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: Jan 6, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the brake pedal, the engine revved up unexpectedly. Additionally, more effort was needed to depress the brake pedal, causing the braking distance to become extended. The dealer was notified of the failure, but the vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Cam... Read more
Incident date: Apr 2, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V122000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the recall notification stated that in the event of a failure, the vehicle could crash. The... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2024) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 2, 2026
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle started jerking and shuddering before it stalled. There was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the engine compartment. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed t... Read more
Incident date: Feb 26, 2026
The contact owns a 2026 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that after making a long-distance trip, the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the side mirrors were moving independently, and the vehicle failed to start after several attempts. The vehicle eventually restarted the following day, and the contact stated that the check engine warning light turned on the drive to the resi... Read more
Incident date: Apr 2, 2016
The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the message “4WD/Pull Over” was displayed, and the Low Oil warning light was intermittently illuminated. The contact became aware of the warning lights after receiving an oil change. Additionally, the oil level needed to be topped off after driving approximately 3,000 miles. While driving at var... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2026
See attached document for complaint.
HYUNDAI
SANTA FE SPORT
(2015) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 2, 2026
Incident date: Mar 13, 2026
The contact’s daughter owns a 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. While the owner was driving approximately 70 MPH, the engine started making a knocking sound. There were no warning lights illuminated. The driver called the contact and was advised to pull over to the side of the road and turn off the vehicle. Once the vehicle was turned off, it was towed to a certified mechanic who was unable to diagno... Read more
Incident date: Feb 25, 2026
See attached document for complaint.
Incident date: Feb 18, 2026
See attached document for complaint.
Incident date: Jan 14, 2026
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V096000 (AIR BAGS). The vehicle was taken for the oil change, and the contact was informed that the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The oil level was extremely low. The contact was informed that the manifold was cleaned; however, the cause of the excessive oil consumption was not... Read more
Incident date: Mar 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal rattling and ticking sound coming from under the hood. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with excessive oil consumption, and the engine needed to be replaced. The local dealer was contacted; how... Read more
Incident date: Feb 9, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Auto Zone, and the contact was informed that there was a misfire in cylinder #2. The contact replaced the ignition coils and spark plugs; however, the following day, the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the contact t... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2023
See attached document for complaint.
Incident date: Apr 2, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Ford EcoSport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start up. After several attempts, the vehicle still failed to start up. 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.... Read more
Incident date: Nov 19, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal odor inside the vehicle, with an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the dealer was unable to determine the cause of ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 19, 2025
See attached document for complaint.
Incident date: Mar 13, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 GMC Sierra 3500. The contact stated that the transmission was shifting hard and was jerking while shifting gear. Additionally, the vehicle failed to accelerate above 50 MPH. The messages “Reduced Acceleration” and “DEF Low” were displayed. While refueling the vehicle, the fuel gauge failed to correctly display the level of fuel inside the fuel tank until the vehicle... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Buick Cascada. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the air intake valve was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contacte... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the repair failed to prevent the failure. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost automotive power while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where i... Read more
Incident date: Mar 29, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V122000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); 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 the vehicle was idling or accelerating from 0 - 25 MPH, the vehi... Read more
Incident date: Mar 11, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Accord. The contact stated that the engine overheated while parked, with the message "Engine Temperature too High - Do not Drive - Allow Engine to Cool Down" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to two independent mechanics, where the spark plugs and battery were replaced, however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was then taken to a local dealer, where it was diag... Read more
Incident date: Feb 25, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 Lexus LX 600. 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 dealer because the contact was concerned that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The contact was provided a loaner vehicle. The contact stated that the manufacturer had ex... Read more
Incident date: Jan 27, 2026
See attached document for complaint.
