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 2, 2024
When using the power liftgate, in normal day to day use, the strut had seized and the lift gate was stuck open. As we were parked, we attempted multiple times and different ways to lower the lift gate by the buttons provided for their lift gate, the key fob and by manually attempting to close. The lift gate would not close nor latch and it appeared to be misaligned. When we called Volvo Santa Ana ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 12, 2024
Problem #1: initially reported issue with check engine light coming on when driving in rain or getting vehicle washed. Research shows grounding issues. Dealership replaced BCM but problem persists. Reported problem again but no actions are being taken
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2022) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Jun 13, 2024
Incident date: Oct 10, 2023
While commuting on a US Hwy the front upper grill came off the vehicle flying into the windshield and surrounding traffic. Research online shows that this occurrence happens with the same vehicle with different owners. This is a life safety issue that also is not being repaired by the manufacturer.
Incident date: Jun 9, 2024
This weekend both passenger and driver side power sliding doors seized shut, in the locked position. The doors will not manually unlock with applying a lot of force to the locking lever. Looking online there is a manufacturers warranty that was extended to 15 years or 150,000 miles for this specific problem, pointing out the locking actuator as a faulty product, only on certain models, and years. ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 13, 2024
Couldn't move steering wheel all of a sudden, drove to store and when I got back in my car, I couldn't turn the wheel and had to get it towed. Nothing happened or changed on the way to the store. When car was first bought, steering would lock up while driving on highway and almost caused accidents multiple times.
Incident date: Jun 11, 2024
Windshield just cracked on its own. My vehicle was just sitting in my backyard nothing around my vehicle. A day latter i went outside i noticed the windshield was cracked nothing touched the windshield it just cracked on its own.
Incident date: Jun 8, 2024
10 months after purchasing brand new vehicle from dealership, the windshield developed large crack for no apparent reason--no debris or collision. Need to replace due to inability to see out and possibility of further cracking/breaking. A class action lawsuit against this company is taking place for this very issue, yet no recall exists. I am forced to pay $500 out of pocket (deductible) in ord... Read more
Incident date: Jun 11, 2024
DRIVER SIDE BUMPER DOES NOT SIT FLUSH ALONG DRIVER SIDE FENDER; POPS OUT ALONG TOP EDGE BETWEEN BUMPER AND FENDER. MANY REPORTS OF THIS ISSUE FROM FACTORY, INCLUDING ALL TRIMS AND ALL COLORS. A TSB NEEDS TO BE ISSUED FOR THESE VEHICLES TO FIX THE BUMPER RETENTION. MANY OWNERS WITH THIS ISSUE
Incident date: Apr 20, 2024
Weatherstripping on sunroof is deteriorating. This could affect the safety of the driver as well as any passengers in the vehicle if it was to start leaking. Furthermore, if water entered the cabin it could affect any electrical components that might interfere with the driving of the vehicle thus causing a safety hazard to any vehicles that would be nearby if this was to happen. The vehicle was ... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2014) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Jun 12, 2024
Incident date: Apr 4, 2024
Front subframe. Pulls one way during acceleration and pulling the opposite way during braking
Incident date: Jun 6, 2024
Water is leaking into the vehicle through the airbag located for the rear passenger.
Incident date: Jun 10, 2024
The frame has rust through and broke on rear front leafspring mount of frame on both side . A very know problem with almost every one of these trucks
Incident date: Jun 4, 2024
The tailgate opened and closes on its own while trailering causing sever binds and damage to the trailer and allowing loads to become unsecured. There is a recall already from GM on this issue, but for some reason our VIN is not included. This is a well documented issue. We have video of this occurrence if necessary. The dealer said it’s water in the tailgate switch.
Crash
Incident date: Jun 10, 2024
Some mechanism in the door is bad. I get locked out of the vehicle when the truck is unlocked. On multiple occasions this door and truck will try to lock itself with the keys still inside (the warning alarm will go off). To get back into the truck I have to lock the door and unlock it even though the door was unlocked to begin with. If the situation were to arise where this door is stuck closed wi... Read more
Incident date: Apr 26, 2024
Chassis in the middle frame back left too much rust and big hole due to rust
Incident date: Jun 11, 2024
Interior door handle becomes inoperative due to breaking of some internal element. This prevents leaving the vehicle. Of concern is that in case of emergency, the occupant cannot exit the vehicle. If power is affected, the windows cannot be lowered which is the only way to exit using the exterior door handle. This is a well known defect of this series of Mercedes Benz to which the manufacturer has... Read more
Incident date: May 16, 2024
IN THE WEBSITE IT SHOWS THAT THERE WAS A SAFETY RECALL FOR THE DOOR LOCK BUT WHEN I ENTERED MY VIN#IT DOESN'T SHOW OUTSTANDING RECALLS. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BECAUSE IT WAS PREVIOUSLY CORRECTED BUT THE PASSENGER DOOR ISN'T OPENING NEITHER FROM THE INSIDE NOR THE OUTSIDE.
