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: Dec 31, 1969
I bought the 2015 ford fusion for my son as a graduation present as he headed off to college on his own. The car started misfiring upon cold start for about 5-10 seconds. Eventually the car started misfiring while driving. He frequently had to pull over on the side of the road while driving to make it to his destination. I had him take the car to a ford dealership to be inspected. To my surprise, ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 6, 2026
Driving on highway, suddenly starts chugging and stalling, blowing white smoke and engine light comes on. On side of road won't restart. Ford dealer confirmed it was coolant intrusion from a known engine faulty design, dealer said Ford did not cover all VINS that this effected, (which mine was one) even though it met the other criteria. Has only been inspected and confirmed at Ford repair ce... Read more
Incident date: Feb 2, 2026
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The Auto Start/Stop function only works intermittently on our 2021 Honda Odyssey. Occasionally, when the Auto Start/Stop function does shut off the engine when the vehicle is at a complete stop, the engine fails to restart on its own. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. How was ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 6, 2026
On May 21st , 2026, while waiting in line to make a right turn (positioned 3rd in queue), the vehicles ahead moved forward. As I transitioned from the brake to the gas pedal to follow, the vehicle experienced an instantaneous engine stall and total electrical failure (NOT an i-Stop event). Pressing the gas caused the vehicle to slowly roll backward. When I immediately tried to reapply the brakes, ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 11, 2021
I filed a complaint when the first engine seized. It's a miracle we got off the road safely that day. While it was at the dealership, the engine was replaced with a used engine and covered by my extended warranty from Vroom. I believe the cost was approximately $14,000. I was told the engine had around 30,000 miles on it. I've put around 20,000 miles on this engine and the same thing happened agai... Read more
Incident date: Jun 6, 2026
Engine has coolant intrusion at 57,000 miles. Mechanic recommends full engine replacement.
Incident date: May 21, 2026
Since i've had my truck the passenger seat vibrates excessively while driving; the oil alert comes on even when there is oil, current oil change; seems to not have power, shifts hard. What's interesting is that these items come up when I searched on recalls. this truck is not driven hard... mehanic cant figure out what is causing the oil alert, the passenger seat shaking excessively.. and there... Read more
Incident date: Jun 4, 2026
While driving at highway speed, I experienced a sudden loss of engine power with no warning. This created an immediate safety hazard for myself and other drivers. The vehicle was diagnosed by Mercedes-Benz of Georgetown as requiring a full engine replacement (~$19,000). This failure is consistent with a known defect in the 2.0L M260 engine used in the 2020 A220, involving premature wear of exhaus... Read more
Incident date: May 21, 2026
Head Gasket, premature failure at 49k miles. Online this a very common issue for Jetta and Taos owners that Volkswagen is not addressing through a recall. This will cause engines to fail.
Incident date: May 11, 2026
Check engine light, electronic throttle control warning, and auto start/stop warning lights illuminate intermittently. OBD scan revealed codes P018B and P018D (Fuel Pressure Sensor B Circuit). Freeze frame data shows fuel rail pressure at 20,030 kPa under full throttle load, significantly below expected range. Engine running lean with short term fuel trim at +11.7%. Dealer and FCA confirmed awaren... Read more
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
Vehicle experienced sudden loss of motive power while merging onto interstate I accelerated to enter traffic and all dashboard warning lights illuminated at once. Engine shut off immediately with no prior knocking,smoke, or warning. Car coasted to shoulder with complete loss of power steering and power brakes. After incident vehicle will not crank or restart , push -button start activates accessor... Read more
Incident date: Jun 6, 2026
Transmission system / engine system
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
My 2024 Chevy Malibu has lost power and is not shifting properly yet it’s not displaying any codes. It shifts and jerks very hard when on a cold start but also will not get up and go when I pull into traffic. This has caused me to almost get hit numerous times. It’s like it freezes and won’t go! The dealership could not recreate the problem (shocker), and since no codes they sent me away. Sa... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
I have fighting this issue since January and have not gotten any help or relief from Chevrolet. This issue caused a significant safety risk and has cost me $12,000. I am writing to formally report a serious safety issue involving my 2021 Chevrolet Silverado that resulted in a sudden loss of power while merging onto an interstate highway. On XXX, I brought my vehicle in for service to replace the... Read more
