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.

2,245,377 Total Complaints

140,173 Reported Crashes

56,794 Reported Fires

8,580 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 2,245,377 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

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 169,480 complaints - component: ENGINE

Incident date: May 5, 2026

My 2017 Kia Sportage has experienced excessive oil consumption, cylinder #3 misfires, loss of power, and highway stalling events. The dealership initially documented engine damage and indicated findings consistent with internal engine failure, including concerns related to metal contamination and cylinder damage. These issues appear consistent with numerous complaints from other Kia owners involvi... Read more

Incident date: Oct 13, 2025

The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated that the fuel pump was surging, and the vehicle was jerking while idling or while driving at undisclosed speeds. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled. The Check Engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline), which was previously rep... Read more

Incident date: Jun 13, 2026

On May 25th, 2026 multiple dashboard warning lights flashed simultaneously while I was driving indicating an immediate engine issue, all warning alerts showed up. Next day, the engine exhibited a structural shudder/shake. The vehicle has otherwise always been perfectly maintained and operated flawlessly, thus, I called the dealership/ they gave me an appointment for the next day, after their inspe... Read more

Incident date: Aug 12, 2025

I have a 2022 Nissan Rogue SV that had an engine replaced due to a faulty head gasket in March of 2024 and my vehicle on 6/15/2026 had a rough idle of the engine and irregular RPM's which then led to the RPM's dropping to zero while in a stationary drivethru lane. The vehicle then showed a caution warning indicating to shift the car into Neutral. After getting the car towed to the dealership for d... Read more

Incident date: May 26, 2026

The engine did not want to go from a stop condition. I was pulling out if an intersection and the engine seemed to misfire. I almost got t-boned.

Incident date: Jan 6, 2026

We were driving on an interstate in Indiana and the car jerked and then automatically went into neutral. We couldn’t accelerate or put the car back into drive. We had to get over 2 lanes and onto the shoulder. We were able to put the car in park once on the shoulder but the car would not turn on or off. We couldn’t do anything. All electronics were still running but the engine was not run... Read more

Incident date: Jun 8, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted and the vehicle jerked abnormally. The contact stated that there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle with the Check Engine warning light illuminated. The failure was persistent. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with tr... Read more

Incident date: Jun 11, 2026

the engine. I was at a stop sign when the car stop responding to me pressing the accelerator and would not go. Upon further inspection it was noted that my car had no oil in it. I am diligent in getting my oil changed every 3 months or 3,000 miles. My engine had "seized" and i am being advised to purchase a new engine or purchase a new car. While trying to get my car to acclerate i was almost hit ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 11, 2026

The first incident occurred on November 2, 2025. I was driving down a state road. I missed my turn so I pulled into a parking lot to turn around. Once I was able to pull out, I put my foot on the accelerator and felt no resistance. The car rolled out of the parking lot onto the road. I kept pressing the accelerator hoping the gas would return but my car rolled along without picking up speed. I wa... Read more

Incident date: Apr 16, 2026

The Incident: While operating the vehicle under high load, the driver received an explicit "Service Engine Soon" powertrain malfunction alert stating: "The powertrain control module lost communication with the vehicle active grill shutter module for a period of time." Immediately following this warning, the engine experienced a severe loss of power, followed by loud metallic banging from the engin... Read more

Incident date: May 21, 2026

Often while driving the car loses power as if the power went off or I ran out of gas,,, studder for a moment then pick up power to continue to drive is the best way I can describe it. Immediately after I get a notification on the dashboard saying maintenance something

Incident date: Jun 7, 2026

As is clearly a very common defect, my exhaust manifold bolts broke and the manifold warped. This is the second time this has happened. RAM knows about this problem. In fact, it is so well known that it is called "the HEMI tick". The fact that such a shoddy part has continued to be put on millions of trucks and other vehicles should warrant a recall.

Incident date: Jun 12, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V586000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH and merging onto the highway, the vehicle entered Low Power Mode, forcing the contact to pull over to the side of the road. The contact then drove to t... Read more

Incident date: Mar 10, 2025

Ford has a known issue with the 2019 f150 eco boost cam phaser rattling. They replaced once and it failed again. They now refuse to repair the fix that should have corrected the initial cam phaser issue. They continue to use faulty parts.

Incident date: Feb 18, 2026

My new vehicle, with under 4,000 miles, has already suffered multiple chewed wires due to rodents attracted to the soy-based wire coatings used by the manufacturer. This is not a minor inconvenience — it is a serious safety issue. Damaged wiring can cause loss of power steering mid-drive, ABS and braking system malfunctions, airbag deployment failures, engine stalling on highways, and electrical... Read more

Incident date: Jun 16, 2026

The contact owns a 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 50 MPH, the engine overheated. The contact stated that the engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was a persistent failure. The contact received notification of NTHSA Campaign Number: 25V766000 (Engine); however, the vehicle was not repaired. The local de... Read more

