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: Aug 13, 2026
Engine failed to restart after AutoStop function engaged at a red light. We were stranded and had to manually restart the car, which took long enough to figure out that we were stranded in traffic for a bit.
Incident date: Dec 13, 2024
Complete engine failure on 2023 Chevrolet Suburban 6.2L. On October 31, 2024 while on the interstate. The truck shut off twice with no warning. I was able to make it to the side of the interstate twice to restart. The truck was taken to Serpentini Chevrolet and they stated no issues were found and send the vehicle back on the road. On December 13,2024 while on a state route, speed limit 55, 12,231... Read more
Incident date: Sep 3, 2026
"Vehicle experienced a sudden flashing check engine light pulled over checked oil restarted car flashing check engine light went away then started flashing again a few miles down the road (Cylinder 3 misfire) accompanied by severe engine knocking. The engine locked up/seized while hot. car was stuck on the road and was unable to shift to neutral. After cooling down, the engine restarted but produc... Read more
DODGE
GRAND CARAVAN
(2019) - ENGINE
Sep 5, 2026
Incident date: Jul 5, 2025
I just started having this issue 3 days ago. When I put the car in reverse it does not directly go into drive. I have to go back to park to get the car back in drive. I put a brand new transmission in this car in 2024 and since I can only drive 45 miles per hour. When the drive or reverse does not light up in green, the camera in the back does not operate or show up at all.
Incident date: Jul 16, 2026
On 7/16/26 vehicle would not start; high-pitched noise heard near engine during no-start diagnosis. Towed to Goldy Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Huntington WV. Per dealer invoice #27136: blown 500-amp main battery fuse found; after jumping past fuse, white smoke from exhaust and no coolant in system, diagnosed as blown head gasket. Repair: both-side head gasket replacement plus fuse assembly. Vehicle i... Read more
Incident date: Sep 4, 2026
Our Yukon was taken in for the recall. Dealer did the test and said it passed and used different oil. My wife and kids were driving to [XXX] from [XXX] yesterday. As they exited the highway, the car began acting weird. Then the car completely died. It was towed due to error code P0016. Dealer said they are going to put a new engine in. I saw online that cars with replacement engines were failing t... Read more
Incident date: Sep 6, 2025
I have a loss of fuel pressure and flow from the fuel tank due to fuel pump failure. Sometimes my engine stalls while driving, and when I go to fill my tank with gas, the engine will not start. I have to engage it for about 15 minutes before it will start. My check engine light comes on, and I will get the low fuel indicator light. But more importantly I cannot pass inspection. I need my car, I ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 4, 2026
The car is having issues with the idle stop. It started taking longer to restart after a stop and now it turns completely off. It happened today in a traffic light in a big intersection.
Incident date: Sep 4, 2026
Engine failed unexpectedly and without warning. After doing research there is a widespread problem with the 2016 diesel engine.
Incident date: Sep 4, 2026
Engine seized multiple times. Completely broken now. Online it says many people have these problems.
Incident date: Nov 14, 2025
Engine bearing rod failure. Even though all engine required service was completed on time and at the official Honda service, engine bearing rod failed requiring costly whole engine replacement.
Incident date: Aug 14, 2026
Intermittent delayed/loss of acceleration when accelerator is depressed, along with abnormal switching between electric and gasoline propulsion. Symptoms began after recall 68C was performed. I was on all electric at the time going 40 mph when compressing the accelerated did not work and the car seemed to slow for a few seconds before it engaged. I have roughly 15,500 miles on the Jeep and got th... Read more
Incident date: Jun 28, 2026
1.Description of the Incident: On 6/28/26, while driving my 2023 GMC Yukon Denali at approximately 70 miles per hour with cruise control engaged, I attempted to take an exit. As I approached the exit, the vehicle’s display indicated that it was not in gear, despite being in motion. This malfunction occurred in heavy traffic, and I narrowly avoided a collision with a semi-truck as I maneuvered to... Read more
Incident date: Sep 5, 2026
I have a faulty coolant bypass valve on my 2021 Toyota RAV4. Every time I turn on the air conditioning the service engine required comes up on my notifications a known recall problem for Toyota RAV4’s of this year
Incident date: Aug 20, 2026
The car starts it self and then shuts off all by it self. It has done this twice that we know of. Its impossible to do this even if your keys are in your pocket as you have to hit 3 different buttons to do this. I am not the only one having this issue as there are people complaining on FB that their car does the same thing.
Incident date: Aug 21, 2026
My 2018 Ford Explorer XLT 3.5L that we bought brand new from Bob Bell Ford/Glen Burnie Maryland had a water pump failure at only 72,344 miles, this was a safety concern when driving down the road that put us & others at risk. The only indication was dashboard warning that said (Engine coolant over temperature)This failure happened while taking daughter to college on 8/21/26 We had to get towed to ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 4, 2026
Driving on the interstate and vehicle started slowing down then abruptly stopped. We were able to get onto the shoulder of the road. The gear would not stay in drive mode continuing to slip out of drive and into park. We made it to a dealership in Knoxville tn where we had to leave it..
