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.

2,215,138 Total Complaints

138,663 Reported Crashes

56,255 Reported Fires

8,561 Reported Deaths

What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?

A consumer complaint is a free-form report filed by a vehicle owner directly to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) describing a safety concern about their vehicle. NHTSA collects these reports through its Vehicle Owner Defect Report (VOQ) system and publishes them publicly. Each complaint includes the affected component, the date and circumstances of the incident, whether the failure caused a crash or fire, and any reported injuries or deaths. The owner's full narrative description is included verbatim — NHTSA does not edit or moderate the descriptions.

The database below contains over 2,215,138 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

How to Read NHTSA Consumer Complaints › How NHTSA Investigations Work › Used Car: 7 Recall Checks to Run First › The Takata Airbag Recall: Full Story › OBD-II Codes Explained › All Articles ›

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Showing 40,517 complaints — component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Incident date: Dec 20, 2025

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started the following day, the rattling sound from the engine compartment returned. The vehicle was taken to a dealer on several occasions, and i... Read more

Incident date: Feb 21, 2026

The contact’s daughter owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V467000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) and 26V123000 (Back Over Prevention); 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 in reverse(R), the... Read more

Incident date: Apr 10, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Nissan Rogue. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle suddenly lost automotive power and failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed under NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V080000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) and Nissan ID: P4A47 (Turbo Hose). However, the dealer declined to perform the recall repairs because the turbocharger... Read more

Incident date: Aug 22, 2025

The contact owns a 2025 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that after coming to a complete stop, the Auto START/STOP feature engaged, causing the vehicle to idle, the transmission shifted to park(P), and the engine failed to restart independently, and the vehicle turned off unexpectedly. The battery warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was restarted. Additionally, the vehicle made a clanking ... Read more

Incident date: Apr 13, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Ram Promaster 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V720000 (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 conta... Read more

Incident date: Mar 11, 2026

See attached document for complaint.

Incident date: Mar 6, 2026

The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65-70 MPH, the check engine warning light started flashing, and the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road, where the vehicle failed to restart and was towed to a parking lot, where a mobile mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine had seized.... Read more

Incident date: Mar 6, 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and it was determined that the turbocharger had failed, and the engine and turbocharger needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact received a lett... Read more

Incident date: Jan 26, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact stated that while opening the door, a cracked fuel injector was spraying gasoline. When the door handle was pulled, an aftermarket module ignited the fuel, causing an explosion and heavy smoke from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the vehicle had been taken to the dealer previously for the same issue, but the dealer dismissed... Read more

Incident date: Apr 10, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Ram Promaster 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V720000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable ... Read more

Incident date: Apr 7, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving at approximately 70 MPH on the interstate, the vehicle experienced a sudden loss of engine power and decelerated rapidly, nearly causing an accident. The contact managed to pull off the road, but the failure persisted. Additionally, the contact reported a prior history of excessive oil consumption. During a previous visit to... Read more

Incident date: Apr 10, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Ram 2500. The contact was notified of NHSTA campaign Number: 25V720000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the recall remedy was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded the reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The contact had not experienced a... Read more

Incident date: Apr 8, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal sound coming from under the hood. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with an internal engine failure due to connecting rod bearing failure. The failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign: 23V751000 ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 27, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated after the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V080000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), the vehicle experienced stalling and shuddering failures during acceleration. The contact believed that the recall repair failed to correct the safety issue. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not not... Read more

Incident date: Apr 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated, and the engine was overheating while white exhaust smoke was coming out of the exhaust pipes. Additionally, the vehicle decelerated and was sluggish while driving. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intr... Read more

Incident date: Mar 9, 2026

See attached document for complaint.

Incident date: Oct 10, 2025

See attached document for complaint.

Incident date: Jun 1, 2024

The contact owns a 2019 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while stopped at a stop light, the Auto START/STOP feature malfunctioned, and the engine failed to immediately restart after depressing the brake pedal. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. On one occasion, the engine failed to restart, and the vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagno... Read more

Incident date: Feb 10, 2026

See attached document for complaint.

Incident date: Jan 18, 2026

See attached document for complaint. INFORMATION, DETAILS, COMMENTS, DATES, AND NUMBERS ON RECALL 20211500 DENALI Recall Vehicle Information: All models of GM's with 6.2L gas engine (My personal truck I owned} • Recall date: April 23, 2025 650,000 + GM vehicles with 6.2L gas engine, years 2019-2023 • Manufacturer Recall Number: N2524944000 (letter issued by State of Washington Dept. of Licens... Read more

Incident date: Feb 17, 2026

See attached document for complaint.

Incident date: Mar 2, 2026

See attached document for complaint.

Incident date: Jan 9, 2026

The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to O'Reilly, where an unknown diagnostic result was provided. The vehicle was taken to the used car dealer where it was purchased, and the engine was disassembled. The dealer determined that the cylinder head was cracked. The vehic... Read more

Incident date: Jan 26, 2026

See attached document for complaint.