Incident date: Jun 16, 2026

My car stopped in the highway

Incident date: Jun 11, 2026

While operating the vehicle under load, the vehicle suffered a sudden and severe loss of engine performance, followed immediately by loud metallic banging from the engine bay. The vehicle lost all power and was immediately disabled (LIMP MODE), presenting an imminent highway safety hazard.The Physical Damage: Subsequent mechanical teardown revealed deep vertical cylinder wall scoring, heavy raw fu... Read more

Incident date: Jun 11, 2026

I was driving at 45 mph and all of a sudden the screens went black as if the truck was turned off and the first thing I did was turn on the hazards because I didn’t know if the engine shut off either there was on coming traffic from both my front and back so I was scared my truck shut off 5-7 seconds later the screens turned back on and everything went back to normal but I was scared that my tru... Read more

Incident date: Jun 14, 2026

My leased 2026 Genesis GV80 2.5T has three unresolved defects: (1) a persistent vibration felt while driving, most noticeable at highway speed; (2) a separate vibration present at idle; and (3) excessive heat in the second-row floor area, discovered during a highway drive — the floor became dangerously hot to the touch, creating a burn risk to rear-seat occupants. Safety risk: The heat issue ... Read more

1 injured

Incident date: Jun 12, 2026

While driving the vehicle stops accelerating, it seems to have lost power and will not accelerate. It gives an error that says "CHECK CHARGE SYSTEM" The vehicle has stopped accelerating while driving, most recently on the freeway while driving the car would not accelerate and I had to navigate to the side of the road while the car lost speed, causing hazardous conditions for myself, my children ... Read more

Incident date: Nov 10, 2025

The contact owns a 2024 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light was illuminated and the "all cylinders misfiring" message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that there was bad fuel in the tank that needed to be drained. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure persisted. Th... Read more

Incident date: May 24, 2026

On XXX I took my vehicle to Ourisman Hyundai of Bowie because my engine light was on. That same day the Service Adviser (Edson XXX) informed me that the engine was burning oil excessively. They performed an oil change and replaced engine oil gasket and asked me to return after driving 1000 miles. Mileage at the time was 103,380. I return on XXX, mileage was 104,580. [XXX] informed me that ve... Read more

Incident date: Jan 1, 2026

The engine bucks, stalls and misfires. It is a safety problem as it can stall when pulling out into traffic.The problem has been reproduced by the general manager (Tony Coogle) at Sandy Sansing Ram dealer in [XXX]. Yes, the vehicle has been checked by the dealer three times. No, there are now warning lights. The problem first appeared right after I purchased it in August 2025. Since then I have ta... Read more

Incident date: Jan 1, 2026

recall remedy was performed just a few months prior didn't even make it through the life of the oil and the 6.2l l87 is seized up per Chevrolet dealership in Chelsea Michigan

Incident date: Jun 2, 2026

While driving on the interstate at highway speed with cruise control engaged, the engine suffered sudden catastrophic failure with absolutely no prior warning, warning lights, knocking, stalling, or other symptoms. The vehicle became inoperable immediately. The repair estimate is $6,500 for engine replacement. The vehicle is a 2017 Kia Sportage equipped with a Theta II 2.4L GDI engine, confirmed b... Read more

Incident date: Jun 3, 2026

I purchased a 2021 Cadillac Escalade ESV and shortly thereafter experienced an engine malfunction. The vehicle developed a misfire, rough idle, loss of power, and produced significant blue/white exhaust smoke. The check engine light illuminated and the vehicle began running abnormally. An independent repair facility inspected the vehicle and reported oil-related issues affecting a cylinder and spa... Read more

Incident date: Jun 13, 2026

When accelerating the jeep lags to get between causing a jerking or launching feeling despite battery being charged or not. Difficultly getting to speed because the gears wont switch quickly making it scary to pull out of stops or merging

Incident date: May 28, 2025

I have only owned the truck since mid April of 2026. The truck has 12000 miles on it. I have only put 200 miles on the truck... 150 miles are driving to the dealership. Engine recall notification was sent out last week of May 2026. Still an open recall for reverse lights with no remedy. Took Tundra into dealer at the beginning of May 2026 to get two other "electronic/infotainment" system recalls ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 16, 2026

The Auto Idle/stop caused my engine to stall not once but twice in the past few weeks while on a major highway. Light turns green and my car won't start back up. I have to let the car sit for a second then restart the car while traffic is flying past me on this highway. Absolutely ridiculous that my brand new car is having these issues and that I am unable to turn this feature off permanently.

Incident date: May 25, 2026

My safety, as well as the safety of my children and family, is under constant, severe threat. We are being forced to make financial payments on a vehicle that the manufacturer admits is a dual fire hazard and unsafe to park inside near our home, with no engineering fix currently developed to resolve the engine defect. Furthermore, the manufacturer has failed to provide a comparable, safe, or adequ... Read more

Incident date: May 16, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced excessive oil consumption. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH on the highway, the vehicle stalled. The contact was unable to pull over to the side of the road. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and continued driving. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving into a parking... Read more

Incident date: Jul 26, 2024

See attached letter for complaint

Incident date: May 14, 2026

I press on the gas pedal and the car won't move. I will be at a stop sign and I'll remove my foot from the break, step on the gas and the car stalls it won't really go. I almost have to floor it to get it to move. Has happened multiple times.

