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.

2,215,138 Total Complaints

138,663 Reported Crashes

56,255 Reported Fires

8,561 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 2,215,138 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

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 164,804 complaints — component: ENGINE

Incident date: May 5, 2026

Transmission leak requiring torque converter replacement

Incident date: Apr 10, 2026

I was driving in GA and my low engine power light came on and I lost complete ability to brake. The brake pedal was hard and would not go down. I towed my car to Jim Ellis Chevrolet in Atlanta. They called a few days later and told me I needed extensive engine repairs that would cost over $5,000 but GM would take care of some of it. I paid $1980.00. I went to pick up my car and was nervous be... Read more

Incident date: May 26, 2025

I had an oil pressure light come on while driving and it was followed by the car shutting off and not starting back up. It was towed to a mechanic who told me the timing belt broke while driving and the car requires a new engine. The car was the towed to a ford dealer who confirmed his diagnosis. The car has the 1.0l ecoboost engine and manual transmission. I saw that there is an open investigatio... Read more

Incident date: Sep 1, 2025

The contact owns a 2021 Kia K5. The contact stated that the driver-side turn signal became inoperable. The vehicle was shifting hard and/or not shifting at all. While driving at unknown speeds, the vehicle shut down. The turn signal and brake lights were illuminated. The contact stated there was a recall for NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V794000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was taken to the loc... Read more

Incident date: May 30, 2026

The contact stated that while driving, the engine made clunking noise, sudden loss of power and the check engine light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a connecting rod bearing failure and engine replacement is necessary. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000.

Incident date: Jul 25, 2025

I purchased this vehicle at 0 miles in July 2025 from Honda Accord in Pensacola Florida. I reported in July 2025 that there was a noise and I was unhappy with the vehicle and would like to exchange the vehicle within the 30 days months later, the noise got louder, and I took it in to see what the problem was I was told there was no issue that this is the loud start noise when you first crank the c... Read more

Incident date: May 26, 2026

Hi, my name is [XXX], i bought used Hyndai Santafe sport 2017 from dealership in 2020. It had around 47,000 Miles on it, intitially it was running fine but after driving 2 years i discovered that engine is burning oil and after the oil change right after 1000 miles i had to add a quart of oil and it was like every two weeks. I had many srevices from dealership and other auto mechanic stores but it... Read more

Incident date: Jun 4, 2026

Oil consumption engine ticking hesitate to change gears poor acceleration.

Incident date: May 14, 2026

Noticed that the coolant level kept going down with no apparent external leakage and was also getting a code for #2 Cylinder Mis-Fire, After adding a total 1 gallon antifreeze i made an appointment at the local Ford Dealer to see what is wrong. They Diagnosed the Issue to Coolant leaking in to Cylinder #2, there recommendation is to replace Long Block.

Incident date: May 12, 2026

On Jan 1,2019 under KIA PI-1803 Recall I had a Knock Sensor Detection System(KSDS) installed on my 2013 KIA Sorento. My car broke down and was towed into the Kia Dealership and it indicated a P1326 fault active . It was reset and released to me on 05/12/2026 after conducting a BCT test saying it indicated PASS drove it off the lot went 5 miles, and it broke down, towed back in and they replaced t... Read more

Incident date: Jun 2, 2026

Vehicle (2019 Kona) is subject to Recall 203 (piston ring/bore defect). On XXX Puente Hills Hyundai refused the mandatory physcial inspection, instead attempting to charge $1,100 for 'leak repairs.' An independent inspection by Valvoline on XXX confirmed the engine is dry with no leaks, proving the dealer's claim was fraudulent. Following a recent ECU update, the vehicle triggered a P0420 code—... Read more

Incident date: Jun 4, 2026

I am reporting a significant safety concern regarding my 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQB. While my specific VIN has not been included in the current high-voltage battery fire risk recall (NHTSA Campaign 26V073000), my vehicle is a 2023 model that shares the identical high-voltage battery architecture, manufacturing window, and platform design as the approximately 12,000 EQB vehicles officially recalled due... Read more

