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, 2023
I was making a left turn and something under my feet or floorboard a loud crack. then as i completed the turn there was a continue cracking sound until I stop. I looked for a problem, finding nothing obvious. As I drove off there was a noticeable knocking sound. Did not notice and different in the driving except a slight drift to the left, there is more knocking on rough roads. My 2020 Ram 2500 t... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLC 300
(2023) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Aug 19, 2023
Incident date: Aug 18, 2023
The thin foil film used on interior of car is flaking on inside of drivers door handle, of which I was unaware. Cut my left ring finger while I was driving at speed on a 2 lane country road. So startled me I went left of center before I could regain control and would have cause a head on crash had someone been coming the other way!!! Very painful deep laceration!
1 injured
Incident date: Jul 3, 2023
Roof is delaminating and bubbling in some areas and chunks off roof have been flying impacting other cars windshield while obstructing view
Incident date: Sep 21, 2022
Rust flaking frame small hole
Incident date: Aug 19, 2023
While traveling about 70 to 75 mph the passenger side door unlatched and several minutes later the driver side door unlocked the door is a jar alert showed on the dashboard this happened twice
Incident date: Jul 6, 2023
Without any warning or problems leading up to this, the sliding door on my passengers side has become “locked” and cannot be opened. I used my keys, and buttons in the car, the door will not open. I even tried to use force and pull it open, but it has not worked. It is stuck in “lock”. This is a safety hazard because my children have to enter and exit on the drivers side now which is often... Read more
Incident date: Jan 2, 2021
Paint defects - paint peeling on the tailgate lift
Incident date: Aug 4, 2023
Corrosion of the body at the rear when exposed to normal driving conditions. The issue was validated by service center.
Incident date: Aug 18, 2023
We were driving on the highway and our sunroof spontaneously exploded and shattered everywhere. Nothing hit it, it happened out of nowhere. We luckily had the cover closed. If we didn't, my husband, two daughters and I would have been covered in shards of glass everywhere. There was absolutely nothing that caused the explosion, it just Spontaneously happened.
VICTORY
CROSS COUNTRY
(2013) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Aug 18, 2023
Incident date: Feb 2, 2018
Vehicle windshield developed a crack unknown reasons. Crack developed at the very bottom of the windshield below the trim. Nothing has impacted the windshield whatsoever.
Incident date: Aug 10, 2023
The roof has delaminated and is causing leaks within the main cabin yes available for inspection upon request. The structural integrity of the roof is no longer intact and only getting worse. Yes. The problem has been presented to bmw to no avail. BMW does not provide any means to repair nor will acknowledge the issue. Original the roof material got one area of bubbling and within a month or so... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2022
The spot welds on the drivers side door are broken causing the door to not close properly and the window to not function
Incident date: Aug 10, 2023
The roof is cracking, yellowing and bubbling. I have heard that this is the beginning of roof failure and de-lamination. There have been reports and incidents of others roofs delaminating and having large pieces flying off and hitting other cars.
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2015) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Aug 18, 2023
Incident date: Aug 11, 2023
The support frame rusted due to water collection from rain. This has caused the entire frame to rust through and collapse when the car was jacked up, with the manufacturer supplied scissor jack, to replace a tire. Because of this the DRIVER SIDE door is no longer able to open, causing the driver to be put at risk where they can not escape the car in case of an emergency.
Incident date: Aug 17, 2023
Hood latch became un bolted and opened on the freeway going about 60mph . smashed the windshield and damaged the hood .
Incident date: Jun 29, 2022
The contact owns a 2016 BMW I3. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the contact heard a whistling sound, and the roof detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but no assistance was provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 19,000.
THOR MOTOR COACH
TIBURON
(2023) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Aug 17, 2023
Incident date: Aug 14, 2023
There is an excessive amount of water leaking into the passenger compartment and also the cargo area The result is that considerable mold growing on the carpeting of the entire car The dealer has ordered repair parts but the parts are on back order leaving me to drive the vehicle while it has mold I have been advised if I remove the molded carpeting I will invalidate the warranty Very dangerous a... Read more
Incident date: Aug 13, 2023
Front window just cracked like a flaw in the manufacture process nothing struck it. Axles are really close together like one maybe put on backwards. I have photos but won’t let me upload
Incident date: Aug 1, 2023
My carbon fiber composite roof is delaminating and separating. There is a risk that the degradation of the roof will become so bad that it will separate off my car while driving and may hit another car. This is a common problem with bmw i3 roofs. It is crazy that the entire roof panel can structurally fail but because it isn’t steel/rust bmw isn’t worried about it.
