Consumer Safety Complaints
Search 2,245,377 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA, including 140,173 crashes, 56,794 fires, and 8,580 deaths.
What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?
A consumer complaint is a free-form report filed by a vehicle owner directly to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) describing a safety concern about their vehicle. NHTSA collects these reports through its Vehicle Owner Defect Report (VOQ) system and publishes them publicly. Each complaint includes the affected component, the date and circumstances of the incident, whether the failure caused a crash or fire, and any reported injuries or deaths. The owner's full narrative description is included verbatim, NHTSA does not edit or moderate the descriptions.
The database below contains over 2,245,377 individual complaints. NHTSA's investigators monitor it for clusters of similar reports, when enough owners describe the same failure mode on the same vehicle, NHTSA may open a Preliminary Evaluation that can lead to a recall. Many of the largest recalls in U.S. history, including the Takata airbag recall and the Hyundai/Kia engine fire recalls, started as patterns visible in this complaint database years before they became formal recalls.
How to interpret what you read
A few principles for reading consumer complaints usefully:
- One complaint is anecdote; a hundred similar complaints is data. NHTSA does not investigate the truthfulness of any individual report, that's the job of the Office of Defects Investigation, which looks at the full pattern. When evaluating a vehicle, look for whether multiple owners describe the same chain of events.
- Crash, fire, injury, and death flags are owner-set. They are not verified by NHTSA. They are still useful as a filter, because owners who tick those boxes are typically reporting more serious incidents than those who don't.
- Component categories are NHTSA-assigned, not owner-assigned. NHTSA standardizes the component field so that complaints can be aggregated. The owner narrative often goes into more detail than the component category captures.
- Complaint volume scales with sales volume. A best-selling model will accumulate more raw complaints than a niche model even at the same defect rate. To compare across vehicles, look at complaints per 100,000 units sold, not raw counts.
If you've experienced a defect
File a complaint. NHTSA's investigators rely on this database to detect emerging defects, and useful complaints, specific, concrete, with dates and mileage and clear descriptions of what happened, feed directly into the agency's pattern detection. The form takes about 10 minutes and is at nhtsa.gov/recalls under "Report a Safety Problem." Your complaint becomes part of the same public record that this page is built from. Owners filing detailed VOQs are how recalls get triggered.
Read more from our blog
Showing 40,899 complaints - component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Incident date: Oct 26, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving, the contact noticed an abnormal burning odor coming from the engine. The contact checked the oil and found that the e... Read more
Incident date: Apr 11, 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 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 contact ha... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle was shaking and vibrating abnormally. Additionally, the vehicle failed to accelerate above 40 MPH. The cause of the failure was not yet determined, and the vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet notified of th... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 2500
(2024) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 21, 2025
Incident date: Mar 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated when the vehicle was started, the vehicle idled rough, with an abnormal chattering sound from the engine compartment. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was losing power and was no longer able to tow the RV. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 10, 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 contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the "Engine Oil Pressure Low - Stop Safely" message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the vehicle became inoperable due to the ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 20, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that the fuse block C1 wire had melted and damaged the battery. The dealer replaced the fuse block, C1 wire, and battery; however, the contact stated that after starting the vehicl... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Edge. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that coolant was leaking into the cylinder and head gasket. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer and was diagnosed with engine failure. The vehicle wa... Read more
Incident date: Feb 19, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that there was a hard shift in the transmission when accelerating and decelerating. The contact stated that the vehicle was shaking abnormally while being started. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 MPH, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust system. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated a... Read more
Incident date: Apr 21, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Ford EcoSport. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) and 25V126000 (Power Train); 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 repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not... Read more
Incident date: Apr 19, 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. 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: Apr 21, 2025
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the "Engine Power Reduce - Lower Engine Temperature" message was displayed. The contact was continuously adding coolant to the coolant reservoir, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but no coolant leaks were found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer wa... Read more
HYUNDAI
SANTA CRUZ
(2024) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 21, 2025
Incident date: Feb 19, 2025
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 unavailable. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was no... Read more
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER
(2017) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 21, 2025
Incident date: Apr 7, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Ford EcoSport. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) and 25V126000 (Power Train); 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 the “Service Transmission” message w... Read more
Incident date: Jan 30, 2025
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 528I. The contact stated while making a left turn and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The brake and transmission warning lights illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, turned off the vehicle, and then attempted to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to respond as intended and... Read more
Incident date: Mar 20, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while 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 and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE CO... Read more
Incident date: Apr 18, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the head gasket. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred conta... Read more
Incident date: Nov 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the vehicle was idling roughly. Additionally, when the accelerator pedal was depressed, the vehicle hesitated with an engine misfire. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent in the beginning and had become a recurring failur... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2022) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 18, 2025
Incident date: Dec 2, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine coolant temperature warning light illuminated. There was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The contact pulled over and had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not mad... Read more
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER
(2019) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 18, 2025
Incident date: Apr 18, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 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 unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufact... Read more
Incident date: Apr 17, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 GMC Sierra 2500. The contact stated that the vehicle was under NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V797000 (Power Train) and the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that after the recall repair, the transmission started shifting hard. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the transmission module would reprogram and adjust independently. The contac... Read more