Incident date: May 28, 2024
I am writing to urgently request the initiation of a safety investigation concerning a serious and potentially widespread defect in Ford vehicles, specifically related to the center console’s metal chrome trim on limited models. I own a Ford Expedition, purchased in October 2019, and have encountered a severe issue where the chrome plating on the center console has begun peeling away, forming sh... Read more
Incident date: Jun 11, 2024
trim piece flying off while the vehicle was in motion with traffic around me.
Incident date: May 13, 2024
have a faulty windshield that crack for no reason Because no rock or anything hit it
Incident date: Jun 11, 2024
Trailer frame cracked that could lead to attachment failure of trailer body during towing or frame break. Frame failure during towing could lead to loss of vehicle control. Have contacted Airstream Corporation concerning issue and awaiting response. Another Airstream Nest owner has had frame failure. Symptom was found upon frame inspection. Have not had inspection by police or insurance.
Incident date: May 24, 2024
White paint is peeling all over the car, in spots as large as 6 inches by 4 inches.
FORD
F-150 HYBRID
(2021) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Jun 10, 2024
Incident date: Jun 10, 2024
I have a sunroof and water leaks in and gets the headliner wet on both sides on the area vertically between windshield and front windows. I have had my front windshield replaced to ensure it wasn’t a windshield leak from a seal issue. It don’t fix the problem. I had my sunroof replaced in case it was that and it didn’t fix the issue either. I had the drain tubes for the sunroof flushed multi... Read more
Incident date: Jun 9, 2024
The dashboard is sticky/melting causing it to be extremely shiny. It is available for inspection upon request. Due to the shininess of the dashboard, it causes a glare on the windshield during the daytime. This glare causes difficulty with being able to safely see through the windshield.
Incident date: Sep 4, 2023
A water leak has ruined TWO power liftgate control modules. The water leak probably comes from the roof or driver rear window welds. I replaced one module two months ago and the new one has also malfunctioned due to water intrusion. This causes the liftgate to be stuck open or closed and could potentially open when driving!
Incident date: Jun 8, 2024
My 2012 mazda 6 Subframe is is unsafe to drive due to over-time corrosion My local mechanics said Madzda Corp. should fix it.
Incident date: Jun 7, 2024
Paint on car is starting to crack and peel.
Incident date: May 27, 2024
Cracked Frame. Visual inspection. The frame is Steel. Frame is cracked at weld and across the vertical beam surface. If the frame cracks all the way the trailer could break away from tow vehicle without the hitch becoming disconnected. The left side the frame has a crack all the way across, the right side it is only about 1.5 inch.
Incident date: Jun 5, 2024
While I was driving on the freeway, my family and I heard a loud bang. I pulled over to check and discovered that our sunroof had exploded. We went to a Toyota dealership to have it examined, but the staff claimed it was caused by a rock. We opened the sunshade to check, but no rock was found inside. It was clearly an issue with the sunroof itself. Despite this, we received no help and were simply... Read more
Incident date: Jun 10, 2024
The rear passenger door will not open. This is a safety concern should we need to exit the vehicle rapidly in an accident. Other KIA Sportage vehicles are on the recall, but for some reason, my VIN model is not on the list for recall.
Incident date: Jun 22, 2021
The tailgate opens up while vehicle is in drive. No warning lights come on, the only way I knew is that people driving beside us flagged us down. The pickup bed was full of our luggage… luckily, nothing fell out. This has happened at least 3-4 times. The last time, we were towing our travel trailer, the tailgate opened up while we were driving and got caught on our tongue jack and propane tan... Read more
LECTRON
TESLA CHARGER ADAPTER
(9999) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Jun 10, 2024
Incident date: Jun 10, 2024
Peeling clear coat at 47,000 miles. Dealership said paint warranty ended at 36,000 miles.
