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
HYUNDAI
SONATA HYBRID
(2012) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Sep 4, 2025
Incident date: Aug 27, 2025
On August 3rd, while driving on the freeway at 55mph, my vehicle's brakes became extremely stiff, and I could not press them down to engage the braking system. I was about to collide with the vehicle in front of me, so I quickly veered right without looking because I had no time. After moving to the right, the brakes finally slowed the vehicle to around 40mph. Luckily, the traffic light turned gre... Read more
Incident date: Aug 5, 2025
The adaptive headlight system and motor in 2023 Mazda CX-5 has defect and it makes buzzing noise and vibration. It was recognized by Mazda and its known defect. They should replace the defective headlight system even after the warranty period since this is not normal wear and tear part.
Incident date: Aug 24, 2025
Tesla vehicles include an “ambient light” feature called Sync with Music. When enabled, the cabin lights pulsate, flash, and change intensity in rhythm with the audio being played. While marketed as a visual enhancement, this mode is extremely distracting when the vehicle is in motion. The constantly strobing and pulsating lights inside the cabin draw the driver’s attention away from the roa... Read more
Incident date: Aug 18, 2025
Failed low beam bulb makes it unsafe to drive at night. The LED bulb is designed to last “life of the vehicle” and failed in less than 5 years. Replacing the bulb means replacing the entire assembly, >$1500. The bulb failed in significantly less than the typical lifespan.
Incident date: Jun 10, 2025
The headlights and brake lights have been VERY dim for a while. I've had to replace both headlights and brake lights an excessive amount in the last several years. This year alone since December 2024, I've had to replace my headlights 3 separate times. I do not drive more than 10,000 miles per year, or use my vehicle on roads that would lead me to believe the issue is from road conditions.
Incident date: May 1, 2025
vehicle failed to signal on left hand turn
Incident date: Jan 20, 2025
I own a 2017 Kia Optima. My vehicle was brought in for the tail light recall at Lupient Kia, but the dealership only replaced a bulb and refused to replace the harnesses. I was told by the service advisor (Brad Baranowski) that my tail lights had “nothing to do with the recall” and that I would need to pay $210 for a diagnosis, even though I am still experiencing the exact defect described in ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 18, 2025
Condensation in headlight assembly impeding forward visibility at night.
Incident date: Jun 4, 2025
Passenger side LED daytime running light is out at 67,000 and is going to cost over $2k to get replaced. LED lights should not be going out that quickly. I have also found LOTS of the same complaints online for the same year, make and model.
Incident date: Aug 21, 2025
My tail light S and brake lights is not working the components was burnt and bulbs was burnt and we put all new bulbs and put in new components and there still not working.and I've been pulled over about 4 times cause of it thankfully I didn't get a ticket so please put a recall on this so it can be fixed I love my SUV
Incident date: Aug 12, 2025
Vehicle Fire Summary – Arvada, CO On [XXX] at approximately [XXX], the Arvada Fire Department responded to a report of a vehicle fire on [XXX] . The vehicle involved was a 2013 gray Subaru Impreza WRX. The driver reported noticing smoke coming from the engine compartment before pulling over to the shoulder. Within minutes, flames became visible. Fire crews arrived promptly and extinguished the... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Sep 2, 2025
I have had recalls on my vehicle since I purchased it and have taken it back to dealer and they state they are unable to fix them. I still have no brights still have a check engine light for the code on transfer case clutch and there is one that my tire could fall off. I drive 60 miles a day and have 3 small children this is very unsafe and they refuse to do anything about it
Incident date: Sep 1, 2025
On my 2021 Ford F-150, the passenger-side LED daytime running light (DRL) has become noticeably dim compared to the driver’s side. This issue is widely reported by other owners of 2021-23 F-150 trucks. The problem is not electrical. Owners who have disassembled the headlight assemblies have found that the fiber-optic style light tube that distributes the LED’s light becomes heat-damaged over ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 30, 2025
When I went to change out the headlight bulb, I found the wiring to both headlights were cracked, sheathing missing, bare wires exposed. This poses a fire hazard to the vehicle and occupants.
Incident date: Aug 31, 2025
I own a 2016 Kia Forte LX and have been experiencing repeated and dangerous electrical failures with the headlight and lighting system. When I turn on the headlights, they sometimes do not come on at all, or they shut off unexpectedly while driving. In some cases, using the turn signal causes the headlights to cut out completely. The interior dash lights flicker between dim and bright, and the tai... Read more
Incident date: Aug 13, 2025
Vehicle: 2023 Volvo V60 T8. Turn signal failure. About once a week the infotainment system goes black and completely dies while driving, causing the audio in the car to stop working. When this occurs the turn signal is silent when activated. The vehicle uses the speakers to produce the blinker "clicking" noise when actuated, but there is no sound when the infotainment system fails. This caus... Read more
Incident date: May 5, 2025
LED Daytime Running Light on passenger side headlight is fading and has purple hue at times. This presents poor visibility to other vehicles and can create confusion due to inconsistent appearance for oncoming traffic.
