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 1, 2026
The cam shaft bearing failed under normal driving conditions. Many of the service engine lights including brakes and primary service engine light came on after the cam shaft bearing failure. The engine was replaced by a GM dealership at 65,000 miles and was inspected to determine the cam shaft bearing failed. Luckily the engine failed at a speed of 35 mph on an off ramp, as a complete engine failu... Read more
Incident date: May 4, 2026
receiving code p0304 cylinder 4 misfire. technician placed scope inside cylinder 4 and signs of coolant inside the cylinder. TSB 19-2346 matches what is happening in with his vehicle
Incident date: Jun 8, 2026
We had car checked due to strange and erratic shifting in less than a year of owning. Then took in for recall, they stated it was fine and performed the remedy with higher grade oil. Still had issues and took to another dealership to look at and they stated it was fine as well. About 2 months later while I was driving it was hesitating and would kind of buck and when I was about to turn on to a bu... Read more
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2024) - ENGINE
Jul 6, 2026
Incident date: Jun 7, 2026
The car suddenly started to miss fire and lose power. This puts the driver and others in dangerous situations. If it happens when pulling out into traffic and the car misfired it could cause a serious crash. Honda service diagnosed that a blown head gasket causes coolant to leak into the cylinders, leading to engine misfires and a sudden loss of motive power at highway speeds. This issue is well d... Read more
Incident date: Jul 4, 2026
I purchased a used 2018 Chrysler Pacifica with the 3.6L V6 F DOHC 24V engine in October 2025. The van had 97,000 miles. Shortly after I purchased it I noticed the engine had a rough idled. It now has 107,000 miles and the rough engine has continued to get worse. What I noticed is when I first started it the engine was rough and vibrated. Once I started driving it was not as noticeable. I decided t... Read more
Incident date: Jun 27, 2026
While driving down the highway the vehicle radiator fan kicked on high (could hear it from the cab) then my electronic power steering went out seconds after receiving the “Service Electronic Power Steering” dash light. Since then it is intermittent, EPS returns and then goes out again, each time accompanied by the high fan noise.
Incident date: May 6, 2026
Oil is needing added on a weekly basis to keep up with how much the engine is burning, Spark Plugs and Coils have been changed excessively, the dealership says we may end up being covered by a recall but the engine needs to completely fail first.
Incident date: Jun 6, 2026
When my transmission is shifting, it almost stalls about 3-4 times everytime you start off. It is a hard shift that makes it fee like the car suddenly stops then goes back. I have had it happen 3 times that I thought my car died after stopping, making weird noises, then took off like normal. I am waiting for my car to just die as I am driving. The Ford dealership said I need a new transmission. Th... Read more
Incident date: Jul 6, 2026
8/17/25 - Check engine light. Codes for Cylinder Misfire 1,2 and 3. Very very low coolant. 8/19/25 - The mechanic where we bought the car said that they checked plugs, did a compression test, everything came back fine and looks fine. Cleared the codes, drove it around, left it running, no light back on as of yet. Said the low coolant may have triggered the codes. - Coolant Filled back up Jan 31... Read more
Incident date: Sep 23, 2025
Thermo Control Valve (TCV) causes a check engine light to come on and disables eyesight issue started May 29, 2026. The check engine would go on and off. Now it just stays
Incident date: Apr 25, 2026
There was head gasket failures around cylinders 2 and 3. This allows small amounts of coolant to leak into the engine, causing a distinct startup sputter or a choppy shudder as turbo boost climbs. This is a reoccurring issue with 2019 Acura RDX the vehicle ran hot while driving and was instructed to turn the vehicle off also the check engine light began to flash on and off.
Incident date: Feb 27, 2026
Started vehicle and went inside to grab my bag and there was a loud explosion and the engine bay went up in flames. Determined to be electric and originated in or near the TIPM. The vehicle is a total loss, house has damage, and other vehicles.