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
The engine started making a faint rattling sound at low rpm , but after 15 miles of driving the noise grew rapidly and something broke in the engine and seized the engine. Currently at a workshop and mechanic said this can't be fixed as engine is damaged and it need a full motor replacement. He also, mentioned it could have been very a serious issue and I could have gotten into a serious acciden... Read more
Incident date: Jul 7, 2026
In early July, my vehicle's check engine light turned on. I took it to a reputable local mechanic in Sachse, Texas, who had the vehicle for approximately two weeks. He was unable to determine the cause of the issue but informed me that there was an existing recall and that the dealership should be able to address the problem at no cost to me. I then took the vehicle to the Kia dealership. The dea... Read more
Incident date: Aug 21, 2026
I own a 2021 Kia Sorento 2.5L Turbo AWD with approximately 150,000 miles. In the evening, while driving home after dinner with my daughter in the vehicle, I was traveling in the area of [XXX] and [XXX] when the vehicle displayed a “STOP SAFELY IMMEDIATELY” warning. The vehicle unexpectedly slowed down/appeared to brake on its own while I was driving. There was no check-engine light at that tim... Read more
Incident date: Sep 4, 2026
I started driving at 8am in warm weather and drove 5 minutes or so when I entered the highway and when I started acceleration it stopped increasing beyond 40 miles and the speed started reducing while engine light came on and started flashing, I slowly exited the highway right away, entered a parking lot and shut the car off. I restarted after a few minutes and started driving again and it drove ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 27, 2026
I experienced the issue being investigated with Investigation: EA26005 I lost engine power while driving my 2024 Chevy Tahoe. GM is now conducting a full engine replacement with another L87 engine.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2026
Car was overheating while driving. Received warning signs on the dash to pull over and turn car off immediately. Which I did. Very dangerous to do, especially with my three year old on a 90° summer day. I felt fear for my life while waiting on the side of a busy road during rush hour for the engine to cool and figure out what to do. Here the head gasket blew. A defect in the engine that Honda kno... Read more
Incident date: Sep 3, 2026
I was driving w a passenger on a busy 4 lane road and trying to make a left turn. When I tried to hit the gas after coming to a stop, my car would not move. I did not know what was happening, as it turned out the car had shifted into park and turned off. Extremely dangerous scenario. I had to take my foot off the brake, restart the the car and put it in drive again to move. I brought it to the de... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2026
There is coolant intrusion into the engine. My car became overheated and undriveable while I was driving. Ford knows about this issue, but is no longer addressing the issue.
Incident date: Aug 28, 2026
I left my home for work on XXX. I noticed a lack of propulsion upon stepping on the gas & air conditioning blowing warm air. At a stoplight ([XXX] and [XXX] in [XXX]), I attempted to restart the vehicle in hopes that a reset may fix any issues. What I found was that my vehicle would not restart and I could not remove it from park in a busy intersection. After 30 minutes of trying, I was able t... Read more
Incident date: Jul 22, 2026
Car completely shut down with every warning light going off. Before 95,000 the head gasket blew with zero warning signs! All the warning lamps came on only the day the car totally stopped working. No prior warning or signs before.
Incident date: Sep 4, 2026
Electricity light came on as well as overheating light and engine light all at once also stalling
Incident date: Jun 14, 2026
XXX, [XXX] East Bound ~ 9:30 PM, , pulling a tandem-axle boat and trailer ~ 6000# GVW , the truck slowed suddenly, in traffic ~ 62 MPH. I contacted CJDR dealers in [XXX], and [XXX], and both stated there was no recall, warranty, or goodwill repair, available for my truck. [XXX] told me the same, when I called. I took the truck to an independent diesel shop, in [XXX] to just go ahead and have a CPS... Read more
Incident date: Aug 17, 2026
1. Component/System Failure & Availability: The failed component is the engine's internal Camshaft Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) phaser backing bolt within the 3.3L V6 engine assembly. An internal factory bolt unthreaded, backed out, and physically pierced directly through the upper valve cover. The vehicle and intact failed engine are currently located at an authorized Hyundai dealership service c... Read more
Incident date: Apr 4, 2023
My 2019 Hyundai Tucson repeatedly shuts off while driving , without any warning. It rolls backwards while in park. The car could easily hit me taking things out of the trunk or hit my neighbors walking past my drive. The car has no power. It can’t get up to speed. It shakes and I have to get someone to add oil to it frequently. The first time this happened was in April of 2023. The engine seized... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2026
The vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic internal mechanical engine failure out of nowhere without any warning lights or previous symptoms. An inspection of the engine cylinder revealed a physical hole blown through the top of the Cylinder 2 piston, causing immediate and complete loss of engine compression. This sudden structural failure caused the vehicle to completely lose all propulsion and ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 7, 2023
I’ve had to replace 2 motors and a transmission.
1 injured
Incident date: Sep 4, 2026
While driving an alarm noise sounds and on the dash a message will appear stating engine off put car in p or n and I cannot accelerate.