Incident date: Jun 5, 2026
I am a [XXX] resident. While commuting to work in [XXX], my GMC Terrain experienced a sudden, catastrophic failure of the brake vacuum pump while traveling at highway speeds. When I attempted to slow down for the exit, the brake pedal instantly became extremely stiff and nearly impossible to depress. I realized I had suffered an absolute loss of power braking assist. To avoid a high-speed collisio... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
TIGUAN
(2025) - ENGINE
Jun 6, 2026
Incident date: Jun 6, 2026
My 2019 Ford Escape overheated, had the vehicle towed. The repair shop said it was coolant intrusion into cylinder 3, first was to replace the head gasket, upon disassembly the mechanic notice gouges in cylinder head. Endurance would not cover the replacement of head gasket or cylinder head. car displayed overheated pull over safely. Not sure if this will be a reoccurring problem.the mechanic sa... Read more
Incident date: Jun 3, 2026
Engine running rough on start; found coolant intrusion in cylinder 3; necessary to replace long block assembly
Incident date: Apr 1, 2023
[XXX] [XXX] [XXX]; [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] Date: XXX To: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) Subject: Formal Safety Defect Complaint – 2017 Hyundai Sonata Theta II Engine Failure, Excessive Oil Consumption, Intake/Engine Component Failure and Safety Hazard Dear Sir or Madam: I am submitting this formal complaint and request for immediate investigat... Read more
Incident date: May 28, 2026
2018 - 2022 models of the Honda Accord Sport are known to have a issue with the Head Gasket overheating and cracking causing cylinder miss fires and engine issue. Honda has refused to acknowledge the issue as a recall and my car recently suffered the same issue.
FORD
MAVERICK HYBRID
(2023) - ENGINE
Jun 6, 2026
Incident date: Jun 6, 2026
While driving my 2019 Honda Accord Hybrid at highway speed, the engine suddenly suffered catastrophic failure. The engine block ruptured, leaving a large visible hole with internal engine components exposed. Oil was expelled into the engine bay and ignited/burned briefly. This occurred without prior warning at highway speed and created a sudden loss-of-propulsion hazard. The vehicle has approxima... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jun 5, 2026
Rough idle started at 11,400 miles. Took to GMC dealer near me and had thrust bearing clearance measured. Measured .0054"(within spec). They released truck back to me. 19,400 mile oil change found large metal(non magnetic) slivers in the filter media. I cut filters to check for issues due to known issues with this engine(metal). I called gmc corporate, i was told to not drive the truck. I paid o... Read more
FORD
MUSTANG MACH E
(2022) - ENGINE
Jun 6, 2026
Incident date: Jun 4, 2026
Engine failure, metal leaking into oil which caused engine to fail
Incident date: May 28, 2026
I heard knocking as I was leaving gas station. I was scared about what was going wrong and if it was safe to drive home. I was alone and it was after dark. I took the next day off and took the car to my mechanic. He said it sounded like rod knock but didn’t want to do the engine replacement so he sent me to another mechanic who also said it sounded like the engine needed to be replaced. I di... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
GOLF R
(2026) - ENGINE
Jun 6, 2026
Incident date: Mar 20, 2026
2022 Silverado 1500 LTZ w/6.2L 38082 total miles. First engine replacement due to seizure at approx. 17,782 miles around June/2025, The vehicle lost all propulsion and stopped running while sitting at a stop sign at a four way intersection during a really bad thunderstorm, Luckily the intersection was on a declining hill and i was able to coast it into nearby parking lot .I'm a senior citizen wi... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2025) - ENGINE
Jun 6, 2026
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
I am filing a complaint regarding my 2021 GMC Yukon due to a serious engine failure involving the camshaft, lifters, and crankshaft. The vehicle began exhibiting engine ticking and knocking noises, rough idle, loss of power, and reduced performance. These symptoms progressively worsened and ultimately resulted in major engine damage. The vehicle was diagnosed with failed lifters and camshaft damag... Read more
Incident date: May 29, 2026
On November 20, 2025, my 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4 equipped with the 3.0L Duramax diesel engine began experiencing intermittent engine overheating conditions. Concerned about a potential safety issue, I contacted a GMC dealership and was advised that because no diagnostic trouble codes were present, there was nothing to diagnose or repair and that I should continue driving the vehicle. Over the fol... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2022) - ENGINE
Jun 5, 2026
Incident date: May 24, 2026
Engine mount replace required at 37000 per dealership service inspection. Informed that it is standard for this part to fail repeatedly during life of engine. Retail price of repair at dealership estimated at $3000, offered repair for $1200. Informed that a driving hazard and cause for more engine damage if not replaced.
