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.
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
Showing 169,480 complaints - component: ENGINE
Incident date: Jun 15, 2026
On 7/16/2026 exactly 1 week after i purchase the vehicle after fueling i drove about 1 mile when the car started to misfire, when attempting to accelerate. Check engine light flashes a few times and then went off. I then attempted to reverse into my driveway and when attempting to do so the vehicle shut off completely. But started right back up. I then called the dealership and was asked to bring ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 8, 2026
This vehicle is subject to a known Theta II connecting rod bearing defect (Recall 162 / KSDS) and a related class action settlement. On October 2, 2025, the vehicle stalled while entering the highway. It was taken to Ken Garff Hyundai Surprise, and the following day, October 3, 2025, it entered engine protection mode (limp mode) during the dealership's own test drive, the exact behavior the Knock ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 10, 2024
I own a 2005 Dodge Sprinter with open emissions recall T21. I have contacted three authorized Dodge/Chrysler dealerships to have recall T21 completed. All three dealerships refused to perform the recall because they stated they do not have the required equipment to complete the ECU reprogramming. As a result, I am unable to have the open recall completed despite multiple attempts. The manufacturer... Read more
Incident date: Nov 10, 2025
On XXX, I was driving northbound on US-101 from [XXX] to [XXX] to pick up a family member for an appointment. The vehicle had been operating normally at freeway speed. As traffic slowed for a construction zone near Summerland, I intentionally reduced speed to approximately 20 mph. At that point, I heard a sudden abnormal rotational mechanical noise from the engine compartment, best described as a ... Read more
Incident date: May 26, 2026
Catalytic converter and it was confirmed by independent service center my car only has 88k miles There is a catalytic converter recall on year 2020 but Ford refuses to do a recall for the year 2021 and I have another car that have the same catalytic converter problem with only 84k miles and it’s also 2021 and Ford refuses to do any work on that one two I can provide the vin for the other one if... Read more
Incident date: Jul 29, 2026
I am writing to formally report a serious and recurring safety defect with my 2025 Acura MDX A-Spec (VIN [XXX]) involving the Auto Idle Stop system. The engine repeatedly fails to restart after the Auto Idle Stop feature shuts it off. When my wife releases the brake pedal (for example, at a traffic light), the vehicle either stalls completely or experiences a major delay before restarting sometim... Read more
DODGE
SPRINTER 2500
(2005) - ENGINE
Jul 31, 2026
Incident date: Jul 31, 2026
Car purchased July 4, 2024. Idle stop/start was working but after several months, it became defective. After driving for some time, idle stop/start wouldn't work properly and cut the engine off when idling. I would have to turn the car, open my door, and try to restart the car. It also occurs after parking, turning off the car and less than 10-15min attempt to restart. Most of the time, it'll star... Read more
Incident date: Jul 27, 2026
Component Involved:Engine Mechanical / Variable-Displacement Engine Oil Pump (Part #11418635032 / Updated #11419895359) Description of Safety Hazard / Defect:The early-generation B58TU engine features a variable-displacement oil pump equipped with an internal thermoplastic (plastic) adjusting ring. Due to continuous thermal cycling and mechanical stress, this plastic ring is prone to cracking and ... Read more
MITSUBISHI
OUTLANDER
(2024) - ENGINE
Jul 31, 2026
Incident date: Jun 1, 2025
2017 Kia Sorento 2.4L GDI engine seized due to connecting rod bearing failure confirmed by P1326 diagnostic code multiple times. Vehicle entered limp mode limiting RPMs to 1800-2000 exactly as described in PI1802 campaign. Engine subsequently fully seized. Battery tested 98% healthy ruling out electrical cause. Vehicle towed to [XXX] Kia Avon Indiana. Kia Techline and Consumer Affairs denied PI180... Read more
Incident date: May 4, 2026
General Motors issued a Special Policy N202299080 covering 2014 Buick Encores. My 2018 Encore had the same issues and symptoms as this Policy. My concern is because of this known problem the crankcase can be pressurized causing oil leaks which could cause a fire. General Motors issued a Service Information Bulletin 19-NA-114 in May 2019 about involving 2013 to 2019 Buick Encores. This is a known i... Read more
Incident date: Jul 29, 2026
My 2017 Audi Q7 with the 3.0T engine has experienced repeated engine/ignition system failures. The vehicle displays a "System Malfunction" warning light accompanied by shaking and stalling. This same malfunction has occurred at least 3 separate times over the past few years. Each time, a repair shop diagnosed and replaced faulty ignition coils, and the vehicle ran normally for a period of time bef... Read more
Incident date: Jun 12, 2026
2023 Cadillac Escalade, 6.2L V8 (RPO L87). Subject of Recall 25V-274 and NHTSA investigation RQ26-001. Over the past year, this vehicle has been out of the shop only about 90 days total. The rest of the year it has been in dealer service at GM/Cadillac dealerships for a recurring, undiagnosed loss-of-power defect. It is currently in dealer service. FAILURE: The vehicle has suddenly lost all moti... Read more
