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 16, 2026
Passenger low beam led stopped functioning at 39k, with no warning light of it ceasing to function. Safety of passengers and driver were at risk. Went through diagnostics at dealership, diagnosed to need a complete headlight assembly replacement. Was told by Porsche dealership as well as independent shops that this is a “known problem” with these Macan headlights. Did the replacement and 2k m... Read more
Incident date: Apr 23, 2026
Passenger side Daytime Running Light went out. The vehicle had under 60k miles. Seems like a common problem. For now will not replace because of high price tag and not necessary for safety inspection. The problem is that negates the safety feature on the car.
Incident date: Jul 9, 2026
I have things wrong with my vehicle that are not currently included in recalls for my specific VIN but they are for the same model year. Yesterday, I paid $6000 to fix a stuck wastegate on the turbo and something to do with the ABS. I was informed that there is a $700 problem with a vacuum pump. I have also paid for 2 costly repairs, one that wouldn't let the car start after refueling and somethin... Read more
Incident date: Jul 19, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start as intended. The contact became aware that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start while using the key fob. The contact manually restarted the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the failure was diag... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 2500
(2024) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Jul 23, 2026
Incident date: Sep 7, 2025
The driver's side headlamp has a significant amount of shadows within the beam. This is in both the low beam and high beam modes. The shadows are highly visible on the road, and create a significant distraction while driving. This distraction is made significantly worse by the vehicles adaptive headlight system, as the shadows move on the road then you turn the steering wheel. The causes the d... Read more
Incident date: Jun 17, 2026
MALFUNCTION: In normal driving mode the stop lamp / brake lights do not shut off after releasing the braking controls. The stop lamps will shut off only after the accelerator pedal is used, or when the vehicle coasts below 10mph. SAFETY: 1) When descending mountain roads the stop lamps remain illuminated for extended periods of time. In some cases the stop lamps remain illuminated for hundreds or... Read more
Incident date: Jul 19, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V104000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the message " Trailer Brake Module Failure" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 22, 2026
The digital instrument cluster will at random times go dark while driving. Took car to the dealership and they say there is no recall or service bulletin. This has happened so many times and i lose speedometer, fuel level and all other critical information all while driving. This is a safety issue and should be something done to resolve this as its dangerous.
Incident date: May 15, 2026
On or around 6/20/26, I went to drive my 2014 mini countryman. When I got inside, I quickly realized that there was mold growing throughout the vehicle, on the carpet, and in the trunk. The vehicle started, but I was unable to use the drivers side window. I sent the vehicle in for service and was informed that a massive leak after a storm had clogged the drain tubes to the moon roof allowing water... Read more
Incident date: Jul 22, 2026
See attached document for complaint.
FORD
FUSION HYBRID
(2019) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Jul 22, 2026
Incident date: Jul 1, 2019
The Halo/daylight running light has burned out. I have found on the internet that this is a know issue. Mine burned out at 57,000 miles. The dealer wants over $3000 to fix it.
FORD
FUSION HYBRID
(2019) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Jul 22, 2026
Incident date: Jul 1, 2019
See attached document for complaint.
Incident date: May 28, 2026
My vehicle is losing power from the battery showing battery needs to recharge and its full charged have to turn interior lights off
Incident date: Jul 21, 2026
Just bought brand new 2026 Subaru Uncharted GT, noticed the headlights flicker or shake a lot while driving especially when going over slightly bumpy roads. It’s very distracting to me as a driver and I would think to other drivers in front of me or opposing drivers. No specific lights or warnings come on when this happens. I have read online that many drivers have the same issue with their Suba... Read more
Incident date: Jul 2, 2026
The headlights on this vehicle are very dim because of a defect by the manufacturer. The inside of the headlight has delamination and causes the lights to be very dim which is a hazardous situation when driving at night. A recalled was issued, but has since expired. Dealer wants to charge over 1800 to replace both headlights.
Incident date: Oct 1, 2025
I experienced an issue identical to safety recall 22S02. Rear brake light remains on due to a broken Brakelight stop bumper. Dealership did not offer to fix at no charge.
