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: Jul 19, 2026
My girlfriend was driving on interstate 95 to pick me up from the metro. The engine suddenly cut off in a manner that appears to have melted the wiring harness of the vehicle, risking fire. She was able to safely get to the side of the road and call a tow. After taking it to a local repair shop, they diagnosed the issue as related to the KSDS recall. We had it towed to the dealership that has also... Read more
Incident date: Jun 10, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle jerked abnormally. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the transmission needed additional diagnostic tests by the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mil... Read more
CHEVROLET
TRAILBLAZER
(2022) - ENGINE
Jul 20, 2026
Incident date: Jul 20, 2026
Car was started on afternoon of XXX and the Low Coolant alert sound and dashboard light came on. Opened hood and car was completely out of coolant. Took to Royal Automotive, Vestavia Hills, AL on Wednesday XXX to be fixed. Dealer assessment was “PERFORMED COOLING SYSTEM LEAK TEST. THE VEHICLE PASSED TEST. CHECK FOR VISUAL LEAKS. FOUND NO LEAKS, BUT FOUND SEEPAGE AT THE HEAD GASKET. VOLKSW... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2026
My 2016 Q50 was driving strangely, but no indicator light came on the dashboard. I took the vehicle to the dealer where I purchased it and was told that the engine is dying. No other information was given to me. I called the service advisor asking what in particular was wrong with my car, but he said he wasn't sure. I took issue with the fact that my engine died, and no warning lights what-so... Read more
Incident date: May 4, 2026
The vehicle suddenly lost motive power due to an engine/throttle control failure consistent with defects described in NHTSA Campaigns 26V081 and R25A8/R25A9/R25B1. It entered limp mode and became unable to accelerate. The vehicle is available for inspection. This created a safety risk because the vehicle was stranded in extreme heat for several hours with no access to water or shelter. I became o... Read more
Incident date: Jun 22, 2026
Engine seized while driving on the highway. This is the same engine that is being recalled and GM has said that the vin is not covered. The vehicle stopped running on a major highway with my [XXX] old son in the car. The dealership is saying this is the exact issue that is part of the larger investigation for GM v8 engines. There were no warning lights at all prior to the engine seizing. INF... Read more
Incident date: Jul 17, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving on a toll road, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from the engine and vehicle started losing automotive power and the vehicle decelerated unintendedly. The vehicle was later towed to a local dealer who inspected the engine and discovered metal shavings inside the engine oil. The cause of the engine failure was not ye... Read more
Incident date: Jul 16, 2026
After purchasing the Jeep Cherokee Laredo 2017 in 2024, The jeep immediately in November/2024 started giving problems with the engine, I did report these issues to Belise Kia in West Springfield, Ma, after I dropped of the Jeep in July/2025, I was told that the jeep needed a new engine. In January/2026 I got the jeep back, but the issues remain. I`ve tried to do the inspection and the Jeep faile... Read more
Incident date: Jul 18, 2026
At 55,310 miles the car stalled without warning while driving at low speed. The car was towed to a Lexus dealership and it was reported by the dealer after inspection that the engine had seized. The vehicle is available for inspection. The motor failed while driving the vehicle. The V35A-FTS engine has numerous reports of main bearing failure and is subject to a recall for other models that ha... Read more
Incident date: Jul 20, 2026
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the engine. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who examined the engine and discovered metal shavings inside the oil pan and there was engine rod bearing damage. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repair... Read more
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2021) - ENGINE
Jul 20, 2026
Incident date: Feb 20, 2026
Component: Engine (2.0L EcoBoost) — coolant intrusion into cylinders What failed: The engine in my 2019 Lincoln MKC (2.0L EcoBoost, approximately 83,000 miles) failed due to internal coolant intrusion into the cylinders. This is a known defect in this engine, documented by the manufacturer in TSB 22-2229 (superseding TSB 19-2346), which acknowledges coolant leaking into the cylinders on 2.0L Ec... Read more
Incident date: Jun 17, 2026
I have been experiencing random engine shutdowns since April 6, 2026. I’ve taken it to be serviced for this on four occasions since this time and it has not been appropriately fixed. There is a warning light that flashed before it happens that says “your car is about to shutdown, please pull over” but it does not allow ample time to pull over safely before randomly shutting down. The dealers... Read more
