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: Oct 14, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was smoke coming from the engine compartment, prompting the contact to discontinue driving the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the radiator due to a radiator leak. During the diagnostic test the engine failed, and... Read more
Incident date: Sep 29, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that during cold weather conditions, the check engine and the low oil pressure warning lights illuminated intermittently. The failure had become constant over time. The contact who is a certified mechanic, diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the camshaft had failed due to a camshaft position timing performance bank code. The contact rep... Read more
Incident date: Feb 3, 2025
See attached document for complaint.
Incident date: Jan 31, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated that while attempting to remote start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The contact was able to manually start the vehicle however, the message "Service Emissions System - Speed Limited to 65 MPH" was displayed. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the "Check Engine” and “Speed Limit 65 MPH" messages were... Read more
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2021) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Feb 3, 2025
Incident date: Nov 15, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized with the low oil pressure warning light illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact stated while stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle lost electrical power and stalled. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights illuminated before the screen went black. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the battery had failed. The contact was informed that the battery did not suppor... Read more
HYUNDAI
SONATA HYBRID
(2017) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Feb 3, 2025
Incident date: Feb 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH and attempting to depress the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that there was coolant leaking into the cylinder block and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2025
Nov of 2023, overheated but no leak from engine was found and no antifreeze in radiator. TOOK to Mckie Ford they replaced the valve and noted thst there was antifreeze in the valve chamber and stated we needed a new engine. We purchased a new engine had it installed in Jan 2024 we paid for new engine. When we should not have as we did research on the engine and it was faulty but no recalls were in... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2025
Nov of 2023, overheated but no leak from engine was found and no antifreeze in radiator. TOOK to Mckie Ford they replaced the valve and noted thst there was antifreeze in the valve chamber and stated we needed a new engine. We purchased a new engine had it installed in Jan 2024 we paid for new engine. When we should not have as we did research on the engine and it was faulty but no recalls were in... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the temperature gauge began to indicate that the vehicle was overheating, prompting the contact to discontinue driving the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that coolant intrusion into various cylinders had resulted in damage to the engine... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2014) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Feb 1, 2025
Incident date: Feb 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle they heard an abnormal rattling sound emanating from the engine compartment. After the vehicle reached adequate temperatures, the rattling ceased but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the cam phasers. The ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle had been experiencing excessive coolant consumption, and the cooling fan was engaging increasingly, prompting the contact to add more coolant to the vehicle. The contact also noticed a strong coolant odor inside the cabin intermittently while driving. Additionally, the contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehic... Read more
MAZDA
CX-90 PLUG-IN HYBRID
(2024) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jan 31, 2025
Incident date: Jan 31, 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 not made aware of the issue... Read more
Incident date: Jan 17, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Edge. The contact stated while the vehicle was idling in the driveway, the temperature gauge was showing that the indicator had raised to HOT, and the message "Engine Coolant over Temperature" was displayed on the instrument cluster. The contact shifted the gear selector into drive(D) and accelerated and the temperature gauge lowered back to the normal engine temperatu... Read more
Incident date: Aug 30, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the engine was misfiring with white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The size of white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe had increased over time. The “WRENCH” warning light remained illuminated. The check engine warning light was illuminated intermittently. The vehicle was hesitating while attempting to start. The vehicle was tak... Read more
Incident date: Jan 29, 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 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 stated that while stopped at a traff... Read more
CHRYSLER
PACIFICA PLUG-IN HYBRID
(2019) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jan 30, 2025
Incident date: Jan 30, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the engine seized. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the roadway. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the ring around the engine needed to be replaced. There was an excessive a... Read more
Incident date: Jan 21, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of automotive power. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed back to her son's residence and was diagnosed by an independent mechanic. The mechanic determined that there was coolant intrusion into the engine. The local dealer ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 29, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Acura TLX. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) and 23V751000 (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 repair. The contact stated that an appointment was scheduled with t... Read more
Incident date: Dec 27, 2024
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 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 manufacturer was not... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE 4XE
(2022) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jan 30, 2025
Incident date: Jan 29, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 BMW X5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost automotive power and stalled. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence, and then to a dealer and was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not r... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2019) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jan 30, 2025
Incident date: Nov 11, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Elantra Coupe. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact noticed an abnormal exhaust odor. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that there was a fuel leak. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that after the first failure, the vehicle was taken to th... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
TAOS
(2022) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jan 29, 2025
Incident date: Jan 28, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Cadillac Escalade ESV. The contact stated that while his son was driving 70 MPH, the vehicle shut off. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at slow speeds, the vehicle stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Action Number: PE25001 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to t... Read more
Incident date: Nov 14, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that there was oil underneath the front end of the vehicle. The oil pressure warning light was illuminated. The contact noticed oil leaking from the top of the oil canister. The contact looked online and found a recall related to the failure experienced; however, the contact could not recall the NHTSA Campaign Number. The vehicle had not be... Read more