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2020) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Sep 2, 2025
Incident date: Aug 18, 2025
Excessive rain condensation is blocking the front drivers headlights. This is a known issue which BMW refuses to repair under my OEM warranty. This is a known issue with many BMW’s leading to safety issues and electrical issues. The water is pooling in my headlight.
Incident date: Aug 30, 2025
The daytime running light strip in the headlight fails. Identical failure to the Honda Accord - which had a recall/warranty extension issued.
Incident date: Oct 22, 2024
Around Aug. 3, I noticed that when I drove, the interior lights would not turn off. When the car was off, they went out as they should. But every time I started the car they came on and would not turn off. It made it very difficult to drive went it was getting dark. The dealership confirmed that it wasn't the knobs inside the car that were causing this problem. Later, I took it in for them to fin... Read more
HYUNDAI
TUCSON HYBRID
(2025) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Sep 1, 2025
Incident date: Jul 16, 2025
Because they have not sealed the screws on the interior side of the roof that hold the rails on top of the Jeep it now leaks since we have attached a kayak rack to those Jeep factory placed rails. Jeep is not willing to repair it and it requires tearing out the complete interior headliner to repair. After it rains the water sits in the door frame and leaks into the floor of the backseat causing mo... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2022
On 08/31/2025, I was involved in an accident while driving my 2025 Hyundai Tucson. While attempting to change lanes at highway speed, the driver behind me failed to see my turn signal and collided with my vehicle. I believe the cause was the unusually low placement of the rear bumper-mounted turn signals, which creates a direct visibility flaw. The Tucson’s turn signals are mounted low on the r... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Sep 1, 2023
MY HEADLIGHT WENT OUT. IT HAS WATER CONDENSATION IN IT DECEMBER 2023 NEEDS TO BE RECALLED
Incident date: Aug 31, 2025
Left Side Day Time Driving Light went out on top half on my 2021 F150 Ford Truck. Ford has many complaints of this happening to the Day Time Driving Lights from 2021 to 2024. The light is a complete replacement of the entire head light assembly for $ 2000 at the dealer. Day Time Driving Lights are a Safety Feature of Automobiles and should be part of warranties. This is a major problem with the F... Read more
Incident date: Aug 10, 2025
Safety Concern Regarding Left Rear Brake and Turn Light Malfunction in a BMW 328i I want to outline a significant safety concern related to the electrical system. specifically involving the left rear brake and turn signal lights. For several months, intermittent warnings indicated a malfunction in these lights. On New Years, the warnings ceased to be intermittent, and the lights failed completel... Read more
Incident date: Aug 21, 2025
Okay so my car had 2 recalls but the they were not repaired the same problem reoccurred . Which was the car engine not turning on and electrical problems etc. I don’t really know how to explain it but yes it’s having the same problems .
Incident date: Aug 17, 2025
The rear light bar in the tailgate that also includes my back up lights is defective. The light bar was defective at delivery of vehicle and this is the second time this light bar has been deemed defective by a Ford Dealership Service Department. The first repair on this defect was covered under a recall. This issue is a safety concern as it causes the rear light bar to flicker on and off and... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2021) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Aug 29, 2025
Incident date: Aug 29, 2025
Tonight starting at 7:15pm to 8:00pm vehicle switched from all lights +foglights on to daytime driving lights or parking lights. It did this three times. I live in rural setting with hardly any public lighting and a lot of wildlife. I have contacted Rivian regarding this issue multiple times, they tell me the auto high beam selector must be on, auto high beam is not on, they tell me it must be a ... Read more
Incident date: May 29, 2025
I bought this Jeep brand new on 7/5/2025 at a dealership with 342 miles on it. The night of purchase, I noticed the fog lights did not work. The dealership had to replace all the wires to the fog lights. On the morning of 8/29/2025, while driving my vehicle between the speeds of 25 - 55 mph to work, the vehicle would shimmy for unknown reasons. Later that afternoon, while driving home from work on... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ID.4
(2025) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Aug 29, 2025
Incident date: Aug 27, 2025
1. Driving on the highway with adaptive cruise control feels like taming a wild horse. Pulls side to side, even after alignment and total check up from Toyota. 2. Engine Maintenace required now warning light. This came on at 106,458 miles on Toyota Camry 21 LE. Randomly turned on. Off when air con was turned off, light came back on when air con was turned on. Took to Toyota dealership, repaired a... Read more
Incident date: Jun 29, 2025
Water formed from condensation caused the Lariat Light bar to no longer function
Incident date: Jul 24, 2025
There is a problem with the car's headlights. They are having to be replaced every couple months. I have taken it to the dealership and they told me it would be several hundreds of dollars to diagnose, but cannot tell me anything upon inspection other than needs replacement. We are having to purchase new bulbs every 2-3 months. One side goes out, then the other. We are being careful when replacing... Read more
Incident date: Aug 27, 2025
Back up lights. The lights constantly burn out causing the harness light holder to burn out. The lights will not come on even after replacing fuse and lights There are not back lights to warn patrons on the road for turning or stopping Yes it was taken to a dealership No it has not been inspected my either , but there is a recall on models of the same car but years 2011-2014 No there were no... Read more
Incident date: Aug 26, 2025
The contact owns a 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis. The contact received NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V861000 (Exterior Lighting). The contact stated that while driving at night, the headlights were flickering and became inoperable. Occasionally, the headlights operated as designed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the parts were not yet av... Read more
Incident date: Aug 27, 2025
While driving the instrument panel, headlights and infotainment screen all went black. Has happened multiple times but difficult to replicate. Vehicles head lights turned off while driving in the early morning (dark) but turned back on within a second or two. No warnings, no lights, no errors.