Incident date: Jun 4, 2026

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH to work, the vehicle shifted into neutral and into low and failed to drive at about 20 MPH. The check engine light was flashing. The front collision was unavailable. The contact left the vehicle at a gas station. Upon research, the contact located NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V374000 (Power Train), which was similar to ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 1, 2026

Car keeps overheating and mis firing causing the car to break down on the side of the road, coming to find out that the engine is having head gasket failure without warning, check engine light doesn't appear to after the fact, causing my 82 year old mother stranded on the side of the road

Incident date: Feb 26, 2026

Engine 6.2L failed going down the highway. Very Scary

Incident date: Jun 4, 2026

I have a 2024 Hybrid Toyota Tundra Equipped with V35-A- FTS 3.4 L Twin- Turbo V6. This motor is the same engine as the non hybrid motors included in the recall. There was recently a defect information report sent out on May 20th 2026 from Toyota stating that there is an issue with the main #1 bearing and the newer motors are now being installed with upgraded new bearing indicating that all motors,... Read more

Incident date: Apr 26, 2025

The vehicle has had breaking issues since I purchased it in September 23, 2023. On April 26, 2025 the car completely shut down while driving it for no apparent reason. Took it to the certified Cadillac dealer (see picture). Said, it was fixed. May 11, 2026 started doing it again while driving, turning, backing up or at a light. Breaks keep saying need to be serviced too. Had it towed in to C... Read more

Incident date: Jun 4, 2026

This recall has not been handled as of yet due to unavailable parts at it has almost been a year since it was issued on 7.16.2025.

Incident date: May 28, 2026

I've been experiencing throttle lag on my 2022 Tundra in certain situations during rolling stops (I've also had it occur from a dead stop, though more frequent in rolling stops). Sometimes there is a significant delay in throttle response, and the other day while pulling out into traffic the delay was perhaps 2-3 seconds. This nearly created an accident as the engine had zero response and greatly ... Read more

Incident date: Apr 16, 2026

The engine had a sudden loss of propulsion on the highway traveling at 70mph. It went into netural and I had to coast to the side. Power cycled and it started back up for 15 more miles, then did it again and would not go out of park. Towed to dealer. PICO L87 recall was completed prior to purchasing the vehicle. 300 miles after purchase, the engine locked up. Dealer confirmed its an L87 recall fai... Read more

Incident date: May 3, 2026

Vehicle: 2021 Subaru Legacy Base 2.5i Mileage:~65,000 miles My engine suddenly began making loud internal knocking/tapping noises with no warning lights, no overheating, and no prior symptoms. The vehicle immediately became unsafe to operate. I had it towed to a Subaru dealership, where technicians confirmed the noise was coming from inside the engine and recommended a full engine replacement. Th... Read more

Incident date: Aug 5, 2025

When continuing forward from a stop sign, the car has a slight shutter when accelerating. This was confirmed by an independent service center. Has not been inspected by the manufacturer. No visual warnings or prior symptoms. There was a recall for this particular issue for a 2014 Nissan Versa, but my VIN number was not included for which I believe should have been. My current mileage to date is 3... Read more

Incident date: Apr 20, 2026

Engine coolant keeps getting severely low. Coolant intrusion into cylinder 3 is occuring causing severe misfire, low compression, coolant consumption, power loss, white smoke, that causes minor throat and eye irritation, and catalytic converter damage. Constant low coolant level increases risk of fire hazard of vehicle.

Incident date: Jan 13, 2026

on 1/13/2026 i took the car to Toyota Dealership in Riverside California to fix 25TB14 SAFETY RECALL. on 6/3/2026, They did not Fix it and I took my Car back and stored it because it's not safe to drive

Incident date: Jun 2, 2026

VEHICLE: 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport HSE, Original owner since February 2023. NATURE OF DEFECT: Persistent and unresolved coolant loss from the engine cooling system, with evidence suggesting leaked coolant is contacting hot engine components and creating a potential fire hazard. CHRONOLOGY: Beginning in February 2026, the vehicle began displaying recurring "low coolant" warnings on the ins... Read more

Incident date: Apr 13, 2026

See attached document for complaint.

