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: Jun 1, 2026
The driver side Keyless door entry pillar has come off on the highway and hit something. The keyless door entry panel came off in 2023 and Koons Ford of Annapolis charged me $ 523.00 to fix the panel. The panel has a small clip and double stick tape. Sorry, double stick tape is not going to hold up to weather variations throughout the year, wind speed and age. Terrible and dangerous desi... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Apr 14, 2026
I am submitting this formal safety complaint regarding a structural defect in my 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid that I believe poses a safety concern and warrants federal investigation under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (49 U.S.C. § 30101 et seq.). The vehicle exhibits a persistent and recurring structural creak originating from the pinch weld area adjacent to the hybrid batter... Read more
Incident date: May 23, 2026
The tailgate on the vehicle has experienced repeated misalignment issues. The first occurrence happened at 811 miles. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the body shop performed adjustments to correct the alignment. Approximately nine months later, at around 7,500 miles, the tailgate became misaligned again. The vehicle is currently undergoing another adjustment under warranty to address the ... Read more
Incident date: May 26, 2026
I am reporting a severe saftey and crash-compatibility defect on the front passenger side of the 2026 Subaru Outback Premium trim. This vehicle is equipped with a fixed-height passenger seat that is positioned unsafely high relative to the headliner and sun visor assembly. Because the seat height cannot be lowered, an adult passenger of average height sits with their head in immediate proximity ... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: May 23, 2026
On September 16, 2025, I was operating a powered industrial forklift inside Trailer No. [XXX]— a 2017 Great Dane refrigerated semi-trailer, VIN [XXX] — during routine dock-loading operations at [XXX] of the T.G. Lee Dairy / DFA Dairy Brands Fluid facility, [XXX] . The trailer was detached from its tractor, stationary, dock-locked, and wheel-chocked in the standard configuration for loading. W... Read more
1 injured
VOLKSWAGEN
ID.4
(2022) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Jun 2, 2026
Incident date: Feb 23, 2026
Taligate is rusting through near the handle as well as around the right taillight. Another recall for this exact issue is in place for the same year/make/model, yet my vehicle is not included in the recall. Faulty seals allow water to get into the tailgate and rust from the inside-out. Honda has told me they won't help even though it is a known issue (recall).
Incident date: May 22, 2026
The paint is failing on this vehicle. The color is 8S6 Nautical Blue Metallic. The paint is peeling on the roof, hood, and two doors. The failure has been confirmed by a body shop.
Incident date: May 30, 2026
The panoramic sunroof unexpectedly shattered while the vehicle was parked in my driveway overnight. There was no collision, impact, weather event, vandalism, or any other external cause that could explain the failure. The damaged sunroof remains available for inspection upon request, and security camera footage from my property shows no outside influence that could have caused the glass to break. ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
The drive to lower the spare tire is on driver side of the 5th wheel camper. If you have a flat and pull off the road you will be lowering the tire on the same side of oncoming traffic. GOOD CHANCE OF GETTING HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC.
Incident date: May 31, 2026
The front subframe and transmission crossmember on my 2015 Ford Transit have experienced severe, premature structural corrosion, resulting in the metal rotting completely through. The subframe is structurally compromised, brittle, and actively cracking.Safety Risk and Imminent Hazard:The subframe is the load-bearing structural skeleton holding the vehicle's engine, steering assembly, transmission,... Read more
Crash
Incident date: May 26, 2026
Paint delamination. It's a known issue. Toyota extended warranty to cover but the local dealership who sold the car is no help. First noticed the paint pealing a few months ago. Started small now increasing significantly.
