Consumer Safety Complaints
Search 2,192,899 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA — including 137,559 crashes, 55,854 fires, and 8,555 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 2,192,899 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 48,519 complaints — component: STRUCTURE:BODY
Incident date: Feb 27, 2025
When it rains, I receive a warning that the rear position lights are failed. The left tail light stops working and I'm without a signal and brake lamp. This issue resolved its self when it's had time to dry, usually within two to three days.
Incident date: Mar 22, 2025
While driving under normal highway conditions, the sunroof detached from the vehicle while still in the closed position. This caused extreme danger to other drivers and property and could have caused a fatality if it would have hit a motorcyclist or other unprotected person. There was a recall for this (Recall Campaign 152: 2015-2016 Sonata Panoramic Sunroof) and the vehicle was delivered to the... Read more
Incident date: Oct 14, 2024
I purchased my BMW 2016 in October of 2024. The BMW had 109,000 when I purchased it. It now has 112,000, I drove it twice to Dallas, Texas and only occasionally on the weekends, but has been garage kept most of the time since I purchased it from Dodge Bluebonnet Motors, 547 S. Sequin Ave, New Braunfels, Texas 78130, 830-606-8500, Soon after I purchased it, i started to hear a knocking underneath ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 29, 2025
The panoramic sun roof opens but will not close. it takes 6-12 attempts to get it to close, it will move to where its an inch away from closing then reopen. Kia has recalls for this make and year but says my car is not affected. attempting to get it to close is very distracting and frustrating taking focus away from driving.
HYUNDAI
SANTA FE SPORT
(2013) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Mar 31, 2025
Incident date: Mar 30, 2025
Panoramic sunroof suddenly exploded while driving with passengers in the front in back seat.
Incident date: Mar 29, 2025
Recalled part flew off car while on the freeway.
Incident date: Mar 29, 2025
My sunroof exploded while I was driving on the 405 S freeway. It can be inspected at any time as I haven’t had it repaired or inspected by anyone yet. It happened while I was driving at least 65 mph in the fast lane. It sounded like a gunshot and startled me greatly. Glass flew everywhere and I believe hit cars around me as I heard multiple vehicles honk. This was a very scary and dangerous expe... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2019) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Mar 29, 2025
Incident date: Dec 17, 2020
Rear window on this truck is leaking. Causing black mold on the under the rear seats and carpet. Rear inside body panel has moisture and rear modules are starting to corrode. Did service a few years ago to fix leak at GM dealership, they said they removed the rear window and install new sealant; issue was not resolved.
Incident date: Mar 15, 2025
Compré este carro en medio de una necesidad al dealer REAL TRUCKS AND CARS en buenas condiciones con 2000$ de downpayment y nunca me respondieron por la garantía del carro y encima tuve más de 2000$ en gastos y el día que decido cambiar el carro me llega la información de que ese carro tenía un título rebuild y dos choques fuertes en el pasado con daños en el chasis y el historial que me h... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Dec 5, 2024
Our Honda Civic is white. On the right rear quarter panel where the rear window glass meets the quarter panel. The paint is bubbling, flaking and pealing off.
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 3500
(2025) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Mar 29, 2025
Incident date: Mar 7, 2025
Roof flex under certain conditions Car wash loud banging and movement of Roof lining Loud bang at pavement or bridge approaches. Dealer has inspected and verified with same model. GM does not recognize problem and has no fix,vehicles with sunroof have know problem because of reinforcement of Roof
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2022) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Mar 29, 2025
Incident date: Mar 29, 2025
Paint is chipping on the body of truck. Door panels and more.