Incident date: Apr 1, 2024
My 2016 GMC Terrain 2.4L Ecotec first stalled while idling at a red light in Raleigh, NC. I restarted it and it sounded different, so I drove it home. The next morning it would not start. The failure occurred at approximately 69,939 miles with no meaningful warning. The dealer’s diagnostic report states there were no current relevant codes and no relevant codes in history. The dealer documented... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2023) - ENGINE
Jun 5, 2026
Incident date: Jan 13, 2026
On March 04, 2026, I took my 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe to the local dealer for oil change service. As part of that service visit, they performed Hyundai recall 9C1 which was supposed to lower tailpipe emissions. The next morning, and ever since, my vehicle ran differently. The engine had several 1000rpm surges and was sluggish at other times. This behavior has continued. Particularly when I first star... Read more
Incident date: May 28, 2026
Three recalls have now been issued across four years Post-fix engines are still failing for the new tundra Toyota is still issuing new part numbers and design revisions for 2026 The NHTSA filing explicitly references engine configuration as a pressure driver No complete remedy exists for the second recall as of today The probability this is purely a manufacturing debris issue is effectively zero a... Read more
Incident date: Jun 5, 2026
Coolant breach in engine block, Cylinder 3. Causing misfire and engine fault. TSB 22-2322
CHEVROLET
TRAILBLAZER
(2021) - ENGINE
Jun 5, 2026
Incident date: Jun 4, 2026
I bought a brand new 2026 1500 GMC sierra AT4X and after 1,800 miles the engine seized and failed.
CHEVROLET
TRAILBLAZER
(2021) - ENGINE
Jun 5, 2026
Incident date: Jun 4, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine). The contact stated that while her husband was driving at 20 MPH, the Check Engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle could not be restarted. The vehicle was pushed to the residence, then towed to a dealer, who stated that the failure was related to the act... Read more
Incident date: Jan 9, 2026
While merging onto the interstate my vehicle suffered sudden loss of motive power. All dash lights illuminated ,engine shut off instantly with no prior knock or warning.vehicle will not crank or restart.push button start activates accessories only .This matches TSB 22-EM-003H for connecting rod bearing seizure.No crash occured because I was able to coast to shoulder but loss of power steering/brak... Read more
Incident date: Apr 2, 2026
2023 Ford Bronco Sport purchased 2 years ago with only 1 minor recall. I’ve had to replace my water pump already and it’s had a fuel injector recall (amongst others) in place for over a year and FORD is unable to remedy due to not having parts. This could cause a fire in my engine and is a major safety risk. On Wednesday, June 3, 2026, yet ANOTHER recall, making that 14 TOTAL recalls on the 20... Read more
Incident date: May 13, 2025
My backup camera stopped functioning not too long after the warranty was expired. It began by not coming on sometimes and then it went completely out. The entire unit is no longer functioning which prevents me from being able to use my backup camera and that is a safety issue.
