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 49,687 complaints - component: STRUCTURE:BODY
Incident date: Aug 1, 2020
SAME STORY OVER AND OVER 2013 WHITE PEARL PAINT GARAGE KEPT, NO ACCIDENTS AND PAINT IS LITERALLY CHIPPING AWAY SIDE OF THE CAR DOOR ROOF ABSOLUTELY APPALLING. KIA THE FACT THAT KIA HAS THOUSANDS OF THIS COLOR ON THE ROAD IS EMBARRASSING FOR ALL THE LOYAL CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE TO DRIVE THEM. KIA KNOWS THAT ALL OF THEM WERE PAINTED WITH NO PRIMER. CHEAP PAINT SPRAYED ON BARE METAL AND HAS LEFT ALL OF ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 16, 2023
The spot welds on the interior door assembly for the check arm broke off. Causing damage to my power window motor. And many other components. Car is at 50,000 miles. Not high wear. The welds are poorly done and ford is making me buy a new door as a result of their error.
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2019) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Nov 18, 2023
Incident date: Apr 5, 2023
vehicle makes noise at low speed when turning at inclined or passing over speed bump. i went 4 different dealers regarding this problem but they can not figure out the problem. first, dealership said nothing wrong with vehicle. then i took van to different dealer and they replaced front driver side strut. after few days started hearing noise again. so i took van to different dealership and they re... Read more
Incident date: Nov 16, 2023
hello the driver door makes a loud clicking sound when opening all the way
Incident date: Nov 18, 2023
On November 18th, 2023, while traveling on 880 Northbound the moonroof shattered all of a sudden without warning while I was driving at freeway speeds on the freeway.
Incident date: Jul 1, 2023
Rear window is leaking water inside cab and may cause mold
Incident date: Nov 5, 2023
paintKIA Kia optima lx SNOW WHITE PAINT PEELING CHIPPING AND DELAMINATION! it started about a few months ago in oct 2023 and now its starting to peel in different places please help this is not fair!
Incident date: Oct 24, 2023
Out of nowhere my front driver side door started making this awful, loud clanking sound whenever I would open or close it. Took it to the mechanic I usually go to and they said that the "door check broke off the door because the spot weld failed" and that I would have to call a Body Shop. Called the dealership and they said that it is a well known and well documented issue with the year, make and ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 17, 2023
The motor that raises and lowers the rear liftgate failed and has been repaired already at a Honda Dealership. The van is not even 5 years old yet and the motor failing caused the lift gate to droop after opening causing my wife and I to bang our heads on it if we weren't watching for it. The more important safety concern is if the liftgate lowers to a certain point, the motor causes it to bounce ... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
JETTA
(2022) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Nov 17, 2023
Incident date: Nov 10, 2023
2015 KIA OPTIMA WHITE PEAR PAINT JOB DELAMINATION ON HOOD, TRUNK SIDE PANELS BY WINDOWS AND FRONT AND BACK WINDSHIELDS. AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION, HAS BEEN INSPECTED. NATIONAL PROBLEM, INSPECTED BY KIA DEALER REFERRED BODY SHOP. FIRST TIME APPEARED VERY VISIBLE 1 YEAR 1/2 AGO. I HAVE REACHED OUT TO KIA, FILED CLAIM, CASE #[XXX] ON 10/11/2023, TODAY, 11/17/2023 RECEIVED E-MAIL "VEHICLE IS OUT OF WAR... Read more
Incident date: Oct 3, 2023
This is to report a safety report for a potentially serious, even fatal windshield, body, engine and transmission defect. Rain water pours down the windshield and floods the engine overcoming al engine parts especially electrical, transmission and engine parts that should remain dry and safe. Windshield to cowl to engine compartment will flood and overcome safety equipment. When driving in rain I ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 21, 2023