Incident date: Mar 31, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was smoke coming from the vents, with the low oil warning light illuminated. The contact stated that several oil changes were needed. While inspecting the vehicle, the contact became aware that the oil levels were constantly low. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or re... Read more
Incident date: Sep 30, 2023
The contact's daughter owns a 2022 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving 40 MPH, the engine froze for two minutes. The oil light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was undriveable. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, and the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); but the recall repair was decline... Read more
Incident date: Feb 22, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 BMW 330I. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, unknown warning lights were suddenly illuminated, indicating that the engine was overheating. The message instructed the driver to shut off the vehicle immediately. The contact pulled over and turned off the vehicle, and it was discovered that the coolant reservoir was empty. The vehicle was towed to a... Read more
Incident date: Mar 31, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal tapping sound coming from the vehicle. The check engine warning light and an unknown warning light were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while traveling out of state. The dealer was made aware of the failure, and the contact was informed that th... Read more
Incident date: Mar 30, 2026
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine started overheating, and a coolant leak was discovered. During the failure, the check engine warning light was displayed, and the message "A/C Off Due to High Engine Temp" was displayed even though the A/C was not activated. The temperature gauge was elevated, creating a risk that the... Read more
Incident date: Mar 22, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle suddenly decelerated to 40 MPH and failed to properly accelerate. The check engine warning light was illuminated and there was a knocking sound coming from the engine. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, and the vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was towed to th... Read more
Incident date: Feb 28, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20-65 MPH, there was a misfire coming from the vehicle while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in the engine caused by a crack in the engine block. The mechanic informed the c... Read more
Incident date: Mar 26, 2026
Please see attachment
Incident date: Mar 5, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Land Rover Range Rover. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, there was smoke coming from the front of the vehicle. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to Meineke Car Care Center and was diagnosed and determined that the coolant pipe needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact a request for a Goodwill servic... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2019) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Mar 30, 2026
Incident date: Jun 30, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start for approximately 30 minutes. Additionally, while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle jerked, the engine overheated, and the vehicle unintendedly decelerated to 15 MPH. The contact pulled over to the side of the road temporarily. The vehicle was then driven for one mile to the mother's residence. The dealer was conta... Read more
Incident date: Jun 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a low rattling sound coming from the engine compartment. Upon checking the oil, the contact found the oil level was low and added approximately two quarts of oil. The contact stated that 2-quarts of oil were added monthly because the oil level and consistently low. However, there were ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2024 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power. The contact pulled over and turned off and restarted the vehicle but was unable to shift to drive(D). There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact stated that prior to the failure the vehicle was taken to a dealer for se... Read more
Incident date: Mar 27, 2026
The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the residence and was started. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was di... Read more
Incident date: Feb 8, 2026
The contact owns a 2020 Buick Enclave. The vehicle was reversed out of the driveway; however, after shifting into drive(D) and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle jerked, vibrated, and the check engine warning light and other unknown warning lights illuminated. After several minutes, the vehicle functioned as intended. A short distance later, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken... Read more
CADILLAC
ESCALADE ESV
(2019) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Mar 27, 2026
Incident date: Dec 31, 2024
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 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 not m... Read more
Incident date: Mar 23, 2026
The contact owned a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and the engine made an abnormal sound. The contact turned off the vehicle to let it cool down. The vehicle was restarted and taken to an independent mechanic, who de... Read more
Fire
1 injured
Incident date: Sep 9, 2025
The contact owns a 2025 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the engine revved, and while idling, there was a knocking sound coming from the engine. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with bearing damage caused by a defective connecting rod and rod bearings, which caused the engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced... Read more
Incident date: Jan 31, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that upon purchasing the vehicle and driving to the residence, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact used a code reader and retrieved DTC: P0420 (Catalytic Converter). The contact called the dealer and was informed that the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling); and four ot... Read more
Incident date: Mar 27, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that the vehicle was losing oil, and the engine was running rough. There was an abnormal burning odor after driving the vehicle. The vehicle received an oil change; however, two weeks later, the oil warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was determined the oil level was approximately 2 quarts low, and ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine, and the vehicle lost automotive power. The oil pressure warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with excessive oil consumption. An oil consumption test and combustion cleaning were performed; however, t... Read more
Incident date: Mar 23, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), and the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the vehicle had passed the recall inspection, and no repair was needed. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, five months later, the engine seized in the middle of... Read more
Incident date: Dec 11, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). After retrieving the vehicle, there was an audible tinging sound coming from the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the tires neede... Read more
HYUNDAI
SANTA CRUZ
(2022) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Mar 26, 2026
Incident date: Mar 19, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled in the middle of the road. The vehicle was successfully restarted and moved over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a blown head gasket, a misfire in the engine, and coolant mixing with the engine oil; however, the ... Read more
DODGE
GRAND CARAVAN
(2018) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Mar 26, 2026
Incident date: Feb 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low engine oil warning light illuminated. The contact researched and confirmed that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure. T... Read more
Incident date: Mar 23, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and turning the steering wheel, the vehicle stalled. The failure also occurred while making a turn from a complete stop. The vehicle was restarted. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions; however, the dealer informed the contact that no failure was ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 29, 2022
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V552000 (Back Over Prevention) and 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 aw... Read more
Incident date: Mar 20, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle made an abnormal sound and failed to respond as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The dealer contacted the manufacturer and was helped in diagnosing the vehicle. The dealer replaced the front brakes on several occasions and replaced the rear brakes once. The contact s... Read more