Incident date: Mar 20, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 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
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2021) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 18, 2025
Incident date: Feb 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power train fault message was displayed, and check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that there was coolant intrusion into the cylinders, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The ve... Read more
Incident date: Apr 17, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his sister was driving 55-60 MPH, the engine started to overheat, and there was fluid leaking from the vehicle. The contact stated that there was oil in the coolant overflow tank. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The lo... Read more
Incident date: Apr 18, 2025
The contact owns a 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing difficulty charging. The contact stated that while driving 50-60 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several times while driving on the highway. The vehicle was able to be jump-started. The contact stated that a ... Read more
Fire
MERCEDES-BENZ
AMG GLB35
(2023) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 18, 2025
Incident date: Mar 20, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The dealer was contacted. The dealer confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer wa... Read more
KARAVAN
BOAT TRAILER
(2022) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 18, 2025
Incident date: Apr 18, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal roaring sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was rough to start. The vehicle failed to start on the third attempt. The service engine soon warning light was flashing. The light became solid before the failure. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the... Read more
Incident date: Feb 17, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 BMW X1. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); 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 manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a fa... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2011) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 18, 2025
Incident date: Apr 18, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion into the cylinders and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NH... Read more
Incident date: Apr 11, 2025
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving downhill at approximately 40-45 MPH, the vehicle shut off. The battery, oil, and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The brake pedal was depressed, but the pedal was firm. There was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the vehicle. There was smoke coming from the engine. The contact attempted to turn off the vehicle; ... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2023) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 18, 2025
Incident date: Mar 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2004 Acura TSX. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle made an abnormal clicking sound that was coming from the instrument cluster. The contact stated that upon decelerating to come to a stop, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that while the vehicle was rolling, the contact shifted to neutral(N), restarted the vehicle and continued driving. The con... Read more
HYUNDAI
SANTA CRUZ
(2022) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 18, 2025
Incident date: Feb 6, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2019) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 17, 2025
Incident date: Apr 15, 2025
The contact's niece owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact's niece 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 after his niece started the vehicle, the engine was misfiring significantly. The contact stated that there was smoke coming from the exhaust pipe, and the vehic... Read more
Incident date: Apr 17, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 BMW X5. 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 not made aware of the issue... Read more
Incident date: Apr 11, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Ford EcoSport. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V905000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) and 25V126000 (POWER TRAIN); 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 manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had no... Read more
Incident date: Feb 4, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that there was a coolant intrusion into the engine and the engine needed to be replaced. The contact researched and was made aware of an unknown Customer Satisfaction Program; however, the vehicle was not... Read more
AUDI
A6 ALLROAD
(2023) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 17, 2025
Incident date: Apr 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 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 unavailable. 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 had not experienced a fail... Read more
Incident date: Apr 9, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 BMW Z4. 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 not made aware of the issue... Read more
Incident date: Mar 27, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 BMW X3. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard a rattling sound coming from the engine compartment, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall... Read more
Incident date: Feb 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while her husband was driving 30 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. There was smoke and oil coming from the engine. The driver was able to pull off the roadway. The check engine warning light illuminated after the failure. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number 22V406000 (Fuel Sys... Read more
Incident date: Apr 9, 2025
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled. The contact was unable to pull over to a safe place. The contact shifted to neutral(N), turned off, and restarted the vehicle, and the contact was able to continue driving. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. Additionally, the contact stated that ther... Read more
Incident date: Dec 16, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated, with the message "Service Vehicle Now" displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that there was coolant intrusion into the cylinders and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufact... Read more
Incident date: Mar 16, 2025
See attached document for complaint.
Incident date: Dec 24, 2024
See attached document for complaint.
Incident date: Apr 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X4. 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 not made aware of the issue... Read more
Incident date: Apr 12, 2025
The contact owned a 2016 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated and the security alarm sounded. Shortly afterward, the temperature gauge began to indicate the vehicle was overheating, and moments later vehicle lost automotive power. The contact was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle then burst... Read more
Fire
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 2500
(2023) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Apr 16, 2025
Incident date: Mar 30, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (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 there was a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment while driving at ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine compartment. After the vehicle reached normal driving temperature, the rattling sound ceased; however, the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure... Read more
Incident date: Mar 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the local dealer for a routine oil change. The dealer informed the contact that the oil level was low. The contact stated while driving at 25-30 MPH, the low oil pressure message was displayed. The contact pulled over and there was oil on the ground. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact state... Read more
Incident date: Apr 16, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 75 MPH, he observed liquid moving and the message "Engine overheating" was displayed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road, turned off, and the hood was opened, and the engine was inspected. The contact stated there was no visible failure with the vehicle, ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming a quart of oil every 1,000 miles. The contact stated that there were no visible leaks. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle failed to accelerate above 2,500 RPM. There was smoke coming from the vehicle. There was an abnormal clunking sound coming from the vehicle. There were no wa... Read more