Incident date: May 1, 2025
The driver-side headlight and turn signal on my 2022 GMC Yukon stopped functioning completely. This issue began before GM recall 22V‑903 and worsened immediately after the recall repair was performed. The recall repair required three separate dealership visits because it was initially performed improperly, yet the problem was never fully resolved. During interactions with GM and the dealership,... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2025
The issue is that the rear light on both sides has a sharp plastic edge and I’ve actually cut myself on it twice. I took it to the dealer, and they said they couldn’t really replace it because it’s the same on other Honda Pilots, so it seems to be a common issue. Basically, it’s a safety concern with that sharp edge.
1 injured
Incident date: Aug 27, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the front driver’s side headlamp failed to illuminate as needed. The contact stated that the dealer had previously replaced the passenger’s side headlamp. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approxi... Read more
Incident date: Aug 16, 2025
The vehicle suffers some type of known issue that is causing a driver's side daytime running light failure. From all the research I have done and forums I have read, this is ALWAYS the driver's side failure. The manufacturer can offer no solution to this when questioned about it other than offering up a complete headlight assembly at over 2000 dollars. The LED lighting that fails is non replaceab... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2022
Rear tail light has water intrusion which causes malfunction. Driving at night, can be extremely dangerous as the rear lights are damaged and do not light up, making the vehicle more difficult to see
Incident date: Aug 1, 2020
Vehicle has less than 50k miles on it, DRL-driver went out and the entire head unit needs to be replaced which costs over 1k. Common problem with this vehicle. Poses a safety risk while driving with the lighting failure
Incident date: Aug 20, 2025
Vehicle had a parasitic draw, was in the shop for an extended amount of time, I believe wiring issues were caused from this as well, I had to replace my driver side window switch, buy an optima battery, and drive 3.5hrs to a Subaru dealership in the middle of the winter hoping I’d make it safely and without stalling, the DCM was found to be at fault similarly to other vehicle owners included in ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 25, 2025
Headlight assembly gets over heated and makes the low beam lights very dim, not safe or legal to drive at night. I've seen many many complaints for this. Not Safe!
ALFA ROMEO
GIULIA
(2020) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Aug 27, 2025
Incident date: Mar 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that the headlights were dim, reducing the contact's ability to see the roadway while driving. The dealer was notified of the failure and provided an estimate for the headlights' replacement. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive oil consumption, and there was smoke coming out of the exhaust pipes in... Read more
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER
(2019) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Aug 27, 2025
Incident date: Nov 29, 2019
The LEDs in the daytime running lights have failed. They are partially burned out. Based on research, I’ve done online this is apparently a common problem.
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2015) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Aug 26, 2025
Incident date: Aug 26, 2023
Both left and right headlamp/turn signal/marker light assemblies and control modules have been replaced. One under warranty in 2023, the second in 2025. Infotainment system displays error messages Messages may increase as assembly/control module becomes increasingly dysfunctional.
Incident date: Aug 24, 2025
Headlight module, ballast, bad noises from passenger side, under hood right next to passenger headlight.
Incident date: May 5, 2025
.Car is using or burning alot of oil. After oil change. It went 2800 miles on the oil change and the cars oil light come on. Checked oil and nothing on the dip stick. Headlights randomly shut off at night. Had the wiring checked and didnt find any issues
Incident date: Aug 25, 2025
Water has entered inner tail light causing it to stop working
Incident date: Aug 6, 2025
The headlights on my 2017 Audi A4 have developed stress cracks in the headlamp housing. According to the inspection performed by an authorized Audi dealer, these cracks will obscure headlight projection and lower the visibility range at night. The dealer specifically noted there were no signs of outside influence or misuse, and the issue is likely due to internal headlight temperature, external am... Read more