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
CHEVROLET
CAPTIVA SPORT
(2013) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Nov 28, 2023
Incident date: Oct 12, 2023
Every time the driver side opens, I hear a popping sound. I took it to my local Ford dealership and apparently it was passed warranty just two days prior so no work has been done. They advised me that the welds failed on the door and now the car needs a new door and latch that will take at least a week to complete repairs. My car has only 32,000 miles so it's fairly new. I fear that the door will ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
On cold days, general below 30 degrees, the drivers door will not latch. After the temperature warms, the door will latch. This renders the truck useless for 4 months of the year where we live. I have seen recalls on other Ford F150 for the door latch. But there are no active recalls for my truck. This is a major safety issue. Especially if the truck door comes unlatched while driving.
Incident date: Nov 20, 2023
The driver’s side mirror vibrates a lot( it’s so hard to see anything, especially on the freeway “it gets blurry”). The dealership changed the mirror glass for me and the issue still there. I went back again and complained, and they ordered the whole mirror assembly for me (i waited 6 months)—the replaced it for me, and STILL the mirror vibrates. I would love to hear back from you guys b... Read more
Incident date: Nov 8, 2023
Water intrusion on the driver side rear panel has caused the power tailgate command module to short out twice now.
Incident date: Nov 26, 2023
While I was driving the rear window suddenly shattered creating a loud thud. Chunks of shattering glass fell into the back section of the car. No foreign object hit the car. This was just a spontaneous event. We often transport our grand children and it is possible that they could have been seriously injured if they would have been in the car at the time. The car is unsafe to drive at this... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2023
I purchased a 2015 Kia Forte5 car (Pearl White) used but I noticed the paint peeling. It seems to be getting worse because the same spot is getting bigger and now a new spot on the top has appeared. I took the car to a body shop and was told it was a factory paint defect. I went online and saw that Kia and Hyundai had a factory issue with the pearl white paint for several years around my car year ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 20, 2023
The windshield trim panel on my 2013 Ford Explorer detached and flew off the vehicle without warning while I was driving on the highway . If the detached piece hit another motorist it could cause harm. This vehicle is up to date on it's regular maintenance and no warning was given for the part.
Incident date: Nov 26, 2023
contacted local ford dealership for recall repairs (Johnson City Ford). they state there are not any recalls for a 2014 ford transit connect and would not schedule the repairs.
Incident date: Nov 27, 2023
Doors do not latch/stay latched when temperatures have dropped to freezing and below.
Incident date: Nov 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that condensation was present inside the vehicle causing the carpet to become moist and damp. The contact stated that the front and rear carpets on the driver's and passenger's sides of the vehicle were moldy. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was contacted, and a service appointment was scheduled. The manufact... Read more
Incident date: Nov 26, 2023
While driving in the freeway the plastic cover on the front "A" pillar flew off causing it to crash onto the front passenger side window before falling off. It could have caused serious bodily injury to my wife (front passenger) if the window was rolled down.
Incident date: Nov 25, 2023
Front drivers door makes popping noise and it appears to be loose. No physical damage. Looks like an internal part failure
Incident date: May 12, 2023
Paint (Pearl White) has been peeling and delaminating for a number of years. Tried working w/Kia directly. Their Customer Care center told us they have a memo stating the known issue with the pearl white paint and told us to send in pictures, get it repaired and send in the bill. We didn't want to do this directly so received an estimate from the body shop. Kia then recanted and said we weren't... Read more
Incident date: Nov 23, 2023
While driving at city speed limit the headlights started flicking on-off very difficult to see in the dark. I pulled over to the side of the road for safety but now realized the turn signals not working and also the hazard lights are not working either. I was in a very dangerous situation sitting on the side of the road without any warning light on. Not only for mine safety but also dangerous ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 27, 2023
I HAVE A FLEX TAIL GATE WHICH IS ALL ELECTRONIC. THE TAILGATE WILL NOT STAY UP , IT KEEPS ON FALLING AND UNLOCKING FOR NO REASON. BUTTON THE TAILGATE LEVER DOES NOT WORK. TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP IN JULY AND THEY HAD TO ORDER THE PART. IT IS ALMOST DEC AND STILL NOT HEAR. THE TAILGATE FELL IN MY GARAGE AND I DID NOT KNOW IT WHEN I PUT THE DOOR UP IT SCRATCHED MY TAIL GATE. I WAS DRIVING DOWN T... Read more
Incident date: Nov 22, 2023
The assembly of the 2013 Honda civic ex was missing the rear bumper impact absorber. The component was not noticed until a collision removed the rear bumper from the car, exposing the interior of the assembly. The omission of the impact absorber in the bumper assembly from the manufacturer directly puts my safety at risk because this part is designed to absorb energy in a collision, and without th... Read more
Crash
FORD
F-150 HYBRID
(2021) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Nov 27, 2023
Incident date: Nov 27, 2023
broken spot welds in the left front door at the check arm attachment point in the door
Incident date: Nov 25, 2023
Frame of this vehicle has lot of rust damage, is it still under manufacture recall? How can I ensure safety of my vehicle along with rusty frame? I’ll be glad to receive more information how to contact manufacturer in order to get this resolved. I drove this vehicle on Nov 19, 2023 last time just hear some knocking sounds while driving
Incident date: Nov 26, 2023
I have been the owner of my 2013 white kia optima since 2020 and have had my paint peeling from the front, both sides and rear of my car.
