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
Incident date: May 27, 2023
Headlight went out. Lane change assist not working
Incident date: May 29, 2023
Car needs to rewired because my break lights keep blowing out & will no longer work. They are burned from the inside. Also when turning on lights to my car the car stalls.
Incident date: Apr 1, 2023
Headlights are dim, even after replacing it is something faulty with the original design. I have nearly been hit by cars turning into the road at night because of how dim the lights are. I have to have them on bright to be seen which creates further issues eith cars flashing their brights. I have researched online and found this is a common problem that acura refuses to issue a recall for. ... Read more
Incident date: May 28, 2023
When using the I-Pedal feature the brake lights do not come on at any point when lifting off the accelerator pedal gradually. This certainly can cause the vehicle to rear ended if the following car is not paying attention. If you take your foot off the accelerator fully for full regeneration the brakes lights do come on. I was following my wife in her Genesis G80 EV and I noticed the brake ligh... Read more
Incident date: May 28, 2023
The infotainment system screen is delaminating like on many others and cause the screen to act like there’s a ghost touching the screen randomly Val’s people changes stations and scares me it will be full blast out of nowhere And then there’s the rear center racetrack taillight it fills with water and the bottom right is burnt out like on millions of otheres it should be a recall it does it... Read more
LAND ROVER
LR2
(2008) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
May 28, 2023
Incident date: May 28, 2023
Just need a recall sheet for shipping vehicle.
Incident date: May 28, 2023
The wire Harness in hatch where it meets in the boot wires break from using hatch 2010 to 2020 all models and can cause camera wiper brake lights reverse lights plate lights and tail lamps and unlock and lock button not to work on hatch the wires break from normal use on all models and it can cause a spark and start a fire
Incident date: May 18, 2023
The drivers headlight has developed significant condensation on its interior caused by a failed seal which in turn damaged or short-circuited the modules disabling my daytime running light, low beam, high beam, and turn signal
Incident date: May 31, 2020
Third break light is out caused by corrosion of the wires. The corrosion is the result of a water leak that is caused by a defective body seal on the roof of the cab.
FORD
MUSTANG MACH E
(2023) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
May 27, 2023
Incident date: May 10, 2023
Water intrusion through tail lamp assembly causes water to pool in tail lamps and burn out rear lights, back up camera, and possible fire if not repaired. There are forums on the web dedicated to this problem.
Incident date: May 27, 2023
Vehicle body damage. Vehicle car parts damage.
Crash
PONTIAC
GRAND PRIX
(1998) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
May 26, 2023
Incident date: May 5, 2023
When my car is configured to one pedal driving mode (iPedal), the brake lights only illuminate when the accelerator pedal is fully released. This means the car may decelerate rapidly (up to 0.25G or 2.5m/s^2 according to a report) under regenerative braking, while the brake lights remain off. I believe this is a safety hazard that can increase the chances of rear-end accidents.
FORD
F-150 LIGHTNING BEV
(2022) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
May 26, 2023
Incident date: Nov 1, 2022
The brake light does not activate in a way that would signal to other drivers that the vehicle is stopping or slowing down, while using higher regenerative braking. The ipedal mode can have a significant amount of deceleration and not activate the brake light, even coming to a full stop and not activating the light, if the driver's foot is not completely off the pedal. I have been told by other d... Read more
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER
(2022) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
May 26, 2023
Incident date: May 16, 2023
While driving at night on dark road 50 mph with lights on auto. Lights went out completely. Had to make hard stop and turn lights to on position.
LAND ROVER
RANGE ROVER SPORT
(2011) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
May 26, 2023
Incident date: May 24, 2023
When heavy regenerative braking is used, the car decelerates very quickly. Despite this, the brake lights do not turn on. This is very dangerous as the regenerative braking can be used to completely stop the vehicle. People driving behind me need to be aware that I am coming to a stop and are not currently warned. Technology Connections just released a very detailed video on the Ioniq 5 which use... Read more
Incident date: Apr 29, 2023
This vehicle can use regenerative braking to slow fully to a stop. However, using regen to slow sharply does not activate the brake lights unless the accelerator pedal is fully released. This means that you can slow at a significant rate without alerting vehicles behind you that you are slowing. Vehicle should activate brake lights when slowing beyond a specific rate. This has been the case since... Read more
Incident date: Mar 26, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Impreza. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V624000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms p... Read more
FORD
ESCAPE HYBRID
(2020) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
May 26, 2023
Incident date: May 22, 2023
Brake lights during I-Pedal or 1 Pedal driving modes. When under "I-Pedal" or 1 pedal driving mode brake lights do not engage unless foot is fully off the accelerator pedal. This is concerning as the vehicle can brake rather agressively with no indicition to the drivers behind you. The brake lights should illuminate when a sufficient amount of braking is occuring, not just when the accelerat... Read more
Incident date: May 12, 2023
The Ioniq 5 when using level 2 regen, level 3 regen, and i-pedal (one pedal driving), does not turn on the break light when decelerating, even if coming to a full stop unless the driver removes their foot completely from the pedal or hits the break pedal. These driving modes allow the driver to perform regenerative breaking almost to a complete stop without turning on the break lights and warnin... Read more
Incident date: Jan 30, 2023
Rear brake lights do not properly come on in certain driving modes (i-pedal). The lights will only turn on if you completely release the accelerator pedal. The problem is, that you can significantly reduce your speed down to a stop without ever fully releasing the accelerator all the way.