Incident date: Jul 21, 2026
There is a defect in my headlights, too dim to drive at night, have to engage high beams to see. This is a safety hazard. I believe this should be repaired by the manufacturer
Incident date: Jul 21, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Yamaha FJR 1300. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 20V814000 (Exterior Lighting), 20V813000 (Power Train), and 21V865000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, but the vehicle was not repaired due to the parts being on back order. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that parts were on back order. The con... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that the message “Headlights On” was erroneously displayed. The fuel gauge indicated 71 percent. Additionally, the 12-volt charging system malfunctioned with the message “See the Dealer” displayed. Several unknown orange warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was restarted, and the warning lights turned off. The window on the... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2025
On XXX, while driving my 2024 Kia Telluride (VIN: [XXX]) with approximately 34,000 miles, the vehicle suddenly experienced a complete electrical failure without warning. The instrument cluster went completely black, I lost electric power steering assist, the transmission would not shift, and the vehicle would not accelerate. The vehicle lost motive power while I was driving, creating a significan... Read more
CHRYSLER
TOWN AND COUNTRY
(2008) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Jul 20, 2026
Incident date: Jul 19, 2026
Following a drivetrain repair at Gary Yeomans Honda, the vehicle was returned to me in an unsafe driving condition. Specifically, the technician left unsecured heavy metal tools (a pry bar and screwdriver) loose in the engine bay, failed to torque a structural fastener, and rendered the rear brake light completely non-functional while incorrectly marking it as operational on the inspection sheet. ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 2, 2020
After driving on slight up or down hill with headlights on, I'm getting Headlight malfunction warning on my almost brand new (700 miles) Miata.
Incident date: Jul 17, 2026
2 RECALLS ISSUES: Since I bought that Toyota Tundra from 2023 to now, I was reporting several times issues with knocking engine and losing of engine power (rough running), but service department said nothing happens with. Then, now I have a recall, waiting to get a new engine, that I saw it over the dealer Toyota computer, as the adviser told me "I am in waiting line", but time is running, and no ... Read more
CHEVROLET
TRAILBLAZER
(2022) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Jul 20, 2026
Incident date: Jan 1, 2024
my brakes had went out while i was driving home from work
Incident date: Nov 8, 2025
The verticals led daytime running light (DRL) on the passenger side has stopped working.
Incident date: Jul 19, 2026
All lights in the rear of the truck failed working at once, turn ,brake and back up lights, bulbs are good, fuses are all good, checked all the connects and they are also good, this is the second time this has happened,. The first time it happened after going through the fuses and bulbs and finding nothing they started working again, that was in the beginning of June and now again in July.
Incident date: Jul 17, 2026
The left front turn signal becomes inoperable at times. The foreword collision indicator warning will come on unprovoked at times. Both conditions correct when you cycle the ignition switch. I consider the turn signal problem a safety issue because it happens with no warning and oncoming traffic may not know I am turning left or changing lanes. When the foreword indicator appears, I doubt the syst... Read more
Incident date: Jul 2, 2026
The front passenger side headlight is making a whirring noise whenever the light is turned on. Based on the NHTSA safety reports for this model, this indicates the fan is failing, and soon the headlight will also fail. Intact headlights are essential for driving safety at night. No warning messages have appeared on the car.
Incident date: Oct 18, 2025
I am writing to formally report an unsafe design feature regarding the automatic headlight cleaner/washer system on the 2026 Toyota bZ.The vehicle is programmed to automatically spray windshield washer fluid onto the headlights when the headlights are active and the windshield washer lever is pulled. As a night-shift worker, I frequently operate this vehicle in complete darkness. When the high-pre... Read more
Incident date: Jul 13, 2026
My 2018 Audi Q5 experienced significant water intrusion due to a failure of the panoramic sunroof drain system. Water entered the vehicle interior and traveled down into the electrical compartment, submerging the comfort module and damaging multiple wiring harnesses. This caused the vehicle to become inoperable and unable to start. Audi has issued Technical Service Bulletin 2075969/2 describing t... Read more
Incident date: Jul 10, 2026
Water is leaking into the cab of my 2022 Toyota Tundra Platinum 4x4 through the high-mounted third brake light. The leak allows water to enter the headliner and interior, creating the potential for mold, damage to the interior, and electrical issues. After troubleshooting, the third brake light gasket appears to be the source of the leak. Toyota does not appear to offer the gasket as a replacement... Read more
Incident date: Jun 21, 2026
The tail lights keep going out on both sides. The tail light harness does not fit the female adapter properly. You have to hold it pushed in to get the light to come on but when you let go it turns back off. I have already replaced the sockets with Mopar OEM parts and am still having the problem. After researching I found that this is a common issue with this vehicle. It is a safety concern becaus... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
TIGUAN
(2025) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Jul 17, 2026
Incident date: Jun 18, 2026
DRLs went out after the vehicle being on lly a few years old.