Incident date: Jul 20, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed on several occasions, the vehicle lost automotive power with the check engine warning light continuously illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local Auto Zone and a diagnostic machine retrieved DTC: P0191. The vehicle was then taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact wa... Read more
Incident date: Jul 20, 2026
We were driving on [XXX] coming from [XXX] going to [XXX] pulling a trailer within weight limits when the engine went out. We had it towed and looked at a dealership in [XXX]. They said it would.need engine replacement. We had it shipped to michigan spartan Toyota in Lansing who quoted us 30k for the replacement. It is out od the warranty replacement. Toyota corporate said they wont do anythi... Read more
SUBARU
TRAILSEEKER
(2026) - ENGINE
Jul 20, 2026
Incident date: Jul 20, 2026
When going 55 mph car started leaching back and forth aggressively followed by loss of engine power. Car decelerated to a max of 20 mph and would not accelerate past that. This caused the potential of getting rear ended in traffic. When I took it to the mechanic, they told me that my first cylinder was misfiring and that my fuel injector was the issue. A warning light only came on after the car de... Read more
Incident date: Jul 15, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while idling at a red light and then attempting to accelerate, the vehicle failed to respond, and the vehicle shut unexpectedly. The contact was assisted with pushing the vehicle to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic, who diagnosed it with connecting rod bearing failure. The mechanic informed the contact ... Read more
FORD
ESCAPE PHEV
(2023) - ENGINE
Jul 20, 2026
Incident date: Nov 15, 2024
2024 Chrysler Pacifica completely shutdown during a left turn. Engine died all electrical stopped functioning. Had to restart the vehicle to move the vehicle. This condition happened twice last week, but has not happened since. Fortunately it was a low speed situation rather than at highway speeds. Highway speed could have been a very serious situation with the potential of being rear-ended f... Read more
Incident date: Jul 18, 2026
The vehicles trouble screen on the dash summoned us to engine problems. Do not drive over 40 and notify your dealer immediately. We did so, Honda America sent a tow truck picked up the vehicle and sent it to the dealer. The next day the dealer contacted us and said they found excessive carbon on all the engine valves and all 6 cylinders were miss firing. The dealer gave us a loaner, after several ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 20, 2026
My Ford Escape recently had the check engine light on. I took it to a Ford service center, and they confirmed it was coolant intrusion that damaged the engine and requires a replacement. It was confirmed with multiple people at Ford that this is a known issue, but no recalls have been made. I use this car to drive my 2 year old son to and from daycare, and my family's safety has been put at risk b... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2025
While driving through a tunnel in Boston, MA, the vehicle shut off completely without warning and could not be restarted. The dashboard displayed multiple warning lights and the engine would not crank (clicking sound only). I was stranded inside an active tunnel in live traffic, requiring a Massachusetts State Police response and a tow. The dealer diagnosed a shorted starter, and during the same r... Read more
Incident date: Jul 15, 2026
I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding the service I received, and the dealership’s failure to address what I believe is a serious safety issue following recall repairs performed on my vehicle. On XXX, I brought my vehicle for a routine oil change and to complete three mandatory recall campaigns, including an ECM software update related to a misfire recall. Prior to this service, my v... Read more
Incident date: Jul 19, 2026
Apparently, they don't have a mesh screen protecting the radiator. They said a rock hit it but while driving I did not hear a rock hit it. They said the rock punctured the radiator causing it to leak radiator fluid and making vehicle undrivable. The vehicle left me stranded in the road. They took pictures of it but at a birthday party this weekend I have learned of several people having this sam... Read more
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2020) - ENGINE
Jul 20, 2026
Incident date: Jul 20, 2026
I am reporting a serious engine failure involving a 2017 Ford Escape SE AWD 2.0L EcoBoost, VIN [XXX]. The vehicle was purchased in October 2024 as a Ford Blue Advantage Certified vehicle from Lithia Ford of Boise with approximately 32,000 miles. The vehicle currently has approximately 45,000 miles. In June 2026, the vehicle developed a check engine warning light while being driven in [XXX]. Prior... Read more
Incident date: Jul 12, 2026
4 times now when the vehicle, 2 times while the vehicle is moving forward and 2 times while the vehicle was moving in reverse the engine has completely shut off and the car stopped moving. The dash said the engine was off and the vehicle needed to be shifted to park and the engine turned back on. During this time the vehicle also lost power steering and brakes. I’ve taken it to the dealership mu... Read more
Incident date: Jul 19, 2026
I am currently burning through 2.5 quarts of oil approximately every 800 miles.
