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: Feb 23, 2026
I have replaced my whole engine and the cars fuel system.. my gas was backing into my oil along with the engine failing .. has happened again. This car has been a nightmare and just keeps failing. Strong gas and oil burning smell then car starts smoking. Had to shut it off in the middle of the road.
Incident date: Jun 5, 2026
Had to replace engine around 136000 and pay for it out of pocket. I am finding other people with the same model and year having this same issue This is what they said "verified cel was on. vehicle was running really bad, there was no coolant in the reservoir, i pulled spark plugs and inspected all the cylinders, cylinders 3 & 4 spark plugs were covered in fluid and were black. i used combustion c... Read more
Incident date: Apr 20, 2026
Per mechanic, head gasket has failed due to known issue with 1.5L Ecoboost engines. Coolant is leaking into the engine. White smoke in the exhaust indicating coolant leak. Vehicle is currently availble for inspection upon request, but is destined to be sold. Driver safety as well as surrounding driver safety as risk should engine completely fail due to overheating while driving, potentially ca... Read more
Incident date: Apr 24, 2026
Shortly after purchasing my 2022 Ford Escape, I began experiencing hesitation during acceleration, loss of power, RPM fluctuations, loud howling and whining noises, grinding noises, exhaust-related rattling, coolant bubbling, and a strong sulfur/rotten egg odor. The problems were reported repeatedly to the selling dealer and Ford service departments. Despite multiple complaints, I was repeatedly t... Read more
Incident date: Apr 18, 2026
The systems failing are electrical, engine, and fuel/propulsion systems. VW TAOS 2022 purchased Sept. 2023. Two weeks after purchasing the vehicle, I'm driving down the street and the vehicle began to lose power and start slowing down. It eventually cut off. About a week later, I experienced the same issue. I called the dealer and they had me to bring my car in. I was told that they couldn't... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
TAOS
(2022) - ENGINE
Jun 13, 2026
Incident date: Jun 10, 2026
My 2023 Chevrolet Suburban Premier is covered under GM recall 25V-274 for the 6.2L L87 engine defect (loss of propulsion from connecting rod and crankshaft failure). In XXX, the dealer notified me my vehicle required a full engine replacement under this recall. Wareing Sheridan Chevrolet in [XXX] replaced the engine, and the vehicle was out of service approximately 12 to 14 days. Approximately 6,0... Read more
Incident date: Jun 12, 2026
My CVT transmission has stopped working. At no time during taking it to Nissan dealerships to have oil changes in basic maintenance was it ever suggested to do a filter or fluid change on my transmission although Nissan transmissions are sold to consumers as locked and maintenance free it is a well-known fact that I've come to find out that this is a very incorrect statement and fluid and filters ... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
TIGUAN
(2019) - ENGINE
Jun 13, 2026
Incident date: Apr 9, 2026
Engine replacement needed at 99,782 miles. P1326 code continuously popping up. Also has excessive oil consumption and electrical problems concerning the forward collision system. Kia refuses to replace engine although the P1326 code is covered by lifetime warranty. The cause of the incident was defect in engine resulting in a recall of all 2011-2019 models. The 2020 Kia optima LX contains a 2.4L G... Read more
Incident date: Feb 21, 2026
Dear Sir or Madam. My name is [XXX], [XXX], [XXX] living in [XXX]. I bought my 2008 Lexus RX400h car, used, in 2014 at a non-Lexus dealership in the [XXX] where I used to live. My Lexus VIN is: [XXX]. I've been satisfied with the car..until today. The car had been running smoothly forever, and this morning while I was driving I came to a stop (red light) and the car suddenly shut down completely... Read more
Incident date: Apr 15, 2026
85,000 miles Tam phaser and timing system fail along with misfires fuel injector. At 115,000 miles engine failure on the freeway.