Incident date: Dec 24, 2022
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that when she was near her vehicle, she noticed that the driver's side window was down. The contact stated that she could not roll the window up. The contact stated that over the next month, the other three windows were lowered and could not be rolled up. Additionally, the contact stated that the headlights had failed, and she had them rep... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2017) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
May 26, 2023
Incident date: May 26, 2023
First incidence was 11/22/2018 headlights did not function nor did taillights. Manually turned them on; yet was pulled by Ga sheriff for no headlights, who escorted me to my hotel. Put car in the shop on 11/24/2018 for diagnostics. Nothing found. Lights have continuously malfunctioned for the last six years and the vehicle has been in the shop & the problem can't be reproduced! The issue has beco... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2013
(2023) Low beam light warning. Bought new bulb but light still didn't work. Had bulb and fixture for bulb checked, both were fine. Had same problem in 2019. Had to replace bulb and then realized closing the hood too hard cause light to go out. Replaced bulb and the piece that holds bulb because it burned it. This time the other part isn't burnt but it doesn't seem to be working.
Incident date: May 21, 2023
The brake lights do not come on when slowing down in i-Pedal mode unless you completely let go of the accelerator, representing a massive safety concern. The drivers behind you do not know you are slowing down even though your deceleration is quite sharp
Incident date: May 24, 2023
MCU1 onboard computer system becomes overloaded with data that eventually and periodically causes the computer system to "crash" and requires a reboot, even with 8 GB eMMC replacement having already been installed. This means that vehicles with MCU1 (generally model S and X manufactured pre-2019) are increasingly becoming safety risks on the road because the MCU1 system crash can occur at any time... Read more
Incident date: May 4, 2023
Brake lights do not illuminate in 1 pedal driving unless accelerator pedal is fully released. I often bring the car to a complete stop with the brake lights never illuminating until I'm nearly stopped, around 5 mph or less. I often see people ride up behind me quickly and have to slam on their brakes as they don't realize I'm slowing down so rapidly. This can be repeated at any time. I have not sp... Read more
Incident date: Jul 2, 2022
Water leak intrusion from rear lights over back window causing electrical issue with back side windows working properly. The windows role down when raining. Water also runs inside the vehicle and collects under the rear seating causing dampness and a Mildew smell.
Incident date: May 4, 2020
THE HEADLAMPS CONTAIN AND HOLD MOISTURE, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE NO CRACKS. THIS IS CAUSING MOISTURE, AND THERE IS A CONCERN THAT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS MAY OCCUR IN THE FUTURE.
Incident date: Jan 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Ford Maverick. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V594000 (Air Bags) and 22V730000 (Exterior Lighting, Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2014) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
May 24, 2023
Incident date: May 24, 2023
Reverse lights do not meet minimum required illumination under J593c. Consequently, when dark, it is impossible to see objects or curbs behind the vehicle in the backup camera screen even on maximum brightness creating a safety hazard.
Incident date: Dec 23, 2022
Rt Side Day Running Light. This model Hyundai Genesis uses what is suposed to be an intermittent bulb / socket for turn signaling. In this 2015 model it is so it's on ALL THE TIME as driving lamp. Bulb overheats, burns out, scorches the socket. Bulbs now last less than 5 months. Dealer replaced scorched scoket and bulb today. $169.00 Not under warranty
Incident date: May 19, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Impreza. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V624000 (Exterior Lighting); however, the part to do recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contacted stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed at night, the headlamps failed to provi... Read more
Incident date: May 22, 2023
The stop lamp switch was recalled & mine was replaced in 2010, but the part they replaced it with was faulty also and I’ve been driving without brake lights for years without knowing it. Then when I contacted KIA escalated customer “service,” they double-talked and gaslit me.
Incident date: Dec 29, 2021
The headlights and taillights fail frequently. I have replaced each every 90 days. I find the contacts melted on them when they fail. I have never seen this happen on any other vehicle I have owned.