Fire
Incident date: Jul 3, 2026
At 157000 miles I am being forced to replace my fuel injectors and a blown head gasket on my 2018 Honda Accord. As I am sure you are aware, this is an ongoing issue with this model specifically, and yet no recalls have been issued. Please understand that this was a sudden failure as I had no signs there was an engine issue before being forced into limp mode while driving on the freeway. I also ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 7, 2025
I am submitting this complaint regarding a potential safety defect involving the engine lubrication system on my 2020 BMW M340i with the B58 engine. The vehicle was purchased used from a single owner with low mileage and comprehensive maintenance records, with no indication of prior engine or lubrication issues. While traveling at highway speed, the vehicle suddenly displayed a low oil pressure wa... Read more
Incident date: Jun 10, 2026
On XXX, the 2.4L Theta II GDI engine on our 2014 Kia Sorento (current mileage: 160,000) catastrophically seized without warning while my [XXX] was driving at interstate speeds at night. This caused an immediate and sudden loss of power, power steering, and braking assist, creating an extreme traffic hazard. No one was injured and the driver was able to safely coast to the shoulder, but it created ... Read more
Incident date: May 23, 2026
The vehicle suffers from a severe manufacturing defect causing excessive engine oil consumption (burning more than 2+ quarts per 1,000 miles) with no warning lights or oil pressure indicators activating. With little to no warning, I could be driving and experience catastrophic engine failure. This defect creates an immediate safety hazard, as sudden engine seizure or stalling at highway speeds ri... Read more
Incident date: Jun 16, 2026
On May 10 a lighted wrench appeared on the instrument panel. The car felt as if I was loosing power. May 12 I got in the car, the wrench and check engine lights were both on. Called the dealer service department. They told me the car is not safe to drive as it cannot accelerator and will go into "limp mode". After having it towed to the Lincoln dealership, I was told the turbo in the engine failed... Read more
Incident date: Jun 5, 2026
I purchased my vehical at Car Culture in Warren, Oh. The dealer said to only take it there for maintenance, so I did as required. Whenever the check engine light came on I would bring it there and they would say it was a sensor and they fixed it. And one day it started miss firing and the light came on again. When I took it to the dealership, they said it needed oil to bring it in every 2 weeks ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 5, 2026
We purchased our 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 ZR2 in XXX, it was discovered in the purchase process that the vehicle had an active recall on the engine which was pending a "fix." This was completely downplayed by the dealership as a minor issue that would be addressed. We waited several weeks for the "fix," which was essentially a change in the oil viscosity. On XXX, our [XXX] son, was out of t... Read more
Incident date: Jul 5, 2026
respectfully submit this correspondence to request formal assistance regarding my 2015 Kia Forte EX, a vehicle covered under the class settlement. The vehicle is exhibiting severe symptoms consistent with KSDS‑related engine failure, yet the required diagnostic protocol has not been completed by the servicing dealership. The KSDS software update was performed in May 2022, and the vehicle curren... Read more
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2025) - ENGINE
Jul 6, 2026
Incident date: Jul 4, 2026
Head Gasket failure. Design failure there are grooves holding coolant on the block making the coolant leak into cylinders heads
Incident date: Jul 3, 2026
After fueling, vehicle idled fine with no warning lights. Once pulling onto the highway and making highway speeds, the vehicle suddenly lost acceleration, and was stranded in the highway. We required the assistance of law enforcement to direct traffic. It was 10pm and the temperatures were 35 degree below zero with the windchill. The vehicle was towed to a Kia dealership, where they diagnosed loss... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2023) - ENGINE
Jul 6, 2026
Incident date: Jul 3, 2026
The engine light came on. The car suddenly wouldn’t go past 35 mph . Thankfully I was on a local road. I had it towed to the dealer and was told that the engine needed to be replaced because coolant leaked into the engine. There were no warning lights except the day of . The car did not give any indication of a leak. Nor was it running hot. Everything was functioning fine.
Incident date: Jun 26, 2026
DRIVING HOME FROM CHURCH SUNDAY JUNE 28TH DOWNSLOPE OF A SMALL HILL SMELLED HOT METAL; WASN'T SURE IF THE ODOR WAS FROM US, THE LARGE TRUCK THAT JUST PASSED US OR ENVIRONMENTAL; SUDDEN "POP" WAS HEARD ACCOMPANIED BY A "JERK" IN THE VEHICLE; LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKES; DASH WAS LIT AND SHOWED RPM/MPH/ETC THEN BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON SMOKE BILLOWING FROM ENGINE FOLLOWED QUICKLY BY COMPLETE FIRE FROM ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jul 3, 2026
Coolant intrusion issue has occurred. Coolant reservoir drains rapidly and there is a strong coolant smell every time the car is driven. This is a common issue in the Ford 2.0l ecoboost that Ford has not officially adressed.
