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: Jun 17, 2021
Front headlights are very dim. I’m unable to drive long at night. I have to rely in the cars next to me to help light the road. Please fix this. There are many many complaints. I believe mine are getting dimmer. Correct this before there really is an accident.
Incident date: Aug 1, 2021
The headlights and brake lights are constantly blowing and not working. Just recently my light bulbs were switch in august and the driver side will only work with the high beams on and my car is available upon request for inspection… I’m unable to see if i don’t have on the high beams and I’m pretty sure it’s blinding the other drivers. It haven’t been to the dealer since they were abl... Read more
Incident date: Aug 12, 2021
Lowbeams went out when I got off work but highneams were working. I bought new bulbs the next day and the problem unchanged. So I checked all fuses and relays those were all fine. I proceeded to remove the steering column cover and disconnected the connectors and the gray one had what looks like Rust and or melted. This is very alarming because until I can replace the connector I have to drive... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2021
Headlights intermittently go off, and I wound have to switch it off and on for light to come back on, but for few minutes until it does it again, and I drive Uber at night. I have searched the problem online, it seems to be a common problem on the second generation Prius from 04-09, I called few repair shops and they acknowledged the problem but did not have an answer to solve it.
Incident date: Aug 14, 2021
I have a 2012 Chevy Malibu i bought it in 2014. I have had the Esc light come on in 2016 but no problem with it untill now of this year in 2022. Not knowing the problem i have already put ALOT into it. I took it to a machanic they told me it was the rack and pinion. So got that done . Apparently it wasn't it took it to another machanic they told me it was struts got that done too n still nothing s... Read more
Incident date: Aug 14, 2021
Head lights flicker on and off while driving at night, also cruise control flickers on and off and sometimes needs to be shut off manually. Also Dash lights and fan and radio Flickers on and off!
Incident date: Jul 7, 2021
The High beams are giving a warning when driving during the day and at night. “High support system problem “. I have taken it to the dealership and they can’t find the issue and I have reported twice and they still can’t figure it out. The high beams come on and off during driving which is a safety issue for both drivers, this issue continues to occur since July 2021 and is reoccurring.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2020
Headlights are dim on low beam. After multiple reports/complaints by owners no recall was issued. It is a safety issue.GM offered to reimburse up to $1600. My dealer wanted $2502.40 plus tax to replace the lights. $1000 over the reimbursement cost which made a total of almost $3000 I had to put out then wait to get back $1600. I have not replaced the lights. This is a product safety issue that is... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2020
The contact owns a 2016 Tesla Model X. The contact stated that the display screen went blank while driving at various speeds without warning. The contact restarted the vehicle and the display screen functionality returned; however, the failure recurred soon after restart. The contact then received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V035000 (Back Over Prevention, Visibility, Exterio... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2021
The front headlight wiring harness is flaking off and could cause a short and lose your lights at night and cause a accident. there has been no recall and it's happening to all of the bmw cars that had this environmentally friendly insulation. It is a hazard because you can lose both headlights without notice and have a accident. It has been going on for years according to several mechanics I've s... Read more
Incident date: Apr 30, 2021
Headlight housing leaks water into headlight. This appears to be a problem with this vehicle as I read numerous complaints about this.
Incident date: Jun 14, 2021
The contact owns a 2017 Tesla Model S. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 21V035000 (Back Over Prevention, Visibility, 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 and the manufacturer were made aware of the issue.... Read more
Incident date: Dec 13, 2018
The contact owns a 2016 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH a month after purchasing the vehicle, he noticed that it was difficult to see the roadway because the headlights were very dim. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the dim lights needed to be replaced and informed the contact he would be responsible for the cost of the repair. The manufacturer was not ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 13, 2019
The contact owns a 2013 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle at night, the low-beam headlights were extremely dim causing a visibility hazard to the driver. The headlight bulbs were replaced but the failure persisted. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 100,000.
Incident date: Aug 12, 2021
The headlight casing allow water and condensation to cause the headlights to be extremely dim and makes visibility impossible for night time driving and is a hazard to everyone on the road.
Incident date: Aug 9, 2016
The contact owns a 2016 Ram Promaster. The contact stated that the vehicle headlight bulbs would blow approximately every 6 months. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed and repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was informed of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 80.
Incident date: Apr 11, 2021
$70k for a vehicle and the screen spidered. Cadillac says not under recall. Not usable.