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2020) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Jul 17, 2026
Incident date: Jul 2, 2026
I am writing to formally express my concern regarding the premature oxidation developing inside the tail lights on my 2023 Toyota RAV4 XLE. The oxidation is present on both the driver and passenger side tail light assemblies. As the oxidation continues to worsen, it reduces the clarity and effectiveness of the tail lights. This is not only a cosmetic concern but also a potential safety issue. Dim... Read more
Incident date: Jul 13, 2026
Rear Tail Lights Failed... Brake and Signals work. This was repaired through the dealership. 4 connectors and housing replaced invoice shows part 909890-10942. I am writing to express my concern regarding repeated tail light failures on my black Toyota Sienna that appear to be caused by wiring connection issues. This defect creates a serious safety hazard for my family, other motorists, and ped... Read more
Incident date: Mar 14, 2026
While driving in the dark, the car's headlamps extinguished multiple times for 1-2 seconds over the course of about 15 minutes. The headlamp switch was in the "Auto On-Off" position. I eventually turned the headlamp switch to the "On" position and the incident did not repeat for the next 45 minutes while driving home. The next day I examined the ambient light sensor located at the rearview mirro... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2026
Headlight reflector assemblies have delaminated causing headlight output to be very dim to the point that driving at night is not safe.
Incident date: May 9, 2026
Headlight tabs break causing housing to rub against body and crack. Additionally it makes headlights move which necessitates constant readjustment.
Incident date: May 18, 2026
Right side daytime running light went out. Confirmed by dealer and headlamp assembly was replaced.
Incident date: Jun 4, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Ram 2500. The contact stated that while driving after the dealer completed the recall repair under NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V059000 (Exterior Lighting, Electrical System); a message asking whether the driver wanted to connect a fifth-wheel or a conventional trailer was displayed on the instrument panel, and a yellow triangle light with two wheels underneath a trailer was di... Read more
TOYOTA
GRAND HIGHLANDER
(2025) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Jul 15, 2026
Incident date: Jun 17, 2026
The car lights have dimmed tremendously, I replaced lights by myself with no luck over the years. It has just come to my attention, they knew and addressed reported problems but never sent a recall or safety notice that the reflective material designates. My car is at the dealer and confirmed this is the problem, your help would be great. Also, a steering recall and the part was replaced with the ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 7, 2022
Headlights (high & low beams) bounce as if loose when hitting any sort of uneven road surface. Edges of light almost appear to flicker when this is occurring which is anytime headlights are on and car is moving. Extremely distracting and creates uncertainty when driving in rural areas.
Incident date: Jun 11, 2026
The interior over head map light shorted out unexpectedly and cause a small burn inside the bezel for the lights and now they do not work. The wiring inside seems to be burned out from electrical surge that caused the overload.
Fire
Incident date: Jan 1, 2025
I have a 2015 Cadillac XTS I am experiencing water in the headlight and condensation I am well aware of there have been many complaints about this issue I would like Cadillac to repair this
Incident date: Jul 13, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front driver’s side turn signal was intermittently inoperable. No warning light was illuminated. An unknown dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that the headlight assembly needed to be replaced; however, the vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2026
Nissan Juke Nismo -under 30,000 miles. Head light covers discolor reducing vision. When driving at night or in heavy Florida rains.. also hazard to other divers. In addition, heat and air conditioning stopped working. STONG fumes fill the car with cabin possibly causing drivers to become disoriented. This is a driver safety hazard that could possibly cause a serious traffic fatality. Can not use... Read more
Incident date: Jul 12, 2026
Rear backup camera image failed to provide adequate image at night. Backup lights were fully functional. Automobile lights were on and appeared fully functional. No warning lamps, messages, or symptoms of the problem appeared. Backup camera appeared fully functional in daylight. Backup camera lens was clean. Problem appeared to be either inadequate light provided by the backup lights OR inadequ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 14, 2026
The front right Daytime running light went out at 82K miles.
Incident date: Jun 22, 2026
The passenger-side (right) headlight assembly suffered an internal mechanical failure and is stuck aimed too high. It cannot be calibrated or lowered to factory specification. This poses a severe safety risk by blinding oncoming traffic at night. The vehicle was inspected by a manufacturer service center on July 13, 2026. The factory technician confirmed in the official service notes that the righ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 14, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Genesis G70. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the "Turn Signal Error" message was displayed and an orange master warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the residence, where the contact noticed condensation in the passenger’s side headlight. The contact stated that the passenger’s side turn signal bulb was rep... Read more