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: Apr 5, 2023
This is a 2017 Santa Fe Sport with pearl white paint. The paint has peeled in 5 different spots on the car. I have taken it in 2 different times to have it repainted. It was told many times by the service people that this is a known issue to Hyundai but that corporate wouldn't do anything about it. The first time, the dealership completely covered the costs of the paint job in good faith since it ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 2, 2021
The trucks box frame is completely rusted. The truck is 6 years old, only been in Florida and has 36k miles. The safety of this vehicle is compromised and this matter is urgent.
Incident date: Apr 1, 2023
Passenger sliding doors will not open. In december 2021 Dodge dealership seemingly fixed issue. It is now 2023 and the doors will not open again. This is very dangerous as I have two small children. The costs for these repairs were very expensive and unfortunately hasn't even lasted 2 years. I now have to pay out of pocket thousands for an issue that is completely mechanical and dealer issue... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2023
While driving at night on 2 lane highway at speed limit the engine seized as I pressed acceleration. Had to get to safe spot to pull off while just coasting as other drivers got upset so glad I didn’t get hit from behind. Had to be towed home had mechanic look at it he said engine is needing replaced. Kia knows they have a recall on engines but won’t fix unless something happens that’s dange... Read more
Incident date: Apr 4, 2023
When driving the vehicle, I can smell gas fumes which caused nausea. I didn’t know it was worse in the back of the cabin where my children sit until I sat back there for a 3 hour trip. The smell was stronger there which led to headache, nausea and fatigue. It doesn’t seem to come from the vent, it seems from the entire body of the vehicle. This puts my children’s health at risk. And all of o... Read more
Incident date: Oct 19, 2017
Manufacturer has not issued a remedy for the recall yet. The secondary hood latch striker is getting more and more corroded (especially in Michigans wet climate) causing more vigorous jiggling. No longer feels safe to go over 40mph without the risk of the hood coming up and hitting the windshield.
Incident date: Sep 7, 2022
Failure of truck frame even though frame protection was applied by dealer.
Incident date: Mar 29, 2023
There is rust on my crossmembers, they said it happens from the stuff they put on the roads? I don't know but I do not have money to buy a new vehicle. They say it's on both sides in the rear that are rotten but they were fine not too long ago.
Incident date: Mar 29, 2023
While traveling at highway speed, the driver's side windshield pillar trim detached itself from the vehicle and flew into the roadway resulting in the following vehicle needing to take evasive maneuvers to avoid collision. In June of 2021 the passenger side piece also detached at highway speed and collided with the following vehicle. Ford does not offer a more robust replacement part, so there is... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2008) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Apr 4, 2023
Incident date: Dec 30, 2021
Door garnish panel (Part Number 91112SJ570) came loose within about 2 weeks of delivery of the new vehicle. The date of the incident is uncertain as the missing part was discovered after the event. The missing part is not available as it was not clear when or where the part fell off the vehicle. The vehicle has been shown to a service centre at Subaru Serramonte who confirmed the part number of ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 4, 2023
The driverside door has been popping a little bit since we bought the vehicle in August of 2020. Today the popping got worse and you can see what looks to be spot welds broken behind where the door check is located.
Incident date: Jul 2, 2022
My vehicle and a couple more vehicles that I have seen seem to have a cracked interior dashboard caused by the heat. This problem seems to be common on hyundai's of different models. I've owned several different manufacturered vehicles, and this is the first vehicle manufacturer with a common problem with the cracking of the vehicles interior dashboard it has plastic fumes. There seems to be no re... Read more
Incident date: Apr 2, 2023
Nissan has Not properly sealed the exterior of this car exposes the customer to extensive weather damage to the motor, electrical and the cabin of the car. Owners of this car has already hhad safety issues because of the root problem the car is not weather protected from it's inception. I'm not the expert but you have to weather seal a house and you must weather seal your cars because they are in ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 14, 2018
The contact owns a 2022 Forest River Della Terra Trailer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the siding on driver's side of the trailer detached. Additionally, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the siding on the passenger's side detached. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the fail... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2023
Driving on interstate and driver's side panel trim of windshield come off over the weekend. There were no known symptoms or problems prior to the failure. The passenger side looks like it's loose. Have been by the dealer but they have no recall information.