Incident date: Jan 20, 2026
Spontaneous fire under hood. Nothing was malfunctuoing, no warning lights. All fluids were good, no temp issues. Parked to to run inside to use rr, was paged and came out car is on fire
Fire
Incident date: Jul 13, 2026
The contact owns a 2013 Honda Odyssey. While the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started driving abnormally rough. Additionally, several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with oil-fouled spark plugs. The contact was informed that the piston rings needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired under ... Read more
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2022) - ENGINE
Jul 20, 2026
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the economy feature disengaged while driving. While the lane assist was activated, the vehicle drifted over into another lane. The engine was revving and backfired. The vehicle lost motive power while driving at undisclosed speeds. The driver's side windshield had a glaze or wax on the outside. While idling, the vehicle surged forward. T... Read more
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2025) - ENGINE
Jul 20, 2026
Incident date: Jul 16, 2026
I am reporting a serious safety defect and unreasonable delay in addressing it under safety recall N252494000 (L87 Engine – Loss of Propulsion). My GMC Yukon has an illuminated check engine light and is now also overheating. According to GM’s own customer service r, this can lead to knocking, unusual engine noises, hesitation, high RPMs, abnormal shifting, reduced propulsion, and sudden loss o... Read more
Incident date: May 23, 2026
The contact's daughter owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that one quart of engine oil or more needed to be added after an oil change had been performed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact associated the failure with... Read more
Incident date: Sep 12, 2025
My Acadia went into limp Mode displaying low power mode on the screen and wouldn’t start for a couple days after. Lights started illuminating on the dash as abs, traction control, and stanilitrack, then check engine light came on and my gmc app displayed code p2138. I have had since low power and extremely high gas consumption.
Incident date: Jun 17, 2026
While driving the engine seized In April 2026 on the interstate. The vehicle started to decelerate while cars where flying on the interstate. The problem has not been fixed. The issue has been inspected by the manufacturer. There were no warnings or sighs before the care seized.
Incident date: Jul 18, 2026
auto idle stop/start system malfunctions intermittently. The car will shut off at a red light/stop sign then will not automatically restart. Will require shifting to park and restarting the car at the intersection.
Incident date: Jul 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds from 2 - 30 MPH, the vehicle hesitated and bucked while accelerating and switching between 4- and 8-cylinders operation. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who installed a part used to override the engine cylinder mode, and the engine only operated using 8 cylinders. No further information was availabl... Read more
Incident date: Jul 18, 2026
2011 Dodge Challenger RT (5.7L Hemi, <75,000 miles).In 2016, Safety Campaign P01 (Timing Chain and Guide) was performed on my vehicle. On May 28th, while traveling at 70 mph on the highway, the timing chain snapped entirely, leaving me stranded and causing catastrophic internal engine damage.