Incident date: Jan 29, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 BMW 428I. 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 iss... Read more
Incident date: Jan 28, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and noticed there was white smoke coming from under the hood. The vehicle was towed to the residence and then was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed tha... Read more
Incident date: Dec 13, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the head gasket had failed, causing coolant to leak into the oil, which caused the engine to fail. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that it was a factory defect. The ... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
E-GOLF
(2019) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jan 29, 2025
Incident date: Aug 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle started to leak coolant. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the engine started to overheat. The temperature gauge registered a high temperature. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware o... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion into the engine, causing the engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was mad... Read more
Incident date: Nov 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the message that the vehicle was in neutral was displayed. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, turned off, and restarted the vehicle however, the gear shifter failed to respond as needed. The vehicle was towed by AAA to the dealer and the dealer was contacted. The vehicle was diagnosed, and the ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 27, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power. The check engine warning light and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, messages indicating an emission and TPMS failure, and other unknown messages were displayed. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was able to be rest... Read more
Incident date: Jan 5, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 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 local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 29, 2025
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the steering wheel failed to move as intended and the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The contact continued driving at a slow speed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the pinion steering gear failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle... Read more
CHRYSLER
PACIFICA PLUG-IN HYBRID
(2020) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jan 28, 2025
Incident date: Jan 11, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while stopped in the driveway, the vehicle shut off and failed to restart. The hill assist, traction control, brake, fuel empty, and the engine overheating warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle went into battery-saving mode. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacte... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 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 local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while idling at a stop light or while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle was shaking abnormally. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The failure was intermittent at first but became a constant failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the variable camshaft timing (VCT) system had failed and needed to ... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
SPRINTER 2500
(2015) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jan 28, 2025
Incident date: Jan 22, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 BMW X5. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The message "System Overheating - Restarting Engine Possible After Cooling" was displayed. The contact called AAA, who attempted to start the vehicle and shift to neutral(N), but the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The vehicle was towed to the residence with a special tow truck. The vehicle was able to be jum... Read more
Incident date: Jan 18, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started to hesitate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a local dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure due to coolant intrusion into one of the cylinders. The contact was provi... Read more
Incident date: Jan 28, 2025
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that over time the vehicle became slow to start and that the engine was rattling and shaking abnormally at start-up. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed and the contact was informed that ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2013 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that when slowing down to come to a stop, the vehicle was jumping and hesitating, causing the contact to shift into neutral(N) to stop the vehicle and prevent the vehicle from shaking. There was a fuel odor that smelled like rotten eggs. The check engine warning light was intermittently illuminated at first but became a constant failure. The ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 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 local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall re... Read more
Incident date: Feb 5, 2021
The contact owns a 2017 Acura MDX. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment, prompting the contact to discontinue driving the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the connecting rod bearings, resulting in damages to the engine. The contact wa... Read more
DODGE
GRAND CARAVAN
(2016) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jan 28, 2025
Incident date: Jan 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the contact became aware that the vehicle was leaking oil. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stationary, the vehicle started to leak coolant. The coolant level warning light was illuminated with an audible chime. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated there was a ticking sound coming from the engine compartment while starting the vehicle and while accelerating at various speeds, and while the vehicle was idling. The contact stated that the sound was intermittent at first but had become constant. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed... Read more
Incident date: Nov 17, 2024
The contact owns a 2022 Mercedes-Benz S580. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V704000 (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
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2023) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jan 28, 2025
Incident date: Jan 2, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated while his daughter was driving 20 MPH, the message "Please pull over immediately, temperature high" was displayed. The contact stated that his daughter pulled over immediately, shut off the vehicle, allowed the vehicle to cool down, and refilled the coolant reservoir before proceeding to restart her vehicle, and continuing to drive. The vehic... Read more
Incident date: Jan 27, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle backfired and sputtered. Additionally, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to exceed 20 MPH while driving uphill. Additionally, the contact noticed the presence of strong fumes inside the cabin, which cause... Read more
Incident date: Jan 8, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the LIMP Mode warning light illuminated and indicated to stop the vehicle. In addition, the low coolant level warning light illuminated. The contact's daughter drove the vehicle to the shoulder of the road. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of coolant... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2019) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jan 27, 2025
Incident date: Nov 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-350. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the residence and a friend diagnosed the vehicle. The contact was informed that the CP4 pump, hard lines, and injectors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage... Read more
Incident date: Jan 24, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 BMW 428I. 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 while driving at various speeds, the contact noticed an abnormal burning odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was ... Read more