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: Jul 14, 2020
The trunk seal is not functioning properly. Water gets into lighting and causes mold in truck.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2022
The High Beams have stopped working. This is a known issue as it can be found on many forums across the internet.
Incident date: Dec 22, 2022
Lights are very dim, had to put in a brighter lightbulb. All of the sudden today the radio FM/AM Satellite and blue tooth stopped working. 12/22/22 - Driving home the lights stopped working and I was driving in the dark with no lights.
Incident date: Dec 4, 2020
The low beam bulb on both sides of the vehicle keep going out. I have replaced each bulb at least 3 times. There is no moisture in the headlight and I don't see any electrical shorting on the harness. Malfunctioning headlights are a huge safety concern for my family and every other vehicle on the road. Also, my wife has gotten pulled over several times because of this. Almost every Chevy SUV ... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2021) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Dec 22, 2022
Incident date: Dec 22, 2022
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V544000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacture... Read more
Incident date: Dec 21, 2022
Shutter mechanism for the projector headlights, when closed it causes a shadow across half of the field of vision. This severely hampers the field of vision and causes serious safety concerns while driving at night.
Incident date: Dec 22, 2022
Headlights are very dim and do not provide sufficient lighting at night. This is a known problem with this model and GM has been aware since 2010 that this is an issue. The exterior housing unit fails and allows moisture into the headlight unit and can cause dim lights and shorts. Car is unable to be driven at night without high beams on and this causes distress and blindness to other drivers. ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 26, 2022
2020 wiring harness overheated and melted - replaced taillight 6 times in 1 year. Hyundai fixed. 2021 tailight out again - Hyundai stated the taillight assembly melted, needs to be replaced (403.00) light bulb cannot be replaced (warped). Safety issue is what is causing things to heat up and melt. Many others reported same issue online - Hyundai is not taking ownership to fix whatever is causin... Read more
Incident date: Dec 21, 2022
The headlamps do not shine as brightly as needed to illuminate the road. Affects driving safety not to be able to see on unlit roads at night.
Incident date: Mar 27, 2021
The auto-highbeam feature does not operate properly. The highbeams are frequently engaged when an oncoming car is no more than 300 feet away. This irritates the oncoming motorist and creates a dangerous situation causing risk of a crash. The auto-highbeams also have a tendency to switch to low beam at inopportune times because the glare from roadside signs is recognized as an oncoming motorist.
MERCURY
GRAND MARQUIS
(2003) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Dec 21, 2022
Incident date: Dec 21, 2022
Hard to steer car, power assist not working, doors do not lock
Incident date: Dec 15, 2022
This occurs driving on Highway 50 between Placerville, CA and Meyers, CA a predominantly 2 lane winding mountain highway bounded by many cliffs and rocks. The only way to properly engage the high beam lights is to activate the automatic high beam system. The lights inappropriately switch to low beams leaving me on a curvy road with insufficient light to see the curves. In some cases I need to ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 3, 2022
I was stopped at a red light, in Drive, when the car suddenly died. All the screens went black and the engine cut. I was also unable to use my electric locks or hazard lights. The car was eventually jumped, driven to a mechanic for the alternator and battery checked, with battery changed. Since receiving my car back with new battery, the media console does not work. Buttons illuminate but don't do... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2022
Headlights are to deem even on high beems.cant see anything coming or the on coming traffic can't see me coming.
SABERSPORT
AFTERMARKET AUTO LIGHTING
(9999) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Dec 21, 2022
Incident date: Nov 1, 2022
Headlights are to deem even on high beems.cant see anything coming or the on coming traffic can't see me coming.