Incident date: Jan 8, 2025
Vehicles rear windshield shatters on its own without any impact. It's is a known problem for the manufacture cause they have come out with a service bulletin. It's a safety issue due to when driving or even staying stationary rear windshield will break. All 2019 and 2020 have this problem. Windshield shatters due to manufacturer making poor quality product and does not want to make it a recall eve... Read more
Incident date: Mar 28, 2025
Front and middle crossmember rusted out to the point they have no more structural effects issues discovered while fixing a know issue to these models : rusted out and leaking engine and transmission oils pans I had confirmation from the dealership and other independent repair shop that leaking oils pans are common for those models and can cause engine and transmission failure. For the crossmembers... Read more
Incident date: Mar 25, 2025
Service Campaign 9B1 That my gas tank has explanded/exploded due to the issue noted in the subject line. As you can see the whole bottom of the backseats have been raised up imcluding the part that connects to the gas tank itself. My car is immobilized and not drivable during this time. What is the next step to take?
Incident date: Mar 20, 2025
While I was driving to work, with Cruise control set at 65, I hit a deer head on. All airbags deployed and engine ceased and I was able to brake car to a stop on the shoulder of the road. Within minutes, the engine erupted in fire and thankfully I wasn't trapped inside and was able to get out, because by the time I got 4-500 feet from the car, it had been totally engulfed in flames. From the time ... Read more
Crash
Fire
Incident date: Mar 26, 2025
The back chrome cover around the rear windshield all 3 pieces are coming loose and I had the one on my passenger side fly off while I was going down the highway and the piece almost hit the truck behind me thankfully traffic wasn’t to bad on the highway so he was able to hit his breaks and maneuver out of the way before. I currently have 2 more pieces trying to come off. After doing further rese... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2022) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Mar 27, 2025
Incident date: Mar 26, 2025
My tailgate started opening randomly for 2 consecutive days now. This happens while the vehicle is in park with the keys out of the ignition and also while driving down the road exposing items in the bed to possibly fall out and cause potential injury or death from accidents.
Incident date: Mar 1, 2022
My 2015 pearl white Kia Sorento has had paint peeling off of the hood and front of the roof. It is getting really bad and there is rust and corrosion now. It's been doing this for a couple of years and it's really bad now. There is now reason for that. When I drive around I keep an eye out and I see Sorento after Sorento with the same exact problem -- paint peeling in the same spots with rust and ... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
BEETLE
(2015) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Mar 27, 2025
Incident date: Dec 6, 2024
The 2015 Volkswagen Beetle was in a minor accident that was rear-ended by another vehicle. No one was injured. The other party claimed responsibility and the vehicle was repaired and the other party paid for the repairs. The problem is with Volkswagen not having the OEM safety equipment available to complete the repairs. The specific part is a spoiler attached to the rear trunk lid that increa... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jan 10, 2022
The door panel falls off the door very easily and then becomes stuck. The door cannot open due to the panel catching on the floor of the car. This is dangerous to have a door that does not work. I brought my car to Ford to get this fixed and after having my car for 6 days, the next time I drove on the freeway it fell off again and has the same problem. I've seen multiple reports of this
Incident date: Mar 26, 2025
Rear subframe structure has rusted through in the same location on both sides of the car. Moisture is being trapped between a plastic pieces of molding and the subframe and causing it to rust out completely.
LAND ROVER
DISCOVERY
(2017) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Mar 26, 2025
Incident date: Feb 28, 2025
Had engine cooling system repaired at dealer in 2023. In late 2024/early 2025 - engine coolant loss returned. We maintained engine coolant at recommended levels until we could get vehicle into dealership for diagnosis and repair. During routine local trip, low coolant light suddenly came on and immediately following that, engine stopped in the middle of traffic. Wife was barely able to navigat... Read more
Incident date: Mar 10, 2025
Front Drivers door became hard to open and close. Loud popping noise heard while opening and closing. Window also will not roll down. Inspected door check and discovered spot welds holding internal bracing broke loose. Due to difficulty closing the door, I believe the door may not latch properly. Doing research, I discovered that this is a common problem on 2020 Ford Escape models.
