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
(2014) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Oct 26, 2025
Incident date: Oct 10, 2025
No heat gauge, oil pressure gauge on vehicle. Blend door issue, one side blows hot, other cold. Radio not working. Weird noise in dash by ignition. Ignition sticks when trying to start car, keeps turning over. Dimmer switch doesn't work. Car can be tracked by unknown people, without permission.
Incident date: Aug 15, 2025
Vehicle continues to have lighting and electrical issues. Particularly, the left rear turn signal. I’ve repaired it 5 times and it burns out immediately. Dealer assured me they would find issue. Still burned out next day again. Notified dealership and they just want you to keep bringing it back but won’t issue a recall despite the plethora of complaints online about the same issue.
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2021) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Oct 25, 2025
Incident date: Sep 1, 2025
daytime running light module fails from improper cooling and melts the light tube (light tube is not sold as replaceable item) and is only sold as an assembly which is roughly $4000-6000 to replace per side and is a failure of the north carolina state inspection
Incident date: Oct 24, 2025
NHTSA Safety Defect Report – 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning Tailgate Light Bar Condensation My 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning has moisture and condensation building up inside the rear tailgate light bar. It looks exactly like the issue described in Ford recall 23S30, also known as NHTSA recall 23V-418. Even though my VIN is not included in that recall, my truck is showing the same symptoms. The condensat... Read more
Incident date: Aug 19, 2025
This vehicle exhibits the same failure described in NHTSA Recall N232426400 — spontaneous unlatching after rain due to water intrusion into the exterior tailgate release switch. I’m requesting a goodwill replacement under GM bulletin # N232426400 as the failure mechanism and part are identical. It has caused brake failure and nearly killed me because of battery drain while driving. All America... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
METRIS
(2016) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Oct 24, 2025
Incident date: Oct 1, 2022
Automatic high beam function: Does not work properly, most road signs turn the high beams off, sometimes the high beams turn back on when another car is approaching. They don't activate at all until you speed reaches 45 mph. This is the same issue I experienced with my 2021 Ridgeline. The only difference is that on the 2021 model the function activated at 35 mph. This feature is basically usele... Read more
Incident date: Jun 9, 2025
The mounted brake light went out 3 days after my purchase. It worked again after i turned the off the car and turned it back on. However, this kept happening that past two years. I noticed it has to do something with the wiring. It is a dangerous issue and will be sending it to the dealership. This keeps happening while i am driving the car.
Incident date: Oct 13, 2025
Driver’s side daytime running light ceased working permanently. This creates a safety issue due to its role in conjunction with the headlights.
Incident date: Jan 1, 2025
I had changed all my bulbs and fuses to my car for my brake lights several times and they still don’t work. My car almost got hit with me and my kids in it due to my break lights not working. Also my car keeps saying service advance trac and keeps saying it every time I drive. My car also keeps running out of power steering fluid every two week I have to add more to keep it from making that loud... Read more
Incident date: Oct 21, 2025
Dual Daytime running light (DRL) LED headlights failures. The LED DRL strips integrated into the headlight assembly stopped functioning within 3 years of ownership (60,000 and 75,000) miles.. The failure requires replacing the entire headlight assembly, which can cost over $2,000 per unit, as the LED strip is not separately serviceable. DRLs are critical for vehicle visibility during daylight, r... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2024) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Oct 22, 2025
Incident date: Oct 15, 2025
When turning left, after the turn is complete and the multi function switch returns to home position, the right turn signal activates. This could lead to confusion by surrounding drivers resulting in safety concerns. At night, the headlights will randomly turn off while in auto mode while driving. Numerous times this happens and seems to be increasing in frequency. This is a serious safety conce... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2019) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Oct 21, 2025
Incident date: Aug 29, 2025
Purchased a 2025 Ram 1500 Rebel X ($82k MSRP, fully loaded) in May 2025 for family use and towing horse trailers in remote areas (solo female driver). At ~8,000 miles, it has had repeated electrical failures under warranty, creating safety hazards (shift lock, stranding risks, public safety impact). No Stellantis fix; Q4 2025 software promised. Video of Oct 10 incident available. Timeline: • M... Read more
Incident date: Nov 14, 2023
rear lights malfunction and UNKNOWN
Incident date: Sep 7, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Audi Q7. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side marker warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic with a failing driver's side marker. The contact was informed that the driver's side marker needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact stated that while driving at nigh... Read more
Incident date: Oct 20, 2025
Headlamps are very weak on low beams.
