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: Dec 13, 2022
I purchased my 2018 Chevrolet equinox on July3rd, 2018 with 2 miles on it. Current mileage 67,900 Stop/start system design defect. I have had to have my vehicle battery replaced 4 times in 4 years of ownership. The battery has failed again at 67,900 miles on 12/13/2022 which will be the 5th battery in its lifetime. My dealership said that due to the climate and road conditions where I live my stop... Read more
Incident date: Dec 12, 2022
Door Not Latching Properly NHTSA Recall ID: 12V338000 My doors on my 2008 Problems with the CR-V door locks include: Door not latching properly Doors not unlocking Doors locking and unlocking on their own Was not made aware of the recall to fix this issue. I would like Honda to fix this issue for Free at my Delaership
Incident date: Dec 12, 2022
With one simple google search you can find hundreds, if not thousands of results from people talking about their same experience with their pearl white Kia’s. The paint is cheap, and it’s starting to peel off on its own, which has lead to severe cases of rust. Either Kia was purposely being cheap, or it was a mistake. Either way it’s their responsibility to fix this.
Incident date: Dec 1, 2019
White paint peeling from front quarter panel, hood and roof
MERCEDES-BENZ
C350
(2008) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Dec 12, 2022
Incident date: Dec 4, 2022
-The rear subframe rusted through and broke. This made the vehicle extremely unsafe to drive. Braking caused the vehicle to veer right and was unsafe to stop. -Both a Mercedes dealership service center and an independent service center confirmed and verified the issue. -The part was inspected by the Mercedes dealership service center and the independent service center. -There were no warning li... Read more
Incident date: Dec 10, 2022
The torsion springs for the rear trunk are very weak. They have been that way since car was new. I have had multiple occasions where I opened the trunk and had it come down and hit me on the head. This has also happened to my wife.
Incident date: Dec 2, 2022
Driver side rear floor area floods every single time it rains. It's been like this since I owned the car. I have a 2012 convertible camaro
AIRSTREAM
FLYING CLOUD
(2017) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Dec 11, 2022
Incident date: Jun 15, 2022
Body separating from trailer framework due to forward attachment design-build defect in model 26U and other models featuring forward storage compartment; high potential for on-road detachment causing rig instability and swaying out of control. Currently in RV dealer shop for repair. Dealer states two other identical model trailers in work for same defect. Airstream owners report this defect in onl... Read more
Incident date: Oct 27, 2022
We discovered that both right and left rear door locks were not operating properly in our brand new 2022 Honda Pilot Touring, preventing the passengers from being able to exit the vehicle. From the original purchase on Oct 27, 2022, the kids had complained of being unable to unlock and open the rear doors from inside the cabin. After continuing problems, I discovered that once the door locks had ... Read more
NISSAN
PATHFINDER
(2016) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Dec 10, 2022
Incident date: Dec 10, 2022
Hood latch was marked as repaired (cleaned and lubricated) in recall report but secondary latch still sticks and I have to manually push the lever out of position to get my hood to latch down properly. All the dealership did was look at it, grease it, and call it good. It is still caked with gunk and sticks.
Incident date: Jul 1, 2020
Trunk continues to unlatch and open on its own. It pops open when driving or parked and if vehicle is in motion causing things to fly out of trunk and hit other cars. I have had professionals look at it and it still doesn’t work. The trunk open indicator on the dash always clicks, lights up, and says trunk ajar.
Incident date: Dec 2, 2022
I recently had my oil changed and tires rotated. While on the lift, the mechanics found extensive rust in multiple spots on the frame. They said it may not be safe to drive at this point.
Incident date: Oct 10, 2022
the door Handel broke off and the backup camera, radio system stop working no viewing for rear camera
Incident date: Dec 5, 2022
The contact called on behalf of his daughter who owns a 2015 Mazda CX5. The contact stated that while his daughter was loading groceries in the trunk, the liftgate dropped unexpectedly and the corner of the liftgate hit her in the head, causing a laceration. The contact's daughter was taken to urgent care where she was informed that she had sustained a laceration and three staples were put on the ... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Dec 9, 2022
The problem has been persistent since 70,000 miles. The drivers side passenger door is unable to be opened from the inside and outside, most of the time. The car is available for inspection. Malfunctioning doors is absolutely a safety issue. If the car is involved in an accident the fastest way to get people out is by unlocking the doors and opening them. That cannot be done here thus it re... Read more
Incident date: Dec 5, 2022
On 4 occasions the tailgate has unlatched itself while the truck was being driven
Incident date: Nov 16, 2022
A small pin hole in the second row passenger side door arm rest. Also a crack on the window pan trim cover panel on the same door.