Incident date: Jun 13, 2026
I have a misfire and all the warning lights came on. This is due to Honda having the fuel pump recalled that has damaged all the fuel injectors. It took them almost a year to get the recall parts and now myself and a ton of others are now having to pay for these fuel injectors to have a car that doesn't stall and die on the road. Honda should have taken care of this knowing it damaged the fuel inj... Read more
Incident date: May 7, 2026
While coasting down or under very light acceleration between 12-20 mph the vehicle has a shudder like driving over a highway rumble strip. While cruising on the highway at 65+ mph, the vehicle has a light shudder or vibration. Vehicle has been checked numerous times for wheel and tire inconsistencies. Brake pads and rotors have also been replaced with no change in issue. Headlights daytime run... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2021) - ENGINE
Jun 13, 2026
Incident date: Jun 13, 2026
Vehicle surges sometimes and repeatedly from a stop, with delayed acceleration; very dangerous when merging or moving from a stopped position into a flow of traffic (such as turning right on red). Vehicle sometimes will not move at all under acceleration, as if it has no gas at all. Vehicle is under recall for both of these issues related to the engine, but "no remedy available." Latest incident o... Read more
Incident date: Jun 8, 2026
I purchase this car on XXX Clinton Ford Dealership and engine need replacement Jan 2020 . I at that time did many replacement until the final diagnostic said engine replacement confirm by dealership Ford Dealership Fayetteville NC . The purge valve canister went out in 2022 and was replaced by Ed’sTire in Hope Mills Rd 11/19–11/22/2022 and now mechanic said it is in need of replacement again .... Read more
Incident date: Jan 4, 2020
Defect: Engine failure caused by lifter and camshaft failure at 114 miles (5.2 engine hours). The vehicle is at the dealership undergoing warranty repairs. The service department confirmed a seized lifter, necessitating the replacement of all lifters and the camshaft. The incident occurred at highway speeds on the interstate when the engine suddenly began knocking loudly. Immediately after the kno... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2026) - ENGINE
Jun 13, 2026
Incident date: Jun 3, 2026
Engine failed at 71,700 miles due to cracked block causing coolant intrusion into cylinders. Motor would quit while driving. Ford dealer tested and confirmed known problem. Motor would misfire then stall.
Incident date: Oct 1, 2025
My car overheated repeatedly and it was diagnosed by Liberty Ford Aurora Ohio to be caused by Coolant Intrusion. I was quoted a price of more than $11,000.00 to replace the engine
Incident date: May 11, 2026
Engine fire which led to explosion and total loss.
Fire
Incident date: May 20, 2025
Cowl vent grille openings allowed normal environmental debris to accumulate, plug drainage and divert water onto electrical components and potentially result in a fire if not addressed. Some of the debris passes through into the hvac system and cannot be cleaned without dealer removal/repair of the hvac motor, which costs the customer more than $500 in repairs and disincentivizes mitigation. Fu... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLA 250
(2021) - ENGINE
Jun 13, 2026
Incident date: Jun 12, 2026
Something happened to cause power loss. I checked the recalls and work that was supposed to be performed but didn’t get done like it was supposed to. I need to have it checked now asap! I see 2 engine replacements and also the turbos and 2 of the catalytic converters. The last 2 need replacing as well or it’s not going to be right.
Incident date: May 3, 2026
June 8th, 2026 I was driving to work when my car began to have problems accelerating. My cars acceleration was inconsistent and would not allow for appropriate throttle response. After realizing this was not a fuel delivery problem I tried to come to a safe area to pull over in which I could not do so rounding a roundabout. After making it through the roundabout my cars acceleration was depleting... Read more
Incident date: May 19, 2026
After the emissions 9c2 recall car hesitant when changing an Hyundai has knowledgement of the problem but don’t have a fix
Incident date: May 18, 2026
My 2022 Hyundai Tucson Experience, a sudden transmission failure at approximately 92,520 miles. The vehicle develop shifting issues and abnormal noises before losing propulsión. While driving. Hyundai diagnosed and internal Transmission failure and approved transmission replacement. I’m concerned about the sudden loss of proportion and the safety risk this creates. Hyundai proposed repair is to... Read more
Incident date: Jun 11, 2026
My Ford escape recently has been experiencing what I believe to be a coolant issue. There was a stained spot on the driveway a couple of times in May 2026 and technicians had said my coolant fluid was on the low side so they topped it up while I was getting the car serviced for an oil change. The car was seemingly running fine though until we started the car on 6/4/26 and waiting for the AC to kic... Read more
Incident date: Mar 20, 2025
"The CVT/drivetrain failed completely on May 28, 2026 at approximately 76,000 miles. The vehicle suddenly lost all drive power and came to a stop. Car is parked and completely undriveable. The failed component is the CVT transmission assembly — vehicle is available for inspection. Safety risk: Complete loss of drive power while operating a vehicle creates serious crash risk for driver and others... Read more
Incident date: Jun 12, 2026
Engine and engine components caught fire while driving. This put my husbands life at risk and could have caused harm to other drivers if he was driving on a busier road. Car fire could have completely engulfed the car and caused harm or even death. Fire department was called to assist with extinguishing the fire and to ensure that further danger did not persist.
