Consumer Safety Complaints
Search 2,215,138 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA — including 138,663 crashes, 56,255 fires, and 8,561 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 2,215,138 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 49,040 complaints — component: STRUCTURE:BODY
Incident date: Jan 4, 2024
We had an accident on January 4. We were rear ended and pushed it to the vehicle in front of us. The truck that hit us was going about 65 miles an hour. Our vehicle is totaled. No air bags deployed and my seat did not engage.
Crash
2 injured
INTERNATIONAL
CV
(2019) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Jan 5, 2024
Incident date: Sep 18, 2023
Driving at speed of 50+, the hood (both sides) wobble/raise up. Faster you drive it raises up further to the point it interferes with view. Concerned it will detach from hood struts and cause major damage
Incident date: Dec 2, 2023
This vehicle has an automatic opening/closure feature for the rear trunk/hatchback door. It's activated by putting one's foot under a sensor under the rear fender. This is fine for opening the door but it also closes the hatchback door with considerable force. The feature can be activated inadvertently e.g. when loading the car (and one's foot is under the rear fender) or when sitting on the ed... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Dec 30, 2023
My son was driving at a highway speed of 55 out of Lawrence, KS. He noticed left headlight flickering and starting to smoke. He immediately pulled over and exited the vehicle. At that point, the whole front of the car was engulfed in flames. Very dangerous. I can provide pictures but for some reason the upload information won't allow me to do it here. Fire department had to put it out and ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Oct 28, 2023
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? + AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY IN HEAD-ON COLLISION How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? + DUE TO FAILURE, DRIVER SUSTAINED MILD CONCUSSION WHEN HEAD HIT STEERING WHEEL AND PUT AT RISK OF LIFE THREATENING INJURY AND IMPAIRMENT Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a deal... Read more
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Dec 21, 2023
Rear plastic hitch cover piece flew off at interstate speed endangering other drivers on the road
Incident date: Nov 20, 2023
Tailgate inadvertently opens. There is no visual or audible alarm to inform me the rear tailgate is open. This is a Denali package truck. I have lost items, coolers, small folding tables among small items without warning. Most of the time I was traveling on a highway. Could cause accidents, injury to others as well as I have lost my belongings. I have had the dealership as well as 2 requests with ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 5, 2024
Cracked subframe. The CTS-V is known for this. Many of the guys on the news groups have the same issue. I had mine welded and replaced the lower control arms as a result.
Incident date: Dec 29, 2023
Passenger front carpet had present water. Anticipated heater core issue. Mechanic discovered a body seal leak, and drained 2 gallons of fluid. Windows fogged, and or froze from the inside of the vehicle.
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2014) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Jan 5, 2024
Incident date: Jan 1, 2024
Door hinge on drivers side makes a popping sound and is hard to close Also drivers side window won’t roll down Took the car to dealership and they are checking with Ford to see if the car is covered under the warranty
Incident date: Jan 5, 2024
Multiple safety recalls issued for many models of hyundai cars. most recent that affects the 2014 hyundai elantra and other models is faulty ABS system which could result in engine compartment fire while parked or driving. There is no available repair for this problem. I received notice in the mail on 01/03/2024. I noticed that the safety recall was issued in September of 2023. How is it acceptabl... Read more
Incident date: Jan 3, 2024
Driver side door randomly started popping, hard to close completely, and driver side window struggling to roll up and down
Incident date: Jan 4, 2024
Once I reach 65 mph it sounds like bees are in my truck. It's a very annoying sound and it feels the windshield will come off.
Incident date: Oct 17, 2023
Passenger door hitch weld came off. I can’t open the door all the way and the window can’t be open..
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2008) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Jan 4, 2024
Incident date: Apr 3, 2023
Have had issues with the power gate to the hatchback since the first year of ownership. Dealer could not replicate after numerous complaints. On Jan 1, 2024 the hatch would only ho partially up or down and would not close. Upon looking, the hinges holding the hatch were pulling away from the vehicle. No accident, no abuse, nothing done other than using the electronic open/shut. Googled for info a... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2024
Drivers front door started making popping noises. Called Ford dealer where car purchased and they said it just need hinges sprayed with WD40. I did and no change. Went to local mechanic and when I opened the door to show him it popped but then wouldn’t close. He said the welded holder for metal rod broke. Took off door panel to get it to close and now I have car with no door function, door ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 4, 2020
The Spot Weld on the Driver side door is broke. based on information read this is an issue on this vehicle where the hinge breaks where the spot weld is suppose to hold. Has to be replaced and cost is $2400. Dealership said they have repaired a lot of these doors/Hinges. Asking to pay $2400 on an issue that Ford knows. They have a notice 50150 fro NHTSA that it is a known issue . Looking to... Read more
Incident date: Sep 11, 2023
regarding my 2023 Toyota Tundra. The passenger side front window is non-operational, having come off the track and proving impossible to raise. Upon consulting the dealership, it was determined that the Regulator and Motor for the window require replacement. It has come to my attention that this issue is not isolated to my vehicle, as numerous reports on social media platforms highlight a recurrin... Read more
FORD
FUSION ENERGI
(2019) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Jan 4, 2024
Incident date: Jul 16, 2023
On annual inspection vehicle did not pass due to holes in the frame
Incident date: Sep 4, 2020
My driver side door starting making cracking sounds when opening and closing then would not close. Got the door to close finally and took to Ford. They said it was something to do with the welds on the door. They originally told me that I would have to pay to have it fixed. Because I purchased the extended warranty I was told it would be covered under that. They told me I would need a new door and... Read more
Incident date: Oct 19, 2023
A few weeks ago, the drivers side front door of our 2020 Ford Escape began to make a popping sound upon opening and closing. The issue has now progressed to the door being nearly impossible to open, and the window will not go up and down. The issue seems to be related to what is described in the NTHSA bulletin SSM 50150.