Incident date: Mar 14, 2025
I own a 2015 Toyota Corolla with Super White paint. The vehicle has experienced widespread paint peeling and delamination consistent with Toyota's known Super White paint defect. The paint is peeling in multiple locations across the vehicle, including along numerous body panel edges and on the exterior surface of the trunk. The condition has continued to worsen and now affects a substantial porti... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2026
On 1/14/26 a parking cone blew into my lane on the freeway and hit my passenger side bumper. I filed an insurance claim for the damage and took it to a Progressive preferred shop, Color Magic CARSTAR Collision. Carstar replaced the grille, bumper cover and all affected components such as the retainers, moulding, impact absorber, etc. with OEM parts. After 60 days of allowing the new bumper's bla... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
An accident occurred in my vehicle on 05/29/2026. It resulted in both air bags deploying even though the passenger side that was involved in the collision and damaged. It was considered a total loss due to the frame and passenger side as well as both air bags deployments. The driver sustained major lacerations on his forearm and was bleeding profusely from his arm during the time of the accident. ... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Mar 30, 2026
The clear coat has completely failed on mainly the hood and roof of the entire vehicle. Each of the sides have lost a good amount of shine too but there hood and roof are a compete different color compared to the rest of the Tahoe. The paint is the pewter/grey so it is extremely noticeable and very much an eyesore.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
On 05/30/26, During normal operation of my vehicle (2022 GMC Sierra Elevation) at about 50MPH the Upper Grille Molding became detached while on the Highway. The safety of other cars or motorcycles was placed at risk because the part could have impaled or impacted myself through a windshield or someone driving behind me. The problem has been known to exist in other similar models and an existing re... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2020) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Jun 1, 2026
Incident date: May 11, 2026
Clear coat and paint began to oxidize and fade after 4 years of ownership even when maintaining with wax
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
Component/System That Failed: The rear sliding window assembly leaked water into the cabin due to a manufacturing defect in the urethane seal and third brake light area. The window has been replaced and no longer leaks, but the water caused lasting damage to the headliner with trapped moisture. Components are available for inspection. Safety/Health Risk: The leak saturated the headliner, creating ... Read more
Incident date: May 26, 2026
Both passenger-side doors won't open without tugging on the handle when unlocking them. The front seat passenger door opens from the inside but has trouble opening from the outside. The backseat passenger does not open from the inside at all and has a hard time opening from the outside. Once we get the door open and the car remains unlocked, the doors open fine (except for the back seat door). But... Read more
Incident date: Mar 30, 2026
The vehicle was found to have severe, pre-existing structural and frame damage that compromises its overall crashworthiness and structural integrity. This includes improper prior repairs that mask structural deficiencies. The vehicle is currently available for inspection upon request. Operating a vehicle with unaddressed structural frame damage and substandard prior repairs poses an immediate safe... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2025
The exterior A-pillar applique trim piece began detaching from the vehicle while driving. The part became loose and was hanging from the vehicle whilst in motion, at which point I safely pulled over and removed it to prevent it becoming a road hazard. The trim is now fully detached and available for inspection upon request. Upon checking Ford's official recall portal, the recall is confirmed as in... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2026
Purchase the vehicle May 19th and on arriving home later that week realize the passenger rear wheel well had no plastic nuts holding it on which also holds the bumper support beam so therefore the rear bumper was blowing in the wind. Contacted Capital City Chrysler Dodge Jeep ram about it and they offered no solution to this so I ended up having to buy parts from Mopar parts online to attempt to c... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
Driver door does not open from the outside. Rear passenger door does not open at all.
Incident date: Oct 13, 2025
Hood flew open while driving on route 23 in Wise Va.
Incident date: May 30, 2026
I recently noticed rust forming on both sides of the fuel tank support shields. The manual says that these shields are directly connected to the fuel tanks and that if rust develops further then the tanks could fall.
TOYOTA
GRAND HIGHLANDER
(2025) - STRUCTURE:BODY
May 31, 2026
Incident date: May 27, 2026
Both Garnish - Fender - Front - LH Right side and Left side come loose when driving in rain. The force of wheels pushing rain water on the fender garnish causes both the left and right fender garnish 4 push clips to come loose. When this fender garnish breaks and flies off it could hit a pedestrian, another car on the road or the car it is installed on causing an accident
Incident date: Apr 30, 2026
Both Garnish - Fender - Front - LH Right side and Left side come loose when driving in rain. The force of wheels pushing rain water on the fender garnish causes both the left and right fender garnish 4 push clips to come loose. When this fender garnish breaks and flies off it could hit a pedestrian, another car on the road or the car it is installed on causing an accident
Incident date: May 20, 2022
Both Garnish - Fender - Front - LH Right side and Left side come loose when driving in rain. The force of wheels pushing rain water on the fender garnish causes both the left and right fender garnish 4 push clips to come loose. When this fender garnish breaks and flies off it could hit a pedestrian, another car on the road or the car it is installed on causing an accident
Incident date: May 27, 2026
The component that failed is the paint on my Honda Civic. It is white and peeling/flaking under normal use. It has been occurring for a long time and is coming off of my whole car. It is causing safety issues by being exposed to the lead paint dust and chips which will cause future health problems. It is exposing bare metal to rust on my car. The white paint is continuing to peel and is a heavy co... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2026
I bought the car new in 2017. Last summer, I noticed bubbles on the roof. On May 30, 2026, as I was driving 65 mph on the NJ Turnpike, I heard sounds on the roof like hard rain but it was not raining. I saw large sheets flying off my roof towards other cars, and some flying sheets were large enough to obscure a windshield. When I stopped, I saw more sheets hanging loose from the roof and I pee... Read more
ACURA
TLX TYPE S
(2021) - STRUCTURE:BODY
May 31, 2026
Incident date: Nov 10, 2025
Vehicle brought in for Recall 20UF (fuel tank suction pump fire risk) on 04/15/2026. Upon pickup after approximately one week of dealer service, a strong chemical odor was present in the cabin that did not exist prior to service. Odor persists despite cabin air filter replacement with activated charcoal filter, professional carpet shampooing, and extended airing out over several weeks. Dealer dism... Read more
Incident date: May 25, 2026
While driving down a two-lane road at approximately 60 miles an hour I passed a semi truck coming in the other direction and the momentary change in air pressure caused my hood to unlatch. Thankfully the secondary latch kept the hood from fully opening but had that latch not worked the hood would have flown open into my windshield.