Incident date: Aug 31, 2013
Will Cadillac do a recall on roof coming off as driving? Cost me $759.00 for the roof and $550.00 for the Vera the Cadillac dealer to install the roof And NO RECALL ON A $120,000.00 DOLLAR CAR I'M MAD AS HELL
Incident date: Mar 11, 2023
My husband and son were driving down the road and the sunroof exploded causing glass shards to go everywhere. Temp was 43 degree. According to my husband, it sounded like a bomb went off. Both my husband and son were covered in glass. We had to pull small glass pieces from my son.The vehicle is currently at the dealership. Audi has had know issues/recalls with sunroofs in the last 10 years.
Incident date: Mar 23, 2023
The welds on the bracket inside the drivers door that attatch to the check arm broke, leaving me with 3 holes in my door and unable to close the door.
Incident date: Apr 2, 2023
The passenger read doors lock up and become unoperable. So the doors cannot be opened from the outside or the inside. This creates a massive potentially tragic situation. If your children or a senior is in the back seat and a fire or an accident occurs they will not be able to leave the car from the rear doors. Let me make this very clear. The doors jam up and will NOT open from the inside or o... Read more
Incident date: Mar 27, 2023
Please see attached document. This is my second filing. I am still waiting for acknowledgment from NHTSA of my original filing on 3/22/23. The situation is only getting worse.
VOLKSWAGEN
ID.4
(2023) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Apr 2, 2023
Incident date: Mar 3, 2023
The driver side windshield trim separated from the vehicle while driving on the freeway. Upon inspection at our destination, it was evident that 4 of the plastic clips had broken causing the failure. The driver behind us was able to avoid the flying debris from this incident. We have not taken it in for repairs yet. There was no warning or early indication of this problem prior to it occurring. Co... Read more
Incident date: Mar 5, 2023
Somebody just hit my car and left. My car was parked in my community.
Crash
Incident date: Mar 28, 2023
The piece between the windshield and the passenger side door came off while I was driving on the interstate.
Incident date: Jan 7, 2022
2019 Kia Sorento Snow White Peal peeling paint on hood and roof of car. Per body shop this "delamination"
Incident date: Dec 8, 2022
When I open the door the driver door. It’s separated from the bracket to the door. Will do keep those pieces together, came apart in the door.
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2022) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Apr 1, 2023
Incident date: Feb 1, 2023
There are multiple safety recalls for this vehicle that I have only had for 1 month. I began the new lease with this vehicle beginning of March and the vehicle has been back to the dealership 4 times already. Issue #1: The middle part of the steering wheel where the air bag is located came completely off the steering. It was dangling almost causing my boyfriend and I to get t-boned. Since the mi... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2023
The driver side windshield panel flew off/broke off while driving at 55-60 mph.
Incident date: Apr 1, 2023
Windshield trim piece came off while driving on the interstate
Incident date: Mar 7, 2023
The contact's deceased mother owned a 2014 Nissan Rogue that was inherited by his son. The contact stated that the vehicle had been parked in his son's driveway in the rain. The contact stated that his son later noticed that the driver's side floorboard was filled with water. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V024000 (Electrical System); howe... Read more
Incident date: Mar 29, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the driver’s side windshield pillar trim separated from the windshield, struck the driver’s side door window, and then struck the truck behind. The contact veered to the side of the road to inspect the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 28, 2023
When locking vehicle and arming the alarm up on returning to vehicle in a parking lot no matter where. Upon return to vehicle before unlocking we notice vehicle rear tailgate is wide open. This has happened multiple times with a dealer not finding any cause. Now on our second case to have looked at. This is not good as anything in the vehicle is open to theft with me having no control of it. Happe... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2012) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Mar 31, 2023
Incident date: Mar 27, 2023
Paint chipping on both sides of roof edges.
Incident date: Mar 29, 2023
THE BACK PASSENGER DOOR WILL NOT OPEN REGARDLESS OF THE LOCK/UNLOCK FUNCTION. IT IS THE MAIN DOOR THAT MY CHILDREN USE TO GET IN/OUT OF THE CAR FOR SCHOOL, ETC. I REPORTED THIS TO HYUNDAI AND THEY JUST SAID THEY THINK IT IS A LATCH DEFECT. NO ATTEMPT TO REPAIR.
FORD
F-150 HYBRID
(2021) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Mar 30, 2023
Incident date: Mar 29, 2023
Frame piece flew off while driving. This put other drivers at risk. I have taken pictures of multiple other Ford Explorers with the same missing piece on either side. Mine came off the drivers side.
