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: Mar 30, 2022
Headlights have become so dull that it is a hazard driving at night. Altima was taken into dealership on 3/30/22 and was found to qualify for headlight replacement under the lawsuit settlement in case Suarez v. Nissan North America, Inc. We were told it would take about six weeks for parts to arrive. Six months later and several calls to dealership, still no parts and no idea when they'll arrive. ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2022
The left brake lights are on the vehicle remains on even when the brake is not pressed.
Incident date: Oct 4, 2022
The backlighting on the instrument cluster is defective. Only a portion of the gauges are illuminated. Should this occur for the speedometer then driver will not have a way to determine vehicle speed during the nighttime hours.
Incident date: Oct 4, 2022
The dealer can not get parts to fix this issue. It appears as a safety recall
Incident date: May 24, 2020
Replaced low beam on Right Lamp Headlight. Then replace high beam on Right Lamp Headlight. Then realized it is actually appears to be the power going to the Headlight does not appear to be strong enough? Looked to see if there was a recall and noticed several others have reported this same problem. It is so dim that it required high beam to see. When we purchased this car one thing was bright... Read more
Incident date: Aug 30, 2022
Low beam headlights are very dim and present a hazard when driving at night due to limited visibility. The halogen projector lens inside the headlight assembly appears to have haze built up and the reflector bowl may be compromised by build up or heat damage. The faulty design and inability to clean the projector lens or refresh the reflector bowl may necessitate replacement of the entire headligh... Read more
Incident date: Aug 11, 2022
The headlights have failed inspection at the dealership because the low beams are too dim. Nissan said their is not a problem although I found out there is a class action lawsuit regarding the headlight issue. This is something they are aware of but are unwilling to fix the problem. This is a safety risk because when driving at night you are unable to see and other cars might not see you due to... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
JETTA
(2019) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Oct 3, 2022
Incident date: Aug 9, 2022
As I was driving, all gauges went black. The vehicle continued to run until I came to a complete stop then the engine stopped. It would start for a few minutes. When it did it would shut down when I put it in gear. After letting it cool down, it started and I was able to get home. It still happens. Sometimes the lights will work when it happens other time they won't. I got it diagnosed and the cou... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2022
The positive battery fuse cable under the glovebox is placed into a plastic space causing melting. This leads to the vehicle going dead and not even emergency lights will work. This recall has been placed on very few BMWs however it is affecting way more then they are saying. You can see in UK where a man was killed for the vehicle going dead in the middle of the road and emergency lights cannot b... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2019
FOR MANY YEARS NOW I HAVE WONDERED WHY MY HEADLIGHTS WERE DANGEROUSLY DIM TO THE POINT THE LIGHTS WOULD ONLY LIGHT UP ABOUT 15-20 FEET AHEAD. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT IN THE RAIN IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. THERE ARE MANY WRITE UPS ABOUT THIS ISSUE FROM MANY OTHERS. THEY ALSO CLAIM TO HAVE THIS CORRECTED YOU NEED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY COSTING OVER $2000 FROM THE DEALER OR LESS THAN $100... Read more
FORD
MAVERICK HYBRID
(2022) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Oct 2, 2022
Incident date: Apr 7, 2022
Headlights will sometimes not turn off even if the vehicle is completely shut down. Headlights will remain on and I'm concerned the battery will drain. It happened immediately after taking delivery but it is intermittent. I have since found that other models of Ford have a service bulletin for the same part in different models including Mach-E (SSM 50869) and F-150 (SSM 51058). The same SSM shoul... Read more
Incident date: Sep 15, 2022
Rear taillight has moisture inside which can cause an electrical shortage. Upon Google search, there are tons of other 2018 Traverses with the same issue. I contacted the dealership about a GM service bulletin about the same issue but they stated we would have to pay out of pocket for this issue.
Incident date: Sep 25, 2021
My headlights are clouded on the inside from condensation getting inside the light. Nissan says the lights are vented and the water should drain. Water drains but condensation from water has clouded my headlights.
Incident date: Jul 10, 2018
I have been stranded repeatedly by my subaru since it was purchased with drained batteries, no explanation from subaru. Safety issues arise from the stranding. There is a lawsuit now with subaru but they are not acutally fixing the cars? No warnings were given and I now have a unreliable vehicle with no proposed fix from the manufacturer.
Incident date: Sep 30, 2022
There is a recall for my year of Colorado but not my vin. The recall is for 04-09 Colorado trucks for a defective brake light switch. Defective switch=no brake lights. My 2007 Colorado brake light switch is defective, therefore I have no brake lights. The switch has been tested and found to be defective, but a search of my vin shows no recalls. It's obvious that my vehicle and likely many more... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2021
The taillights, which included both the brake lights and running lights, quit working or only worked intermittently. Safety was put at risk because anytime we drove the vehicle in the dark (which is often!) the rear of the vehicle could not be seen, and the brake lights would not be activated when braking would occur, either day or night. This made us more likely to be in an accident, in my opinio... Read more
Incident date: Sep 29, 2022
The chrome finish on the inside of the low beam headlight reflectors has disintegrated resulting in very dim, almost unusable headlight light output. The dealer states while the manufacturer has a tsp and warranty extension (WTY014) on Korean-built Optimas for this MY it does not apply to American-built Optimas - despite the headlight being manufactured in Korea on the US models and it having the... Read more
Incident date: Sep 29, 2022
The low beam headlights are too bright. I get flashed constantly, and then some drivers leave their bright lights on, blinding me, and creating a dangerous driving situation. Almost crashed last night due to being blinded by oncoming vehicle.