Incident date: Dec 16, 2025
My wife and kids were driving down the highway when the moonroof spontaneously exploded. It made a loud popping noise and glass rained down on my wife and two young kids. No warning signs at all. Luckily everyone is safe but this did cause some traumatic. We do feel uncertain about moonroofs now and are considering a different vehicle.
MERCEDES-BENZ
E 450
(2019) - STRUCTURE:BODY
May 31, 2026
Incident date: Apr 18, 2026
My 2026 Tesla model Y frunk (front hood) internal compartment doesn’t has safety release latch and light. And doesn’t has any mechanism to alert me if human or animal accidentally inside the frunk which concerns me so have to report this issue. Thanks
Incident date: May 30, 2026
Vehicle leaks water into driver side floor space, seems to be backing up from the wheel well after heavy rains. The driver’s side floor was completely covered in over 1” of water after a torrential downpour. Have also experienced water leaking through roof/sunroof after rains in the past.
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
1. Failed Component/System: The failed system is the Tesla Full Self-Driving (FSD - Supervised) software and its underlying vehicle control logic, specifically resulting in an uncommanded torque request (Sudden Unintended Acceleration). 2. Safety Risk: The vehicle engaged in Sudden Unintended Acceleration (SUA) in reverse from a complete stop, without any driver pedal input. In a parking environm... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Apr 15, 2026
The factory clear coat has delaminated
Incident date: May 30, 2026
Paint has been peeling from door handles and front bumper
VOLKSWAGEN
TIGUAN
(2022) - STRUCTURE:BODY
May 30, 2026
Incident date: May 29, 2026
All the airbags in the car deployed from a minor impact; it is available for inspection.
Crash
Incident date: May 22, 2026
CHRONOLOGY OF CASCADING VEHICLE SAFETY FAILURES VIN [XXX] Vehicle 2015 Honda CR-V. 1 STRUCTURAL BODY FRAME DEFECT. Vehicle has a chronic upper body structural alignment defect allowing massive water intrusion to bypass factory headliner and moonroof seals. Multiple consecutive factory OEM headliners have been destroyed by water logging, proving the upper tracking architecture is permanently warpe... Read more
Incident date: May 14, 2026
The vehicle's tonneau cover was defective from the day of delivery and remained unusable for approximately the first 12 months of ownership. Factory over-application of adhesive forced the rear window against the tonneau rollers, preventing operation. I purchased this vehicle specifically for its cargo bed functionality for business use. The cover was finally repaired at Tesla Lincoln, NE when a s... Read more
Incident date: Apr 25, 2026
Panoramic sunroof drains failed due to being pinched by headliner. Documented water leaking into vehicle at 6060 by dealership. Water coming in along the a pillar and roof. Vehicle has been in the shop 3 separate times for gurgling noise and roof leaks. Dealership had issues re-creating issue. It’s a known engineering defect by the manufacturer but no recall has been issued.
Incident date: May 29, 2026
I was hand washing my car and large flakes of paint started coming off around the back window. I have never experienced this with a vehicle before and it appears to be a manufacturer paint adhesion defect.
VOLKSWAGEN
TAOS
(2025) - STRUCTURE:BODY
May 29, 2026
Incident date: Mar 17, 2026
UNKNOWN. MY 2017 Buick Encore while parked in front of my home just blew up at 1 am. I have a video of this occuring. It was on the passengers side. My neighbor stated that he heard a loud bang and went outside. He said parts were flying off my car. I don't know how to send the video but I do have one when this occured. I have contacted Buick Corporate and now they are saying that they are se... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2018) - STRUCTURE:BODY
May 28, 2026
Incident date: Sep 16, 2025
Engine Hood getting so hot it is bending or causing metal to bend , like someone sat on middle of hood. Popped it out and keeps forming a bend after driving. Not instelly but keeps coming back
Incident date: Apr 19, 2026
Left rear passenger door latch failure to open either from inside or outside. This is a mechanical failure of the cables operating the latch. A passenger could not easily exit the vehicle in an emergency situation, also there is no way short of breaking the glass to easily access or if necessary extricate the passenger in an emergency situation. As evidenced from online searches and forums this fa... Read more
Incident date: May 27, 2026
Severe, chronic rainwater intrusion through the vehicle's front cowl and body seams, resulting in catastrophic flooding of the passenger-side cabin floorboards. This issue occurs even when all sunroof drains are completely clear and functional. Toyota has issued Technical Service Bulletin 0055-24 acknowledging body seam and cowl leaks for this vehicle type. The passenger-side floorboard houses cri... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2026
Latches/locks/linkages Rear door is open but latch will not release/unlock. Child safety risk: child may be trapped or unable to exit Electrical unlocking and mechanical handle ineffective
Incident date: May 25, 2026
The sunroof leaks into the car causing a moisture issue. As someone with asthma and allergies this is a potential mold risk.
Incident date: May 28, 2026
When it rains the sunroof leaks, took it the dealership, they replaced the drain grommets and it still does the same thing again two days later when it rain.