Incident date: Nov 21, 2023
The hood popped open at 35 mph causing loss of sight. I was in traffic and luckily was able to pull the car off the road. I am taking it to the dealer as soon as I can get an appointment. There were no warning lights or messages prior. I will secure the hood with something before I drive it to the dealer. If I had been driving on the Interstate I am sure the hood would have smashed into windshield... Read more
Incident date: Nov 25, 2023
The driver side sliding door will not open all the way and gets stuck even when the power door is not engaged. The passenger side sliding door often gets stuck and will not release when the power door button is pushed.
Incident date: Oct 25, 2023
All 4 of the doors on my 2019 Toyota RAV4 have been filling full of water whenever it rains ever since I bought it from the dealership. Then the rainwater leaks out into the interior ceiling fabric, as well as the sides of the vehicle, staining it b/c black mold is growing! Also, it sounds like a cooler full of water sounds whenever the car is moving! Weighs it down too of course...also it frequen... Read more
Incident date: Nov 21, 2023
Paint defect should extend it to fix the paint issues. Clear coat as well.
Incident date: Jun 29, 2023
2018 Honda Accord has a poor fitting hood. The issue is not unique to Accords. On Honda Pilots around the same year, supposedly a "fix" was issued where some sort of a tape was used to stabilize the hood. At highway speeds, the hood experiences visible deflection/vibration-like movement. Yes, the stop towers and the latch have been checked and adjusted by a qualified body shop, who, essentiall... Read more
Incident date: Nov 16, 2023
Rear spoiler detached at highway speed. 4 of 5 bolt/screws failed.
Incident date: Nov 25, 2023
The roof of my car is delaminating. It's discoloring and developing bubbles. I looked online and found this is a common issue with the vehicle. I believe this may be a structural concern considering the cars body is composite and the roof contributes to the structural integrity of the vehicle. Not to mention the danger to others on the freeway from large chunks of roof blowing off and hitting vehi... Read more
Incident date: Oct 25, 2023
Drivers side front door check arm attachment points separated. Door malfunctioning which renders window inoperable. Ford service indicated only recourse is a replacement of the full door assembly. There was no incident of over opening the door!
Incident date: Nov 25, 2023
Left front driver side door, making loud popping noise when opening and closing. Almost could not close with most recent use. Afraid to open again in fear that I will not be able to drive my car or lock it shut.
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLC300
(2016) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Nov 24, 2023
Incident date: Feb 12, 2022
Drivers door is making a creaking/popping sound and sometimes won’t close. The window will not always go up.
Incident date: Nov 22, 2023
This trailer has frame flex in the gooseneck area to the point it is damaging the cabinetry in the front of the trailer. I have been in multiple momentum trailers with this problem and the dealership just wants me to trade it in or charge an astronomical amount of money to try and fix. It’s a known problem that everyone needs to be aware of.
Incident date: Jul 8, 2023
My Tacoma has a frame rust issue. I have been told that Toyota did a "voluntary recall" and replaced rusty frames under warranty but that program has ended. This is terrible because it wasn't in an official NHTSA recall, so a Carfax says nothing of 5his issue. I contacted Toyota and they are unwilling to do anything. I have been told that my frame can break in half while driving When reading... Read more
Incident date: Nov 20, 2023
Factory Spot welds in driver side door have failed. The swing arm is not attached properly. Door will not open or close properly and it also affecting the window.
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2024) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Nov 23, 2023
Incident date: Oct 27, 2023
windshield trim panel detaching and flying off my car while driving at highway speeds.
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2015) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Nov 23, 2023
Incident date: Jun 21, 2023
Left driver's side door is popping and gets stuck open sometimes. Vehicle mileage is only 33,505.
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
Purchased this vehicle with a clear title and then noticed it has frame rot.
