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
Incident date: Aug 18, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Ram 2500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal burning odor inside the vehicle. The contact assumed that the odor was coming from the AC and turned off the AC. No warning light was illuminated. The contact parked and turned off the vehicle at the residence. Later that night, the contact heard a loud bang coming from the vehicl... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2008 Hyundai Veracruz. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaking oil, and over time, there was a loud knocking sound coming from the vehicle, with a significant amount of oil leaking from the vehicle, resulting in engine damage. The vehicle became inoperable. The vehicle was first taken to an independent mechanic, where the oil leak was discovered; however, the vehicle was... Read more
Incident date: Apr 17, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the engine was idling rough, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed and it ws determined that there was coolant inside the engine cylinders and informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The m... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving approximately 80 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly decelerated. The contact pulled over to the closest exit and pulled over to the side of the road. The vehicle was turned off and then restarted; however, while attempting to drive forward or reverse, the vehicle failed to move. The contact inspected the vehicle. While ins... Read more
Incident date: Aug 27, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle lost automotive power with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that there was bluish-gray smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle. After releasing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle stalled. The cont... Read more
Incident date: Apr 20, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Triumph Daytona 660. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V531000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was... Read more
Incident date: Apr 24, 2026
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle spontaneously caught fire while parked unattended at 3 am. All the warning lights were illuminated prior to the failure, and the vehicle was undrivable. The contact had received the recall notification letter for NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). There were no reported injuries, police report, or cras... Read more
Fire
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2021) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 24, 2026
Incident date: Jun 27, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under Kia Recall: SC209; however, the repair failed to prevent the failure. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the contact became aware of a n excessive oil consumption. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic, and it was determined that the engine... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2018) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 24, 2026
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2014 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH, the message “Turn off Air Conditioner - Engine Overheating” was displayed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was determined that the water pump and wiring needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not... Read more
Incident date: Mar 25, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Tundra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V767000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not mad... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2026
See attached document for complaint.
Incident date: Apr 9, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Genesis G80. The contact stated that the Check Oil and Low Oil warning light illuminated while the vehicle was idling. The warning lights turned off while driving. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic to be repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,200.
Incident date: Mar 17, 2026
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V513000 (Air Bags), 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), and 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The contact stated that while ac... Read more
Incident date: Mar 10, 2026
See attached document for complaint.
Incident date: Mar 28, 2026
See attached document for complaint.
Incident date: Apr 22, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine coolant overheated warning light illuminated. The vehicle stalled after the warning light illuminated and became inoperable. The dealer was notified of the failure; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 39,700.
Incident date: Jul 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the warning light for the engine overheating was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced an unknown recall with a... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. Upon further research, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced.... Read more
Incident date: Jan 3, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Trax. The contact stated that after the vehicle sat for a while on several occasions and was then driven, there was smoke coming from the engine compartment. While driving on those occasions, there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and DTC: P0171 was retrieved. The vehicle was repaired, but the fai... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2015) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 22, 2026
Incident date: Mar 29, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving 40-45 MPH, there was an abnormally loud ticking sound coming from the passenger's side of the engine compartment. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer and to another dealer, where it was diagnosed and it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2022) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 22, 2026
Incident date: Apr 11, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving 72 MPH and towing a trailer, the vehicle stalled while on the off-ramp. The vehicle failed to restart with an abnormal clicking sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the RPM was elevated. The contact was unsure if the sound was coming from the vehicle or another vehicle nearby. The message “E... Read more
Incident date: Mar 22, 2026
The contact owns a 2026 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that while attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine and radiator failure. The contact was informed that the engine and the radi... Read more
Incident date: Oct 22, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed on the turnpike, the vehicle made an abnormal sound before it stalled. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). T... Read more
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35-40 MPH, the vehicle started shuddering with a knocking sound coming from the engine. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and the dealer declined to repair the vehicle under NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V224000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The dealer stated t... Read more
Incident date: Mar 14, 2026
The contact's daughter owns a 2018 Ford Escape. While the owner was driving at various speeds, the engine overheated and the vehicle went into LIMP Mode on several occasions. The driver pulled over to the side of the road, and the vehicle was towed after each failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the coolant sensor was replaced; however, the failure recurred two days lat... Read more
Incident date: Feb 16, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the climate control feature was inoperable. In addition, the contact stated that after driving for approximately 5 miles, the engine overheated. A message to park the vehicle was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with head gasket failure. The contact was informed that ther... Read more
Incident date: Apr 14, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was losing coolant, and the coolant pipes were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was inspected, and the contact was informed that coolant was leaking into the engine cylinders. Due to the failure, the contact was informed that the engine needed to repaired or replaced. The dealer was notified of the failur... Read more