Incident date: Aug 1, 2025
At night, with headlights set to AUTO, the headlights (right and left) will randomly turn of and on while driving. This could render my vehicle momentarily invisible to other drivers around me. Dealer confirmed the issue is the headlights. 70,000 mile service was just completed prior the the issues fist occurrence. No warnings or messages before the first incident.
Incident date: Oct 18, 2025
Passenger side brake light keeps going out and has been replaced twice
Incident date: Oct 21, 2020
I bought this car from someone in April of 2024 and the person who i bought it from said everything was perfectly fine, they brought it to the Hyundai dealership and according to the mechanic there the engine was fine….i have taken care of the engine since i bought the car, kept up with oil changes and everything….until a few days ago when the whole thing ceased up on me while driving down the... Read more
Incident date: Oct 20, 2025
I own a 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Lariat (VIN [XXX] ). Around June 6, 2025, I brought my truck to Apple Ford Shakopee for a scheduled appointment because I noticed moisture collecting inside the rear light bar. The service representative told me Ford considers that moisture normal, likely from a car wash, and that it would dry out on its own. At that time the truck had fewer than 36,000 miles and ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 8, 2025
The light bar on the tailgate that is the brake lights and reverse lights is known to get moisture inside and stop working. It is a known problem with Ford as they recalled them 2 years ago and replaced it under warranty. However the replacement part suffers from the same issue. So, my replacement light bar has stopped working, and even though I have Fords Premium Care extended warranty t... Read more
Incident date: Feb 11, 2024
LED daytime running lights have failed and turned blue on one side. This issue appears to affect many vehicles of the same make and model. DRLs are a piece of safety equipment that makes the vehicle more visible to others, and as such, should be in proper working order.
Incident date: Oct 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at various speeds, the engine failed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was repaired under warranty. While at the dealer, the contact asked the dealer to check the rear assembly light because there was water inside the rear light. The vehicle was inspected, and it was diagnosed that the seal behind the ligh... Read more
Incident date: Oct 18, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 Yamaha XTZ12 Motorcycle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V814000 (Exterior Lighting); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while attempting to change gears, the motorcycle independently shut off. No warning light was illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that while attempting to activat... Read more
Incident date: Oct 17, 2025
The daytime running lights on the Driver's side of my truck went out, which in the case of my vehicle means replacing the whole headlight assembly, which Ford is stating costs $2,000. I did not realize how much of a problem this is until I started reading online forums where it seems to be a problem with many Ford F-150 owners. Having to replace an entire headlight assembly for the running lights ... Read more
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2021) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Oct 20, 2025
Incident date: Sep 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that water was accumulating inside the driver's side taillight assembly. The contact stated that the water caused a short circuit in the taillight, and the passenger’s side turn signal became inoperable. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed, and determined that the wiring harness for the dri... Read more
ALFA ROMEO
STELVIO
(2019) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Oct 20, 2025
Incident date: Aug 4, 2025
The third brake light, located on the tailgate of the 2021 Jeep Gladiator, has ceased to function due to a failure within the printed circuit board (PCB) inside the light housing. This issue has been confirmed by a third-party repair shop, which has noted that the PCB appears to be broken or damaged, rendering the brake light inoperable. Notably, the vehicle's instrument panel does not provide any... Read more
Incident date: Dec 2, 2024
Headlights shut off entirely multiple times when switching to high beams on dark road, almost causing an accident. Multi-function switch failing the exact way the Sorento switches are failing, confirmed by mechanic. This is a severe hazard when driving at night. There was no warning whatsoever.