Incident date: Feb 19, 2025
The doors do not close when cold i have to use the seatbelt to rap around doors to keep them shut. I have brought to ford multiple times no fix. The transmission erratically shifts through multiple gears and downshifts into low gears when at high rate of speed. Which i have been told is due to a faulty cdf drum in transmission that ford wont take responsibility for. It is a very dangerous vehicle
Incident date: Mar 26, 2025
The Pearl white paint used on Kia and Hyundai models does not adhere to the primer coat underneath causing bubbling and eventual paint peeling issues overtime that is premature in nature. This has been reported in numerous locations across the internet as found by a basic search for the issue. Consumers are left to foot the bill on a improper manufacturing issue that should be taken care of by the... Read more
GRAND DESIGN
MOMENTUM
(2022) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Mar 26, 2025
Incident date: Mar 26, 2025
Our 2022 395ms is being taken back to the factory in Elkhart Indiana due to unsafe frame flex/failure
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2016) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Mar 26, 2025
Incident date: Dec 4, 2024
Rusted rear subframe, dime size hole discovered by Mercedes technician on [XXX]. The Mercedes dealer who discovered it was Mercedes Benz of Fredericksburg, VA. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Incident date: Mar 25, 2025
2014 Ford Fiesta manual sedan exhibiting recurring, dangerous hood latch malfunction (recently noticed) where hood unlatches while driving/parked & experiencing sudden power loss when AC is used (fuse removed to prevent this dangerous condition). Potential safety hazards: obstructed vision, hood detachment, engine tampering, sudden loss of control. Ford Service Advisor admitted hood latch "should... Read more
Incident date: Mar 10, 2025
Auto was being towed by my RV. Frame rail extension welds on vehicle failed and vehicle broke loose and struck utility pole destroying it. Could have hit oncoming traffic or innocent bystanders. Vehicle being inspected by Chrysler third party inspectors and State Farm Insurance. I believe “cold welds” to be responsible in a critical frame part. There are several hundred of these vehicles ... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jan 13, 2025
The vehicle was purchased on 1/8/2025. On 1/13/2025, the vehicle had to be towed to the dealer because the transmission wouldn't shift to park. Dealer performed a software update to correct the issue. On 1/21/2025, the vehicle had to be towed to a dealer because the transmission wouldn't shift to park. Dealer replaced the gear selector. On 1/27/2025, the vehicle had to be towed to the dealer... Read more
Incident date: Mar 19, 2025
Car was parked in the driveway when a large piece of the roof paint fell off. The car is the white/pearl color. Color is reportedly known to have defect.
Incident date: Mar 24, 2025
Part of the subframe is corroded already and the engine cradle has begun to break, the control arm has begun to move where it meets the engine cradle and I now need to have the vehicle repaired. Previously the lower engine mount fell out of place due to the threads that kept it attached to the subframe were worn out due to corrosion and was causing the vehicle to vibrate violently. This issue has ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2024
Ford has failed to fix recall for over a year in which side Pilar’s can detach from side of vehicle causing unsafe driving conditions or damage to other vehicles. I have called ford several times over the past year and they don’t have parts to fix the issue and keep advising its months out.
Incident date: Mar 22, 2025
Paint on the roof just suddenly peeled off 2 days ago. There's a Service Bulletin 19-029: [XXX] , but ACURA says the extended warranty is expired and they cannot do anything. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Incident date: Mar 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while making a turn in either direction, there was an abnormal crunching sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. Upon investigation, the contact discovered that the sound was caused by a misalignment between the cab and the bed of the truck. Due to the failure the cab mount bushings became worn and needed to... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2024
Paint peeling issue on hood. Filed for Hyundai to repair last 12/24, Hyundai denied claim 12/20/2024, without detailed reasons. Secondary extended warranty is suppose to be for 10 years regardless of mileage.p Hyundai case# [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Incident date: Mar 22, 2025
The trim on my passenger door is coming off! The adhesive is obviously defective. The piece flops when driving and is a risk to others as it may pop off. I’ve read that thousands of 2024 Telluride models have this problem! It is dangerous problem that kia needs to fix!