Incident date: Jun 3, 2026

My 2016 Kia Soul (1.6L GDI engine) experienced a catastrophic, sudden engine failure while driving, preceded by Check Engine Light code P0420 (Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold). This exact failure sequence is the precise subject of active NHTSA Safety Recall Campaign 19V120 (Kia Campaign SC176).Although the vehicle received the mandated SC176 preventative software update in 2019, the und... Read more

Incident date: Jun 4, 2026

The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while idling at a stop light the vehicle suddenly stalled. The engine did not restart and the vehicle was pushed to a nearby parking space. During the failure no warning lights or messages had displayed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet contacted regarding the failure. The... Read more

Incident date: Jun 4, 2026

The cam carriers for my vehicle are leaking oil. This is an incredible common, seemingly almost guaranteed, issue with these vehicles from Subaru at the 75-90k mile mark. The carrier are dripping oil, so worse than seeping, but not pouring. This runs the risk of the engine bleeding oil fast and running dry without checking oil levels every week or so and carrying extra emergency oil. This is a hug... Read more

Incident date: May 4, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Lincoln MKC. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the following day, while attempting to start the vehicle, the contact noticed white smoke coming from the exhaust. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle idled and drove unusually rough. In addition, t... Read more

Incident date: Apr 17, 2026

Beginning on 04/17/2026, my vehicle began displaying multiple safety-related dashboard warnings simultaneously, accompanied by audible alerts. The warnings included the Forward Collision Safety System, Blind-Spot Monitoring, Electronic Parking Brake (EPB), Stability and Traction Control, Lane Keep Assist, and AUTO HOLD — all activating at the same time. These warnings reappeared on several occas... Read more

Incident date: Jul 1, 2025

The reason for the recall on this make and model is what I'm experiencing now. The whole car will shutdown power while driving with no warnings. In traffic the car will just roll to a stop with cars closely behind me. I bought the call September 2016 yet I just saw a recall when I signed up for triple a. The last 12 months I have been on n and out of shops trying to find the reason. Starter was fi... Read more

Incident date: May 1, 2025

Head gasket seal broken, leading to coolant leak into the engine causing misfire

Incident date: Mar 11, 2026

[XXX] [XXX] Fax: [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Incident date: May 31, 2026

Vehicle radiator cracked at 31k miles on the highway leaving myself and my family stranded. My roof has been leaking since I bought the vehicle and Mazda keeps saying they can't replicate the issue and if I can find it they will then fix it. I don't think that's my job. I bought a car that I expected to be able to drive safely without issues. I don't want to play find the issue because I'm not a... Read more

Incident date: Jun 2, 2026

My torque converter went bad on my 2017 Ford Fusion, it's the same problem the other 2017 Ford Fusions had with their torque converter however my vin is not on the recall.

Incident date: Dec 30, 2025

I received a voluntary emissions update letter from kia, and although it was voluntary, the letter said failure to update could be considered lack of maintenance. The update was performed on XXX at Dorsch Ford/Kia in [XXX]. The vehicle ran poorly from that day forward. I gave it a couple of weeks to insure that the system could learn my driving habits. I then went to the Dorsch service department ... Read more

Incident date: Feb 1, 2026

We have been waiting for this solution to this recall and it’s made my family nervous to have vehicles that can catch fire at any point Our mental health has suffered

Incident date: May 22, 2026

car starts emitting white smoke with plastic burning smell inside car and outside. no notifications on dash board before this happens therefore emitting this white smoke into car which we are subjected to inhaling further

Incident date: May 26, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at 5 to 10 MPH attempting to park the vehilce lunged forward traveling 20 feet and crashed into the house. The air bags deployed. No warning lights were illuminated , There was no injuries or fire. A police report was filed. The gas company was on the scene due to a gas leak. Additionally the... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Jun 4, 2026