Incident date: Apr 2, 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle decelerated to 25 MPH unintendedly. While driving at a reduced speed, the vehicle was immediately driven to the local dealer who diagnosed that the camshaft had failed and needed to be replaced. The camshaft, camshaft thrust cover, and camshaf... Read more

Incident date: Apr 2, 2026

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2018 Acura MDX. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 85,000. The contact stated that on the day of the purchase; after refueling the vehicle and then attempting to pull out of the gas station, the Emissions, check engine, and parking brake warning lights illuminated on... Read more

Incident date: Mar 24, 2026

The contact owns a 2024 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that while her husband was driving approximately 70 MPH, the check engine warning light and several other unknown warnings were illuminated. The vehicle lost automotive power and stalled. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and it was determined that the engine block was cracked, and the engine needed to be replac... Read more

Incident date: Mar 15, 2026

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2007 Nissan Quest. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of the purchase, the mileage was 177,000. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the engine overheated and the vehicle lost automotive power. The contact made several attempts to restart the vehicle and continued driving. Du... Read more

Incident date: Apr 8, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Ram ProMaster 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V720000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated th... Read more

Incident date: Apr 8, 2026

Incident date: Apr 7, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light and low oil warning light were unexpectedly illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times and was eventually diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated t... Read more

Incident date: Feb 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 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 made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. Recently, the contact stated there was an abnormal, tapping sound coming from the engine. There was no ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 24, 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while his son was driving approximately 35 MPH, there was an abnormal metal-on-metal sound coming from the vehicle, and the vehicle stalled. The contact drove out to the location and became aware that the oil and the battery warning lights were illuminated. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to restart, a... Read more

Incident date: Apr 7, 2026

The contact's employer owns a 2025 Ram Promaster 1500. The employer received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V720000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the company vehicle should not have to be parked for months while the manufacturer developed the remedy. The manufacturer was not contacted. The employer ha... Read more

Incident date: Apr 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the message “Reduced Acceleration - Drive Safely” was displayed. The vehicle then started shaking abnormally. The contact pulled into a nearby parking lot, turned off the vehicle, and waited for a while before restarting the vehicle. After restart... Read more

Incident date: Apr 1, 2026

The contact owned a 2015 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that the vehicle was driven and parked in the garage. Upon exiting the vehicle, the contact noticed an abnormal burning smell and smoke coming from under the hood. It was unknown whether a warning had illuminated. The contact opened the hood and noticed that the engine compartment had caught on fire. The contact closed the hood and at... Read more

Fire

Incident date: Apr 2, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shuddering, jerking, and hesitating to accelerate as needed. The vehicle then stalled. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that there was coolant intrusion into the cylinders and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was n... Read more

Incident date: Mar 3, 2026

The contact's fiancé owns a 2023 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that after the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V080000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); the vehicle experienced rough idling, and the vehicle lost motive power while driving with the RPM elevated. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The contact stated that wh... Read more

Incident date: Feb 22, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that the engine and oil warning lights were displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and the vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Incident date: Dec 7, 2023

The contact owns a 2016 BMW 320I. The contact stated that the Drive Train Failure, Check Engine, and Engine Overheating warning lights were illuminated. There was a fuel odor coming from the vehicle, and fluid was leaking underneath the vehicle near the muffler and under the driver's side seat. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed, and the codes were cleared but the failures persist... Read more

Incident date: Apr 2, 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Acura TLX. The contact stated the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) but the fix failed to repair the vehicle. The contact stated that after the repair was performed, there was an abnormal fuel odor coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer approximately five times to be diagnosed, and it was determined... Read more

Incident date: Apr 3, 2026

The contact owns a 2011 Mini Cooper Countryman. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, there was an abnormal burning odor inside and outside the vehicle. The vehicle then stalled. The vehicle was able to be restarted after several hours. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a cracked water pump, which caused the engine to overheat. The ... Read more

Incident date: Apr 4, 2026

The contact owned a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated to accelerate as needed. No warning light was illuminated. The contact's husband noticed a cloud of smoke in the rearview mirror, but the contact stated that the smoke was coming from the engine compartment. The contact's husband pulled over, and she, her husb... Read more

Fire

Incident date: Mar 30, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH and attempting a lane change, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact pulled over to the shoulder and restarted the vehicle, but the vehicle struggled to restart and failed to accelerate as needed. The vehicle was driven to the residence at a reduced speed. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Nu... Read more

Incident date: Jun 1, 2023

The contact owns a 2023 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled while driving. While accelerating, the vehicle stalled. There was an abnormal revving of the engine while accelerating. The driver pulled over and restarted the vehicle. The engine and oil light warning lights were illuminated. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign N... Read more

Incident date: Apr 3, 2026

The contact owns a 2022 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly lost motive power and stalled, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was unable to restart and needed to be towed. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was towed to the dealer, wher... Read more

Incident date: Mar 23, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while stopped, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The engine and transmission warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was initially taken to the local dealer; however, the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was... Read more

Incident date: Apr 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost automotive power with the check engine and other unknown warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle stalled several times and with several unknown warnings illuminated. The contact stated that a friend had checked the vehicle and stated that there was no oil inside the engine... Read more

Incident date: Feb 27, 2026

The contact owns a 2022 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized. The vehicle coasted over to the shoulder of the road. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact ... Read more

Incident date: Nov 28, 2025

See attached document for complaint.

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Consumer Safety Complaints

What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?

How to interpret what you read

If you've experienced a defect

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