Incident date: May 1, 2025
On XXX, the oil warning light was illuminated in our 2017 Kia Sorento SXL and that the vehicle was leaking oil. We brought the vehicle to an independent repair facility (Tire Kingdom, Cairo, NY) for diagnosis on XXX. The repair facility provided an oral assessment with photographs indicating a suspected rear main seal leak. The engine was dry on the top but excessively wet between the engine and ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 20, 2026
On February 16, 2023, the engine in our 2017 Kia Sorento SXL developed a sudden, loud knocking noise while driving. No dashboard warning lights illuminated at any time, including no oil pressure warning, check engine light, or other engine-related alerts. The vehicle remained fully operable and did not lose power or seize. I continued driving approximately 20 minutes home, including highway speed... Read more
KIA
TELLURIDE HYBRID
(2027) - ENGINE
Jul 6, 2026
Incident date: Jul 3, 2026
While driving approximately 53 mph on a main road, my 2017 Ford Focus suddenly displayed the message “Engine Fault Service Now.” The vehicle immediately entered limp mode, downshifted into 2nd gear, and would not accelerate above approximately 31 mph. During the event, the engine shook noticeably and made abnormal noises. No check engine light appeared during this initial incident. This probl... Read more
Incident date: Jun 30, 2026
Sluggish start when hot - fuel pump leak into engine when hot, causing starter issues, wears out starter, causes other stress on engine. Common issue in Toyota Siennas. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Incident date: Jun 15, 2026
The plastic oil filter housing was leaking oil onto my exhaust I had to quit driving it because of fear of a FIRE, SO MY QUESTION IS : IF YOU HAVE OIL RUNNING DOWN AND DRIPPING OF YOUR EXHAUST AND YOU GUYS WONT RECALL IT BECAUSE YOU SAY ITS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE? YOU GUYS ARE NUTS, THE MANUFACTURE SHOULD BE MADE TO MAN UP AND FIX THIS PROBLEM INSTEAD OF LEAVING THE CONSUMER STUCK WITH A PROBLEM THAT ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 2, 2026
System/Component Malfunction & Availability: The vehicle's electronic safety and engine control systems malfunctioned while driving at speed. This issue has occurred twice under identical thermal conditions, with the first instance occurring on 5/19/26. The vehicle is fully intact and available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: During the first incident, a false dashboard warning triggere... Read more
Incident date: May 30, 2026
While driving, my Chevrolet Tahoe suddenly developed a severe, rhythmic bottom-end engine knock, indicating a catastrophic internal mechanical failure. I immediately took the vehicle to an authorized Chevrolet dealership on May 29, 2026, for emergency diagnosis.The dealership technicians officially diagnosed the issue as a severe lower-end engine failure. They deemed the engine unrepairable and de... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2024
My 2015 Kia Sorento is experiencing a catastrophic structural failure of the exhaust system where the front manifold catalytic converter has internally collapsed This is a severe safety hazard because the physical blockage of the exhaust flow creates massive engine backpressure stalling when trying to drive even a small hill on highway, risking sudden engine stalling, unprompted deceleration, and... Read more
Incident date: Jun 29, 2026
While driving on the parkway, the engine revved, and then the brakes became hard as a brick. The truck was unable to be stopped. There were no warning lamps or indications there was a problem, it happened suddenly and immediately. Other drivers' and my own safety was at risk because I could not stop the truck. Here is the diagnosis from the GM service center where it was towed to: "After the remov... Read more
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2024) - ENGINE
Jul 5, 2026
Incident date: Jul 2, 2026
The oil pan is consistently out of oil. It burns up. Causing the engine to stall, shake or grind at times. We have been having this problem for 2 years now. Taken it to 2 different dealerships. They confirmed it needs a new engine however Kia will not replace it for us. It is a known problem with these vehicles and there is a lawsuit currently going on. We have receipts from dealerships, we... Read more
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2024) - ENGINE
Jul 5, 2026
Incident date: Jul 2, 2026
The knock censor went out, once it was replaced and the oil changed it’s still knocking and unable to drive. Mechanic from out of state looked at it and now said he thinks there’s a problem with in the engine. The car is sitting in a driveway, 4 hours from a Kia dealership.
Incident date: May 28, 2026
Well known issue with this 2017 Ford Escape with faulty coolant system leaking into engine cylinders causing internal engine failure. This was the formal diagnosis by a qualified repair shop on or about May 26, 2026.