Incident date: Oct 1, 2025
My car has the same lcm control module issues as cars from the same years ad models, but when I enter my VIN it is not showing. +4 PO#3 1998-2000 Lincoln Town Car Lighting Control Module YW1T ... Yes, a recall exists for a 2003-2005 model year Ford/Lincoln Town Car lighting control module (LCM) failure that can cause a loss of headlights. The recall, #15S39, involves dealers installing a bypa... Read more
Incident date: Sep 14, 2025
Gradually the low beam headlights on my 2015 Acura RDX became ineffective despite replacing the bulbs many times and cleaning the housings. I've taken the car to three different mechanics and none have been able to fix the problem. I can no longer drive at night with these headlights and will have replace the housings at significant cost. This seems like a manufacturer defect that should be recall... Read more
Incident date: Oct 18, 2025
I am the original owner of this vehicle and have used this vehicle as my primary vehicle that has been well maintained in excellent mechanical condition with no accidents. The issue is the continuous flexing of the wire harness routed from the truck to body opening which continues to wiring shorts and breakage resulting in failure of the rear back up lamps, rear taillamp lighting and back up ca... Read more
Incident date: Oct 17, 2025
I had storm damage to my vehicle and needed the front headlight replaced. This was a insurance claim and it went to a local body shop as well as a GM Dealership trying to fix the problem. My vehicle is equipped with Adaptive Forwarding Headlights that turn with my steering wheel. Once my headlight was replaced this feature cannot work again. This feature is what holds my headlights in alignmen... Read more
Crash
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2023) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Oct 18, 2025
Incident date: Oct 13, 2025
Low beam headlights became very dim, making it unsafe to drive at night. Only solution was to replace entire headlight housings, costing $2,285 (would have been $4,000 if purchased original vs aftermarket housings)
Incident date: Oct 6, 2025
The front light led bulbs died. First it was the driver side at 53k miles, now the passenger side. The car has less than 55k miles. The price for the repair is outrageous. $2,000 for just ONE led bulb change. I’ve seen forums and many, many WV Atlas have the same problem. WV should be responsible for this. $4,000 total for two light bulb replacements! It’s insane!
MITSUBISHI
OUTLANDER
(2025) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Oct 17, 2025
Incident date: Sep 7, 2025
I have a 2019 Toyota Corolla hatchback and the headlight went out. Instead of replacing the bulb Toyota has made it so you had to purchase the entire unit which is called a headlight assembly unit and that’s in the thousands of dollars the LED lights are supposed to last the lifetime of the car so it makes it really unsafe to drive at night Currently my passenger side light has gone out and like... Read more
Incident date: Oct 12, 2025
All warning lights triggered on by faulty rear view camera sensor making one unable to discern if there is a true issue with one of the systems
Incident date: Sep 17, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at night, the driver's side headlight failed to illuminate as intended and the failure was progressing with the passenger’s side front headlight. Upon further inspection, the contact noticed an abnormal buildup of condensation inside the front driver's side headlight. The message "Driver Side Headlamp Out" was displayed... Read more
Incident date: May 25, 2025
My headlights went out completely and without warning on a dark highway. No brights or even the orange running lights. Not even the front hazard lights would go on. There was no warning until after they went out. I pulled over as best I could but there was very little shoulder and semi trucks speeding past me at 70 mph about a foot away from my car. There was a ditch about a foot to the right. I s... Read more
Incident date: Jun 6, 2018
I have been to the dealership twice because the driver's side headlight points way to the left, it's not centered. They said there is no adjustment for bringing it to center position. It's a hazard because there is no lighting in front of the driver. There's an obvious blind spot.