Incident date: Jul 19, 2026
completely shuts off during an idle stop at a traffic light
GRACO
SNUGRIDE SNUGFIT
(9999) - ENGINE
Jul 20, 2026
Incident date: Jul 18, 2026
2 RECALLS ISSUES: Since I bought that Toyota Tundra from 2023 to now, I was reporting several times issues with knocking engine and losing of engine power (rough running), but service department said nothing happens with. Then, now I have a recall, waiting to get a new engine, that I saw it over the dealer Toyota computer, as the adviser told me "I am in waiting line", but time is running, and no ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 22, 2026
While driving, my vehicle experienced a sudden engine malfunction consistent with a failed head gasket. The engine began misfiring, shaking, and losing power, and the check engine light began flashing. The vehicle became unsafe to operate. The failed component is the engine head gasket, and the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The sudden loss of engine performance created a seriou... Read more
Incident date: Jul 17, 2026
On July 19, 2026, I was driving my 2022 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid on E-470 at approximately 75 mph. Without warning, the dashboard displayed "Stop Safely. Vehicle Will Shut Off Soon," and the amber check engine light illuminated. At the same time, the vehicle immediately lost all motor power, began slowing, and did not respond to accelerator input. There were six occupants in the vehicle, including... Read more
Incident date: Jul 13, 2026
Car runs fine at lower speeds. When traveling over 50 mph for ten minutes or more, then decelerating or stopping in traffic or at a stop light it stalls. It cranks right back up after you put it neutral and turn the key. We’ve almost been rear ended twice since this started. The car has only been driven about 3000 miles a year over the past 7 years and only about 45 mph. It has been to two shop... Read more
TOYOTA
CAMRY SOLARA
(2006) - ENGINE
Jul 19, 2026
Incident date: May 15, 2026
My 2021 Kia Seltos 1.6L Turbo GDI is experiencing a severe safety hazard involving catastrophic internal engine failure. The vehicle aggressively consumes its oil supply, running critically low within 1 to 2 weeks. On July 6, 2026, a certified Kia dealership pressure-tested the engine and formally documented "NO EXTERNAL LEAKS," while confirming the spark plugs are entirely "OIL COATED" due to sev... Read more
Incident date: Jul 16, 2026
the engine revs high and transmission wont shift and when you turn the steering wheel ya get a loud click and the steering wheels jumps
Incident date: Jun 26, 2026
I was driving my 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe on a public road when the vehicle experienced a sudden loss of propulsion. Before driving, the check engine light was illuminated, and the air conditioner was blowing hot air instead of cold. Shortly after pulling onto the roadway and while approaching a stoplight, the vehicle lost power while it was still in motion and became inoperable, requiring it to be ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 19, 2026
I recently took my 2016 Kia Sorento L to the Kia dealership for the Emissions update recall. The next day when I started it up and put it in drive, it started jerking hard when I was trying to speed up (going from first to second gear). I had to stop and then slowly push the gas so it wouldn't jerk so hard, then it finally switched gears and was smooth. Ever since it's happening only at the first ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 12, 2026
My minivan has had repeated electrical and safety-related failures since shortly after it was leased. The vehicle has died or failed to start five times, including multiple tow events. The first battery failure happened shortly after delivery, but we thought a light may have been left on and did not know to bring it in. The problem continued. The dealer has replaced the battery, recharged the batt... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2023
When driving the vehicle will lose acceleration and not allow me to accelerate. It feels like it wants to shut off. The check engine light will come on when this happens. I turn the car off and turn it back on and it goes back to baseline and lets me drive as normal. This has happened while accelerating to get on the highway from an on-ramp, at around 45-60 miles an hour and also at city speeds sl... Read more
Incident date: Jun 6, 2026
My engine failed while driving which put me and others at risk. It was confirmed by the Kia dealership as rod bearing failure. Which is a known recall on the Kia 2.4L Theta II engine. My specific VIN number is not listed on the Kia recall list. And Kia is stating that it does not qualify for a warranty replacement. Although it is the same engine with the known defect.
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2021) - ENGINE
Jul 19, 2026
Incident date: Jul 9, 2026
Automatic transmission shifts hard at approximately 30 mph causing a sudden lurch.It has happened several times. It is such a sudden movement that it feels unsafe as if someone has hit my car from behind. I took my car to the dealer of purchase for the first time for this issue on 7/18/26. This has happened at least 4x and there were no warnings prior to it happening. Also, when I hit a small spe... Read more
HONDA
CR-V HYBRID
(2022) - ENGINE
Jul 19, 2026
Incident date: Jul 18, 2026
JUST BOUGHT THE CAR AND THE CAR IS RECEIVING ERROR: "SHIFT TO PARK". THIS APPEAR TO BE A KNOW ISSUE FOR 2018 CHEVY MALIBU HYBRID. CAR CUT OFF IN MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC