hazard on a grade with limited passin... Read more

Incident date: Jun 19, 2026

since I purchased this truck brand new from the dealer, the brakes always had air in the lines. No matter how many times I bleed the brakes, there is still air in the line. From my understanding, previous years of this truck had master cylinder issues. I went to the dealer and they refused to fix the issue, because I already attempted to fix the problem. Also, the car doesn't start when shut off d... Read more

Incident date: May 18, 2026

Hello, my 2019 Odyssey 3.5L V6 engine has a severe knocking noise/engine failure identical to Recall 23V-751, but my VIN was excluded. The car has only 81,100 miles and started the knocking out of no where a week ago. I had an independant mechanic take a look at it and he said the same thing that it was the connecting rod bearing and the knock was coming from the engine. I dont think it is fair ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 27, 2026

My 2024 tundra with 55000 miles suddenly lost all power going down a major highway. The engine failed suddenly. Luckily I didn’t wreck. I paid out of pocket to have it towed to dealership where it has sat untouched for 9 days. The engine is included in the recall that they have.

Incident date: Jul 2, 2026

While driving on a highway the car started to hesitate, a message appeared on the console "Propulsion power is reduced" and the engine light turn on. After driving some miles, a new message appeared: "Engine unavailable, service soon" and the car only ran on electric power, no motor engine. I had the same problem 3 year ago and the dealer identified the problem as a shorted EGR valve. This time I... Read more

Incident date: Apr 1, 2025

Dear NHTSA, My 2016 Honda Pilot has been diagnosed with engine failure by Hoehn Honda, despite consistent and careful maintenance. The failure occurred suddenly, without warning or prior symptoms, and well before the expected lifespan of the vehicle, yet outside the warranty window. After reviewing owner forums, various automotive publications, and the NHTSA website, I found numerous similar c... Read more

Incident date: Jul 27, 2026

The vehicle logged code P0491 due to a clogged cylinder head internal port at 28,000 miles (26,000 at the time vehicle was inspected.) Volkswagen's official repair protocol requires a complete engine cylinder head replacement. The vehicle's onboard computer has disabled the factory-installed remote start system as a result of this engine fault.

Incident date: Apr 1, 2026

The check engine light started flashing and my car lost acceleration as I traveling uphill on a busy freeway. I had it towed to my mechanic who found evidence of coolant leaking related to cylinder 2 in my engine. I did not feel safe going so slow on a busy freeway. My car did not have any problems prior and only has 31000 miles on it. It was diagnosed with a coolant intrusion leak (a known proble... Read more

Incident date: May 8, 2026

Car stalled on highway leaving my life at risk and dealer has no date to repair fuel line

Incident date: Jul 19, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was erratically shaking, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with piston rings failure. The contact was informed that there was a hole in the catalytic converter. The contact was informed that the engine, catalytic ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 24, 2026

Statement in uploaded files

Incident date: Aug 2, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the message “Power Low” was displayed, and the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The vehicle was taken to a Walmart, and metal shavings were found in the oil. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, and the contact was informed that the recall repair was declined. The oil light had not been reset within 18,0... Read more

Incident date: Jul 2, 2026

My 2016 Kia Soul is a 2.0L Gasoline Direct Injection engine. 1 prior recall for Kia Souls have occurred, which is seemingly identical to my issue. Recall SC176 addresses Kia Souls with the 1.6L engine, and it just so happens my issue is the same. Kia also issued a response to knock issues with the Soul 2.0L MPI engine, the KSDS Campaign, where Kia rolled out the Knock Sensor Detection System sof... Read more

Incident date: Aug 1, 2026

On July 17,2026 my vehicle suddenly overheated. All warning lights came on and I stopped immediately. The car had to be towed to North Atlanta Audi for inspection and repair. I was told the waterpump had failed and corrupted the vacuum lines. There was no symptoms or previous warnings at any time. The repair bill was going to be outrageous. The service department person contacted Audi and they agr... Read more

Incident date: Aug 4, 2026

My 2014 Tiguan, VIN [XXX], has been serviced at an authorized VW dealer since I purchased it. From 2014 to December 2025, the vehicle was serviced at a VW dealer and March 2026 to present at a service facility that only works on VWs and is owned and operated by a prior VW certified technician who only works on VWs. My vehicle has been serviced at all the VW recommended maintenance mileage. Look... Read more

Incident date: Aug 1, 2026

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The vehicle suffers from an intermittent, total engine stalling and propulsion failure. Without warning, the engine completely shuts down while driving and automatically drops the vehicle into "Accessory (ACC) Mode". The vehicle is fully intact, operational when it restarts, and is available for imm... Read more

Incident date: Jul 25, 2026

Ford Coolant Leak & Engine Overheating Engine overheating caused by an internal engine coolant leak in Ford Ecoboost engines Coolant leak that allows coolant to enter into the cylinders of the engine. This caused total engine failure and to require replacement of the engine block.