Incident date: May 7, 2026
Engine temp gauge bottoms out because the thermostat is stuck open, causing the air to stop working. Also a warning that the steering assist is reduced. Eng check light comes on with a code P0208. This a known problem with an extended service # (N242484760) but only if your vin is listed. All vehicles with this problem should be covered
Incident date: Jun 3, 2026
The car is available for inspection upon request. Safety was put at risk due to the cars potential to break down, or catch fire, due to high volumes of oil consumption and leakage from the piston rings. This was part of a recall campaign (#SC336 PISTON OIL RING), where we had two authorized Kia dealers inspect and claim the car "passed" their test. Recently, we had a catastrophic engine failure du... Read more
Incident date: May 19, 2026
To Whom It May Concern: I am submitting this complaint to report ongoing safety concerns involving my 2013 Hyundai Sonata. I purchased this vehicle in 2022 through financing and paid it off in 2025. Since acquiring the vehicle, I have experienced persistent mechanical issues that I believe may pose a safety risk to myself, my child, and others on the road. The most concerning issue involves the... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
I returned home from shopping at local store 15 miles away. Arrived home around 11:30pm on June 3. Unloaded groceries and sat down. Around 11:45pm-11:50pm heard yelling from outside that our car was on fire. My husband ran out and and seen flames coming from under hood of car. I called 911 and within a couple mins middle of hood was completely starting to melt and components were spraying fluid an... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jun 5, 2026
My vehicle is at the Genesis dealership with what they even consider a common problem. Road debris putting a hole in the unprotected Turbo Intercooler Radiator. This is a safety issue because the loss of power in the vehicle once you lose your turbo. The radiator is very unprotected down at the bottom of the front of the vehicle and Genesis needs to do something about this. This is going to co... Read more
Incident date: Jan 3, 2024
The engine light came on and started making noise. We drove it to a mechanic shop, and they said the code stated camshaft and other component issues, but the engine ended up failing completely and was rebuilt. We initially checked for recalls and our VIN did not show any; however, we recently became aware that our engine (6.2L) might be part of the ongoing current problems associated with a recall... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, the instrument cluster lights illuminated. The message “Emissions System Power Reduced – See Dealer” was displayed. An unknown transmission message was displayed. The engine was not working properly. The message "Pull Over and Turn off Vehicle" was displayed. The contact pulled over for 10 minutes, restarted ... Read more
HYUNDAI
TUCSON HYBRID
(2025) - ENGINE
Jun 5, 2026
Incident date: Apr 9, 2026
On June 3, 2026, my 2019 Ford Edge (2.0L EcoBoost) experienced a sudden loss of motive power and stalled in the middle of a busy, high-traffic intersection. Before stalling, the vehicle emitted thick white smoke from the exhaust. This was a life-threatening situation as I was stranded in moving traffic. The vehicle was towed to Mike Burkart Ford, where it was diagnosed with an internal EGR cooler ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 5, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V331000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The v... Read more
Incident date: Jun 3, 2026
The 6.2 liter engine has been recalled. The problem is if you pass inspection you are now required to use a higher grade of oil. This results in an additional cost of about $50 per change. The reimbursement of the difference should have been covered by the recall as this was not an intended cost when I purchased the truck.
Incident date: Jun 5, 2026
My 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe 2.4L (VIN: [XXX]) is experiencing a severe safety defect involving rapid engine oil starvation. The vehicle recently failed an official oil consumption test conducted by Fred Beans Hyundai of Abington, where it was documented that the engine consumed 1 quart of oil in just 881 miles (PA Request #XXX). This vehicle is equipped with the Theta II engine, which currently has ... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS CROSS SPORT
(2020) - ENGINE
Jun 5, 2026
Incident date: Jun 4, 2026
Just seen notice that there is a recall notice about the engine and part of the front suspension, just wondering if it affects my vehicle.
Incident date: Jun 4, 2026
Total engine failure on 5/31/26. Truck lost engine power while on highway and had to be towed to dealership where they found the lower end of the engine failed. Engine and radiator replacement needed, both are backordered with no eta.
Incident date: Jun 4, 2026
I am filing a formal complaint against BMW Seattle for violating federal recall remedy mandates under 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301. The vehicle was delivered for mandatory safety recall 23V-707 after an on-road mechanical shear of the covered VANOS bolts. The dealer has created illegal commercial barriers and failed to fully execute the federal remedy. First, the service department issued a written estim... Read more