Incident date: Jan 3, 2024
The dash cracked in many places.
MERCEDES-BENZ
E350
(2014) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Jan 4, 2024
Incident date: Dec 20, 2023
Driving on a highway approximately 65 MPH. Had to break fairly hard due to unexpected traffic. When breaking, my car fishtailed and I thought I was going to hit the vehicle in front of me. I immediately took my car to my independent, Mercedes-certified repair shop. My mechanic informed me that it was a problem with the rear subframe. I then took it to Mercedes for an inspection. They confirm... Read more
Incident date: Dec 14, 2023
While driving the RRS the rear spoiler separated from the vehicle and flew off. Fortunately the road was quiet and the spoiler landed in the grass next to the road. This is a known issue and when I contacted Land Rover they stated mine didn't have the recall. If this had happened on a busy street or near pedestrians the outcome could have been worse or fatal.
Incident date: Dec 31, 2023
The driver's side door makes a popping sound when you open and close the door. The car was not involved in any accident and the mechanic stated it was a door hinge weld issue
Incident date: Jun 6, 2023
The ABS - Anti-Skid lights come on and off intermittently while driving, or it's actually done this just sitting still a few times. When it first started around July 2023 the truck had about 90k miles on it. I called the dealership, they said keep driving it till it stayed on all the time so they could track what was causing it. Well it never stays on, it is on/off at random. The random occurren... Read more
Incident date: Jan 2, 2024
Good afternoon, I'll try to keep this as brief as possible; I'm sure you can recontact me if you need additional information. This is not an incident, rather an issue related to the current recall 23V-228 for my 2010 Honda CRV. In 1/2023, the garage advised my Honda would not pass Maine State Safety Inspection due to the severe rust on the frame and where the left rear lower control arm (LCA) att... Read more
Incident date: Jan 3, 2024
We recently went to have new tires put on the Tacoma at Costco. The Costco technician said that the frame was rusted and he had a similar problem with his Tacoma and Toyota repaired it. He told us that he couldn't install the new tires with the rusted frame and suggested that we go to our Toyota Dealer. We went to Toyota Direct in Columbus, Ohio (where we have had the vehicle serviced every tim... Read more
Incident date: Nov 22, 2023
There is a know defect with the chassis used for several Volvo car models. My car is a Volvo C70, year 2012. My car is affected by this defect. The defect wasn't disclosed to me at time of sale. I only learned about it literally 10 years later when Volvo of Gilbert (dealership) advised me to install a costly part on the rear suspension of my car because of "excessive negative camber". According... Read more
Incident date: Jan 3, 2024
My tailgate has opened without activation 3 times while on roadways sending cargo to the road. This fortunately has not causes an accident (that I know of) but the potential obviously does exist as a vehicle may need to make an emergency lane change to avoid hitting a toolbox, crate, or other cargo that I may be carrying as I use my truck to work with. 2 of three times I was made aware and retur... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2023
bracket tack welds failed in drivers side front door at attachment of the door check to the door frame. Resulting loose end causes multi-part safety hazard. First, it jams door, randomly presenting it from closing and latching properly, which defeats the auto-lock safety features designed to maintain body integrity in the event of an accident (hazard 1). It also binds now and then, preventing door... Read more
Incident date: Sep 19, 2023
The automatic sliding door won't close intermittently. When closing the sliding door, it will beep then slide back open, it creates a safety issue when the door will not close. The problem occurred intermittently and sometimes shut the engine off and then restarted the engine to fix it, but this has happened more than 30 times so it needs to be addressed.
Incident date: Jan 1, 2023
Drivers side drivers door popping when opened and closed, will not latch
Incident date: Jul 15, 2023
The 2020 Ford Escape was purchased new in March of 2020. The door welds are breaking in the driver's door is the problem. The door does not open or close properly now. It must be slammed to get it to close. The window in that door is twisting in the track so it can't be used. Dealer (Blackwell Ford) identified problem but claimed dealer not responsible and vehicle is out of warranty. (26124 miles ... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLC300
(2017) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Jan 3, 2024
Incident date: Aug 21, 2023
Frozen door latches. When its cold and you open the door, then close the door it does not latch.