Incident date: Sep 28, 2022
The shifter service light comes on a lot when I am driving and it scares me. I had to get off the road and turn the car off and back on for the light to go off!
Incident date: Oct 8, 2021
The vehicle’s headlights have been extremely dimmed for years and my wife has just “dealt with it”. We’ve had all the bulbs replaced and the issue persisted. Given recent medical conditions paired with this technical oversight, this could lead to severe injury or death if not resolved. Let me also add that the headlights no longer turn on as of this morning and Kia refuses to acknowledge o... Read more
Incident date: Jun 14, 2017
Both of my headlamp lights are very dim to the point I can't see well with them at night. This has been for a long time, and extremely dangerous as I've almost had accidents. The police has stopped me several times and given me warnings to have it fixed, but it is too expensive for me . It was inspected by the dealer and failed the inspection.
HYUNDAI
SANTA CRUZ
(2022) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Sep 29, 2022
Incident date: May 5, 2022
Low beam lights shine very low and only light about 20’ ahead. On Arkansas curvy country roads, it is difficult to see what is on the road ahead. I have talked to dealer and was told nothing can be done to improve them. Mine are LED. This has been a problem since purchase in April. I avoid night driving because of this.
Incident date: Jul 29, 2022
The contact owns 2017 Subaru WRX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V522000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while shifted into reverse, the rear-view camera intermittently failed to operate. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the dealer then confirmed... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2018
The headlights are very dim to the point where I cannot see at night! It is very u safe driving this vehicle at night times due to the nonfunctioning headlight. I have been driving with my high beams just so I can see. It is sad when the high beams look like normal headlights! How and why Acura was allowed to produce and sell these vehicles is beyond me! Let alone pass any type of safety inspectio... Read more
Incident date: Aug 5, 2022
There are two things that have been happening, and are widely prevalent on different online forums as well. 1) While the vehicle is on the stereo will end up going into a loud max volume crackling and popping and won't shut off even when the truck is turned off. This has already caused an accident. Please see attached forums: https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/threads/dangerous-b-o-sound-system-iss... Read more
1 injured
VOLKSWAGEN
PASSAT
(2010) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Sep 28, 2022
Incident date: Jul 1, 2022
There is a short in the wiring for the tail lights the short in the wires also effects the trunk wiring. The design of the wiring in the trunk bends the tail light wires and wears them out so now there is a short in the tail light, reverse light , fog light and the trunk release. It is very unsafe to have these lights not work and to have a faulty wiring.
Incident date: Jul 1, 2022
I started experiencing miscellaneous electrical issues and occasional poor acceleration. Engine/ABS/tire pressure/etc. warning lights would come and go indicating random problems; transmission solenoid was a common code but I did not initially have transmission problems. Radio/backup camera had intermittent problems with not powering on. Normal headlights stopped working and only high beams would ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2022
Two things- 1) Headlights replaced in March and dim again, cannot see 50’ in front of the car. 2) Driving on interstate the car sputtered and skipped and missed beats, would not go 55 mph. I left the interstate because it was night and cats were flying up on me. I was 140 miles from home and had to take a regular road at 10pm until 2am.
Incident date: May 25, 2018
Headlights fail. I have had to replace my headlights several times. I have also had to replace the entire headlight assembly.
Incident date: Jan 3, 2022
Center rear brake light failed. Detected 18 months after purchase.
Incident date: Jan 3, 2022
Low beam headlights are dangerously low. No matter the quality of bulbs or the clarity of the lights the low beam headlights offer extremely limited visibility. Requires high beams when driving at night. I have had numerous mechanics look at the issue and it stems from a failure of the projector in the headlamp.
Incident date: May 2, 2022
The Passenger Headlight has water inside it, and water vapor. The connections for the light blubs is corroding.
Incident date: Aug 11, 2022
Headlights stopped working. The Headlights are controlled by a computer. No relay, fuse, or anything that can be fixed at a parts store. We had to wait days for a computer to show up.
