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: Apr 29, 2024
I put my 18 month old into the van and closed the door with no issue using the button above the front center console. We drove to the elementary school to pick up my daughter and back. The car stayed on the entire time, and the trip there and back took about 20 minutes. When we returned I pressed both buttons for both sliding doors, and only the right side opened. When I went to open the door manu... Read more
Incident date: Apr 29, 2024
The spot weld on my driver's side door looks like it broke where the hinge is attached to the door. It's going to totally break.
Incident date: Apr 27, 2024
Swing arm hinge spot weld has broken loose. Cannot roll the window down, hard to shut.
Incident date: Apr 6, 2024
I purchased this vehicle a little less than two months ago… this vehicle is babied and I make sure to stay on top of everything possible as it’s a primary transportation to bring my toddler to his many appointments. While operating on the highway, everything was smooth sailing as expected, until I heard a noise. I glanced in the rear view mirror to see a part flying off of the car and collidin... Read more
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2021) — STRUCTURE:BODY
May 2, 2024
Incident date: Apr 21, 2024
My brakes stop working anytime I drive over lose gravel and brake or over speed bumps. It will vibrate. And skid. I have taken it in 5 times and they said it’s normal I owned 5 cars and none of them are like this.
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2014) — STRUCTURE:BODY
May 2, 2024
Incident date: May 1, 2024
I bought truck brand new one week later the tailgate opened while driving and hit the trailer and destroyed the tailgate. So I bought a brand New tailgate and repaired truck. Few months ago it happened again all my tools flew out into the highway almost caused a major accident and destroyed my saw and tools got thrown all over the road. Last week it opened again and destroyed the new tailgate I ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2023
I was driving doing 55mph on the highway and the hood came lose and flopped back covering my windshield. Luckily there was nobody too close to me I and was able to avoid a collision.
Incident date: May 1, 2023
Starting in about 2019, the exterior black panel behind the rear right mirror began peeling. Soon, the blue exterior paint on the car began to show damaged spots, lining up with the parts of the car most exposed to the sun: the roof most of all, but the top panel behind the rear window and the top of the trunk showing signs of damage as well. The beginnings of this damage are also appearing on a c... Read more
Incident date: Apr 24, 2024
Front driver door spot welds failed. Ability to open drivers door and window affected. Took to repair shop that told me the welds opening and closing the door all failed. No message or warning, or symptoms prior to failure.
Incident date: Apr 22, 2024
Rear bumper fell off trailer in January of 2024. Trailer is unusable at this time. bumper contains all the lights for rear of trailer. Also bumper stops ( provides protection against cars going under trailer in the events of an accident) under carriage damage. Trailer has been at an authorized dealer since January. Norstar is aware of bumper issues and has notified dealers of such. Our payments on... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2024
My vehicle has not repaired. I have not been in an accident. However there are two open safety recalls for my car and I am terrified that myself or someone else is going to be injured or even killed due to this problem has yet to be resolved. The first recall for my car is the headliner plates. I took my car into my local dealership (Stokes Kia of Goose Creek) and they told me it would take 10 bus... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2024
While driving, the roof top trip came off. There was a recall for this problem in 2020 but mine was not part of the recall. Yet the problem was the same and Tesla will not honor their manufacturing defect and repair it.
Incident date: Oct 17, 2023
The rear sliding window leaks water inside the cab every time it rains. With water getting into the cab the issue of mold has begun and that could be a serious factor to any children or adults that ride inside the cab of the truck. There is also rust issues that are notable under the rear seats of the vehicle. Water inside the cab can also interact negatively with any electrical components of the ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 11, 2023
My car just stopped working, it was towed to a local Lokey Nissan in Clearwater FL where it was purchased. Since it was a defect Lokey Nissan sent it to Lokey KIA in Clearwater FL. Lokey KIA stated the gas can had expanded and also caused damage to the frame and the cost to repair was more than the value of the car so they sent it up to Corporate for further instruction. This was 6 weeks ago. No... Read more
Incident date: Apr 30, 2024
I backed out of a parking space, put my foot on the brake and shifted into Drive to finish maneuvering out of the space. Although I didn't remove my foot from the brake, my Forester immediately accelerated at extremely high speed, striking the two cars parked next to me, and seriously damaging both. Rather than slowing down after hitting the other two vehicles, my car continued to speed up, only c... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Apr 20, 2024
Front windshield randomly cracked, with number and size of cracks growing as vehicle is driven. Cracked windshield is not a result of any rocks or debris strikes.
Incident date: May 1, 2024
The driver and passenger only open all the way now. When the doors are opened it sounds like they are breaking or going to fall off. It is the mechanism that holds the door to the car when the doors are open.