Incident date: May 1, 2023
I was driving and the battery light came on with a chime, within seconds the car smelled hot, the air conditioning went out, road hazard lights on dash indicating flat tire came on, windshield wipers were going on and off at different speeds and windows were opening and closing and then did not work at all. I got the car into the driveway as I was en route to our home. As I got car to the drivew... Read more
Incident date: May 21, 2023
My model has an auto high-beam system that does not work (stays on with oncoming traffic, turns off when it sees a road sign). Also had a 2019 of the same vehicle and the auto high-beams worked on that model; my 2021 has the cameras in a new location which render the system worthless and dangerous.
Incident date: Jun 6, 2022
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the parking lights started to flicker. The contact stated that the driver’s side taillights had ceased to function. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V686... Read more
Incident date: May 10, 2023
The contact owns a 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under Technical Service Bulletin: 14N01 (Lighting Control Module); however, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the headlamps flashed and then completely failed to remain illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer... Read more
PRIME TIME
AVENGER
(2021) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
May 22, 2023
Incident date: May 20, 2023
One rear brake light was intermittently malfunctioning even though the vehicle only has 80,000 miles and is a 2017 model. Upon researching online, I saw that 2015 and 2016 models were recalled for this. 2017 was given a limited term to have the vehicle fixed IF they were experiencing the issue. I was not experiencing the issue at the time, so I was responsible for a large chunk of the cost of r... Read more
Incident date: May 21, 2023
O.I.N. 11523223 05/22/2023 1. Lighting Control Module: Failure 2nd time. 2.Couldn't see where I was traveling. 3. No. 4. Yes. Inspected by myself, a Mechanic and Trouble Shooter. 5. Yes. Prior to the failure, the headlamps began flashing on and off. Previously the taillights failed. No warning. Lighting Control Module Defective. Replaced Module per Recall... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2010 Kia Sedona. The contact stated while driving approximately 75 MPH with the cruise control engaged, the contact observed that the cruise control independently ceased functioning. The contact stated that the "ESC" light was illuminated. The contact stated that he was able to continue driving but had to manually accelerate due to the failure. The contact stated that the cruise... Read more
CHEVROLET
AVALANCHE 1500
(2002) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
May 22, 2023
Incident date: May 1, 2023
The Car lost all electrical components, gauges, turn signals, and possibly break lights while in operation. If I had been unlucky, I could have been rear-ended or ended up in an accident if my brake lights were not working and I could not tell how fast I was going. First, the car dinged and said "Please check starter system" while I was downshifting while coming to a stop. The engine remained r... Read more
Incident date: Jan 28, 2023
The shadows are serious issue. They are distractive, annoying, irritating and dangerous. It is a safety issue. As car go up and down on the road, they are longer or shorter (because of the light angle) . They are tiring and fatiguing. Eyes are drawn to it at night. Constant distraction. Not acceptable on a new car. Problem reported to the dealer. Dealer won't do anything. Went to 2nd dealer. They... Read more
Incident date: May 21, 2023
Brake light housing has melted and deformed so that the bulb is stuck in the tail light assembly and cannot be changed. Without working brake lights the car is unsafe to be driven on the road. I’m assuming there is an electrical problem that caused the lights to overheat and melt the housing. This is a common complaint with this make and model based on my research. The socket also does not lock ... Read more
Incident date: May 10, 2023
In January 2023 the 26th breaker panel sparked and started smoking no breakers flipped and at 3am my roommate who works nights started pulling anything that could produce power or consume it. After almost two weeks of fighting manufacturer we were sent a converter and a licensed technician installed it and power was restored. May 21st 2023 there was a loud pop and the entire system started flicker... Read more
Fire
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2015) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
May 21, 2023
Incident date: May 21, 2023
Vehicle was driven to Porsche of Arlington (Virginia) for warranty service and a Virginia safety inspection. Service advisor reported that safety inspector informed him the vehicle passed inspection; however, it was noted there is fogging, spiderweb type cracks, and discoloration on the inside of each headlight lens. It was discovered through conversations at the dealership and online research t... Read more
Incident date: Feb 25, 2023
HEADLIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE THE ROADWAY WITH ENOUGH LIGHT. This recall was entered on Aug 12, 2022 when do they have to fix it? What is a "timely manner?" How long are they allowed to wait. I called Subaru and they indicate they have no definitive time that they have to fix it? Why do they have unlimited time to fix a safety issue? It's been 10 months and you would think they would have the part... Read more
Incident date: May 18, 2023
I have a 2022 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon with the LED lighting package. I live in the mountains of Colorado and my first heavy wet snowstorm I drove home in at night on my dangerous windy tight canyon road home the headlights as well as the factory fog lights got completely covered in snow and ice to the point were I had to pull over about 10 times on my 10 mile drive home to clear the lights... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
C 300
(2023) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
May 20, 2023
Incident date: Dec 10, 2022
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? HEADLIGHTS How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? THE LIGHTS RANDOMLY SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? NO Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance r... Read more