Fire
Incident date: Jun 12, 2026
Vehicle shuts off with with the start/stop feature. then will not restart the motor after taking foot off the brake causing a dead vehicle in the road with no warning. Then its a scramble to get it to restart and its difficult to start. this happens at random and seems like honda refuses to fix.
Incident date: Jun 12, 2026
Catastrophic engine failures AT 57k miles while driving, resulted in engine replacment under recall warranty. Timing chain replacement done at 93K miles. Second Engine failure while driving at 107K. Hyundai refuses to fix the engine.
Incident date: Apr 11, 2026
Vehicle: 2019 Honda Pilot VIN: [XXX] My 2019 Honda Pilot is experiencing an "Emissions System Problem" accompanied by Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P219A (Air-Fuel Ratio Imbalance). This defect causes engine hesitation, rough idling, and a severe risk of sudden loss of motive power or engine stalling while driving at highway speeds, presenting a significant safety hazard to myself and other motor... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2025
This updates a prior complaint (NHTSA tracking XXX). The 2019 Escape 1.5L EcoBoost has the known coolant-intrusion engine defect (white exhaust smoke, overheating, misfires; codes P0300/P0301-P0304). Ford replaced the engine short block under program 21N12 on 3/6/2024 at 62,201 miles. The defect has recurred and the engine has now completely failed a second time. The dealer (Tuttle-Click Ford) con... Read more
Incident date: Jun 12, 2026
Vehicle engine light came on XXX and was driven immediately to Auto Zone to check the code. The code showed P0299. The vehicle was then taken 2 miles home and parked. It was towed to Lake Chevrolet in [XXX] on XXX to prevent any engine damage from occurring due to the failed turbo. Upon Lake's inspection they claim the manifold and valve cover gasket must be replaced. We agreed to that, and asked... Read more
Incident date: May 29, 2026
Component that failed: High-voltage main battery pack assembly and associated electrical architecture. The vehicle and the component are currently located at my home and are available for inspection upon request. Description of Incident & Safety Risk: While attempting to drive the car and when connected to the vehicle to a standard charging infrastructure, a catastrophic internal failure occurred... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jun 11, 2026
Hard shifting when at high speeds
Incident date: Jun 12, 2026
Engine light came on started blinking Vehicle had oil and coolant intrusion into coils and engine and engine is requiring of replacement. No issues prior. Maintenance regularly done.
LAND ROVER
DISCOVERY SPORT
(2017) - ENGINE
Jun 12, 2026
Incident date: Jun 12, 2026
Coolant for car engine was discovered by ford service technician in cylinder causing the spark plug to misfire and break. the engine miss fires and idles very rough. The check engine light keeps coming on flashing, which is another tell tale sigh, according to service advisor, that there is a problem. The car is available for inspection at any time. Driving becomes dangerous if the engine quits or... Read more
Incident date: Jun 12, 2026
This complaint is based on four separate safety recalls affecting my vehicle — Recalls 56C, 68C (NHTSA Campaign No. 25V-741), 21D (NHTSA Campaign No. 26V-363) and 78C (NHTSA Campaign No. 25V-766) — which collectively demonstrate a pattern of serious, unresolved manufacturing defects involving both the high-voltage battery system and the gasoline engine. Stellantis has materially and permanentl... Read more
Incident date: May 14, 2026
Vehicle purchased new December 2026 and vehicle experienced loss of power and abnormal shifting while driving at only 9000 miles. Engine produced clicking noises and was immediately brought to the closest dealership. Vehicle has been out of service since May 8, 2026, with no repair completion date due to parts availability. Owner continues making payments and insurance payments while without use o... Read more
Incident date: May 14, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, a loud knocking sound was heard, and the vehicle's speed decreased to approximately 25 MPH. The contact was able to safely pull over into a parking lot. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The appr... Read more
Incident date: May 12, 2025
Check engine light came on. had it checked at the dealer and they confirmed coolant intrusion on the engine and that it needs an engine replacement. there was a technical service bulletin issue on this exact issue but Ford is refusing to help with any assistance. They estimated $12,000 to fix it.