Incident date: Jul 6, 2026
Problem was Oil Filter housing made of plastic. It was cracked and no warning light that oil had leaked out. Car SUDDENLY DECELERATED as I was merging into traffic on freeway causing vehicles coming up behind to brake rapidly including a semi truck which had been 200 yards back. I rolled onto shoulder with warning lights activated. Pure luck it was not a major accident. Had it fixed at local ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 31, 2026
My 2022 Audi Q7 experienced an internal water pump seal failure that allowed engine coolant to migrate into the vehicle’s vacuum system, contaminating the vacuum reservoir, valve, and connected lines. This is a known failure pattern affecting Audi/Volkswagen vehicles equipped with the 2.9T/3.0T EA839 engine family, where the water pump’s internal design allows coolant to be drawn into the vacu... Read more
Incident date: Jul 21, 2026
The van is experiencing the auto stop-start defect causing major safety issues for my family. The car stalls randomly at stop signs and stoplights and is unable to be restarted quickly, creating a major traffic and safety hazard. The car often will not turn on at start up. The dealer stated that it needed a new starter. Then said that Honda would not replace the starter until a tech looked a... Read more
Incident date: Jul 31, 2026
On or about XXX I brought my vehicle into the dealership as my 2020 Hyundai palisade suffered a severe, sudden engine malfunction while driving at highway speeds. The vehicle began shaking violently, losing power, and making loud mechanical noises forcing me to navigate dangerous highway traffic to get it to the dealership. Prior to the failure, in XXX, the vehicle was brought into an authorized d... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2025
A/C Started blowing warm air when car was idling, then car randomly overheated while sitting in traffic. Once car cooled down, check to coolant levels and they were fine. After the car sat overnight A/C worked fine and temperature gauge was at normal. Started the car with A/C on and popped the hood, the radiator fan was not on nor did it come on. Now anytime the car idles for more than 1 or 2 minu... Read more
Incident date: Jun 4, 2026
GM performed a vehicle wide Over the Air reprogramming of the modules incorporated in the VIP/Global B electronics platform in April, 2026. Following that my vehicle became totally dead. Key fob would not unlock the vehicle. Had to use the metal key, open the drivers door. Opened the door, nothing moved. No lights, no movement from anything on the vehicle. Opened the hood, charged the battery ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 26, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was smoke coming from the engine compartment and the vehicle stalled. The check engine and battery warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the diagnostic result was unknown. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the... Read more
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
Driving vehicle at slow speed crossing an intersection and engine completely shut down. The engine has completely seized and needs replaced due to a known recall. I have only owned the vehicle for 7 months. Hyundai is refusing to pay for engine replacement claiming a previous recall prior to me owning the vehicle should have been completed. I only drove the vehicle 1,000 miles in that time at noth... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2026
This is what I wrote to Stellantis. Dear Stellantis Customer Care, My vehicle has now stalled five separate times while I was making a left turn through an intersection. When this happens, the engine shuts off unexpectedly, the vehicle shifts into park and I must attempt to restart it while sitting in the roadway. During the most recent incident, the vehicle would not restart on the first a... Read more
Incident date: Jul 15, 2026
ENGINE FAILURE, 5/3/22, 23,987 MILES, ALL LIFTERS WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, ENGINE FAILURE, 7/6/26, 46004 MILES, TOOK TRUCK IN FOR OIL CHANGE AND WHEN RETURNED HAD A TICKING NOISE. DEALERSHIP NOTIFIED ME THAT CAMSHAFT ISSUES AND METAL DETECTED IN OIL. ENGINE NEEDS REPLACED. 6.2 V8 2018. TURPIN MOTORS, GENESEO, IL HAS DONE ALL SERIVCE ON TRUCK. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR CODES. VEHICLE IS IN MY GARAG... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, the engine started knocking, and smoke emitted from under the hood. The contact decelerated to approximately 15 MPH and drove to her nearby residence. Upon inspection, the contact observed green fluid under the hood. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 27, 2026
vehicle was put into gear and lost propulsion . Then all adas warning lights illuminated. This is the second time this has happened
Incident date: Jan 3, 2026
Transmission/ motor mount went out at 80k, the issue was going on before hand where my car would shake violently. I had been complaining about it for months they kept telling me it was normal, come to find out my transmission mount is going bad. Now they want to charge me 2k to replace it, after the engine was replaced.