Incident date: Dec 20, 2022
Last night was the first time I drove it in the dark while it was raining. The headlights absolutely SUCK!!! I’ve had daytime running lights that were brighter! I’ve had 6 volt headlights that were brighter! I probably have flashlights that are brighter! It’s seriously dangerous, in my humble opinion. There were times where the painted road stripes were worn down, no street lights, and I was... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2022
The car's Low Beams do not illuminate the road to a safe degree. I have replaced the low beam lights (done by an auto body shop) with a higher grade bulb but the replacement did not increase the light output. The whole headlight assembly will need to be replaced for it to be safe to drive at night. This seems to be a common problem with the Acura RDX and will be extremely costly to repair in order... Read more
Incident date: Dec 11, 2022
Ligths seal are defective Wich cause failure because humidity create corrosion on main light board and lights suddenly stop working
Incident date: Nov 11, 2022
This car is equipped with adaptive headlights. When the headlights are turned on, each projects a rectangular shadow. These shadows move when you drive and look like animals coming across the road. Apparently, Subaru says this is normal operation. The dealer noted that it is an issue but Subaru has no remedy. This is a safety issue as your eyes automatically follow the shadows as it seems like the... Read more
Incident date: Dec 19, 2022
I am currently having this issue with Combination Meter, which means the Prius dash board will not show any speed, fuel, P, R, D label and many more important information is not shown on display. I had complained to Toyota, CASE[XXX] on 19Dec2022, I have spoken to Danial N and manager Alex S from Toyota. They both have denied solving this issue from Toyota as the Warranty Extension ZTV has expired... Read more
Incident date: Nov 9, 2022
lights that illuminate the functions/buttons of the climate control system burned out
Incident date: May 1, 2022
Driver's side front LED lights went out. I do not see any reason for this, it just stopped working. I am worried this may be a safety issue as these LED lights are now permanently off.
Incident date: Dec 6, 2022
The low-beams have deteriorated in brightness rapidly over the last 8 months as the vehicle reaches 75,000 miles. The bulbs remain lit, but the reflector inside appears to not be adequately dispersing light, producing a very dim low-beam. The high-beams are not affected, indicating no electrical issues. The lack of a sufficiently bright headlight's risk is self evident: but includes the inability ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 23, 2022
High beams not working
Incident date: Nov 19, 2022
The contact owns a 2008 Saturn Aura. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH with cruise control activated, the vehicle lost cruise control functionality with the "Service Traction" message displayed. Additionally, the brake lights turned on unintendedly. The contact stated that the brake lights remained illuminated; however, the brake lights would turn off while depressing the brake pedal. The ve... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Impreza. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V624000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was... Read more
Incident date: Aug 31, 2022
My headlights are dim to the point of unsafe driving at night. I often cannot tell that my headlights are even on. I cannot see the side of the road, or what is in front of me, especially when other cars are approaching -- I have almost hit a person/pedestrian - it was a frightening experience. The problem has been confirmed only by my mechanic. I have contacted Acura The vehicle has only been i... Read more
Incident date: Apr 12, 2020
The headlights are extremely dim making it very difficult to see at night. The bulbs have been replaced and are still very dim. They are available for inspection upon request. There were no messages regarding any failure. And it first was noticed upon purchasing the car and driving it at night.
Incident date: Nov 5, 2022
The radio/GPS screen cuts out and goes completely blank and I can't turn it off or down or do anything with the radio. The tire pressure lights come on and off at random times. The backup camera randomly stays on when I'm driving and I can't get it to go back to a regular screen. The lights randomly turn on and off when I am driving. There is obviously some kind of electrical issues.
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2021) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Dec 19, 2022
Incident date: Jul 28, 2022
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V544000 (Exterior Lighting). The contact stated that the taillights were no longer illuminated. The contact made a local dealer aware of the failure and recall notification; however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reas... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2021
Car is mint for age. Stock oem hid style headlights failed, headlights are still clear. The turn signals failed and activated safetys. Ground plug under air filter assembly that is a piece of metal bolted to car with 5 wires that plug into it corroded so bad no ground connection and each of the wires made no connection to the plug. No info on how to diagnose and/or repair. Common problem. Took eve... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2022
Low beam headlights became very dim. Both, left and right (more left than right). When there is some street light, it is hard to notice if the lights are on at all. They don't project enough light to see at night, and the little that they project is not reaching far enough. I can only see a few feet away from the car. It has become dangerous to drive in the dark. Replacing light bulbs did no... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2021
I took my vehicle into the dealership when it was under 12,000 miles for another issue and mentioned a problem with the headlight on the right fogging up with moisture. I was immediately told that this had to be seen with their eyes because light cost more than $1,000. It has continued for over 1 1/2 years. Early this month, I took a picture at night and in the morning. The service manager wanted ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2021