Incident date: Dec 7, 2022
DEATH TRAP Front windows open and close by themselves while driving - dangerous for kids and pets in car Sliding doors on both sides do not work properly - do not latch - passenger door doesn't slide open or closed Door locks unresponsive - last week only driver's door and tail gate would unlock and open
TOYOTA
FJ CRUISER
(2007) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Dec 7, 2022
Incident date: Oct 2, 2020
took the vehicle to a toyota dealership which stated the frame is dangerous and rusted very badly. they told me to file a complaint since the delaer was not covered under the lemon law
TOYOTA
FJ CRUISER
(2007) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Dec 7, 2022
Incident date: Dec 1, 2022
the frame and associated components are severly corroded putting the vehicle in danger of the back axel detaching . i was informed of this by a repair shop who were concerned of the safety of operating vehicle. there is some type of coverage for related vehicles but not for this model. i think this is the same platform which was recalled under a truck model. toyota refuses any coverage or help for... Read more
Incident date: Nov 23, 2022
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that water was leaking into the vehicle through the roof rack. The water entered the compartment where the air bags were located. The contact had not taken the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 89,000.
Incident date: Nov 27, 2022
On 11/27/2022 at or around 4:30 P.M. my 2003 Ford F-150 burned almost completely, without any mechanical failures or warnings, thirty full minutes after being parked and then after only having been run for three to four miles. The fire department ended up putting it out before it was fully consumed.
Fire
Incident date: Oct 24, 2022
Vehicle had electrical issues - Diagnosis by dealership was water damage to the Body Control Module. This module is inside the cabin on the front passenger area by their feet/legs. The issues included - flashers goin off, horn going off, truck bed gate dropping open - while parked and while driving down highway, and entire vehicle just shutting down while ALL of the issues happened at once. P... Read more
Incident date: Sep 12, 2022
We were experiencing a loud rattling noise under the passenger side steer tire and when we hit bumps, it was hard to control the steering and bouncing. When inspected by our mechanic, we found that the frame had rusted through and broke near the passenger side wheel and will no longer pass inspection due to safety. The entire frame has extensive rust issues, even though under costed at time of p... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2022
Frame is badly rusted as a result truck is not driveable..
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2013) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Dec 6, 2022
Incident date: Dec 6, 2022
The vehicle is unsafe to operate around pedestrians and other roadside objects because of the poor visibility, especially at critical moments where visual confirmation is needed like crosswalks, intersections, and parking lots. The A pillars, side mirrors, and tall front profile, block the driver from visually confirming hazards and pedestrians at crosswalks and intersections. While driving, I mad... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Dec 6, 2022
Discovered a wet carpet under rubber floor mats with no water visible on the surface of the vehicle. Sent to dealer to discover cause of leak. Turns out the body under the driver-side fender has a gaping hole where weld failed. Structural damage visible. Water was getting through this hole and causing water damage. Manufacture defect likely
Incident date: Dec 6, 2022
My car has an electric rear door/hatch. Without electric it is extremely difficult to open. The electric opening does not work so I had to have it repaired. The cost was about $1100. The Toyata repair shop mechanic said there have been many of these repairs. The vehicle is only 6 or 7 years old.
Incident date: Dec 3, 2022
Factory paint peeling off
Incident date: Aug 23, 2022
Driving down turnpike my truck went up in flames, mopar sent investigator to determine cause of fire at dealership never called me to give me a report they emailed me to badly burnt to determine cause of fire.
Fire
DODGE
GRAND CARAVAN
(2018) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Dec 5, 2022
Incident date: Oct 28, 2022
Both of my sliding door actuators are seized and won't unlock/lock. Currently, my driver side sliding door is stuck in the lock position. This is a safety hazard because if my car were in an accident and my kids needed to exit the vehicle, this door not opening would be an issue. Also, my passenger side sliding door also doesn't lock. This is an issue because anyone could enter my vehicle without ... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
CLS550
(2014) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Dec 5, 2022
Incident date: Sep 9, 2022
have a 2014 cls-550 with extensive subframe rust. It is currently sitting at the dealership for $3,158 in repairs for a vehicle that is less than 10 years old. There needs to be a recall on the subframe for the c, cls, e, and like models. This is not the Mercedes’-Benz quality I expected. After extensive research, members all over the globe are experiencing the same issue. This isn’t user erro... Read more
Incident date: Dec 5, 2022
In the afternoon when I returned to my vehicle, a large crack (roughly 8 inches) formed on the lower sector of the windshield that appeared to have oriented by the mounting of the passenger wiper arm. I inspected the windshield for damage such as a rock chip and could not find anything to suggest that the integrity was compromised in any way. Their was no visible damage to the windshield other tha... Read more
Incident date: Nov 28, 2022
Vehicle frame has rusted through and has holes affecting structural condition.
Incident date: Nov 28, 2022
The secondary hood latch failed, and was not securing the hood. In the event of a primary hood latch failure, the hood could release and strike the windshield while driving, obscuring vision and potentially causing bodily harm. My research indicates that this is not an isolated incident.