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2018) - ENGINE
Jul 31, 2026
Incident date: Jul 6, 2026
My chevy tahoe vibrates when i drive and the dealership can not find the reason why it does that.
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
I am submitting this complaint regarding my **2025 Acura MDX**, which I currently lease. The vehicle has an ongoing starting system malfunction that has not been resolved despite multiple service visits. I believe this issue presents a significant safety risk. The primary issue involves the **Auto Idle Stop/Auto Start-Stop system**. When the vehicle automatically shuts off at a red light, stop si... Read more
Incident date: Jul 31, 2026
On XXX, my 2018 Ford EcoSport experienced a sudden loss of engine oil pressure and loss of power while driving on [XXX], consistent with the failure mode described in Ford Safety Recall 23S64 / NHTSA Recall 23V905 (engine oil pump drive belt tensioner arm fracture and/or oil pump drive belt degradation). The vehicle lost motive power on a public highway and had to be towed to Olathe Ford Lincoln, ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 30, 2026
Several times, The Odyssey won’t restart after the Auto Idle Stop kicks in at a stoplight.
Incident date: Apr 30, 2026
All of a sudden the car just died while driving it on the road at speed. There was no warning or indication of an issue. It just shook and then died. It would not restart. This is an egregious safety issue and should not happen on a vehicle with only this many miles. We could have been killed if we were on a highway. A quick google search shows this is a KNOWN issue. The mechanic said this is a kn... Read more
Incident date: Jul 23, 2026
I was driving the vehicle and suddenly there was a loss of power and a ticking noise. I was up to date with my oil changes per dealer recommendations. Had the vehicle towed to to Chevy dealer and they said they weren’t able to find what the problem is without further diagnosing. Further diagnosing was estimated to be about $2500. I had it towed to an independent shop, Viking Motorsports, to whic... Read more
Incident date: Jul 31, 2026
The contact rented a 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander from Drivo Car Rental. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound. The contact stated that there was a vibrating sound coming from the hood. The front windshield was fractured on the passenger's side, and the instrument cluster failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the safety features w... Read more
FORD
ESCAPE HYBRID
(2009) - ENGINE
Jul 31, 2026
Incident date: Jul 15, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the check engine warning light started blinking and the vehicle started shaking violently. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and turned off. The vehicle was then towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed with a stuck lifter. The contact was informed that the lifters needed to be replaced... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
Engine temp rises way above mid-level and will stay there for several minutes before cooling back down to normal temps. 2 different mechanic shops have told me it's the coolant control valve, but want $2500 to fix it. This service bulletin is for the same year, make, model, and motor as my truck, but the dealership said it wasn't covered.
Incident date: Jul 27, 2026
Engine idle start/stop feature shut off the engine while I was waiting to turn at a busy intersection. When I took my foot off the brake, the engine did not restart and all the lights in the dashboard came on. Multiple attempts to get the engine to re-start failed. Police had to block traffic while we waited for a tow truck. After about 15 minutes the system finally allowed the engine ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 31, 2026
Starting problem. The vehicle sometimes (randomly) refuses to start after shutting off. For example, after filling gas, or turning off (idle off) at a stop light. It just refuses to start. Terrifying. Researched on the Internet and found thousands of complaints about this going back years. This needs a recall.
Incident date: Mar 23, 2023
Engine died while driving at higher speed on interstate. Barely able to pull to emergency lane before truck stopped. No warning of any issues with it. Had towed to dealership. Dealership confirmed 6.2 engine was faulty. Engine replaced under warranty. Truck only had 1207 miles on it when engine died.