Door stop on both the driver side as well as the passenger side have broke off making it hard to actually open and close the door. As of 11/16/2023 the window is also stuck due to the door stop damaging the motor. After searching the Internet this is a very widespread issue when I took it to the dealership they said since it was out of warranty it wouldn't be covered. I don't believe this is anyth... Read more
Incident date: Nov 2, 2023
2 of my windows drop when i go over a speed bump....i have already gotten the motors replaced for the windows (front driver, and back driver sides)....i don't even use the POWER up/down FOR the back windows AT ALL because i am the only one that drives my car (wondering why this is happening for this)....when i took my vehicle for these windows to be replaced, even my mechanic says there should be... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
Driver's side A-Pillar trim fell off while driving at highway speed
Incident date: Oct 25, 2023
The doors will randomly stop working intermittently causing passengers to be stuck in the vehicle and in the event of an emergency making it difficult to safely exit the vehicle. The vehicle while In motion the engine would not function probably and would be flashing different engine light but never a code and the engine would stop
Incident date: Aug 20, 2022
The hood (frunk) lid disengaged while driving at highway speed and obstructed the windshield. I had to make an emergency exit. The car did not indicate that the latch was released and it did not slow as the manufacturer claims will occur with this problem. I was not notified of the known recall for this defect. As of now, Tesla collision is not taking responsibility and sent me to a third party fo... Read more
CHRYSLER
TOWN AND COUNTRY
(2016) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Nov 16, 2023
Incident date: Sep 29, 2023
Driver's door hinges failed causing the door to swing open unexpectedly while I was trying to exit. Pulled both shoulders while trying to control it. Orthopedic surgeon says I need rotator cuff surgery - he suspects the injury was due to the door failure.
1 injured
Incident date: Nov 8, 2023
My car's engine had damaged engine seals and was leaking oil. Also, when I accelerate it seems to be very forceful and the gears don't change well, they seem to be stuck. I had to take the front axle in for repair since something seemed to break. Also in the second or third year I had to take it under warranty since I had problems with the brakes and the sensor was damaged. The button to raise ... Read more
NISSAN
PATHFINDER
(2013) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Nov 15, 2023
Incident date: Nov 5, 2023
I was driving on I75 driving around 75 mph when all of a sudden the sunroof exploded. It sounded like a shotgun went off over my head and glass started pouring down on top of me. The sunroof malfunctioned without any warning whatsoever. This was a very jarring event to occur on the interstate of all places. Thankfully, I was able to maintain control of the vehicle and exit the interstate using the... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2014) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Nov 15, 2023
Incident date: Sep 1, 2023
Outside wall cracking at bedroom slide lower front driver side. Had a small Crack at slide in fiberglass,I drilled and epoxies it. Crack continued to grow. Have contacted Bish's RV Kalispell MT. I have an appointment for drop off on 12/27/2023. I will be contacting Keystone also. Not sure of the cause but am deeply concerned about the frame
Incident date: Jul 29, 2020
Drivers door check arm broken at spot welds rendering it ineffective and making drivers door window inoperable.
Incident date: Oct 31, 2023
My rear bumper on my 2020 Tesla Model 3 AWD LR completely fell off whilst driving through heavy rain floods. There was a recall for my exact year and model but apparently not for my exact car which was manufactured in Texas instead of California.