Incident date: Sep 26, 2022
My back passenger tail light has failed twice. When the bulb gets hot, it melts the plastic housing and falls out. Since the bulb can’t be replaced, the whole tail light assembly has to be replaced. This is a fire safety hazard, as well as a costly repair to replace the the whole tail light assembly. Consumers should be able to replace a tail light bulb without having to replace the whole tai... Read more
CHRYSLER
TOWN AND COUNTRY
(2010) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Sep 26, 2022
Incident date: Jul 26, 2021
The contact owns a 2010 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the headlights would randomly turn off, creating a visibility hazard for the driver. When the failure occurred, the headlights could not be reactivated. Additionally, the braking system would randomly malfunction causing an extended stopping distance. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 26, 2022
Headlights were in auto mode and twice have shut off when it was completely dark at around 0600 on 9/22 and 9/26. Dashboard and all exterior lights went out. I had turn them to the on position for see. In both cases the vehicle was stopped at a stop sign and it happen just as was pulling out.
Incident date: Sep 13, 2022
After heavy rain in mid-September 2022, both headlights just stopped working. The dashboard will usually display a warning or pop up symbol that something is not working, but I had no warning and got pulled over driving at dusk with no headlights. There has been been other issues with this vehicle too! The other issues include: Bluetooth connection not working at all, the transmission has “jerki... Read more
HARLEY-DAVIDSON
FXBBS
(2022) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Sep 25, 2022
Incident date: Apr 15, 2022
Traveling at night on I-10 East. Near 22nd street off ramp. Banning calufornia, solo 40+ yes experienced rider on a 2022 Harley Davidson mc. Initially signed paperwork to finance vehicle at dealer in January 2022 (. Vin sticker reveals vehicle built in 2021. Anxious dealer selling it to me as a 2022 model as written all over contract. ) Multiple heavy trucks, and civilian vehicles in all directio... Read more
Incident date: Sep 20, 2010
The headlights are very dim. It doesn’t happy in one day, it’s a gradual process to get worse by the day. It’s so dangerous to drive at night. Replacing bulb, cleaning do not help. It’s the whole fixture and cost so much to replace. Dealer said $1000 each. Should be recalled to fix it.
Incident date: Mar 10, 2022
The low beam headlights have failed. Confirmation is confirmed at Olympia, Washington Nissan. Our safety at night was compromised as well as other drivers. This was such a gradual problem that we were unaware of it until approximately march of 2022. A lawsuit was filed in 2020. We were not informed and told we did not qualify. We have paid the dealer to replace the low beam. It likely will not... Read more
Incident date: Sep 24, 2022
The headlights on this vehicle are extremely dim and it is unsafe to drive at night without running the high beam lights all the time. This is a huge safety issue that needs to be addressed by cadillac and the lawsuit that was brought against them. All vehicles need to be recalled for the headlights immediately.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2020
All the electrical on the drivers side conti ues to fail. The blinker on the driver side only works if the headlights are on and the brake/blinker lights constantly go out even though the bulbs are fine.
Incident date: Sep 22, 2022
About 6 months ago I was driving at night and my left headlight went out and about 3 minutes later my other headlight went out? I had to pull over there and wait till day light. When I got home I took the headlights out to find bare wires on both of them? They were just disintegrated!?!? I called Volvo took find out about a new wire harness and was told I have to buy the whole engine wire assembly... Read more
Incident date: Sep 23, 2014
Headlights extremely dim.Replacement of lights didn’t improve. I can only drive during the day. I can only drive with high beams if I had to drive at night or early morning. GMC made an offer to replace lights with same defective system & wanted a claim & release signed. For me not to be any part of legal proceedings against them.
PONTIAC
GRAND PRIX
(2001) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Sep 23, 2022
Incident date: Jun 28, 2021
Not sure if the problem is in the engine or engine or the fuel but I but I smell Exhaust or gas when the engine is running. With the headlights I can barely see at night. Having my brights on Is like having your regular lights on.
Incident date: Sep 23, 2022
Headlights are to dim to see the road at night. Very dangerous. This has gotten progressively worse. When researching I found their are class action lawsuits about this issue. While there does not appear to be an official recall, I was not notified of the lawsuit and wonder why there is not an official recall.
Incident date: Nov 14, 2020
When using the turn signal the headlights turn off. A search of the internet shows this is a common occurrence for the car as multiple people have posted on boards that this is the result of the multifunction switch. This is a highly dangerous situation for both the driver and/or other cars on the road as if you attempt to signal a turn or try to place the high beams on you will lose loss of sight... Read more
Incident date: Feb 14, 2022
I purchased my 2015 Acura RDX in February 2022. You obviously don't test drive vehicles at night so I was unaware of the EXTREMELY dim headlights until a week later. I drove to the store and it was dark when I was done. As I started driving home I noticed it didn't look like my headlights were on. I had no choice but to turn the high beams on and continue home. The next day, I immediately contacte... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2015) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Sep 22, 2022
Incident date: Sep 2, 2022
While driving ALL headlights suddenly went out. This has happened a few times now while waiting for our service appointment. It has occurred in both high and low beam configurations. The lights have failed when the dash switch is in the Auto OR in the On positions. The vehicle is definitely available for inspection, however it is currently being serviced for this defect. Failure of all forward... Read more
Incident date: Sep 21, 2022
The headlights spontaneously shut off while driving at night. This has happened multiple times since we have owned the car. Mostly happens when lights are in AUTO mode. Also the headlights will turn on while parked and shut off.