Engine shuts off while idling and also while driving. While driving, the condition most commonly occurs at speeds under 10 mph, but it has occurred on public roads and highways. When the engine shuts off, the truck violently engages Auto Park while the vehicle is still in motion. The condition occurs multiple times per day. There are no warning lights or messages prior to the shutdown. The condit... Read more

Incident date: Jun 2, 2026

I own a 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4XE High Altitude (VIN: [XXX]) with three open safety recalls, two of which involve fire hazards: NHTSA ID 25V741000 – High Voltage Battery May Fail and Cause Fire (parts available) NHTSA ID 25V766000 – Engine Failure May Cause Fire or Loss of Drive Power (parts not available) 2.0L PHEV Engine recall (parts not available) I have been trying to schedule a recall rep... Read more

Incident date: Jun 2, 2026

Head gasket leak - 3rd head gasket. Know issue in CRVs . Vehicle will not go when gas is pressed (intermittent), vehicle sporadically sputters when in idle, engine overheated.

Incident date: Jun 3, 2026

I started the vehicle in the morning, and noticed a knocking noise from deep inside the engine. Took the vehicle to the dealership, the knocking be turned into squealing and grinding and banging, check engine light came on, and vehicle died in front of the service department door. I’m an experienced auto technician and know that that was a connecting rod bearing knock. And now need a new engine ... Read more

Incident date: May 17, 2026

The vehicle is experiencing excessive engine oil consumption. The engine burns approximately one quart of oil per week during normal driving conditions. There are no visible oil leaks, and no warning lights, check engine light, or other dashboard messages have appeared. The oil level drops rapidly between oil changes and requires frequent topping off to prevent the engine from running low on oil. ... Read more

Incident date: May 28, 2026

I am filing a complaint regarding the premature head gasket failure on my 2021 Honda Accord, which failed on May 28, 2026, with only 89,000 miles on the vehicle. A head gasket is a critical engine component that should last well beyond 89,000 miles under normal driving conditions and proper maintenance. I purchased this vehicle because of Honda's reputation for reliability and longevity, and I am... Read more

Incident date: Apr 25, 2026

Check engine light (MIL) came on while driving and vehicle lost power. Would not accelerate. Had it towed to Mercedes Benz of Mrytle Beach. $8000 repair. Mercedes Corp would not help. This is a copy of a TSB (LI05.20-P-080257) for this issue: Complaint engine vibrations perceived at low rpm. Fault codes for the camshaft position of the intake camshaft (p001100, p001104, p001200) or exhaust... Read more

Incident date: Jun 3, 2026

Vehicle suddenly shifts to 1st gear while travelling at 45MPH or more causing immediate jerking and slowing of vehicle, placing driver, occupants and other drivers at risk of crash. In this condition, the speedometer reads 0MPH while still travelling and other warnings on dash are: Airbag Failure, Blindspot system fault, Cross traffic system fault, and See manual. Vehicle then appears stuck in 3... Read more

Incident date: May 15, 2026

Truck has 116k miles, started losing power and acceleration diminished. CEL and Trac Off light came on. Pulled over twice after experiencing same issue. Took to mechanic and diagnostic code P0301 (cylinder 1 misfire). Replaced 6 spark plugs to be safe, and replaced broken coil in cylinder 1. Drove less than a mile and CEL came back on. Brought to dealership this time and they found a leak in the h... Read more

Incident date: Jun 1, 2026

On June 1, 2026 driving eastbound on I-64 in Louisville, KY. Engine shut-off warning popped up and engine immediately shut off. There were no prior warnings or unusual engine or noises. 3 passengers in car. Had to change 2 lanes and then onto shoulder while coasting and slowing down. Car was incapacitated and gave battery and 0% oil read. Oil is changed regularly and engine recall work had been pe... 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

Read more from our blog