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: Jan 15, 2023
My pearl white has been chipping since 2017 in multiple locations. Kia needs to be held responsible and rectify the situation.
Incident date: Aug 19, 2022
I have not experienced an incident YET but the recall of the hood latch was first brought to my attention in August 2022 and it is now January 2023 with NO remedy being proposed. It still says "recall incomplete, remedy not available" -- meanwhile it's been more than 6 months, which should be plenty of time to make these arrangements! I don't drive on the freeway very often but every time I do I... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2022
Front Roof Panel Discoloring and Detachement
Incident date: Jan 15, 2023
Due to recent rains in CA I noticed the headliner near the upper a-frame pillar was damp on both the drivers and passenger side. With a quick search online it is a common problem among 2019-present Toyota Rav4 owners. As of this writing I do not know of a public Toyota approve fix. https://www.rav4world.com/threads/potential-safety-issue-for-rav4-adventure-owners.304363/#post-2770286 https://www.r... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2020
The glass of the sunroof exploded and shattered when I was driving on the highway from Chicago to South Bend at normal speed on January 13, 2023, around 4 pm. I heard a loud explosion sound and found the sunroof glass shattered and falling. There was no vehicle around me, no impact with any objects, and the vehicle was not passing under any structures at the time of explosion. I was not injured by... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2016) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Jan 15, 2023
Incident date: Jan 5, 2023
When driving this Vehicle my daughter was in a single car acciedent. The engine combusted. The piston rod went into engine. When we took it to the auto shop this is what they told us casued the engine to malfunction and my daughter run off the road. She is very luck she has not been hurt more than she has. We have tried to contact KIA. First we called Royal KIa in Tuscon then Jim Clickk Kia in Tu... Read more
Crash
Fire
1 injured
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2016) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Jan 14, 2023
Incident date: Jan 6, 2023
This is what happen Thursday Night to my Truck sitting in my drive way. My entire wiring harness on the drivers side was under water.. I drove it to the dealership and it was still pouring water from the rear plugs. I have rubber floor mats and wouldn't have even noticed the issue if I didn't pull them to clean the truck. There are tons of truck having this issue. to fix it properly the bed ... Read more
NISSAN
PATHFINDER
(2022) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Jan 14, 2023
Incident date: Jan 12, 2023
Passenger side rear door lock stuck in locked position Passenger in rear can not get out of vehicle Have not taken to dealer
Incident date: Dec 26, 2022
Front frame rusted out beneath the engine cradle Engine lost support Loud noises when turning wheels or going over bumps Had welding shop cut out rust and weld in new frame areas
Incident date: Dec 26, 2022
WIND NOISE COMING FROM PASSENGER SIDE DOOR/WINDOW WHEN GOING 40+ MPH
Incident date: Jan 11, 2023
Took vehicle to fix a power steering leak at the Jeep dealership. The technician was troubleshooting the issue and found that the lower sub frame crossmember assembly was almost completely rusted. They indicated if riding on rough roads a hitting a pot hole it would break completely and cause major damage and a driving safety issue. Went ahead and got the repair completed which was extremely expen... Read more
FORD
F-150 HYBRID
(2021) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Jan 13, 2023
Incident date: Jan 12, 2023
I had this car for 5 months, the dealer lied to me about the engine being repaired, the coverage he has on the vehicle. The electronic doesn't work front driver/ passenger doors, we have to unlock the back doors to get into the car and hop over to the front. The hood doesn't have a holder to keep the hood up on its own, the electrical sound blows out and I had to buy more wires and sound system t... Read more
HYUNDAI
TUCSON PLUG-IN HYBRID
(2022) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Jan 13, 2023
Incident date: Jan 9, 2023
The rear spoilers of my vehicle fell off while I was driving on the highway, which became an obstacle in the roadway. I contacted the dealer and they promised to order the part. However, they didn't follow up then. I would like to file a complaint regarding this. Thank you! The contact stated that the complaint filed is no longer needed.
Incident date: Jan 13, 2023
We bought the truck used in 2021 when it had 114,000 mi. Looked great, drives great. Now our mechanic tells us there are rust spots all over the frame — and that there is a recall. I looked into the recall and the window closed last year. Is it legal for Toyota to stop a recall when it is such a big safety issue? Buyers of used cars need to know about this site to check for recalls. I think very... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2022
Water Leaking from rear window which will affect electronics and airbags. found cracks to window frame and wet interior. Contacted Ram 800 number and open case which was denied told would have to pay for myself. manufacture knows about faulty window's and continue to install which they want $1300.00. Buying a $60k truck you would think ram would step up and start fixing these. Just noticed after l... Read more
Incident date: Jan 13, 2023
1. When I was driving, the left rear door suddenly opened by itself. 2. It would cause car accident, injures and even death. 3. I haven't go to the service center yet, because it's very hard to make a timely appointment with Tesla. 4. No. 5. No.