Incident date: Nov 10, 2023
The swing gate ajar light comes on and the swing gate opens slightly (doesn’t fully open) while driving. This causes me to pull off the road and open, then close the door. This has happened while driving on the expressway and late at night which causes a safety concern. I have brought it to 2 different dealerships, but neither was able to reproduce it. There is no warning or reason this happens... Read more
Incident date: Dec 24, 2021
Driver side door weld broke allowing door to possibly open while driving
Incident date: Sep 5, 2023
The hardtop is failing in a critical mounting point location. Stress cracks are forming on the exterior of the hardtop directly parallel to the interior mounting bolts. The vehicle has 1,500 miles. The risk of the hardtop failing to remain attached to the vehicle on the road due to structural cracks is the safety concern. For structural cracks to occur within the first 1,500 miles does not imply ... Read more
HYUNDAI
SONATA HYBRID
(2020) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Nov 15, 2023
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
MY KIA 2020 SPORTAGE IS JUST OVER 3 YEARS OLD. THE PAINT AND CLEARCOAT IS PEELING ON THE LT AND RT DOOR MIRRORS AND REAR HATCH SUNSHADE. THE CAR ONLY HAS 26000 MILES ON IT. KIA IS REFUSING TO FIX THIS PAINT PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY SAID THEIR PAINT WARRANTY IS ONLY 36 MONTHS. I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM- LOOK ONLINE AND SEE ALL OF THE PAINT PEELING COMPLAINTS KIA HAS. THEY JUST TURN A BLING... Read more
Incident date: Nov 11, 2023
My driver door started making a loud cranking sound out of the blue when opening and closing the door. After several days, it became clear that the door hinge/catch was no longer secured and was loose. This was not the result of a gist of wind forcefully blowing the door open or something like that; it just broke on its own. Now the door swings wildly when opening and the window won’t roll all t... Read more
Incident date: Aug 16, 2023
The drivers front door began making a popping sound as the door opened and closed. By the next day the door began to have trouble closing fully. I noticed the weld points had broken where the door check/limiter attached to the door. It sounds like the same issue as the NHTSA investigation PE23013. In order to fully close the door the door had to be disabled and the broken part removed.
Incident date: Oct 27, 2023
This Vehicle's frame had an extended warranty on it for excessive rust damage in the northern cities. There are holes in the frame, very close to welding points that may break at anytime while driving. And cause an accident.
Incident date: Nov 14, 2023
Driver side door will not close tight. Will sometime open while driving on highway
Incident date: Nov 14, 2023
I took the vehicle in for routine oil change. The technician advised on his notes: " Safety hazard: there is very bad rust on the frame of this truck. The sway bar and engine mount looks like it could break free at any time" I then took the vehicle to my Toyota dealer who inspected the frame and advised they couldn't fix it and they did not recommend driving it due to the rusted frame.
HYUNDAI
TUCSON HYBRID
(2023) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Nov 14, 2023
Incident date: Oct 31, 2023
The bolt that holds the liftgate motor on top snapped in half with trying to open. I used the button on the remote to open the lift gate. I heard a loud pop noise as it was trying to open then when I finally got it open I noticed the bolt was snapped in half. Luckily the bolt broke going up not down. If it had broken going down it could have landed on my head or one of my kids. I have reported it ... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ID.4
(2022) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Nov 14, 2023
Incident date: Sep 29, 2023
When opened front driver’s side door, heard creaking, rattling, and pop. Now door will not close as well as problems with the window not working in that door! The frame on car is also loose due to bad door pulling on the frame. I’m concerned door may open when driving. Ford dealership will not pay due to the fact warranty expired April 2023 with only 33,000 miles on vehicle. An inspecti... Read more
Incident date: Nov 9, 2023
The rear door Latch opens while vehicle is moving and I've have taken it to service and they don't know what failure is al about.Its a manufacture failure.
CHEVROLET
TRAILBLAZER
(2022) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Nov 14, 2023
Incident date: Dec 31, 2022
I have contacted the dealer. I am almost ready to get a lawyer. This is the 4th lemon I’ve been sold. Seat belt is installed wrong. Software updates are available and screaming at me but the dealership Will not call Me back. Two days now. Hyundai finance has treated me Disrespectfully. I have error messages when I enter the car. The hood looks aftermarket and about to pop up. The NHtsa website... Read more
Incident date: Nov 20, 2016
Severe frame rust due to cheap frame material. Earlier year models were recalled but 05 and 06 were not, just a limited campaign. Frame looks like it has been coated before, but this is a known issue with these trucks. I have contacted Toyota and they basically said, sorry, we can't do anything.
Incident date: Oct 21, 2021
Passenger door became partially unlatched while driving at highway speed over rough pavement. This is the second time this has occurred. Both times the dashboard warning light came on to let us know it was unlatched, but we are certain that it was completely closed when initially getting into vehicle. Online Q&A sites confirm multiple others with this experience and no recalls or TSB to this date.