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2022) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Oct 17, 2025
Incident date: Mar 8, 2023
Put vehicle in reverse camera camera on then went black and the backup lights went out while trying to move resulting in hitting a pole.
Crash
Incident date: Aug 31, 2021
The contact owns a 2022 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while reversing, the reverse lights failed to function as intended. The contact exited the vehicle, and someone pointed out that the rear passenger’s side reverse light failed to activate as designed. The contact stated that the rear light bar had failed to function as intended. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independen... Read more
Incident date: Oct 13, 2025
THE HEADLIGHT LOW BEAMS ARE DANGEROUS AND NEED TO BE RECALLED ASAP? After his death, I acquired this vehicle from my father who had stopped driving at night thinking he had developed a vision issue. The first time I drove it at night I discovered the low beams are defective, and that was the problem, not my dear old Dad’s vision. The light emitted does not extend far enough in front of the vehic... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ID.4
(2023) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Oct 16, 2025
Incident date: Oct 4, 2025
This is getting ridiculous. Every time my vehicle is washed at the dealership with the high power jets, water gets into the vehicle from the third brake light and blows the bulb. As a disabled vet, it is getting impossible to climb into the bed and replace. This time, I took it to the dealership, which they replaced. They solution? The third brake light unit needs to be sealed, including on all th... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2025
This vehicle has a safety issue with the headlights. Basically, the low beams for both, driver and passenger sides are not functioning at all. Several diagnostic have been done to repair the existing issue such as replacing new light bulbs, new OEM turn signal switch, replacing whole new headlight assembly for both driver/ passenger sides, checking the relay, replacing new fuses, though, the issue... Read more
PHOENIX
QUICK LINER GQ64
(9999) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Oct 16, 2025
Incident date: Oct 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed at night, there was smoke coming from the front driver’s side headlamp, prompting the contact to have her son disconnect the headlamp wiring harness. After a visual inspection, the contact observed that the wiring harness showed signs of burn damage. The headlamp warning light was illuminated. The ve... Read more
Incident date: Oct 2, 2025
After my purchase of my 2025 Subaru Forester, I finally drove it for the first time at night. I was driving on local roads which have no street lights and is very hilly and dark. My headlights were on and I was shocked to see how poorly they were operating compared to my former 2016 Subaru Forester which I never had a problem with. My headlights even had strange dark marks projected onto the road... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2024
Electrical System problem //I am writing to formally raise a complaint regarding a recurring and serious issue with my 2019 Honda CR-V. Multiple dashboard warning lights turn on simultaneously without clear explanation. These lights are extremely distracting while driving and present a significant safety concern. What’s even more troubling is that we have no idea why these lights are coming on. ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 14, 2025
Water intrusion into rear lightbar/back up/brake light assembly that has caused shorting of the back up lights and flashing of the brake lights. This is a known issue, NHTSA campaign 23V418000. Ford is refusing to cover replacement of this part.
Incident date: Oct 11, 2025
The passenger side DRL/turn signal is dim causing the vehicle visability to be reduced and other drivers unable to see turn indications, increasing the risk of crash. The design of the unit places undue heat near the circuit board causing the unit to fail. The driver's side does not have this issue. This is a known issue with many post on forums on it.
Incident date: Feb 12, 2025
Earlier this year, I filed NHTSA ID 11663872 when I noticed moisture collecting in the brake light assembly on my truck and Ford called this "normal", despite earlier issuing a recall for this very thing happening under NHTSA action 23V-418. Now, the brake light has failed completely, and Ford is denying coverage of this under my extended warranty with the following explanation: "your claim is d... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2025
My 2024 Volkswagen Atlas SE began collecting visible moisture inside the rear tail light assembly less than 18 months after purchase. Over time, this led to intermittent lighting failure, sometimes the lights function, sometimes they don’t. This is a safety concern, especially at night or in poor weather. After researching the issue, I found that this is a widely reported problem among VW Atlas... Read more