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: Jul 27, 2023
I have a 2018 Jeep Renegade, When it rains water leaks from my roof/ceiling down to my dashboard soaking all the electrical equipment. My vehicle doesn’t have a sunroof and I can’t find where the leaking is coming from.
Incident date: Aug 2, 2023
Frame rusted so badly the the brackets attached to it are coming off
Incident date: Sep 22, 2023
My Ford Escape driver's door is getting worse. The weld is broken, and my window only goes down about one-half inch. Sometimes when I'm driving it makes a loud noise and I'm afraid it may open by itself. It's getting worse as time goes on. I've taken it into a ford repair shop, and they have checked it out. They are contacting FORD to see if they will cover the cost. I cannot afford $2500 for this... Read more
Incident date: Jul 31, 2023
the back glass on my convertible few into traffic as the bonding agent failed and is a common problem with my vehicle
Incident date: Sep 19, 2023
Panoramic sunroof exploded while driving on freeway in good weather conditions. The only thing preventing the glass from falling on my head and my son's was the screen underneath the sunroof. The extremely loud and unexpected sound caused by the glass exploding was incredibly disorienting while in traffic traveling at approximately 65 mph. This could have caused an accident. There was no debris fa... Read more
Incident date: Aug 27, 2023
Will not fix the frame. my husband has a 2005 and it looks new compared to my 2012. The last mechanic I used told me not to bring it back to him to much rust. Toyota said it passed their inspection. There is no way. They’ve had my truck almost a yr. I thought they was fixing it. No they just been chilling. They never called me to tell me it was they wouldn’t honor the recall. Nothing. I keep ... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Aug 18, 2023
The drivers side door is the only key hole available to unlock or lock the car. This key hole is jammed at a diagonal angle and will not accept a key in any way. Thus, whatever state the car is currently in (locked in my case) is the state that it will stay. No professional has checked it out. It is easily inspectable. There were no warnings by the car that this would happen, however, within 24 hr... Read more
Incident date: Aug 17, 2023
The car caught on fire while driving on the freeway for no reason, an explosion occurred.
Fire
Incident date: Aug 6, 2023
* Drivers side (worst) and passenger side rear lower control arm. Both are available for inspection upon request. * The drivers side rear lower control arm rusted through and cracked near the point where it connects to the rear subframe. The right lower control arm did not yet visibly crack (it's still on the vehicle), but it is also severely rusted. If driven and either completely separated, l... Read more
Incident date: Sep 21, 2023
Control modules located next to the gateway module that was recently recalled are getting wet and shorting out. Tail lights, brake lights, turning signals, license plate lights, and reverse lights all stop working. Once the area is dry, the lighting works only sometimes. I am not ever sure if the lights work or not while I'm driving and am concerned about getting rear-ended because of the lights b... Read more
Incident date: Aug 28, 2023
Exterior paint is rapidly falling off the car, to the degree that the outer paint will completely delaminate. It appears to be a serious manufacturing defect, as the car has been properly cared for, and the peeling has nothing to do with scratches, dents or other abrasions. The peeling paint is accessible to children, including my own, who could easily get it on their hands and ingest, making it... Read more
Incident date: Sep 22, 2023
While my car is in Drive, every so often the car will die and cut out power steering and the brake light will go on. The check engine light is on but the code is not reading properly.
Incident date: Sep 20, 2023
The vehicles panoramic sunroof does not close fully. There is a recall for certain Mercedes-Benz 2015 - 2020 C300 vehicles, my car is a 2017 C300, but for some reason my vehicle is not part of the recall. The recall number is 21V197000.
Incident date: Sep 22, 2023
1) While I was driving, the “Rear passenger door trim” started to come off of my car. My car was not hit and I did not hit anything. Upon further evaluation, the plastic pieces holding the trim on were broken. How they became broken is unknown. I was able to reattach trim to my car, but it is still loose because the plastic pieces holding the trim on are still broken. 2) It was a safety hazar... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2019
Water is filling up in my trunk not sure how it is getting in . Have noticed a lil water stains along back top of lining. I started smelling a stail water smell when I found a puddle of water under my spare tire . Im extremely worried with winter coming again . Not to mention there is a battery locate in truck as well. So I feel completely unsafe. I have recently had noticed hybrid battery going f... Read more
TOYOTA
COROLLA CROSS
(2023) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Sep 21, 2023
Incident date: Sep 12, 2023
1. Issue number one parking brake engages on and applies the brakes while the vehicle is moving. I had this issue happened to me at least three times; luckily I was not going very fast when it happened. Additionally, Parking brake light will come on at random times. (is not Auto Hold) 2. Multi-functions switch that controls turning signal gets stuck in the up or down position after engaging the sw... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
ML350
(2006) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Sep 21, 2023
Incident date: Sep 21, 2023
The cable holding the spare tire up underneath the car snapped while I was at a stop light, resulting in my tire and it's cover falling onto the road
Incident date: Sep 19, 2023
Middle electronic sliding doors will not open electronically and there is no way to open these doors during an emergency - trapping the middle occupants inside without a way to escape.