Incident date: Aug 30, 2023
Per the dealership the driver side door hinge is failing. It also has caused the window track to bind that resulted in window breakage. The door hinge failure is growing worse with time and I'm afraid the door may come loose at some point. The hinge problem first appeared around December 2022.
Incident date: Nov 11, 2023
Have been receiving an error about rear sliding door for 2 months. Now the inside of the door is rubbing against outside of van when opened & has made the inside door panel loose.
Incident date: Nov 1, 2022
The A pillar panel on the windows are a hazard. While driving yesterday the panel flew off and hit the car behind us causing the driver to over react and almost crash into several other vehicles. Ford has been unhelpful with this matter on making these safe.
Incident date: Oct 4, 2023
* Left front substrate to which the Coil Spring Perch mounts is badly rusted and the spring is about to come off under pressure of the cars weight, thereby endangering myself and the general public. The car was towed to Feldmann Imports, a Mercedes-Benz dealer at 4901 American Blvd west, Bloomington , MN 55437 (952) -641-7908 and can be inspected there. * If the spring perch loosens any furth... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
E320
(1997) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Nov 13, 2023
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
The front driver's side door is making a loud popping noise when opening and closing the door. We have not yet taken the car to our local dealership yet, but have spoken with them over the phone and their body shop has confirmed that this sounds like an issue we've identified in online forums, which poses a significant safety risk, as the door may open while the car is moving. We will be taking ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 10, 2023
Front side driver’s door starting making popping noises on Saturday. By Sunday of the same week only a day later the door made a crunching and breaking noise when opening, now the door has to be forced closed and the window will only go down about 4 inches.
Incident date: Feb 15, 2023
Back driver side door does not open at all and the passenger door only opens from the inside. If in an accident they may not be able to access me or my passengers in the vehicle. I am unaware of the cause of this issue and have not gotten it looked at by a professional.
Incident date: Jan 17, 2023
1. My car will randomly not accelerate when the gas is being pressed. This has almost got me killed when making a left hand turn on more than 1 occasion now. The car also struggles with random shifting and power issues while going up steep hills at high speeds. 2. The front passenger side door and the rear drivers side passenger door just randomly stopped working with a week of each other. The... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2013) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Nov 12, 2023
Incident date: Sep 28, 2023
Moss brothers sold me a stolen car the metal bintag is missing the 2nd key missing air bags tampered I paid it off 2 days ago the car dangerous swaying wrong break petal and gas the seats the frame not safe and the bin number shows a sunroof they sold me a salvaged car here's the engine a rustedengine the windshield unsafe corporate the car is dangerous and marked parts the tire can off a ND... Read more
Incident date: Nov 12, 2023
Where the traction bar mount is welded to the frame sheered off the frame while driving on the freeway causing me to lose steering control. Was not in an accident but I found that recall Safety Recall R46 / NHTSA 15V-541 for the two previous years was an issue. I have photos of the damaged traction control mount and will show where the separation was the same as the recall on 2013 and 2014 Rams.
Incident date: Nov 6, 2023
I have only had my car for three years and it is well taken care of, but the door suddenly started popping. The same day, my door became difficult to open and extremely hard to close once I got it open. I contacted Ford Corporate the next day. I was told my car was out of warranty because I have 38981 miles. The only thing that was covered under the 5 year warranty in regards to safety would b... Read more
Incident date: Nov 12, 2023
I have maintained my 2011 Outback well, and in August of 2023, while driving the vehicle, I lost the brakes. I had to fully depress the brake pedal to the floor in order to stop, fortunately not hitting the car in front of me . I brought the car to my local mechanic who advised me that the brake line rusted and failed as a result. As he was making the brake line repair, he advised me that ther... Read more
Incident date: Nov 9, 2023
Both rear doors will not open from the outside. Driver rear door had child lock engaged when outside latch stopped working making the door completely inoperable. Upon contacting Kia consumer affairs it was stated that although both front door actuators are covered under a campaign number the rear doors are not covered. Kia consumer affairs refused to cover replacement of rear door actuators. Due t... Read more