Incident date: Mar 25, 2023
The headliner of the car completely separated from the vehicle. If this happened during driving it would have prevented seeing the road. When presented with the issue the local Jaguar dealer indicated they have had other cars suffer the same issue. It is a known defect that Jaguar has not notified or recalled the vehicle.
Incident date: Mar 8, 2023
Paint on vehicle on top of trunk has chipped off like a whole section out of no where.
Incident date: Mar 30, 2023
Door trim coming off of my well maintained 2017 Explorer in 3 places. Estimate for repair was obtained from Ford garage but I am angry I have to pay for this as it is no fault of mine that this is happening to my vehicle. I am worried these pieces will fly off and be a hazard to other drivers on the road, as I keep reading statements of this happening to others. Ford should stand behind their prod... Read more
Incident date: Mar 30, 2023
The driver-side outer windshield trim moulding panel flew off of my vehicle while I was driving at highway speed. Upon inspection, I discovered the passenger-side panel is loose, as well, and could detach at any time.
Incident date: Mar 30, 2023
The dashboard melted and shines. Having problems seeing during driving against sunlight, also the stickiness of the dashboard makes dirt stuck on the surface of the dashboard. The main issue is safety while driving because of sunlight reflection.
VOLKSWAGEN
BEETLE
(2008) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Mar 30, 2023
Incident date: Mar 30, 2023
My wife and I were driving on the interstate at 80 mph and without warning, the passenger side exterior A-pillar molding flew off of the car ,hit our windshield and disappeared behind us.
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2019) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Mar 29, 2023
Incident date: Mar 28, 2023
In June 2022 the driver's side sliding door became stuck in the locked position. It was difficult to get my young children in/out of the vehicle safely. I took the van to the dealership where I was charged over $900 to have the actuator replaced (See attached). From doing research online, I see that there is a known issue with this specific part for vehicles produced in 2015-2017 and an extend... Read more
Incident date: Sep 15, 2021
The secondary hood latch release cable is not functioning, preventing the hood from opening. Thousands of owners complaining about that. There is a Volvo Service Bulletin Action but they are pretending to charge for that. Quality bulletin service action: S89651 What can I do?
MERCEDES-BENZ
METRIS
(2018) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Mar 29, 2023
Incident date: Mar 29, 2023
paint recall the problem was confirmed twice by sansone dealership avenel, nj. 4/28/2021 and 12/1/2022. on both occasionspictures were submitted and i was told it would be taken care of. on 1/23/2023 i dropped car off to be repainted and was told it would be about 1.5 weeks. i picked up the car unrepaired on 2/21/2023. they said they would not honor recall
Incident date: Mar 26, 2023
Tha front cap appears to be moving or the body is flexing too much. This is causing the sides to come out of the front trim moulding. If this happens going down the highway while in tow it could cause the side of the trailer to be torn off.
Incident date: Mar 27, 2023
Rear door on driver side suddenly won't open from inside or outside. The electric locks can be heard locking and unlocking but door handles do nothing. There are no messages or alerts. The concern is not being able to get someone out in the event of an emergency. There are many complaints about door actuator failures on the internet on several Hyundai models.
Incident date: Dec 29, 2021
The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Ioniq. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH a sudden booming sound occurred near the front passenger’s side of the vehicle. After stopping to inspect the vehicle it was discovered that the front driver’s side wheel well and bumper dislodged and was rubbing against the front passenger’s side wheel. The contact was able to adjust the damage... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
BEETLE
(2016) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Mar 28, 2023
Incident date: Mar 28, 2023
The frame of this RV has a defective design. The outer portions of the trailer are not supported by the frame allowing them to sag until the fender hits the tire potentially causing a tire blowout.
Incident date: Mar 28, 2023
My 2005 Cadillac XLR Was Being Towed To Vera Cadillac Dealership And The Roof Flew Off The Car [XXX] Why Was This Not A Recall ? Thank You [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2018) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Mar 28, 2023
Incident date: Jun 9, 2022
The trim on the driver side of the windshield blew off while driving.
Incident date: Mar 27, 2023
I was driving on I93 North in Massachusetts when the front trunk (frunk) suddenly released. The secondary latch stopped it from coming all the way open. Since then it has happened 6 other times! I have a service scheduled with Tesla and thought I should report it as this could have been really bad.