Incident date: Mar 1, 2025
I am filing a complaint about the horn on this Honda CRV model. Honda, for some reason, changed the horn system to a mono note horn that is so weak it is difficult for other motorists and pedestrians to hear. The Honda dealer told me that it is supposed to sound like that and it is not defective. This weak single note horn is used in 2023 and 2024 Honda CRVs. It is referred to by fellow CRV ow... Read more
Incident date: Mar 16, 2025
Vehicle involved in collision on major highway with two other vehicles. Given speed and impact of collision very surprised that the air bags did not deploy.
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Mar 23, 2025
Rapid Delamination and paint peeling in the color of snow pearl white. The entire car is affected by this defect. Somewhere on the paint assembly line a missing step in the paint procedure is causing detrimental corrosion and overall safety and protection of the elements from outside.
Incident date: Dec 19, 2024
Ever since I bought the vehicle in 2021, I have had problems with the car jerking and air conditioning problems, mostly during the colder months. I took the car in multiple times on different occasions throughout the years. They would "fix" the problems with the transmission, then a month or two down the line the issues would come back. This last time, the car started stalling on the and turned of... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2014) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Mar 23, 2025
Incident date: Jan 17, 2025
A well-documented and increasingly widespread problem related to excessive rust on the frames of many vehicles in this particular model year range. The cause of the problem appears to stem from a poorly applied or degrading wax coating, which, over time, peels off, leaving the frame exposed to corrosion, particularly in harsh weather conditions such as heavy snow and road salt exposure. The result... Read more
Incident date: Mar 9, 2025
The rear windshield of the car exploded during a routine drive without any apparent cause. The car was inspected by a Montgomery County police officer and was driven to the local Honda dealership. The local Honda dealership could not offer any additional insights into the root cause of the incident.
Incident date: Mar 14, 2025
Driver's side outside mirror has a complete horizontal crack without any visible sign of impact. This crack creates a "hall of mirrors" effect that impairs and obstructs my ability to see cars approaching from behind.
GRAND DESIGN
REFLECTION
(2022) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Mar 21, 2025
Incident date: Mar 21, 2025
We purchased the coach fall 2022. First major trip was in summer 2023. The main slide out failed (stopped working halfway out and would not extend or retract) the second night of camping. There was not a local repair facility available. A mobile repair person was able to get the slide out retracted. He informed us there was only one screw holding the main slide out frame in place. We wrapped a rat... Read more
Incident date: Mar 20, 2025
After driving for a few minutes with the sunroof open the wind deflector pulled and nearly off the car. This had been repaired previously under a recall and the repair was simply to re-glue the wind deflector back in place. This had clearly been done before as the dried glue was still on it. The back end of the sunroof nearly came off during this ordeal while we were traveling at highway spee... Read more
Incident date: Mar 20, 2025
Emergency call malfunction light came on. System is an important vehicle safety features. Vehicle taken to dealership for inspection. No visual damage present on vehicle however water ingress from roof shark fin is causing damage to electrical components, TCB and emergency call function. Shark fin antenna cover determined to be causing water ingress after inspection by BMW dealership. Per their re... Read more
Incident date: Mar 20, 2025
right side a pillar came off vehicle at highway speed 18 months ago. i bought replacement part i heard of recall so i returned part for refund. ford claims to be working with suppliers to obtain repair parts. this has gone on way too long, they are not taking this seriously! i am a retired millwright and have worked in ALL types of factories my whole career including many car plants. i know what i... Read more
Incident date: Mar 20, 2025
Driver door door check bracket separating from housing assembly. No wreck or accident with vehicle. May be the spot welds on the door bracket assembly which have, apparently, demonstrated issues for this year make model of Escape. I contacted the nearest Ford Dealer with a body shop and they said they were unable to assist because there is no active recall.