Incident date: Aug 12, 2020
The contact owns a 2015 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that there was condensation on the inside of the headlight housing which resulted in the headlights needing to be replaced. The contact stated no warning lights was illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed but not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in a recall. The ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 6, 2021
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Aveo. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked and had the headlights illuminated. The contact's wife went to start the vehicle and turned off the lights when smoke began to emit from the dashboard and the engine compartment. The contact was able to disconnect the battery and the smoke had stopped. The contact stated no warning lights were illuminated. Upon ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Mar 17, 2020
The contact owns a 2015 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that the headlight housings were filled with water causing the illumination from the headlights to be very dim. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed but not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and advised the contact to pay for the repairs and then there would be a reimbursement of... Read more
Incident date: Aug 11, 2021
The tail light and license plate lights on my 2018 Dodge Durango have shorted out. This issue is happening on models of earlier and later years of the Dodge Durango and there are many forums all over the internet discussing this issue. The light accumulates water in it and shorts out. I have not found any evidence of water in my lights as the thousands of other owners have but the same symptoms of... Read more
Incident date: Jul 21, 2021
Headlights leak moisture into housings and degrade headlight visibility at night to the point you can’t see the road!
Incident date: Aug 11, 2021
The first problem was the cluster , it completely went off . I took it to a mechanic he said he fixed it . It works for one day then completely shut off again, I can not see what gear I am in , any alert that I need to see for warning and saftey completely off in the cluster . . Shortly after the first issue I noticed 2 cracks on my dashboard ,on both driver and passenger side of the vehicle . I... Read more
Incident date: Jul 30, 2018
The taillights on my vehicle have developed a leak for water to enter the housing, and cause them to burn out. This is common amongst all early model years 2014 and even up to the current model year. This is a manufacturer defect and poses a serious safety concern. Drivers behind me may not be able to see my brake lights if they are burned out. The housing is for led lights and is VERY expensive, ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 8, 2021
I was driving just my 3rd day of having my car and i come outside and its wrecked someone hit the driver side front panel and bumper
Crash
Incident date: Aug 10, 2021
Just purchased this vehicle yesterday 8/10/2021. Drove it home at night. there were significant blindspots, and a shadow in the headlight beam. Headlights only illuminated the bottom half of the of the beam hemispheres. This engineering defect is a danger to the driver and passengers in the vehicle, as well as pedestrians and other vehicles. Have reported the issue to dealers sales manager. ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 10, 2021
Low beams are too dim while driving at night they look like they are practically not even on at all.
Incident date: Jan 1, 2021
The low-beam headlights are so dim at night that it is extremely dangerous to drive. One can only see several feet in front of the car. I understand other years of Acura RDX's have a defect, and were subject to a recall, involving the reflective material in the headlight assembly. That material would degrade over time, making the lights dim. I have replaced the bulbs themselves, but that has no... Read more
Incident date: Aug 9, 2021
Paint peeling and chipping off my car and my insurance stated they will not cover a Manufacture defect…
Incident date: May 11, 2021
I am a 76 year old Minnesota woman who lives on a limited budget. I purchased a used 2018 Honda Fit from Richfield Bloomington Honda (RBH) on 04-07-21. Initially the tachometer & speedometer gauges could easily be read during both day and night driving. Within about a month, during daylight driving these gauges became dark and very difficult to read – especially while driving with sunglasses du... Read more
Incident date: May 11, 2021
I am a 76 year old Minnesota woman who lives on a limited budget. I purchased a used 2018 Honda Fit from Richfield Bloomington Honda (RBH) on 04-07-21. Initially the tachometer & speedometer gauges could easily be read during both day and night driving. Within about a month, during daylight driving these gauges became dark and very difficult to read – especially while driving with sunglasses du... Read more
Incident date: Jul 27, 2021
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated she received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V519000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the dealer inspected the vehicle and informed the contact that the vehicle did not need a recall repair. The contact received a second recall notification from the manufacturer and the vehicle was taken back to the same dealer and the ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 9, 2021
If the car sits idle for more than 4 days, the battery dies. The car has 60,000 miles and we are replaced the battery once and it continues to die if it sits for more than 4 days. The car pulls to the right side regardless of how many times I have it balanced. The LED day running light on the driver side front died when the car only had 50,000 miles on it.