Incident date: Nov 29, 2022
The left rear frame of the vehicle is rusted out where the rear drive line bolts to the body or frame. Causing the rear drive line to have the ability of failing to stay attached to the vehicle. The rear suspension also connects at the same area. Just a huge rotted out hole at the moment.
Incident date: Dec 12, 2022
This car has experienced paint issues due to poor bonding of the primer. The paint is literally peeling off the car in sheets. It has been going on for the last 1.5 years , and Kia states that it is not their problem. I have worked patiently with them for almost a year as they have instructed me to go, and get paint estimates. After this was completed they then stated the case was determined “ N... Read more
Incident date: Jan 11, 2023
The door closing automation applies excessive force before the safety function engages to re-open. This poses a high risk to children and small adults with narrow limbs and/or the fingers of any aged person. On January 11, 2023, my 4 year old's hand was closed in the door without the door stopping or re-opening. This resulted in deep lacerations to his fingers and swelling necessitating emergen... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Oct 15, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that there was water leaking from the engine compartment into the driver's and passenger's side front floorboards. The dealer was made aware of the failure and scheduled an upcoming appointment. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA H... Read more
Incident date: Jan 5, 2023
Cars with Pearl White paint have large pieces of paint flaking off of both the hood and trunk, this is a common issue found with others.
Incident date: Jan 12, 2023
The rear doors can inadvertently open in cold when driving down the road without warning. This has happened on a few occasions, even when the dash lights are showing the doors are closed and locked.
Incident date: Jan 4, 2023
When my dealership inspected my rear frame for corrosion related to warranty 22V-430, they noted that the rear frame corrosion was so severe that the rear passenger wheel was no longer secured to the rear frame, resulting in a severe safety risk. However, warranty 22V-430 relates to corrosion of the rear frame resulting in an unsecured fuel tank which may result in a fuel leak and an increased ris... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
ML550
(2014) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Jan 12, 2023
Incident date: Jan 10, 2023
Extensive rust through out frame, resulting in holes in structural members. Leaving frame in a weak and vulnerable state.
Incident date: Jan 4, 2023
My pearl white pair is chipping from all over, I had it inspected and they said it was a problem with the original paint and how it was put painted.
Incident date: Aug 2, 2022
Frame has rusted out beyond repair
Incident date: May 15, 2021
have taken my kia to halleen kia sandusky dealership for safety recall driver air bags, and to assess my subframe. was turned away because they said the subframe of my car was too rusty and they "didn't feel safe letting their technicians do repairs as per safety recalls" and would not investigate the cars subframe.
Incident date: Dec 12, 2022
GOODMORNING, I bought my car honda Odyssey 2018 model, on August 20th, 2018, from Honda of Clearlake, in League City, TX, the day they opened new location, this car has been giving us trouble since then. when under warranty the sunroof motor became faulty. I agree that they repaired it but took more than a week to get repaired. The car has less than 30000 miles now, last year November when I w... Read more
Incident date: Nov 23, 2022
2nd row floor is flexing. Same issue found on Model 3 which already has a service bulletin for it. Tried to tell Tesla Service but they won't address it and will not fix it per the service bulletin and every shop that I went will do their own repair that doesn't fix the issue. Here's the service bulletin on the Model 3 which is the same issue. SB-18-45-002 https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2018/MC... Read more
Incident date: Sep 29, 2022
Two days ago, my husband took our vehicle to the car wash. At the other end of the car wash, it was discovered that the closed panoramic sunroof was completely destroyed during the process. Shards of glass were everywhere. We have contacted Hyundai and they have told my husband there is no class action suit about this problem. Even though it is under warranty, as it is a 2022, they refuse to take... Read more
Incident date: Jan 28, 2015
2011 Dodge Caliber Mainstreet - Subframe is completely rotted and broke away from the sensor control. Mileage - 121,000. $2,500 to repair, in the shop for 9 days, $800 for a rental. Never again with a Dodge. They are garbage. And from research, I see that many other people are having the same issue, yet no recall and Dodge refuses to acknowledge!