Incident date: Apr 17, 2026
The contact owns a 2014 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the check engine and the traction control warning lights were illuminated, and the vehicle hesitated to accelerate and failed to exceed 45 MPH while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a secondary air injection pump system failure. The mechanic determined that the... Read more
CADILLAC
ESCALADE ESV
(2021) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 20, 2026
Incident date: Apr 20, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac Escalade ESV. 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. Several dealers were previously contacted for recall inspection appointments, and the contact was informed that the manufacturer had denied the request to perform the service. A dealer was ... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2022) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 20, 2026
Incident date: Apr 13, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle suddenly decelerated, lost automotive power, shifted to neutral, and then shifted into park. During the failure, the contact depressed the brake pedal and pressed the start button for approximately 10 seconds to restart the vehicle. The failure had occurred five times, and the con... Read more
Incident date: Aug 24, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Lexus LS 500. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle coasted and was steered over to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the residence, where the oil was drained and the cap and filter were removed. The contact stated that there were metal shavings inside the oil. The vehicle was towed to a de... Read more
Incident date: Mar 26, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle with coolant intrusion in two cylinders and determined that the engine long block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure m... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2021) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 17, 2026
Incident date: Sep 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that additional engine oil was needed a month or two after an oil change. The contact stated that one quart of oil was added every 1,500 miles driven. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, and it was informed that it was normal operation for vehicles with the 6.2L engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was info... Read more
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2018) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 17, 2026
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with camshaft phaser and timing chain failures. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 35,540.
Incident date: Apr 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle lost automotive power, failed to accelerate, and went into LIMP Mode. Additionally, there were abnormally loud sounds coming from the engine. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V437000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN... Read more
Incident date: Aug 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds on several occasions, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the message "Reduced Engine Power" was displayed. The accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to respond and lost automotive power. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road, and the vehicle was towed... Read more
Incident date: Apr 15, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The oil was changed at the local dealer. After 24 hours, the engine was blown after driving approximately 50 miles. No warning lights were illuminated. While accelerating from a stoplight, there was an abnormal squealing noise from... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2025
The contact owns a 2023 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle started losing automotive power. The contact stated the engine failure warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was stopped and restarted after waiting 20 minutes. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed, and several undisclosed parts were replaced. The vehicle was... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the ABS and check engine warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was initially taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The diagnostic test determined th... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2019) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 16, 2026
Incident date: Feb 23, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that the vehicle required an oil change every 1,000 miles driven due to excessive oil consumption. Additionally, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from the lifters. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and was diagnosed with excessive oil consumption and failures with the lifters. The contact was informed that the engine nee... Read more
Incident date: Oct 16, 2025
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Forte. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle made an abnormal knocking sound, and there was a burning oil odor coming from the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (ENGINE); however, the contact was unable to schedule an appointment because the dealer was unr... Read more
Incident date: Apr 11, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that it was difficult to start the vehicle. While driving at 30 MPH, there was a significant amount of white smoke coming out of the exhaust pipes, reducing the visibility of the rear of the vehicle. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined t... Read more
HONDA
ACCORD HYBRID
(2022) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 16, 2026
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at speeds above 50 MPH, the vehicle hesitated and lost automotive power. The check engine warning light was flashing. After restarting the vehicle, the failure was self-corrected. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that there was engine coolant inside the cylinders. The cont... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2025) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 16, 2026
Incident date: Apr 9, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine made abnormal knocking sounds. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who discovered metal shavings inside the engine oil and determined that the crankshaft bearings had failed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle... Read more
Incident date: Mar 26, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Nissan Rogue. The contact had received an email from a third-party vehicle service for NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V437000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated that days after receiving the email, the vehicle was starting to drive sluggishly at slower speeds and failed to accelerate as needed while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that several un... Read more
Incident date: Apr 8, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated and was turning on and off. The thermostat gauge increased to hot. The contact became aware that there was no coolant in the coolant reservoir. Additionally, the oil light was illuminated even though an oil change had been performed two months prior. The vehicle became undrivable. The vehicl... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Ram 3500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine made abnormal knocking and ticking sounds. The knocking and ticking sounds became louder while accelerating. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the piston had ingested the grid heater nut. The mechanic replaced the pi... Read more
Incident date: Feb 20, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, there was smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle. The message, "Turn Off the Vehicle and Stop" was displayed, and the transmission failure warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over and turned off the vehicle. Once the vehicle was turned off, the smoke dissipated. The vehicle was towed to t... Read more
Incident date: Apr 14, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed or while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed a coolant leak coming from the engine. The contact was unaware of any warning lights being illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Th... Read more
Incident date: Nov 14, 2021
The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the caus... Read more