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 42,929 complaints - component: EXTERIOR LIGHTING
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2022) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Nov 9, 2023
Incident date: Jul 5, 2022
1- el motor esta partido 2- foco trasero derecho las conexiones están malas y los cables podridos. 3-el carro dejo de acelerar en carretera perdiendo totalmente el control. 4- lo lleve a un mecanico y el diagnostico fue que el motor esta partido porque al carro nunca le hicieron sus mantenciones ni cambios de aceite y esto deterioro el motor. 5- el banco no y el dealer me dice que todo lo que le ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2023
The engine VCM system is burning oil and destroying emissions systems on the vehicle. Catalytic converters are mainly affected as burned oil goes through the exhaust system. The check engine light comes on and the the engine starts to misfire and very abrupt engine vibrations make it into the cabin.
Incident date: Oct 21, 2023
LED daytime running lights went out a few weeks ago at the same time, then yesterday both headlights went out at the same time as well. There have been no damages or wrecks in my vehicle and I am the only owner. There are no warning lights and according to the MyVW app, everything is fine. I cannot see well while driving at night anymore and this will cost me $2,000 to replace at only 60,000 miles... Read more
Incident date: Jul 17, 2022
The Day Running Light LED strip of both headlights stopped working at around 55,000 miles. The fix for this includes replacing the whole unit which comes to around $2k for both headlight units. It seems unreasonable to have to replace both units at around every 55,000 miles. Many people might not have the funds and this could also lead to people buying third party headlights that might be inst... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2022) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Nov 8, 2023
Incident date: Nov 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that moisture had leaked into the headlight module on the driver’s and passenger’s side. Due to the failure, the headlights were very dim while in use. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where and the headlights were replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 4, 2023
The contact rented a 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he became aware that the running taillights were not functioning. After restarting the vehicle, it returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure... Read more
Incident date: Oct 24, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at night at 45–50 MPH, the headlights became inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to pull over, and the headlights returned to operation but were flickering. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechan... Read more
NISSAN
ROGUE SPORT
(2021) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Nov 7, 2023
Incident date: Sep 22, 2023
MY ISSUE - When making turns at night with the low beam headlights on automatic and switching on the left turn signal the headlights go out for up to 30 seconds then come back on. this is very dangerous when driving in rural or low light areas. Possible headlight switch issue. TAKEN FROM THE INTERNET - I have a 2017 Hyundai Tucson and last year this problem only happened once, but now it has been... Read more
Incident date: Oct 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Impreza. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V624000 (Exterior Lightning) 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. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The m... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2023
There are actually 3 problems that my dealer has not been able to fix/diagnose. The first is the headlights, when set to the auto position, they will often turn off and on while driving at night. Service says that they were unable to duplicate the problem, but it keeps happening. The second is the Navigation system updates, that they claim they cannot provide any updates to my 2016 Equus (just abo... Read more
Incident date: Jul 17, 2023
Hi beams stopped working
Incident date: Oct 2, 2023
The high beams suddenly stop working without any prior indication. Although the dashboard indicates that the high beams are on, they are not functioning. Conversely, the low beams continue to work properly. No warning lights are illuminated, and despite attempting to resolve the issue by replacing the bulbs, it remains unresolved.
Incident date: Jan 15, 2023
The rear turn signals sit really low. Several times I've had cars that clearly did not expect me to turn, yet my turn signals were on. I asked my husband to check my lights and we realized if a car was too close behind (which I can't control) or a larger vehicle it would be impossible for them to see the turn signals in the rear. I checked for other complaints and sure enough this is a big conc... Read more
Incident date: Oct 30, 2023
My headlights (low beam) constantly blow out. could become a major problem if both blow out while driving at night.
Incident date: Nov 7, 2023
Wires burnt to headlights as a result of overheating wires; resulted in both low beam headlights going out while driving. It seems like Honda has had this problem previously in older Pilot models. Unsure of why they are making newer vehicles with the same issues.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2023
Vehicle is equipped with automatic headlights. They constantly turn on and off during the day as soon as you enter any type of shadow. This causes the headlights to “flash” the driver in front of you. While traveling on the interstate at 75 mph if you go under an overpass they turn on, less than 1 second but take 30-60 seconds to turn off! During that time the dash darkens and you cannot see t... Read more
Incident date: Sep 27, 2023
The headlights are so dim that I have to drive with the high beams on at all times or I can’t see. I even had an Acura dealer try to clean them and it didn’t help. It’s crazy that this is a known issue (according to the Acura dealership) and this hasn’t been recalled. I’m basically driving in the dark or can’t drive at all at night.