Incident date: May 8, 2026

The engine blew

Incident date: Jun 14, 2026

Knock sensor needs to be replaced upon evaluation of an inspection on March 27, 2026. It failed a mission codes and upon my understanding the knock sensor one circuit range performance pink wonder single sensor is an engine failure as well as I did an ODB test myself on May 19 of 2026 for the Knox sensor as well and the check engine dominator reading at 2111 the the code indicated that bank one Kn... Read more

Incident date: May 19, 2026

reporting a safety issue with BMW vehicles equipped with the B58TU engine, primarily 2019-2021 models. These vehicles have an oil pump with an internal plastic component that regulates oil pressure, and this part is fracturing in the field, causing sudden loss of oil pressure. The failure typically occurs during cold starts in low temperatures. When it fails, oil pressure becomes erratic or is los... Read more

Incident date: May 19, 2026

The vehicle has an issue where when it is off and the key is nowhere near it. It turns on and makes strange noises. I have video footage of it that has been sent to the dealership and they were not able to duplicate it after a very short period of time at the dealership I’ve since had the same issue numerous times as well as the battery has since died as well. I’ve had other issues happen wher... Read more

Incident date: May 1, 2026

When on the highway and attempted to accelerate to pass in the passing lane, there was a loud pop, the truck rapid decelerated and my son was forced to drive off the burm to avoid being hit by a semi truck. It’s been determined that it was caused by a lifter failure due to the AFM system

Crash

Incident date: May 1, 2026

Was driving and my car literally wouldn't go forward. Prior to I had an oil change and I would smell burning oil

Incident date: Apr 1, 2025

On May 25, 2026, while driving my 2016 Acura RDX AWD on the interstate at highway speed, it suddenly began running rough and felt as if I was driving over low, spaced-out speed bumps. The check engine light started flashing, and multiple safety-system warnings appeared, including AWD System Problem, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) Problem, Hill Start Assist Problem, Electric Power Steering (EPS) Pr... Read more

Incident date: Jun 15, 2026

I took my 2021 Kia Soul to the dealership for a piston ring recall; they ran their standard test and said it passed, but my car is still showing a misfire fault. I replaced the ignition coil, spark plug, and fuel injector, yet the problem persists. I’ve taken it back to the Kia dealership twice, but they refuse to inspect it because it already passed their test.

Incident date: Jun 15, 2026

While driving, the vehicle suddenly lost power and stalled. I was able to safely pull to the side of the road. The engine would not restart. Upon inspection, the engine was found to be completely out of oil despite being maintained according to recommended oil change intervals and not being overdue for service. There were no visible oil leaks under the vehicle and no prior low oil warning light o... Read more

Incident date: Jun 15, 2026

The engine vibrates/shutters when switching from electric to gas. It almost feels like the engine is going to fall out. I’ve taken it to two different Honda dealerships multiple times and since they can’t duplicate the issue while it’s there then they say there’s nothing they can do. The oil also looks and smells like gas.

Incident date: Jun 12, 2026

When checking the oil, realized that there was no antifreeze in the reservoir. I went ahead and filled it to the max line, as the antifreeze didn't even come up to the minimum line of the reservoir tank. My gut was telling me that I need to every so often check the antifreeze, there was no apparent leak, there was nothing on my garage floor to indicate that there was a leak. Every time I checked... Read more

Incident date: Sep 5, 2025

Description On your vehicles engine, one or more of the clips that retain the engines pistons to their connecting rods may be mis-installed or missing. Safety Risk A mis-installed clip may result in an audible knocking noise that increases over time. Progression of this issue can lead to piston failure and engine damage, resulting in a loss of motive power and increasing the risk of a crash. R... Read more

Incident date: Jun 2, 2026

Our vehicle has stalled at stop lights several times over the past 6 years. The auto stop/start feature seems to fail. The vehicle will shut off but when you repeat the brake it will not restart and the vehicle will die completely. You have to put it in park, wait a few seconds and try and restart. Additionally it has completely died at gas station after turning it off to refuel. When you go to st... Read more

Incident date: Dec 15, 2025

I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious safety issue involving my vehicle. For an extended period of time, this vehicle has experienced recurring starting failures. On multiple occasions, the vehicle would not start, requiring service visits to the dealership. Despite repeated repair attempts, the dealership was unable to identify the root cause of the problem and typically performed on... Read more

Incident date: Dec 15, 2025

Received third notification of recall for the vehicle that I purchased from Don Jackson Jeep Cummings, GA on March 2024 by NHTSA. The first two recall warnings were 68C and 78C that Jeep stated was remedy via software. Software cannot guarantee that no electrical battery nor engine/transmission issue b/c the check engine light came on and vehicle kept at JEEP Morrow dealership for approximately 6 ... Read more

Incident date: Sep 30, 2024

Unknown The engine is bad. Costing me $2500 that I don't have. The lifter needs fixing and probably other things as well. I need help.

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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

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