Incident date: Oct 3, 2022
Driver side door check broke off the door. Spot welds failed. Door is very difficult to close Ford has put out SSM50150 message but no recall has been authorized that I am aware of. Online research shows this has happened to many others who have this same model year. Most stated the entire door needs to be replaced at a cost of $2500-$2600. I heard a slight popping sound when opening this door a... Read more
Incident date: Sep 20, 2023
Spot welds failed in the check arm bracket for the driver door.
Incident date: Sep 14, 2023
spot weld failure in doors arm. a loud popping noise when comes open or closed. sometimes doesn't want to close.
Incident date: Jul 1, 2023
The front cap seperates from the frame rail. There is a recall in Canada for the same issue. Transport Canada Recall - 2023087 - THOR MOTOR COACH Issue: On certain motorhomes, the brackets for the front lower cap may not be attached properly. As a result, the brackets could loosen and separate from the vehicle. Safety Risk: A bracket that detaches from a vehicle could create a road hazard for othe... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2018) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Sep 20, 2023
Incident date: Sep 20, 2023
About once or twice a week as I'm slowly braking to make a turn or stop, the car will surge forward. I have to depress the brake harder, and it does stop or keep slowing. I'm very concerned that if this happens as I'm stopping at a cross walk, someone could be hurt. I took it to the dealer who couldn't replicate it, so said it wasn't a safety issue. There are lots of forums that describe this with... Read more
Incident date: Jul 23, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the front passenger’s side window trim detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the trim was replaced. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the front driver’s side trim detached. The failure caused the trunk button to open and close the trunk. The message tr... Read more
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2021) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Sep 20, 2023
Incident date: Sep 20, 2023
I took my Sorento to an automotive center because the paint is peeling off on 2 areas and I wanted to have it painted. I was told there’s a problem with the primer that was used by Kia. They said the same problem is happening with other manufacturers such as Toyota and possibly Hyundai and those companies have a recall on their vehicles. He told me to check for a recall but I see there isn’t ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 19, 2023
Door was creaking and making several popping noises when opening and closing. That went on for about a month, going from just a creak, to a pop, to several pops. Now there is very little sound, but the door occasionally resists closing completely. Took it in, and was told a piece inside had popped away from the door. They said it would require body work, but the warranty had run out to cover it. ... Read more
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2019) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Sep 20, 2023
Incident date: Sep 11, 2023
My drivers door arm receptor has broken free of its spot weld inside the door, causing severe safety issues. [see Car and Driver article BY ALESSANDRA KAESTNER PUBLISHED: JUL 14, 2023] Same issue. This happened to me today 09/20/2023. * I cannot fully open drivers window because of this defect. Major safety issue if my vehicle goes into water. * I cannot open the door from outside, if locked. Maj... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Sep 18, 2023
Since I got Certified Pre-Owned 2021 Defender 90 First Edition exactly a month ago I noticed at speeds higher than 65mph a crackling noise that sounded like sand hitting my windshield and assumed it was coming from the windshield wipers being "loose" since the noise came from both front sides. Today while driving on the highway at about 70mph I heard a loud noise coming from the front right side... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2023
rear third brake light is leaking water into the cab and causing water stains on the headliner. I am worried about it eventually causing an electrical short or more water damage. I don't have a rear window that slides open and the rear glass has never been replaced nor has the third brake light all original from factory.
Incident date: Sep 5, 2023
Three separate reports from car to Tesla: Traction Control Disabled Stability Control Disabled Automatic Emergency Braking Disabled Two hours later my car caught on fire while parked at my home. It was declared a total loss.