Incident date: Dec 13, 2023
The trim that is on either side of the front windshield has come loose. The one on the driver side came loose while I was on the interstate and struck the vehicle behind me. It caused the driver to lose control and spin out. Fortunately, it did not cause a collision, but it could have caused a loss of life, we were travelling at highway speeds. The trim on the passenger side was still on the v... Read more
Incident date: Oct 21, 2023
The floor of the driver seat and the floor of the front passenger seat continuously flood after it rains. I have dried the floors with a vacuum and checked for any potential leaks or blockages. However, I cannot find any blockages or leaks that are causing the floors of the car to flood, and it continues to flood after it rains. Besides the floors, nothing else is wet--the seats themselves are dry... Read more
Incident date: Nov 2, 2023
I got in the car this morning and noticed what looked like a condensation drip at the top of my passenger side mirror. By the time I got to work, a full length crack was down the mirror. I pulled my cameras and nothing touched my mirror over night. I did a google search and others are reporting similar issues. this has a direct affect on visibility while driving. Given other complaints found this ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 11, 2023
defective spot welds at the check arm attachment points on the door on drivers side. Window does not work anymore because of it. Body shop said they have never seen anything like this and that it was not welded at all
Incident date: Jun 5, 2023
SUNROOF GLASS SHATTERED WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 295 JACKSONVILLE,FL FOR REASONS UNKNOWN. Luckily interior sunroof shade was pulled close or the shattered glass fragments would have fallen on passengers heads, The sunroof OEM is a powered sunroof that was in closed position and is not used or opened often. Outside weather at time was DAY LIGHT about 4:45pm no rain temp about 55 degrees. Called... Read more
Incident date: Sep 29, 2023
DRIVERS SIDE FRONT DOOR CHECK ARM ATTACHMENT POINTS ARE BROKEN AT SPOT WELDS - The door dose not close properly. - Authorized Ford Dealer Charles Gabus Ford in DesMoines, Iowa confirmed the problem
Incident date: Dec 31, 2023
The check arm part of the door hinge is literally breaking off. It appears that the welds are failing and now the door won't close properly. I'm worried that the door may open on it's own or that it may open unexpectedly while I'm driving. The dealer says it is out of the 3/36k warranty period and will cost over 2500.
Incident date: Jan 2, 2024
When the chassis is in the 20-foot configuration, the mid-beam of the chassis may bend or crack when fully loaded or when the 20-foot container is overloaded. Bending of the chassis makes it difficult to remove the container, and it is a precursor to future cracking if not remedied. If cracking occurs during operation, the retracted landing gears will contact the road and the gooseneck portion o... Read more
PRATT INDUSTRIES
PRATT INDUSTRIES
(2023) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Jan 3, 2024
Incident date: Nov 30, 2021
My car door doesn’t open and close properly due to a problem with the door due to faulty spot welding. It doesn’t open or close properly. From what I see, this is an issue with many 2020 ford escapes. It also causes the window to not go down more than an inch. It could cause the door to open while driving but ford won’t seem to fix this issue unless I buy a whole new door.
Incident date: Oct 20, 2023
The driver door creaks and wines like it is going to fall off or break off when you open it The passenger side door is also starting to do this. I took it to a dealership who told me to go to a auto body shop. They told me it should be a recall and do not pay for the repairs.
FORD
MUSTANG MACH E
(2021) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Jan 3, 2024
Incident date: Jun 1, 2023
Noticed rust bubble in the inner and outer paint of the driver front door pillar December 2021. Noticed it was getting substantially worse and reported it to Subaru July 2022. They said there was no pinhole in the rust and would not be covered. Showed it to Subaru again in 2023, and said it is not covered under their 5 year rust plan. It is now January 2024, and the paint as well as base metal i... Read more
Incident date: Dec 16, 2023
back wind shield exploded out of nowhere while on the freeway almost crap myself
Incident date: Dec 30, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH, the passenger’s side trim detached from the vehicle. The trim struck the front windshield of another vehicle, causing the other driver to lose control of the vehicle and the vehicle spun out. The contact was unsure if the front windshield was cracked due to the impact. There were no reported injuri... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2024
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? **Automated liftgate failure with risk of crushing. When pressing the automatic liftgate button, if there is an obstruction, the liftgate has unreliable/ineffective sensors ("jam-safe equipment") to prevent items and body parts from being crushed. In my instance, items in the trunk were crushed until... Read more
Incident date: Nov 28, 2023
Owner detected a foul odor inside vehicle. Upon investigation water was found in the rear floorboard and water stains across the headliner above the power rear sliding window. Further investigation online revealed that Fiat-Chrysler issued Technical Service Bulletin [XXX]\"Water Leaks At Sliding Backlite\" dated April 22, 2021 and [XXX] Rev B \"Water Leak Rear Of cab Rear Seat or Headliner\" dated... Read more