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.
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
Showing 40,517 complaints — component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
HYUNDAI
SANTA FE SPORT
(2017) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jul 15, 2025
Incident date: Jul 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating, prompting the contact to discontinue driving the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that coolant intrusion into cylinder #3 had resulted in damages to the engine. ... Read more
HONDA
ACCORD HYBRID
(2024) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jul 15, 2025
Incident date: Jul 8, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact used a personal handheld scanner to scan the vehicle and retrieved DTC: P1326 which indicated a failure with the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS). The vehicle was... Read more
Incident date: Jul 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Infiniti QX50. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle experienced a temporary reduction in engine power. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The failure became persistent with significant reduction in engine power while attempting to accelerate. The vehicle was taken... Read more
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER
(2020) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jul 15, 2025
Incident date: Jul 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle briefly shook violently, prompting the contact to discontinue driving the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that there was coolant intrusion into various cylinders resulting in damages to the engine. ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 30, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the vehicle started shaking and vibrating abnormally, and the engine became overheated. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the engine head gasket was blown and recommended that the engine be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of t... Read more
Incident date: Jun 30, 2025
I am writing to formally express my concern and frustration regarding the prolonged delay in implementing a remedy for General Motors Safety Recall N252494000, which affects vehicles equipped with the L87 6.2-liter VB engine. This recall, issued in April 2025, was prompted by serious safety concerns involving sudden engine failure and loss of propulsion-conditions that significantly increase the ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 30, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 BMW 228I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet a... Read more
Incident date: Jun 30, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated when the vehicle was started, there was an excessive amount of white smoke coming from the exhaust pipes. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The conta... Read more
Incident date: Jul 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated while driving 80 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway and turned off the vehicle. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated but had since ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2024 GMC Sierra1500. The contact received notification from the OnStar App regarding NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and informed the contact ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was advised that the engine was faulty due to coolant intrusion. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate fail... Read more
Incident date: Jul 8, 2025
The contact owns a 2024 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while at a stop light the vehicle stopped and failed to move forward. The contact restarted the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was concerned about driving the vehicle with her young children inside. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, th... Read more
Incident date: Jul 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2024 Chevrolet Trax. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the failure persisted. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the engine and observed a crack on the engine block. The contact was informed... Read more
Incident date: Jul 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that after a recent oil change, the vehicle began to hesitate while depressing the accelerator pedal. In addition, white smoke was coming from the exhaust pipes with the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the road before being able to drive the vehicle to the residence in LI... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the engine was running very hot, and the coolant level was extremely low. The contact refilled the coolant reservoir; however, shortly after, the coolant reservoir was low again. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the cont... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco. The contact had received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V635000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), 25V025000 (Suspension), 25V315000 (Back Over Prevention) and 25V455000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts for all four recalls wer... Read more
Incident date: Jul 6, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contac... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2022
The contact's daughter owns a 2016 Dodge Journey. The contact's daughter received a notification for Emissions Recall: U67 related to the catalytic converter. An appointment was scheduled to have the vehicle serviced; however, the day prior to the appointment, the check engine warning light illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and stated that the warning light might be related to th... Read more
Incident date: Jul 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The... Read more
Incident date: Jul 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stopped, the vehicle idled intermittently. In addition, an abnormal sound was coming from the left side of the engine. The vehicle was not diagnosed ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving 55–60 MPH, the engine overheated and the vehicle stalled while making a turn. The vehicle stalled and failed to restart. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V877000 (Engine). The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, but no as... Read more
Incident date: Jul 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon start of the vehicle, an "Engine Coolant Overtemperature" message appeared on the instrument panel and the Ford Mobile App. The contact attempted to drive the vehicle to an independent mechanic; however, the vehicle hesitated upon depression of the accelerator pedal. The contact drove the vehicle back to the residence and used a cod... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2016) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jul 14, 2025
Incident date: Apr 14, 2025
The contact’s daughter owns a 2019 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the messages "Engine Overheated" and "Service Now” were displayed. The contact’s daughter attempted to drive the vehicle, but the vehicle had shifted into "LIMP Mode". The vehicle was pulled over into a parking lot and restarted, but ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 13, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Edge. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to immediately start. The contact stated that after the vehicle was started, while driving approximately 15 MPH the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local mechanic and was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in the engine cylinders. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was... Read more
Incident date: Mar 11, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the engine overheated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and noticed that the coolant reservoir was empty. The contact added coolant to the coolant reservoir; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that there was coolant intrusion into cylin... Read more
Incident date: Jun 16, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. Th... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2024
The contact owns a 2024 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 11, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the engine was faulty due to coolant intrusion, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the... Read more
MITSUBISHI
OUTLANDER
(2023) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jul 11, 2025
Incident date: Dec 20, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked and was running abnormally rough. In addition, the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the contact became aware of smoke coming from the exhaust. The contact stopped and parked the vehicle. The contact inspected the fluid levels, and the fluid levels were sufficient. The ve... Read more
Incident date: Jul 11, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (POWER TRAIN). The contact stated that while the vehicle was being repaired under recall, the contact was informed that there was coolant intrusion into the engine, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the ... Read more
POLESTAR
POLESTAR 2
(2024) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jul 11, 2025
Incident date: Jul 11, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while receiving an oil change at a dealer, the mechanic located an oil leak in the oil pan and informed the contact that the oil pan and silicone sealant needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 119,314.