MERCEDES-BENZ
E350
(2015) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Dec 4, 2022
Incident date: Nov 20, 2022
My 2015 E350 with only 40,000 miles was diagnosed to have a rotted and detached rear sub frame . Seems to be a common problem because of defective metal used by the manufacturer. There seems to be a lot of others with same issue I found on the internet . While Mercedes’ Benz has no recall as of yet. While driving on the highway , while at 50 to 60 mph. The car would sway and feel like it was ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 3, 2022
The sunroof exploded on his Fiat 500 L while he was driving. It was very early in the day, no other vehicles on the road so no debris hit it. It just exploded out of nowhere. Insurance has been notified to inspect the damage. The sunroof was closed at the time, due to it being 20 degrees. No prior issue with it. This has happened to other drivers with this particular vehicle per online chat roo... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
EQS450
(2023) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Dec 3, 2022
Incident date: Dec 3, 2022
To be clear, there has been no incident with my vehicle due to the lack of a hood latch safety release. This report is being made to call attention to a possible safety issue. The Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV is fitted with two typical hood release latches, one on each side, operated by a single hood release lever in the cabin attached to the latches with a cable. The hood is NOT equipped with a hood l... Read more
Incident date: Dec 3, 2022
The rear k frame rusted out ,all of a sudden the vehicle started swaying out of control on gravel or wet roads, no rust on the vehicle except the rear k frame, I parked the vehicle because it's unsafe to drive , I understand that this is a problem that effects more than just mine and I hope it's recalled or something is done about it, thank you for looking into it
Incident date: Apr 4, 2022
Car has been garage kept entire time of owning. Sub Frame still rotted out causing so much damage to the car, the struts, the tire(s); etc, causing car to shake and tire to bow out. Car has been at a repair shop for over 7 months now trying to get a replacement part to repair it with no luck as of yet. This should NOT be the responsibility of the customer. This has been a known issue for many of t... Read more
Incident date: Dec 2, 2022
Rear window exploded. No impact. Remote started my truck, cold out so rear defrost was on from the remote start. Go in truck shut the door and before I could press the start button (it was running from the remote start but still have to press the start button) the rear window exploded shattering everywhere except for the power slider. After some internet research, this appears to be a common... Read more
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER
(2020) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Dec 2, 2022
Incident date: Dec 1, 2022
The contact's wife owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, his wife noticed that the front passenger's side carpeting was extremely wet. Upon investigating the failure, both the contact and his wife noticed that the carpeting underneath was extremely soaked. The contact stated that both he and his wife used towels to soak up the water. The vehicle was taken ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 2, 2022
While driving down the road the swing gate opens on its own
Incident date: Dec 2, 2022
The driver's door freezes, so once the door is opened it will not latch closed until the door is warmed up. Additionally, the door can catch when closed, but if any pressure is put on the door, it pops open because the latch or mechanism is frozen and will not function properly. This has happened multiple times now, and Ford has stated that we don't live in a 'cold' climate region, so the can no... Read more
Incident date: Dec 2, 2022
Had a cracked windshield, Volvo replaced with OEM. Another pin head size rock chip resulted in another cracked windshield. Google search will reveal the Windshield on the XC40 Volvo crack with the lightest contact. The glass has a defect and the crack interferes with driver visibility and driver assist functions
LAND ROVER
RANGE ROVER EVOQUE
(2017) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Dec 1, 2022
Incident date: Nov 23, 2022
First off, my VIN info on the first part of this form did not mention the my car is a convertible With that being said , the car was in my driveway in the rain ( I was working on the garage door so I parked it outside) Its the first time in been in the rain since I owned it. When I pulled it in from the rain I notes water sloshing in the back quarter cavities. My concern is submerged electrical ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2022
The clip at the bottom of the piston for the lift gate broke which caused the lift gate to fall. The strut got wedged between the body of the car and the rear reverse light so the lift gate didn’t end up falling on me but causing damage. Upon further inspection, the other strut’s clip is also cracked.
MERCEDES-BENZ
E350
(2011) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Dec 1, 2022
Incident date: Nov 11, 2022
Rear sub-frame is starting to rust/corrode. Understand from my repair shop that similar problems have been identified in other models using same rear subframe (W204 2008-2014 C-Class). Failure of the rear subframe may result in tire detachment and possible rupture of the fuel tank by metal fragments (per the repair shop).
DODGE
GRAND CARAVAN
(2017) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Dec 1, 2022
Incident date: Oct 1, 2022
Driver's side door is stuck and locked shut. This puts my precious cargo, my children, at risk of having to exit the vehicle on a potentially more dangerous side with traffic. In the event of an accident this door locked shut can't be used to escape the vehicle if need be. No warning lights. Online this appears to be a very common issue in Chrysler/Dodge vans.
Incident date: Nov 25, 2022
The entire front panel of my Shasta Airflyte travel trailer is separating from the pine bracing where the dinette is, creating a 2” gap at the floor where rodents and water could get in. It appears the screws meant to attach the panel to the bracing are sheared off or improperly installed. The separating front panel is resting on the propane tank which could create a safety hazard. I believe the... Read more