Incident date: Jun 11, 2026
The recall was issued May 2025 and still has no remedy, bulletins state anticipated remedy in 4th quarter of 2025, we are in middle of 2026, over a year since the recall was issued another recall issued November 2025 with no remedy yet.
Incident date: Jun 12, 2026
My Turbo/EcoBoost Escape’s check engine light kept coming on and off between October and December 2025. I took it to a Ford repair shop in December to diagnose (P0301 and P0306 engine codes), and they said coolant was leaking into an engine cylinder. They said maybe I hadn’t done a coolant flush years back, but they weren’t sure why it developed. Regardless they said I needed to replace the ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 12, 2026
Notice during startups and slow speeds engine making taping noises. After bringing my truck in for service I was told my sound was my lifters on the passenger side.
Incident date: Jun 12, 2026
About 3 weeks ago, I was driving, and a red flashing light came on, signalling that my coolant was low. I bought radiator fluid and put it in up to the fill line. I visited my daughter, which is 11/2 hr. away. I checked the radiator reserve when I arrived at her house. The reserve was empty again. I brought it to a local mechanic shop. They diagnosed that I have coolant intrusion in the engine. T... Read more
Incident date: Jun 3, 2026
Follow-up to NHTSA complaint ODI #11742508 regarding the same vehicle and VIN. Vehicle experienced intermittent electrical failures while driving, including dashboard warning lights, charging system warnings, infotainment failures, communication fault codes, and intermittent loss of throttle response while entering intersections. Dealer initially stated they could not duplicate the issue and vehi... Read more
Incident date: Jun 10, 2026
The cruise control was set at 75 mph and we were driving down the interstate when the engine suddenly lost power and shut off. This happened with no warning and no warning lights activated. Several days later, we were driving down the interstate with the cruise control set at 72 when the engine again lost power and shut off. We were able to get the car to move again both times by shutting off ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 10, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55-60 MPH, the vehicle suddenly became inoperable; the power steering became inoperable, and the brake pedal became difficult to depress. The message "No Key Fob Detected" illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the failure could not be duplicated. No repairs were performed. The manufactu... Read more
Incident date: Jun 10, 2026
I purchased my 2023 Toyota Tundra new and immediately had concerns as at low speeds it jerked badly. This problem has not gotten better but worse. It is noticeable to passengers when riding in the truck. Early on the fuel pump quit and was replaced. The spark plugs were replaced after the dealership said this might be the problem. My issue is I purchased a $70,000 vehicle with the expectation... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2023
We began occasionally smelling an acrid smell, but didn't think much of it due to lack of visible leaks or warning lights. During a routine oil change at the mazda dealer, we asked about the smell, and the tech almost immediately found the issue, saying he had seen it a few times before. The oil is leaking from the head down onto the manifold due to what seems to be a recurring defective casting i... Read more
HONDA
CLARITY PLUG-IN HYBRID
(2018) - ENGINE
Jun 12, 2026
Incident date: Apr 9, 2026
The vehicle severely shudders, jerks, and hesitates from a stop and while making a turn, during both acceleration and deceleration, making it entirely unsafe to drive. The vehicle has been completely un-driveable for the past 6 days. The check engine light illuminated, and on 4/9/26, the dealer documented a failed transmission judder test and kept the car, issuing a loaner. A temporary software pa... Read more
Incident date: Jun 7, 2026
Description On your vehicle, it may be possible to experience a noisy, partially inoperable, or completely inoperable heating ventilating and air conditioning HVAC blower Motor. Safety Risk An inoperable or partially inoperable HVAC blower Motor may affect windshield defrost and defogging capability, which can decrease visibility under certain driving conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.... Read more