Fire
Incident date: Aug 26, 2023
1. Passenger side rear door child lock will not disengage. 2. Liftgate lock failed, and will not open.
Incident date: Jul 1, 2023
I was driving on the highway and decided to switch int the left lane so I sped up and heard a big bang and what sounded like my bumper being dragged against the ground. I see on my dashboard that there’s an electrical and engine malfunction so I pullover and pop the hood. A bunch of smoke comes out and i see a little fire so me and my friends run and call the police. The police and firefighters ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Sep 6, 2023
The Axle bolts on both sides of the truck sheared off. The passenger rear axle bolt sheared at 15,000 miles into having the new truck. The driver side rear axle bolt sheared at 21,000 miles. This is a large safety concern and is not unique to just me. The first axle bolt sheared and was repaired once I figured out the problem at a Ford dealer. The second bolt is currently being repaired in ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-250. The contact stated there was an abnormal odor cat odor in the vehicle after a car wash or during inclement weather. The driver added an air freshener to the vehicle. The contact stated that the odor was stronger while using the A/C unit in the recycle air position. Additionally, the molding strip had detached from the vehicle. There were no warning lights illumi... Read more
Incident date: Sep 4, 2023
Having taking the car in for routine service at the Audi dealership, it was discovered that the Right rear spring and lower perch were not in correct position. I had the car inspected by an auto body shop and was told that the perch is hanging down and the spring has tipped sideways. I am having the car flat bedded to the dealer in Hyannis and the next available date on the schedule for the car t... Read more
Incident date: Sep 11, 2023
The ramp door of this RV has a common problem with the door rotting at the hinges. These doors are used to load 1000lbs per axle into a toy hauler camper. Over several years, the structural wood inside the door rots without warning to the owner. I caught it just before it failed and did a web search to discover that this is a very common problem where people don't discover that there is an issue u... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
BEETLE
(2015) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Sep 18, 2023
Incident date: Sep 18, 2023
Passenger side pooling with water during rainfall. Known problem among honda owners.
Incident date: Jun 4, 2023
Trim on left side A-pillar detached at highway speeds causing further damage to vehicle. The plastic trim and rubber seal detached and were damaged along with door trim and left marks on the driver window glass and upper door sash from the rubber seal.
Incident date: Sep 15, 2023
I have had my Tesla to their shop FOUR times to try to fix a safety airbag issue in the drivers side which they have had my car for weeks and weeks on end, only for me to get it back with the same issue after only a few days of repair! I asked them for a refund and other things and they have done nothing! They still make me pay full price for my lease even though they have had my car in their sho... Read more
Incident date: Jul 28, 2023
Rust at the body below rear door
Incident date: Jul 28, 2023
Front drivers side door suddenly started making crunching sound when opening. There was no damage, accident, warning or any other incident that proceeded it. It was working normally and then it wasn’t. It is a safety issue because the door doesn’t open fully and the window and door locks do also not work properly. Window will roll down but not up which makes it impossible to secure vehicl... Read more
Incident date: Aug 25, 2023
This week, again, the rear hatch came down on me as I was loading groceries and while I tried to fend it off, giving me a bruise on my lower arm The rear hatch door randomly closes while I am loading/unloading the rear of the X1. In the past I thought it might be the key fob being bumped in a purse or pocket, but NO. It happens randomly. It beeps its warning thank goodness, but has put me, my ... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Sep 17, 2023
Pearl white paint peeling in chunks of hood. All four window regulators went out within six months. Transmission had to be replaced Hard shift rear end Motor replaced
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2017) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Sep 17, 2023
Incident date: Sep 17, 2023
I started to wash my car and the paint on the roof between the windshield and sunroof started peel quite significantly. I showed my local Honda dealership and they told me to call American Honda Motor and they told me there is nothing they can do. I went to 5 different body shops in my area and they all have said that Honda should be covering the repair due to it being a manufacturing issue.
Incident date: Sep 17, 2023
The viechle appears to be having a very common issue of the Hood Latch being broken or snapping. I was left stranded with my car with a dead battery unable to access the battery to jump it.
Incident date: Aug 14, 2023
Took my truck to a body shop to have dings and a few rusted spots on it repaired. The business owner and repair person put it on the rack and after examination, informed me that it was not worth the repairs, because the frame and undercarriage was too extensive and might as such cause safety issues. I chose not to have it repaired because of this issue.
Incident date: Sep 15, 2023
The trunk lift gate can suddenly fail and slam down quickly, being a safety hazard. When the trunk opens, it will move up and down a few times, then it will beep three times and slam shut. It consistently happens when parked on an incline.
Incident date: Sep 16, 2023
The window trim came off while I was going 60mph. It was very loud and scary. I had no warning. I didn’t realise what it was until I stopped. I’m very lucky that it didn’t hit the car behind me at that speed. I see this part missing from a lot of Ford Explorers so it must be common. There needs to be a recall before someone gets hurt.
Incident date: Sep 15, 2023
I purchased this car (Used) on 8/1/2023 and on 8/7/23 I called Kia and stated that the car started shaking while driving and I took the car to the dealership on 8/10 and they stated they could not find any problem, they would have if they had taken it out for a drive. After waiting all day from 9:30 until 4pm they found nothing. I saw my car just sitting there and no one doing any work or anything... Read more
MITSUBISHI
OUTLANDER SPORT
(2015) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Sep 15, 2023
Incident date: Sep 14, 2023
How are ya'll? This is a request to The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration for vehicle repairs. As mentioned, this is in reference to a vehicle 2016 Nissan Maxima review for vehicle repairs. The mentioned vehicle, 2016 Nissan Maxima (VIN: [XXX] ) is owned by [XXX] II, confirmed by United Services Automobile Association (USAA) in March of 2023. The mentioned vehicle was involved in... Read more
Crash