Incident date: May 3, 2021
Carbon fiber roof panel is bubbling and coming apart. BMW reports this is a structural component of the car and is designed to take impact stresses, however my vehicle and others, the roof is deteriorating and BMW does not acknowledge the issue.
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2021) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Aug 17, 2023
Incident date: Aug 14, 2023
The passenger rear door won't open and hasn't done so an unknown period of time. 1. In July, 2023 I brought it to Shaker Hyundai in Watertown, CT when there was a recall to update the electrical system in this vehicle. I requested they try to fix the door after the recall was complete. When I left the dealership, the door opened. I stopped approximately five miles down the road on the way back ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 5, 2023
4 months after my manufactures warranty ran out, I heard a loud popping sound as I opened and then closed my driver’s door. I looked online and found that this particular model and year are known to have the door check weld break away from the door panel. This can cause the drivers door to swing open without any resistance and is dangerous when parking on an incline or if the door isn’t secure... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2023
Active Air Dam: My 2021 Ford F150 XLT truck has an active air dam, (AAD), that is suppose to move downwards at speeds of 40mph or greater to help with aerodynamics. This is to help the truck hug the road better at highway speeds. When the truck slows down to under 40mph, the AAD is suppose to recess back up an be tucked away behind the stationary air dam. They started these AAD's on their trucks i... Read more
Incident date: Aug 17, 2023
Roof is bubbling showing signs of delamination. Structural integrity is in question. I believe it is due to the carbon fiber epoxy material degrading due to sunlight exposure.
Incident date: Jul 20, 2023
Have had two different door actuator/locking mechanisms fail on both rear doors. This is an easy part to replace and is able to be replaced by the consumer. Both times it was replaced the actuator failed immediately in the locked position. Door could not be opened from the inside or the outside and had to have door panel cut off to reopen. After the second failure, the GM Dealer tech showed me a "... Read more
Incident date: Jan 18, 2022
Tailgate latch failed. Tailgate opened while driving on two separate occasions. As of this submission my vehicle has less than 3,000 miles. After the second failure I took the vehicle to the dealership. They ran diagnostics and confirmed an issue with the tailgate latch. I am working with the dealership and hopefully will have the repairs covered under warranty. Diagnostic report attached. The inc... Read more
Incident date: Aug 16, 2023
The passenger side sliding door made an awful noise when closing and since then will not lock. It occasionally makes noises like it isn't closing properly but then does close. This happened about 2 weeks ago but we have not had it checked for repair as I feel this is a safety issue that should be addressed by Chrysler since my research has shown it is a very common complaint with Chrysler sliding... Read more
Incident date: Aug 16, 2023
Driving at highway speeds of 75 mph (posted speed), front bumper fell off of car. Outside temperature was 107 degrees. Bumper was lodged under car and all insulation peeled off of wheels. Had to pull all parts from under car and around wheel openings and was able to continue to destination. No accident occurred as the result of this as I was able to safely pull over to side of road.
Incident date: Aug 3, 2023
Vehicle had roof leak which resulted in visible water stains on roof liner, issue persists with now having rust stains on liner from the same area the roof leak was occurring.
Incident date: Jun 5, 2023
The subframe failed. We were told it should not be used till the part is completely replaced. This was after coming back from a trip from New York to WI. After taking it to an independent dealer we were told the part was on back order on July 5th. After being told the part was finally in on August 14th I was told that the Subaru dealership said they made a mistake and that part was not for the ind... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
E350
(2010) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Aug 16, 2023
Incident date: Jun 1, 2015
At 40 mph+, the inside of the vehicle sounds like you are in a wind tunnel. The noise is so excessive that it gives you a headache at speeds over 50 mph. The excessive wind noise is coming from the driver’s side.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2023
The frame has rusted to the point that expensive repairs are needed for a truck that's 9 years old. The problem started around 2020, at 120K miles. I already had the gas tank crossmember replaced, only to now have the rear crossmember rust out including the rear of the tailgate. The rear strut is now hitting the bed compromising the performance of the suspension. When the rear strut mount bro... Read more
Incident date: Jul 27, 2023
The body-A pillar trim panel doorman on the passenger side. Flew off while driving on the highway. I happened to be the passenger this day and if I had the window rolled down a little more, this piece would have hit me in the face. At first, we thought it was a piece of debris from the ground on the highway so we kept driving. But then the rubber part that sits underneath the trim began to flap a... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
C250
(2014) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Aug 15, 2023
Incident date: Jul 17, 2023
In May 2023 a black plastic portion of the roof blew off the car. The plastic part that blew off was around the sunroof. There was no wind or blow to the car or anything like that; there was no prior warning or error message; there were no symptoms in advance. The part simply blew off the vehicle. The part is not available for inspection. Others were put at risk because the portion that blew off ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 15, 2023
At 12pm on June 11, 2023 I was parked in a church sparking lot in East Rochester and was facing the church's stone wall. My vehicle was only 2 feet from the was when the car accelerated toward the wall and all of the airbags opened and the hood and side panels were affected causing the vehicle was considered totaled by my insurance. My foot was on the brake and I was preparing to put the car in pa... Read more
Crash
2 injured
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2021) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Aug 15, 2023
Incident date: Apr 24, 2023
Drivers side door hinge has failed. Makes a cracking noise when opening and closing the door. Window will not close automatically if opened so now not able to open it anymore. Occasionally getting warnings that the door is not secure when the car is in Drive. Dealer says $2-3k to replace the door. Vehicle is 3.5 years old but only 23k miles so not covered by warranty.