Incident date: Jan 10, 2023
PAINT CHIPPING!!!! (photos attached) I have encountered many of Kia manufactured vehicles with the same issue. The paint bubbles and then peels off, leaving a visible grey (primed) area. I am located in North Carolina. The weather is not harsh and I cannot think of any other reason this would be occurring. When attempting to get the paint repaired / vehicle painted, I was informed of a rec... Read more
Incident date: Jan 6, 2023
The door latches don't spring back into a position that allows the door to be closed again, once it has been opened. I have to stick my finger in the latch hole in the door while pulling out the latch handle to put the latch back into the position where the door will close. So far, this problem has effected three of the four doors in my sedan.
Incident date: Feb 11, 2021
All 4 door handles have ceased working. 1st responders wouldn't be able to gain entry.
DODGE
GRAND CARAVAN
(2016) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Jan 10, 2023
Incident date: Dec 24, 2022
My 2011 Kia Sorento caught fire while parked outside in parking lot overnight while I slept the police an fire department said my vin had two active recalls on it it started fire on its own without even being driven now I’m out of a car
Fire
Incident date: Jan 6, 2023
The subframe has rotted from insufficient protection . This car is unsafe to drive , many US consumers having same problem with this model where the subframe is rusted out. This is a major issue effecting thousands of cars of this model or maybe more
Incident date: Oct 12, 2022
After exposure to rain, driver's side floods with water coming from A-Pilliar, Air Bags or Windshield.
Incident date: Jan 3, 2023
The sunroof of my Hyundai palisade Calligraphy shattered on its own on the very second day of owning it. This seems to be a common issue with sunroof on Hyundai palisade.
Incident date: Jan 1, 2018
There is excessive rust on this MAZDA. We drive in NYC, and i believe due to the close proximity to the ocean this Mazda was not properly prepared.
Incident date: Jan 6, 2023
I'm currently having the Recall no.18V160000 problem on my 2012 ram 1500 slt 4.7 but since the vin number on my truck doesn't show this recall, the dealer doesn't want to fix it. My truck currently has the front fuel tank strap frame "T-Slot" bracket broken.
Incident date: Jan 10, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that when she opened the front driver’s side door, she heard a popping sound. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the front driver’s side door spot welds failed and needed to be rewelded. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised to call the NHTSA Hot... Read more
Incident date: Dec 10, 2022
Water leaking through the windshield
Incident date: Feb 10, 2022
The tail light is collecting moisture out of nowhere. Went to the dealer to get the item looked at, was told that it was not covered under the warranty. The price to repair will be almost 1300 to replace, this is crazy. GM needs to do something about this. The moisture in the light is a potential for all the electrical wires to burnout.
Incident date: Jan 5, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that there was a strong damp and mold like odor coming from the front driver's side footwell location. The contact stated that the front driver's side footwell was continuously wet in rainy weather. Additionally, the check engine warning light was illuminated intermittently. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 2... Read more
Incident date: Jan 6, 2023
Rear subframe rotted. Common issue, needs a recall. Control arm broke off on both sides of the rear subframe. Rear passenger lower control arm close to gas tank, can cause a fire if punctures through tank as well. Lots of swaying in rear as well
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2013) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Jan 9, 2023
Incident date: Jul 30, 2022
while driving in an emergency braking situation the car went left...so much so i lost control and spun 360 degrees. i thought that wasnt rite...upon investigation it turns out the right rear torque arm was no longer connected..the cradle or sub frame. it was rotted thru causing the arm to break off !!....car is not drivable and mercedes wont repair it... someone is going to get killed if it hasnt ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 6, 2022
Paint is peeling from section of roof between windscreen and sunroof. Case opened with Honda NA and New York State Attorney General's Office.
Incident date: Jan 9, 2023
In freezing weather, the door latches freeze and the door cannot be closed. There is a recall for this issue, #19N06 however it does not work. I had the recall performed then a week later when the weather changed, I am unable to close my door. This is a major safety issue because the driver has to hold the door or strap the door shut while driving and there is also the risk of it not being truly l... Read more
Incident date: Jan 9, 2023
Tailgate fell down while taking off from a red light, ground was flat and even. The vehicle also didn't trigger the light that the tailgate was open.
Incident date: Jan 6, 2023
Recent in December wife said there’s a musty odor in truck. While vacuuming carpet on Friday 1/6/23 water came to surface. Searched everywhere for leak and found the 2 vents behind back seats had bad gaskets and leaking bad. After getting access under carpet, passenger side was dry but growing mold and drivers side is holding slimy water. The back seats are a little higher and we’re dry but si... Read more
1 injured