Incident date: Aug 4, 2026

The harmonic balancer on the motor failed and flew off the motor causing catastrophic damage to the radiator. The failure resulted in immediate disabling of the vehicle, which could have happened at high speeds or on a highway with limited access. The part that flew off the motor was also a large piece of solid metal that luckily landed in the bumper cavity, but if it would have left the engine ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 22, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 MPH, the engine revved without the accelerator pedal being depressed. The contact stated that while turning onto an exit ramp, the brake pedal was depressed to slow the vehicle; however, there was resistance to the brake pedal, and an excessive amount of pressure was needed to depress brake pedal to ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 14, 2026

COMPONENTS FAILED & AVAILABILITY:Engine and transmission failed concurrently at 45,893 miles. Engine suffered internal coolant intrusion per Ford TSB 19-2139 . Transmission failed mechanically. Components are available for inspection. SAFETY RISK:Defects create severe roadway hazards. Transmission causes dangerous lack of acceleration on inclines and highway merging, risking rear-end collisions. C... Read more

Incident date: Aug 5, 2026

I am reporting what I believe is a safety‑related defect involving the automatic transmission in my 2022 Land Rover Discovery Sport, VIN [XXX]. Approximately five months after the factory warranty expired, at around 44,000 miles, the transmission began slipping unexpectedly, and the vehicle would not accelerate above roughly 25–35 mph. This occurred while driving, creating an unsafe condition... Read more

Incident date: Jul 27, 2026

The engine assembly completely seized and the vehicle is currently stored at an independent repair shop . While traveling at high speed on Interstate 4 on July 24, 2026, the vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic loss of power and stalled in live traffic, creating an immediate threat of a high speed rear end collision. An independent service center officially confirmed the engine seizure after a ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 24, 2026

The 6.2L L87 V8 engine in my 2020 Chevrolet Tahoe Premier RST suffered a catastrophic internal component failure while operating. The engine experienced a sudden, severe internal mechanical breakdown involving the crankshaft or connecting rod bearings, completely disabling the powertrain.This failure causes an immediate and dangerous loss of vehicle propulsion, creating a severe safety hazard on p... Read more

Incident date: Aug 4, 2026

I read the recent article about the recalls for the ford fusion, focus and eco sport. The exact same issue happened to my 2018 escape with about 85000 miles. The oil light and engine light came on and the car lost power. It would only go about 30 miles an hour. This occurred when my son was traveling home from college from [XXX] to [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 22, 2026

My 2019 Mazda CX-5 with the 2.5L naturally aspirated SkyActiv-G engine with cylinder deactivation has developed a significant engine oil leak at the front of the engine, accompanied by a strong burning oil odor detectable both outside and inside the cabin. Mileage is approximately 50,000, averaging about 7,000 miles per year with all maintenance performed on schedule. The burning odor indicates e... Read more

Incident date: Jun 13, 2023

When the idle system kicks in, for example, if the vehicle has stopped at a red light, randomly the vehicle will die. Then it will have to be restarted. It has a faulty starter and there’s an issue with the idle system when the vehicle dies at a red light, it creates a safety issue because they are vehicle vehicles coming up behind me and my vehicle is dead and will not move until I turned the v... Read more

Incident date: Apr 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power with the accelerator pedal depressed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufactu... Read more

Incident date: May 15, 2026

There should be a recall on the sunvisors. Because it is a safety issue, because when the Sun is in your face and you can't see driving it can very well cause an accident or getting a ticket for not being able to see your speed that you're going, because you're so far up trying to get the Sun out of your face. You can't see any of the controls or your dashboard.. That is a safety hazard. My driver... Read more

Incident date: Jul 12, 2019

The contact owns a 2023 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle unexpectedly decelerated and failed to properly accelerate. The service transmission and service fuel management system messages were displayed, and the check engine warning light was flashing with several other unknown warnings illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and while ... Read more

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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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