SUBARU
TRAILSEEKER
(2026) - ENGINE
Jul 5, 2026
Incident date: Jul 2, 2026
Excessive oil consumption. Regularly have a low oil warning come up about 6000 kms after an oil change. Oil is always low when checked.
Incident date: Jul 5, 2026
Engine Idle Stop shuts off engine at stops but completely fails to restart when the brake is released. The vehicle stalls in traffic and requires a manual restart. This has happened four times from a stop, and once while driving on the highway.
Incident date: May 5, 2026
Reported this to the dealer in June 2025 a month after I bought the car. Dealer checked the car & couldn't find a problem causing this. Problem continues & is getting worse. I believe problem with CVT - vehicle jerks, hesitates and shudders in low speeds upon deceleration and acceleration. Not a smooth ride at all. I had an older Civic with CVT and husband has a 2022 Civic with CVT and never had ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 13, 2026
I'm filing an urgent safety complaint regarding a series of severe defects in my 2026 Volkswagen Tiguan (VIN: [XXX]) that pose immediate, life-threatening hazards. On XXX, I took delivery of the vehicle, which was refueled by the dealership. By XXX, with temperatures soaring to 104°F, I encountered three critical issues: 1. **Engine Stall During Low-Speed Turn**: While turning at 2 MPH, the en... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2025
While driving a 2018 Audi SQ5 with the EA839 3.0T engine, a coolant warning light activated and engine temperatures began rising to 210-215°F. The vehicle was pulled over immediately. Upon inspection the coolant reservoir was found to be nearly empty with dried coolant residue on the exterior indicating an active leak. The vehicle was towed to an authorized Audi dealer who confirmed via multi-poi... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
TIGUAN
(2026) - ENGINE
Jul 5, 2026
Incident date: Jul 5, 2026
Cylinder 4-5 which caused catastrophic engine failure. CP4 fuel pump. Crank shaft broken, Metal flakes in oil. Differential service. Was on the road from [XXX] to [XXX] and broke down in [XXX]. Just bought the truck from Lakeland Automall on May 8th and broke down on May 31st. Was in a bad spot to pull over and from what I have gathered we were lucky the Truck didn't catch fire. The problem... Read more
Incident date: Jul 2, 2026
While driving the vehicle became extremely difficult to stop I was advised that the Vacuum booster pump was broken and it needed to be replaced. This was first completed 09/24/25 by Gateway tire and service center. I was advised that there was a service bulletin for the issue. Then I have had the same thing happen and I returned the vehicle to the same repair shop and I was advised that the Vacu... Read more
Incident date: Jul 2, 2026
Engine is consuming excessive amounts of oil between oil changes, causing valve train to produce a metallic clanking noises. Vehicle did not display any type of warning sign on dashboard. Safety concerns if Engine would seize or shut off while driving on freeway/highway becoming a hazard on the road for self and other motorist. Vehicle has been taken to dealership multiple times, dealerships first... Read more
Incident date: May 31, 2026
My oil plug fell out of my jeep. Within minutes all of the oil had splattered underneath and the back of the jeep. The oil lamp went on in my jeep. From the time the oil warning came on to the seizure of the engine was a couple minutes. The jeep went into protection mode or would not allow me to go over 25 minutes. I saw the engine light come on and went straight to Mobil1, the closest place... Read more
Incident date: Mar 27, 2026
On XXX, I was driving my Audi Q6 e-tron southbound on [XXX] in the HOV lane at highway speed with my family inside. Without warning, the vehicle suffered a complete power failure, dropping instantly to zero acceleration.Because I had no propulsion, I was forced to coast the unpowered vehicle across three lanes of active traffic to reach the right shoulder. Trailing traffic approaching quickly from... Read more
Incident date: Jul 4, 2026
Car shaking, oil is burning , and drive hard. Engine and, oil light is now appearing.
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2023) - ENGINE
Jul 5, 2026
Incident date: Jul 4, 2026
My wife and I were Driving when I tried to stop and the brakes failed. Within seconds the vehicle caught fire in the engine compartment. I had to slam the transmission into park cause the doors would not open. When my wife tried to escape out the passenger side the flames came into the cabin towards her. I then opened my door and then had to help my wife escape out the driver's side door. Within m... Read more
Fire