Incident date: Jul 10, 2023
The Dodge dart has a malfunction that might have contributed in many crashes this car has been involved in. The issue is that some darts will experience a malfunction where the lights inside the car will randomly flicker (should they be on), digital dash will also flicker and navigation screen will either restart or just shut off. The biggest problem in all of this is that the power steering will ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2023
Like many other Pacifica owners, my LED light on the passenger side flickers repeatedly when the vehicle is first started and then turns off.
Incident date: Nov 2, 2022
The low beam headlights are so dim that it is dangerous to drive at night. We must drive with high beams on in order to be safe on the road. It is unsafe for the car, us and other drivers to have the RDX on the road using low beams. In 2021, we had the vehicle inspected by the dealership, they informed us that the fix would be a $1200 replacement of the headlights. They offered to clean the lense... Read more
Incident date: Sep 11, 2023
Hibeams completely stopped working without warning
Incident date: Sep 10, 2023
Headlamps are faulty. Replaced the drivers side at almost the end of the 49k miles and after about another 900 miles, the passenger side went out. There is a defect with these lights and they’re back ordered through the UK. Police have told me that I have a headlight out and there is nothing I can do about this.
Incident date: Nov 4, 2023
Body control module. It gets wet when it rains because of an engineering mess up. It shorts out my lights. Sometimes it can't get out of car because it messes with the locks and windows. Can't use my electric mirrors anymore. Instead of being a much needed recall they decided to not even make replacement bcm. It is a problem everything it gets wet that should have been recalled and fixed. At least... Read more
Incident date: Nov 3, 2023
While driving down a very dark road, I noticed my high beams did not work. High beams are an essential feature for safe nighttime driving, and when they're not working, it can be dangerous because non-functioning high beams can compromise your ability to see and react to potential dangers while also affecting the safety of other drivers, making it a significant safety concern. I made an appointm... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2023
High mount brake light (or third brake light) failure occurred September 2022 at 8,000 miles. Vehicle was repaired under warranty. Failure of high mount brake light creates rear collision potential in low visibility scenarios. The part (13613A High Mount Stop Lamp Assembly) appears to be faulty by manufacturer or vehicle design. There are no warning lamps or messages to warn driver that failure... Read more
Incident date: Sep 7, 2023
Headlights droop over time driven which can severely limit forward vision. The limited vision forward at highway speeds certainly reduces safety. This is an intermittent problem that I can find no real pattern except that the longer you drive at night, the more likely the problem will surface. The problem has been confirmed and headlights replaced by at least three dealerships I first noticed the... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2023
My brand new 2023 Toyota 4Runner has terrible head lights. I see I am not the first person to post this very same complaint either. These headlights NEED to be recalled and replaced by Toyota. I will do my best to describe this, but when driving in the dark there is large shadow cast on the left side of the throw of the lights. It is far in front of the car, just before the light tapers off into d... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2023
I was unaware of these recalls but have had issues with the air bag sensor in the passenger seat, the automatic doors and with the turn signals switching the way they respond.
Incident date: Sep 25, 2023
The rear tail light(race track light) has lost its seal and water has protruded the sealed of the LED tail light causing disruption in the light functioning properly. I have taken my vehicle to the dealership, it does have an extended warranty from Mopar on the vehicle, but the dealership will not cover. The replacement cost of repairing the rear tail light. The dealership informed me that this wa... Read more
Incident date: Oct 19, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated while driving with the headlights activated, the illumination from the headlights was inadequate. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V624000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contac... Read more
Incident date: Oct 2, 2023
The headlights of my vehicle are so dim I cannot drive the vehicle at night. This is a safety issue, why has there never been a recall on this problem?