Incident date: May 14, 2023
The Model X has doors that are electromechanically opened. The "door pop actuator" appears to be malfunctioning and the door can no longer be opened from the inside or the outside, creating a serious hazard for the driver in case of emergency. The only way to get into or out of the car is by crawling through the passenger door. I found others who had the same problem: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTE... Read more
Incident date: Aug 13, 2023
I received a recall notice in May 2023 about corrosion to the rear frame due to de-icing agents and I immediately called my local Honda dealer (AutoNation, Columbus GA). They told me they didn't have the parts or tools to fix the defect and to call back in 3 months. I called again today (8/14/23) and was told the same thing. They suggested I call around to other state-wide dealerships to look f... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2014) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Aug 14, 2023
Incident date: Jul 21, 2003
3 of the doors on this vehicle are hard to open from the outside. The cable that runs from the outside door handle to the door latch mechanism is stretched. You must yank hard on the outside door handle several times before the door latch will release opening the door. Replacing the inner door cable system for the door latch corrects this problem. This is a very well known problem on the internet ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 11, 2023
Windows fail to roll up and stay closed
Incident date: Aug 13, 2023
Says I have no recalls. I have terrible gas smell and steering light abs light traction light abs light and hard brake pedal. Seats and mirrors move by there selves. Steering wheel shakes. Overall this truck is worrying me so much I won't put my kids in it. Oh also airbag light on also.
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2014) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Aug 14, 2023
Incident date: Jun 10, 2023
Engine lifters keep going bad. The frame is rotting like I have never seen. Body is rusting out for second time. Blows lights every month. Rain getting in headliner and under rear seat. Ac breaks every year. All around worst fucking vehicle I have ever owned. Gmc will not do anything about this. I'm tried
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2014) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Aug 14, 2023
Incident date: Aug 14, 2023
My rear windshield shattered spontaneously while driving on the freeway. No impact caused this event.
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2014) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Aug 14, 2023
Incident date: Aug 14, 2023
THE TRUNK WILL OPEN BY ITSELF. THIS HAPPENS AT RANDOM TIME TO INCLUDE WHILE DRIVING. I AM SEEING LOTS OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE ONLINE BUT NOW ONE HAS FOUND A FIX AT THIS TIME.
Incident date: Aug 1, 2023
paint peeling from roof of vehicle
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2021) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Aug 14, 2023
Incident date: Aug 11, 2023
The driver's side door makes a popping/cracking noise when opening. Check arm/hinge seems to have failed and the door is not only making noise but the door assembly is pulling apart. The window now does not go all the way down. The vehicle is available for inspection. The door does not properly open or close properly and at times has to be double checked when in the vehicle to make sure it is clos... Read more
DODGE
CHALLENGER
(2019) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Aug 14, 2023
Incident date: Jun 1, 2023
Weld failed in front door making loud popping noise when door opens and closes , affects window operation , eventually affecting door closing
Incident date: Aug 4, 2023
The van was parked in the garage. I used the fob to open the sliding door on the drivers side. It stopped, got stuck. I pressed the button to open and close it in the vehicle and it started to move. And then I heard glass crunching. The door fell off the track and broke the window.
Incident date: Aug 8, 2023
While driving at unknown low speed on 2 lane road, contact observed bed of truck rise vertically in the air, within the frame of rearview mirror. Upon pulling over, further investigation indicated that indeed, while adding body weight to the truck bumper, rear of bed, was more than sufficient to cause the front of the bed to rise. Truck was later moved to dealer location, Courtesy Toyota, Brandon... Read more
Incident date: Aug 12, 2023
The frame is shot on my 07 Toyota tundra the frame rails has several big holes in the frame as well all the crossmembers are rusted and I’m still currently paying on the truck I still owe $14,000 on it and I can’t afford to get it fixed so will you please please please help me out with this situation and either open the recall up or see if I can qualify for the assistance program I’m paying ... Read more