Incident date: Feb 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2025 Honda ADV160. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V195000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The m... Read more
Incident date: Jun 23, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle sputtered and the engine was running rough. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic, who diagnosed that the spark plugs had failed and needed to be replaced. The spark plugs were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was returned to the mechanic, who replac... Read more
Incident date: May 24, 2025
The contact owns a 2023 GMC Yukon XL. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact... Read more
POLESTAR
POLESTAR 2
(2023) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jul 11, 2025
Incident date: Jul 9, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle was shaking. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined there was coolant intrusion into the engine causing the engine block to crack. The mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact called the local deal... Read more
POLESTAR
POLESTAR 2
(2022) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jul 11, 2025
Incident date: Jul 11, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the contact heard a loud clanging sound coming from the engine compartment, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the head gasket and short block needed to b... Read more
POLESTAR
POLESTAR 2
(2023) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jul 11, 2025
Incident date: Jul 11, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the message to pull over at the earliest safe warning light illuminated. The contact immediately drove the vehicle to the dealer. The contact was informed that there was coolant was leaking into the engine and engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline f... Read more
Incident date: Mar 19, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the check engine warning light started to flash. The contact stated that the vehicle started to lose motive power. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle shook violently. The contact pulled off the highway and the vehicle stalled. The contact restarted the vehicle, and the check engin... Read more
Incident date: Mar 8, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that coolant intrusion into the cylinder had caused the engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be repla... Read more
POLESTAR
POLESTAR 2
(2021) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jul 11, 2025
Incident date: Jul 9, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The check engine warning light was flashing. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the oil pressure sensor circuit had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recu... Read more
Incident date: Jul 11, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the vehicle experienced a rough idle. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed due to coolant intrusion and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The... Read more
Incident date: Jun 25, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the low coolant warning light had illuminated prematurely. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact was unable to find a coolant leak. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle overheated while driving, which required the contact to pull over temporarily and to resume driving after the vehicle had cooled down. The vehicle was ta... Read more
POLESTAR
POLESTAR 2
(2021) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jul 11, 2025
Incident date: Jul 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Ford EcoSport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000(Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while the contact's mother was driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle suddenly went into Limp mode. The driver was able to pull to a safe area, was able to restart the ve... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2019) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jul 11, 2025
Incident date: May 13, 2025
The contact's husband owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact used a vehicle code reader and scanner tool to scan the vehicle and retrieved a diagnostic trouble code indicating a misfire in engine cylinder #2. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where, the coil pack and plug wire were replaced; however, the failure ... Read more
NISSAN
ROGUE SPORT
(2019) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jul 11, 2025
Incident date: Jul 5, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle decelerated and lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The check engine warning light, the malfunction indicator light and two other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart, but ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 4, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed on the freeway, the vehicle overheated. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The driver pulled to the side of the road and allowed the vehicle to cool off. The driver then drove to a safe location. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with coolant... Read more
Incident date: Jul 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000(Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the check engine warning illuminated and the vehicle stalled. The contact pulled to the side of the road and attempted to restart the... Read more
Incident date: Jun 11, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 BMW 528I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000(Engine and Engine Cooling; Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. An unknown local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of th... Read more
Incident date: Jul 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating, prompting the contact to check the coolant level. Upon visual inspection, the contact observed that the coolant level was abnormally low after a recent service. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the... Read more