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2020) - ENGINE
Sep 4, 2026
Incident date: Aug 20, 2026
Motor blew up. 6.2 L87. 2020 silverado 90000 miles, this will be the 4th motor
Incident date: Aug 4, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while her husband was driving 35-40 MPH on a bridge, the engine made a loud banging and knocking sound, and the vehicle stalled. The driver shifted into neutral, coasted down the bridge with the engine off, and pulled over to the side of the road. The driver noticed an abnormal burning odor coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was to... Read more
Incident date: Sep 4, 2026
Vehicle restarted itself at a traffic stop to. Vehicle stalled at another traffic stop. Both occurred on the same single day drive.
Incident date: Jul 11, 2026
It started with multiple lights glowing on my dash. Then progressively the car felt sluggish and ultimately while driving to church in July the car cut off while I was making a turn. Some kind gentleman pushed my car helping me get out the intersection.
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2023) - ENGINE
Sep 4, 2026
Incident date: Sep 1, 2026
Ford cannot fix the fuel injector issue which according to Ford can start a fire in the engine. Now the water pump had to be replaced as it was leaking coolant. No recall. And the front shocks are leaking fluid. The seat belt fix remains as Ford does not have the parts. This is a 3 year old vehicle that has been the subject to several recalls and more recalls by Ford need implemented. I have ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 22, 2026
I had a 2023 Escalade that I was experiencing issues with. I decided to pay lot of money to get out of the 2023 and purchase a 2025 - which is what I was told would get me around the engine problems I was experiencing. Well that was quite the opposite. In 2025 Cadillac Escalade: 1. All the lights on the dashboard lit up and the engine seized up. It was at night with both of my kids scared. ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 3, 2026
Pursuant to recall 24S55 engine valve crack causing catastrophic damage. Misfire codes given and addressed independently giving brief changes however car reverted back to "limp" mode on major Dallas hwy causing extreme safety issues. Conditions confirmed by Freedom Ford Greenville Texas. Estimated replacement costs exceeds 14k.
Incident date: Aug 23, 2026
The engine started throwing emissions codes and running rough about 6 mo ago but it was very sporadic and always cleared on their own. However on 8/23 my husband was driving it, all the lights started coming on and it froze up and died while he was driving it. We had taken it to the shop where they confirmed that the whole engine was dead that its a known problem with these years pilots and would ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 17, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Wagoneer. The contact stated that while driving under 5 MPH, the vehicle shut off and was rear-ended by a pickup truck. The vehicle was towed to an undisclosed location. The low battery reserve message was displayed afterwards on two occasions. The contact stated the failure was like the failure listed in NHTSA Action Number: PE24018 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, HYBRID PROPULSI... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Aug 20, 2026
The vehicle has experienced intermittent stalling and near-stalling while driving. The problem began after a prior Kia engine replacement related to DTC P1327/P132700. After the engine replacement, the vehicle developed additional drivability and warning-light concerns, including P0420 and communication/CAN faults. An authorized Kia dealer later documented that the vehicle had stalled a few times,... Read more
Incident date: Sep 4, 2026
The vehicle suffered an Auto Idle Stop failure at a red light. The engine shut down normally, but failed to automatically restart when the brake was released. There were no dashboard warning lights, and I was forced to manually shift the vehicle into Park to restart the engine in active traffic.
Incident date: Aug 2, 2026
Car was taken In for service and tech noted was low on oil and looked as if was burning oil and advised of a recall. My VIN for my 2023 didn’t come back as effected but clearly is having same issue as the recall on the others with same year and make.
HYUNDAI
SANTA FE HYBRID
(2025) - ENGINE
Sep 4, 2026
Incident date: Jul 4, 2026
First Incident – XXX Weekend ([XXX]) Accelerating at an on-ramp to a major highway (I-37S) in [XXX], vehicle suddenly lost power. Speed dropped from 60 mph to 45 mph, then 28 mph, in a 65 mph zone during rush hour traffic. No apparent cause: had ¾ tank of fuel, a clean maintenance history, and no prior issues. Managed to reach the shoulder and, after several minutes, able to exit the highway. V... Read more
Incident date: Aug 19, 2026
COMPONENT THAT FAILED: A high-pressure fuel injector (cylinder 2). The failed injector and engine wiring harness are available for inspection on request. The vehicle is currently at an authorized dealer. WHAT HAPPENED: While driving at approximately 35-45 mph under light throttle in normal traffic, the engine began misfiring without warning. The misfire worsened rapidly over several seconds and t... Read more
Incident date: Sep 2, 2026
I am submitting a safety complaint regarding my 2022 Ram 3500/Thor Class B RV, VIN [XXX], with only approximately 6,858 miles, which I brought to a dealer in the Inland Empire for Recall [XXX]. Before taking my truck to the dealer, there was no known coolant leak. The vehicle was in good condition and operating normally. I left the truck with the dealer specifically for the recall service. After ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 24, 2026
While driving my 2019 GMC Terrain with three children as passengers, the vehicle developed a braking/engine problem. The brake pedal became very hard, and the vehicle subsequently became undrivable and would not start. I received no advance warning through the GMC app indicating that the vacuum pump was failing. The vehicle was towed to a GMC dealership. The dealership diagnosed a failed vacuum p... Read more