The taillight assembly leaks and fills up with water. It is available for inspection. The taillight shorts out and does not work. The potential of being rear ended is very high; threatening the lives of those in the car and those in the car behind it. Many other Dodge Durango owners have the same problem. The car has not been inspected by others. No warning lamps or symptoms. But every time it ra... Read more
Incident date: Dec 17, 2022
No distinct incident. The headlights on this car are very poor. My front visibility is extremely limited, especially to the right, since I got this vehicle in August 2022. I have had some narrow misses with pedestrians I couldn't see. These are the worst headlights of any car I've owned since 1970. I have noted that the IHSS rates these headlights as "poor". This should be unacceptable in this... Read more
Incident date: Dec 2, 2022
I have had my vehicle about a month I have a 2011 Cadillac SRX I have had it in the shop at least 3 weeks since I had it due to the headlights being out or damaged by water they have worked out about $6,000 on my vehicle to have the bulbs burner ballast and igniter replaced and replaced my passenger side lens but they did not replace the driver side and it accumulates a lot of water all the time i... Read more
Incident date: Nov 22, 2022
While on a road trip for the Thanksgiving Holiday on Interstate 95, the in dash information cluster advised me that the right turn indicator on the vehicle failed. Upon pulling into a service station and inspecting the vehicle it was confirmed that the right rear turn indicator had indeed failed and would no longer illuminate. In addition to the failure of the turn signal the Lane Departure featur... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2022
The headlights have become very dim to the point of not being safe on this vehicle. I have tried replacing the headlights with the brightest replacement that does not change the architecture of the lighting (OEM was halogen bulb, replaced with halogen bulb) and it does not make the lighting any brighter. There are multiple other websites that talk about the same issue and it seems to be an issue... Read more
Incident date: Dec 12, 2022
driver side headlight failed. available for inspection upon request. can't drive without headlight on at nighttime or dark days. I haven't gone to dealer yet. not inspected by manufacturer yet. warning and message: headlight system problem. headlight performance may be reduced. see your dealer. First appeared on 12/12/22. and I was told by gateguard that my left headlight went out, complete off.... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2022
wiring harness electrical
Incident date: Jun 1, 2018
Headlights are so dim my car cannot be driven at night. The reflective coating inside the light housing has deteriorated and no longer reflects the light. Replacements cost $800 or more. VERY DANGEROUS!!!
Incident date: Dec 11, 2022
Poor LED headlight/headlight seal caused severe condensation (water dripping) inside headlight housing, which led to the headlight and turn signal to not function. No warning/notification received from the car. The car is 3 years old, past 50,000-mile warranty. Headlight inspected by Tesla service center and had to be replaced at owner’s expense due to out of warranty. Condition led to poor visi... Read more
Incident date: Dec 5, 2022
Break lights don’t go off.
Incident date: Aug 4, 2022
Purchase the vehicle new with fifteen miles in June 2022, 11/3/2022 Service Instrument Cluster failure happened during a vehicle software update in November 2022. 11/7/2022 Took the vehicle to a GM Dealer they performed a software update that was to correct the problem. However, a day later the Service Instrument Cluster light came on. parts for this are on back order. 8/04/2022 When driving, the... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2021
Excessive oil consumption 1 quart every 1000 miles. The brake light socket overheats causing fast bulb burn outs.
Incident date: Dec 2, 2022
Vehicle low beam headlights have grown dimmer over time. I've polished the headlight lens and replaced the low beam bulbs in an attempt to increase night driving visibility to no avail. I contacted the dealer's service department who offered no solution to the problem. Now driving at night with high beams activated as only means to provide adequate roadway lighting. This is definately a safety ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 14, 2022
Degrading headlight housing materials (reflector?) have made the car undrivable at night without use of high beams. It happened gradually over time so that it was not immediately noticeable until a road trip that required several hours of night driving. City driving at night it wasn't really noticeable until I realized how bad it had become when driving on a long rural interstate at night. Now it ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 20, 2021
I have been having electrical/lighting issues for about a year. It initially started with the inside lights intermittently flashing when opening the door or attempting to use the interior lights; however sometimes the automatic interior lights did not come on at all when set to automatically turn on when a door opened, but now the lights don’t come on at all when opening the door. I have also h... Read more
Incident date: Aug 12, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Impreza. The contact received notification of the 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 local dealer was notified of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 29, 2019
I am referring to my 2015 Nissan Altima headlight dimness. The car has been apart of a settlement which i was approved for. The settlements website is listed here: http://www.altimaheadlightsettlement.com/ I have been approved for headlight repair for more than 6months. I purchased the vehicle in December of 2019, without the knowledge of any headlight issues. I work late some times and simply can... Read more