Incident date: Mar 15, 2022
The driver side door latch failed. The door would not close and latch. Dealer charged $578.42 for the repair and has not reimbursed the charges per safety recall 23V502. ~ 90 days has passed since the repair.
Incident date: Nov 22, 2023
*driver's door failed to open from the inside--door appear to be unlocked as the door handle on the outside was extended. Had to crawl across the center console to exit the vehicle *Blind spot and lane assit fail to function periodically (probably 50 percent of the time)
Incident date: Nov 20, 2023
Driver's side door hinge has failed. Per staff at two separate dealerships, a "cup" or where the end of hinge attaches within the door has broken loose due to failed spot welds. Staff at both dealerships claim this is a common occurrence. Ford refuses to participate in the repair even though staff indicates it should be a recall event. Concerned door hinge will either jam thereby not allowing ingr... Read more
Incident date: Nov 7, 2023
I own a 2016 Hyundai Sonata and on vacation in Florida the cap to the shark Finn Antenna flew off on the highway. I noted there are recalls on newer versions of the Sonata but not on the 2016. I feel that is a problem that Hyundai should address as it is a safety hazard and could cause an accident resulting in injuries. Also the cost to replace the antenna is almost 500 dollar as they do not just ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 21, 2023
RV shows early sign of possible frame flex by developing a bulge on the front drivers side slideout area. Keystone was notified and denied warranty participation because unit was outside of the warranty period. Frame flex is a known safety issue on multiple RVs and keystone is aware of this. Keystone has repaired other units due to the safety concern of a crack in the frame jeopardizing the int... Read more
CHRYSLER
TOWN AND COUNTRY
(2015) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Nov 20, 2023
Incident date: Nov 17, 2023
Drivers Side door Welds broke inside door. And door doesn't lock. Door check broke and window goes down less than half way. Bought it in 2021 with 14, 000 miles now has 30,000 Went to my dealership and they said Ford would give me 1000.00 towards repairs leaving me with a balance of 1500. This should be a recall.
Incident date: Sep 6, 2023
The mirror on the passenger side of the vehicle "exploded".
Incident date: Nov 14, 2023
My Kia Optima is peeling paint around the top of the windshield. My car is beginning to rust. This is not normal. Reading online about this issue, and many people are seeing the exact same issue. My car is snow white in color.
Incident date: Nov 12, 2023
About 3 weeks ago now I opened my driver door and heard a loud cranking followed by a poo, the arm bar weld on the door just broke, had to shut the door from the outside and as a result I don't have control over my driver side window and all the power locks in the vehicle are shot. In addition to this my electrical is going crazy, I have the dash lights set to off but when I remove key or open doo... Read more
Incident date: Oct 20, 2023
The firewall drain grommets for the sunroof drain line have needed to be replaced three times over the past 5 years. This is a well known design defect. Many Infiniti owners have complained about rain water ruining the interior foot wells on both the driver and front passenger areas AND causing damage to electronics inside the car. The design flaw issue is very expensive to repair, and to add i... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
The actuator malfunctioned on the back driver side door, and it is not able to be opened from the outside or inside. Poses a safety risk because passengers in the back seat behind the driver would not be able to exit the car quickly in case of emergency. There were no warning lights, went to open the door and it would not open. I have not had it inspected by a dealer. Vehicle is available for ins... Read more
LAND ROVER
RANGE ROVER EVOQUE
(2014) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Nov 19, 2023
Incident date: Aug 22, 2022
The rear passenger door on this 4 year old car will not open from inside, nor outside. This is a huge safety issue, as any emergency egress from that point will not be possible. I can imagine the outcome if we were in an accident and needed to try to exit via that door. I chatted with Volvo and they simply recommended opening a case with their 800 number. I've seen forums with many other peopl... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
TAOS
(2022) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Nov 19, 2023
Incident date: Nov 19, 2023
On hot days the Forward Collision will show as unavailable, but there is no notification saying when it will be available again. This is dangerous in that a safety feature on the vehicle is unavailable when it is hot outside and has been sitting in the sun. Outer door panel skins are becoming unattached from the door frame, which could cause an issue if the skin fails elsewhere that it would be t... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLK350
(2014) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Nov 19, 2023
Incident date: Nov 19, 2023
My MDX exhibits the same paint defect in Acuras 19-029 Service Bulletin. I have paint chipping away between the windshield and the sun roof. However, Acura refuses to fix the issue because they say my VIN is not covered even though my cars year and paint fall under the description. 2016 MDX w Pearl Whit Paint. I need them to fix the issue by repainting my roof.