Incident date: May 15, 2016
The contact owns a 2017 Buick Envision. The contact stated while driving 45-50 mph, a week after purchasing the vehicle, she noticed that the headlights were significantly dim. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving. The dealer was made aware of the failure... Read more
Incident date: Nov 7, 2020
Tesla issued a recall for the mcu after I had the mcu replaced because it was failing. The screens in my car would go blank and I would have no idea how fast I was going while driving. The a/c wound shut off in the middle of the drive. I didn't have turn signals. These were all the reasons why the nhtsa ask tesla to issue a recall, and finally tesla agreed to this recall. Tesla is however not... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2019
Front headlights go out randomly as the vehicle warms up. Appears to be related to the 2011/2012 headlamp recall 12V-042 but my vehicle is not coming up on the notification list. Loss of headlights decreases ability to see and increases the risk of an accident. No dash messages, no computer messages. Lamps work when initially turned on so vehicle hasn't failed any safety inspections. All obvio... Read more
Incident date: Dec 28, 2020
After being in a severe accident w/ another 2018 equinox I purchased a used 2018 equinox w/ 10k miles on it . saved my life 1x - i was happy with the car. In Dec 2019 my front passenger headlight went out. Still under warranty I had the dealer replace the bulb. In late December 2020 my front passenger headlight went out again. I was told it was over $400 to fix. This was "replacing the l... Read more
Incident date: Jul 26, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while his wife was driving approximately 40 mph at dawn, the headlights, side marker lights, and turn signals became inoperable. The vehicle was examined by an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the front light module was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified o... Read more
Incident date: Aug 6, 2021
Recall #09V154000 should have been performed on my vehicle according to the list of VIN #'s affected, but it never was and I was never notified of the recall. I purchased this vehicle the month before this recall was announced in 2009 and did not start having safety issues until after my new SUV warranty had expired (how convenient). Over the years, I have spent thousands of dollars replacing all ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 5, 2021
The Lighting system is SUB-PAR because You NHTSA has been dragging your feet on approving the ADB Matrix Headlights and allowing AUDI to update the software and enable the system. This is a Safety issue as we cannot realize the full capability of visibility when driving on the highway! NHTSA, please get your ACT together and approve the ADB Headlights!
Incident date: Aug 5, 2021
ALL ELECTRICAL INSIDE CAR GOES OUT OR ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING. ALL DASH GAUGES, SPEEDOMETER, GAS GAUGE, RADIO, HEAT/AC, TURN SIGNALS, ETC. CAR STILL RUNS BUT NOTHING ON INSIDE WORKS. I do not know if this control outage effects the ABS or Steering. It only last for a few seconds. It has happened several time will drive 50 to 70 MPH. I've let off the gas and try not to panic. Everything comes b... Read more
Incident date: Aug 3, 2021
Low beam headlights are dangerously too dim on my 2015 Kia Sorento LX. This is a well known reported issue by many owners. All drivers in my family had many close calls due to poor visibility when driving in the night. Yes I have changed lightbulbs several times, made sure that lenses and reflectors are clean and ground wire is not corroded. A simple search on the internet will tell you the ext... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2021
- Auto-high beam is too sensitive. It switches high beams off with reflections off of road signs and then turns back on. - Cannot count on advertised functionality. Can switch off when needed based on its extreme sensitivity. Can cause road rage from constantly changing from high - low - high. - Not yet confirmed with dealer or others. However multiple internet comments on this issue. - Belie... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
JETTA
(2010) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Aug 2, 2021
Incident date: Jul 14, 2021
Im thinking electrical problems lights windshield wipers air locks windows locks dont work when you turn the car off lights dont go out! there is 6 recalls on this car i need to find out if they have been fixed. It was bought for my daughter and can not give it to her like this
Incident date: Aug 2, 2021
I am having trouble with the exterior lights on my vehicle. That includes brake lights, tail lights, head lights, turn signals (front and rear). I am constantly replacing them as one or several are always out. My safety and/or the safety of others are put at risk because of no brake lights, someone may rear end me, or having difficulty seeing in front of me at night when head lights fail. I've t... Read more
Incident date: Jul 31, 2021
Driving at night, was getting onto the freeway. Entrance to the freeway was on a curved street, as I was taking the turn leading into the freeway the lights turned off, Then suddenly turned back on and then off again all while I was merging onto the freeway. I quickly took the light out of “AUTO” setting. Very scary as I almost got hit by the truckers already on the freeway. I’ve had issues ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 14, 2021
Approximately 8 months ago noticed while driving that the headlights didn’t appear to be on while driving with normal low beam lights. High beams worked fine. Replaced both low beam light bulbs with Sylvania standard Kia recommended replacement. 1-2 months later after driving at night, lights still dim. Replaced with $90 Halogen set, still not illuminating road. Took to Kia dealership (where pu... Read more
Incident date: Apr 22, 2021
My transmission gears shift keeps on sticking in the park position and also I’ve been having to replace my left side parking lights I believe it’s an electric problem or fuse and the dealership seems to can’t fixed this issue with my vehicle each time I take it there
LAND ROVER
DEFENDER
(2020) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Aug 1, 2021
Incident date: Jul 24, 2021
Much like the current recall N598 for the smoked rear lights. My rear lights (standard P300) red lensed lights can be turned off when a bright light is shone on the rear red lenses. Not only does it turn off the lights, it also disables the brake lights. I have been to the dealer and they believe it is a software problem (which it clearly is not) It has not been inspected by anyone else There ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 30, 2021
Moisture in rear tail lights and rear reflector on tailgate. Moisture is excessive and Causing streaks and puddles to form in tail lights. Water and Moisture blocks and distorts light from brake lights and tail lights lowering visibility of these lights which could result in accident.