FORD
FUSION ENERGI
(2019) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Nov 2, 2023
Incident date: Oct 23, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross. The contact stated while driving at night with the low beam headlights activated, there was a shadow illuminated in the field of view and the road ahead was not visible. Additionally, while driving downhill at night with the low-beam headlights illuminated, the road ahead was not visible due to the shadow creating a visibility hazard for the driver... Read more
Incident date: Oct 13, 2023
Similar to NUMEROUS newer ('12+) vehicles, the instrument cluster gauge needles light up even when the headlights are not on. Therefore when driving the vehicle, the driver isn't aware that the headlights are NOT ON at night (and there are no DRL/daytime running lights to warn oncoming drivers), which means that the vehicle is driving at night WITHOUT any lights on. People are going to be killed t... Read more
Incident date: Sep 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds at night, the left lane was blocked out by the headlights. There was a huge shadow obstructing the driver’s view. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to determine there was a failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufact... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
The low beam headlights have a very short range, followed a severe cutoff line. There is total darkness beyond the cutoff line. These headlights are dangerous, especially on curves,
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Impreza. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V624000 (Exterior Lighting) 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 available. The manufact... Read more
CHRYSLER
PACIFICA PLUG-IN HYBRID
(2017) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Nov 2, 2023
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
My 2015 Acura RDX has such dim headlights, that I feel that it is not safe to drive at night. The headlights have gotten so dim that I can't even tell if they are on, unless I drive by a building and see the lights in the reflection. The only way I can drive safely is to have my high beam headlights on, which is not safe for other drivers. As I understand it, the 2015 Acura RLX has had recalls f... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
Front right marker side light malfunction but the light seems to work at times. I see there was a recall on this issue but I don't find my vehicle under this recall.
Incident date: Oct 29, 2023
The headlights randomly turn on and off while driving and with the switch set to “Auto”. This also occurs when the vehicle is shutdown with no key in the ignition and with no one in the vehicle. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Having the headlights turn off when driving at night presents a risk of the driver not being able to see the road and for other drivers to not see... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2023
Vehicle was brought in several times for loose headlights. Each time fastners were replaced. By dealership. Larry Miller boise, ID. Called ram cares they stated nothing was reported to them nor were there any recall. This is a major safety issue and on forums many people state they cannot pass state inspection because the headlights are falling out.
Incident date: Oct 26, 2023
After a service visit on May 27, 2023, at my local Honda dealership, I noticed condensation buildup in the front driver’s LED headlight. The car has never been in an accident, and there was no evidence of a strike from road debris. I initially suspected this moisture could be related to humidity, but it never evaporated and remained a problem. I troubleshooted other possible causes but even... Read more
Incident date: Oct 29, 2023
Tail lights (rear running lights) don’t work, when break light and turn lights work
Incident date: Oct 25, 2023
My 2017 Subaru outback has moisture forming inside the passenger side headlight. Temperature does not appear to be a cause. The concern is freezing and light distortion affecting the night time auto headlight dimmer. There are no apparent cracks and front end has not been in any collision. Issue was noticed at least two months ago. Dealer is talking to manufacturer.
Incident date: Sep 6, 2023
The headlights are extremely dim and unsafe to drive on the road at night. We first began noticing it a few months ago and it looks like there was a settlement online for this exact reason, but we didn't find out about it until the aforementioned few months ago, well past the settlement window. This is a safety issue and needs to be addressed with a proper recall as, looking around online I'm se... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
Just bought this vehicle and it is undrivable at night due to the dim low beam headlights. This seams to be a problem with these vehicles from 2010 to 2016. I called GM customer service and was given a number for GM analytics (1-888-305-1605), the recording states that the time to be reimbursed has passed and that they are no longer taking any further claim submissions. GM has settled class acti... Read more
Incident date: Jun 15, 2023
The front lights and break lights sometimes turn off while I am driving. Both of the lights or one of them.
Incident date: Oct 19, 2023
Went to leave today, started my car and the dashboard lights (display) was off. Turned off car and restarted, still didn’t come back on after a restart.
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2019) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Oct 30, 2023
Incident date: Sep 22, 2023
When I have my headlights turned on, and am driving my headlights flicker on and off. It mostly happens when I use the turn signal, but not always. sometimes it happens when I hit bumps. The headlights and the dash lights all go out when this happens, it usually lasts from 1 to 20 seconds at a time. I have taken it to my local garage(straight and clear) and they tested all electrical component... Read more
Incident date: Aug 16, 2023
Sporadically during night driving the headlights will go out. Headlights set to AUTO each time. Most recently while turning right. Had not used right turn signal.
Incident date: Aug 1, 2022
The headlights are horrible. I am unable to drive safely without using my bright lights. When I dim my headlights before approaching an oncoming car it is dangerous. On October 28, 2023 I did just that and missed seeing a deer due to the lack of visibility due to the defective headlights and hit the deer damaging my vehicle's right headlights. Prior to the accident, I invested in installing fo... Read more
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