Incident date: Jul 30, 2026
I HAVE A KNOWN ISSUE OF COOLANT INTRUSION IN CYLINDER 2 FORD HAS A TSB 19-2346 AND ARE AWARE OF THE ISSUE I AM ALSO AWARE OF MILLER VS FORD WICH WAS SETTLED JUNE 22, 2026 DUE TO THE SAME ISSUE I AM LOOKING FOR A GOODWILL ENGINE REPLACEMENT FROM FORD.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2014
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Suburban used to tow a 30-foot trailer. The contact stated that while towing the trailer and driving 60 MPH up an incline with no shoulder, the vehicle shut off in a remote area. The contact was able to move the vehicle off the roadway. There were no warning lights illuminated. The brakes and power steering features became inoperable. The vehicle shifted to neutra... Read more
Incident date: Jul 30, 2026
With a 103,000 on the dash, engine experienced signs on slowing, check engine, abs, adaptive cruise, and steering faults amongst others . No lights prior to the bearing failing. The engine experienced rod bearing failure and left use stranded on the side of the highway. All maintenance was performed at dealership, towed back to dealership where upon inspection rod bearing completely fell apart... Read more
POLESTAR
POLESTAR 4
(2026) - ENGINE
Jul 31, 2026
Incident date: Jul 30, 2026
I live in [XXX], where summer temperatures are extremely high. This week, afternoon temperatures have been reaching nearly 100°F (38°C). My vehicle is a mild-hybrid Volvo XC40, and there is no option to permanently disable the automatic start-stop function (or at least every time I start the car). This week, while driving home from work at around 4:00 PM, I stopped at a traffic light and the eng... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLE 350 4MATIC
(2022) - ENGINE
Jul 31, 2026
Incident date: Jul 28, 2026
I am reporting a severe, unresolved safety hazard involving my 2023 Lexus IS350]. The vehicle is continuously flashing 'Braking System Malfunction,' 'Crash Light,' and 'Engine Light' alerts on the dashboard. This is the second major acceleration and braking system failure since purchasing the vehicle brand new.The authorized dealership, Meade Lexus, has repeatedly failed to properly diagnose or re... Read more
Incident date: Jul 26, 2026
Transaxle pump failure for my vehicle. Recall S44 does not include my specific vin so I am not able to get assistance through Dodge
Incident date: May 21, 2026
P1010 and P2B86 engine code, constant cooling fan on engine. Confirmed by dealership, quoted for coolant control valve. VIN not included in special coverage N252508341 for this known issue. Limited engine power alert, unable to maintain speed on highway. Dangerous condition traveling under speed limit.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2025
When turning vehicle will intermittently lose power for 1 to 2 seconds, and then it suddenly returns.
Incident date: Jul 29, 2026
COMPONENT/SYSTEM: Air Conditioning (HVAC) / Climate Control System and closed-loop refrigerant lines. The vehicle and all climate control components are available for immediate inspection. SAFETY RISK: Total loss of cooling in peak summer heat (90°F-95°F+) causes cabin temperatures to rapidly exceed 110°F. This sudden heat trapped in the vehicle caused me (the driver) acute heat exhaustion, cu... Read more
Incident date: Mar 27, 2026
My car started experiencing a loss of power and began to shake a lot when I was parked. When they put the scanner on it, it said that cylinders number 2 and 3 had faults, so they replaced them.But after a few days the same message returned, so they think it's the injectors. In addition to all that, the problem started after the fuel pump was replaced at the Honda dealership in Lancaster, MA.
Incident date: May 1, 2026
I purchased the vehicle about 4 months ago and I've only driven it maybe 1 month out of 4 due to being in the shop for multiple egr and throttle issues. I am currently sitting with it broke down once again for the same issues for the 3rd time. The engine loses power out of no where while driven and gives a warning that says engine malfunction power reduced and all safety features are then shut dow... Read more
Incident date: Jul 30, 2026
I own a 2019 Mazda CX-5 AWD equipped with the 2.5L naturally aspirated SKYACTIV-G engine with cylinder deactivation. At approximately 70,491 miles, the vehicle began leaking and burning engine oil, accompanied by a strong burning-oil odor and visible white smoke from the engine bay. This began on or around 7/15/2026 I took the vehicle to an authorized Mazda dealer, which confirmed that the cylind... Read more
TOYOTA
CAMRY HYBRID
(2026) - ENGINE
Jul 30, 2026
Incident date: Jul 25, 2026
Confirmed Coolant intrusion into the cylinder. Low coolant level, white exhaust smoke, runs rough, code P0303