Incident date: Feb 10, 2022
Trunk lift gate unable to close or open properly due to faulty lift gate shock and strut supports as diagnosed by dealership in January 2024. As of then there is was no ETA on parts to complete repair and was blamed on Toyota not supplying enough parts beyond new vehicles and warranties vehicles. Only resolution was to not use the trunk, or as little as possible and told that I was added to a 700+... Read more
Incident date: Apr 23, 2024
The paint on my hood has bubbling underneath. I’m not sure but someone informed me this was a manufacture related incident when the vehicle was painted and not done correctly, causing paint bubbling. This is only on the front hood area on both side of jeep emblem
Incident date: May 13, 2024
I was backing out of my parking spot at work and backed into a car. My backup safety sensor’s did not work. No warning I was near anything. It should have stopped me from hitting anything especially another car. The backup camera has had times of not working.
Crash
Incident date: Jun 6, 2024
2016 Kia Sorento with 80,000 snow white pedal paint peeling at a rapid paste. Factory defect
Incident date: May 24, 2024
The PILLAR APPLIQUE TRIM has came off on BOTH sides of my windshield. I was driving down the highway and the trim came 90% off. I swerved wondering what was going on, almost wrecked and had to slow down to exit. I had tape in the car and had to tape it down. This is a known issue to Ford and they have a safety recall on it, yet has no date when it can be fixed. I was told if I need it fix it has t... Read more
Incident date: May 31, 2024
Frunk latch does not open with the first tap due to misdesigned frunk liner trim piece. The only way to open the frunk is after first tap to simultaneously tapping open and pulling the hood upward. It is only feasible using the phone app as the vehicle comes with key-card. This creates a safety concern due to fire crew would have an issue reaching a first responder loop to disconnect a battery ... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2024
The paint bubbles and chips off. Bad paint job on this vehicle.
Incident date: Jun 7, 2024
This is an updated report with additional detail. Sorry for any confusion this may have caused. * Baggage door routinely open while travelling. A number of items may have been sucked out of the RV while moving down the road. We try to be hypervigilant and pull over as soon as we notice the door flapping open, and we secure loose items in drawers. * RV doors routinely open. The front door always o... Read more
Incident date: May 5, 2023
The paint on my car is peeling off. Attached is pictures of the top of the back door window(In back of the driver’s seat)and the flap on top of the back window.The paint is Snow White.
Incident date: Jun 4, 2024
My blue Ford Escape has paint peeling near the left and right edge of the windshield area. This was first noticed in 2022. As of 2024, more paint is peeling.
Incident date: May 28, 2022
While driving at a freeway speed of 70mph, my panoramic sunroof basically exploded raining glass everywhere. It sounded like a shotgun blast. There was zero indication of an outside object hitting it. The damage was so extensive it would have to have taken a fairly large object to cause this. It also seemed to have blown the glass outward, which indicates to me that there was some faulty component... Read more
Incident date: Jun 7, 2024
On May 5, 2024 three passengers were locked in the rear seat of the vehicle. The door lock button in the car would not unlock the rear passenger doors, nor would the remote, nor would trying to open the door with the handle. Approximately 1.5 hours later, the rear doors unlocked. However, the rear passenger overhead lights would not turn off.
Incident date: May 23, 2024
On [XXX] at approximately 1230 pm my husband loaded my [XXX] child into the car. He shut the door then tried to open the driver site door. At that time the inside the car was 93 degrees. The car shut off. Telsa customer support was contacted multiple times. My husband expressed the urgency multiple times that there was a child under [XXX] who was stuck. There was no urgency with Telsa. We w... Read more
MINI
COOPER COUNTRYMAN
(2013) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Jun 6, 2024
Incident date: Mar 25, 2024
The problem started with fog lights blinking on and off while the car was off. As I entered the vehicle I noticed a pool of water on the floor bed. The car has a sunroof which was closed at the time, as well as all of the windows - water came in from somewhere else. I proceeded to turn on the car to see what was happening and the car did not turn on. I thought maybe the battery is dead - tried to ... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2024
Door latch keeps falling have to roll down the window to open the door from the outside
Incident date: Jun 3, 2024
Major potential for deadly fire or explosion. Fuel tank strapped failed after forward strap bolt fell out of threaded cross member where fastened in frame. The failure led to the fuel tank hanging inches off the ground on the freeway stressing fuel pump lines to forward upper tank. Metal grinding noises heard to prompt roadside inspection confirming hanging, unsecured tank full of 26gal of diesel.... Read more