Incident date: Jan 10, 2024
The harness that controls the lift gate is malfunctioning. It’s an issue from the previous recall that has reproduced results. The only way to fix it is to disconnect and connect the safety pins by the foot panel on the drivers side door. Over time it has progressively gotten worse to the point that anytime it opens, it’ll need to be disconnected and then connected before the next time you use... Read more
Incident date: Jan 10, 2024
Door makes a loud clanging noise when open and does not stay open
Incident date: Aug 25, 2023
Gas tank bracket rotted. Strap is unattached.
Incident date: Apr 15, 2024
So i was using my car daily for go to work and I was on the highway and they happened a accident in front of me so I have to slow down due to the accident i was going 70 miles per hour and when made a hard break my car turn sideways due to the rear subframe was broke and I dint even notice that the part was rotten they i start looking online and I noticed that the majority of those car come with t... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2024
On February 27 2024 I had spend 2300 dollars on car repairs see enclosed then on April 11 2024 while backing out of my driveway, I experienced a sudden acceleration of my vehicle which led to body damage to my car yet Toyota after inspection says that now the car system works perfectly. Prior to this incident I experienced warning light and windshield wiper malfunction .
Crash
1 injured
FORD
MAVERICK HYBRID
(2022) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Apr 30, 2024
Incident date: Apr 30, 2024
The car door handle did not extrude itself despite being unlocked. A child was in the car, in the middle of the day, and I was unable to open the door to retrieve the child. If my wife was not in the car to open it from the inside, we could have had a fatal situation on our hands. There have been numerous situations where the car would also fail to unlock randomly.
Incident date: Apr 15, 2024
In October 2024, my truck's frame exhibited significant rust, a defect that aligns precisely with a previous recall on this model. The rust has spread to critical parts, making the vehicle unsafe to drive. This directly threatens the safety of my son, who relies on this truck for transportation. The rust compromises the frame's integrity, risking structural failure and potential loss of vehicle co... Read more
Incident date: Apr 17, 2024
At higher speeds the hood shakes and bounces up and down. I have adjusted the hood bumper stops but to no avail. I have to slow down as a result so I don't damage the hood.
Incident date: Mar 28, 2024
Passenger door panel fell off on the freeway. It was on with adhesive tape and 3 small clips. Bottom clip was still in the door, the other two pulled out when it blew off.
Incident date: Apr 29, 2024
My vehicle was part of a recall and Acura extended warranty protection for the paint between the windshield and sunroof. This was a manufacturer defect with the paint when the car was made. It did not happen to my car until October 2023 and Acura will not fix the paint due to end of the warranty extension that was issued by NHTSA. I was told to contact you from Acura corporate. They said the regul... Read more
Incident date: Jan 2, 2024
The car was purchased new in July 2023. On or about [XXX], while the car was parked the front license plate holder separated suddenly and unexpectedly from the front bumper of the car and fell to the ground. Incidental to the failure of the front license plate holder, the separation of the holder caused damage to the front bumper. There was no external force applied to the front license plate h... Read more
Incident date: Apr 21, 2023
Both Drivers and Passenger doors won't unlock or open without significant' force. This only occurs sometimes but has happened many times over the last year. I have had witnesses (son's) in the car when this happens. It seems like the door locking solenoid is holding the doors locked and both pulling the handle and tryin to flip the unlock switch are difficult. The risk here is in a crash or fi... Read more
Incident date: Apr 25, 2024
Bumper loose, No A/C only for first day! Car shakes at stop. Low power when pressing gas peddle.
Incident date: Apr 29, 2024
Regarding my 2020 Jeep Gladiator. Rear Window Cracks Around Rear Glass Frame. On [XXX], I took my Gladiator to Jeep dealership to repair leak in roof that wasn't covered under warranty. It was in the seal of the roof panels which they said many Gladiators are experiencing. Paid $402 out of pocket to have those seals repaired. At that service visit, the service attendant advised me that they are a... Read more
Incident date: Apr 3, 2024
Was heading home from SoCal. Started charging the car at Kettleman... Opened the falcon doors to let the kids out and CRUNCH!!! 3 glass panels started cracking. All 3 panels are cracked and broken just by opening the doors. [XXX]. Nothing was on top blocking anything... no twigs, no debris... nothing. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Incident date: Jan 25, 2024
This is a white Toyota where the paint is peeling on both sides of the windshield and the top of the trunk. This is a known issue with certain white Toyotas.
Incident date: Apr 29, 2024
After buying this trailer brand new, we took it on our first out of state trip. We drove from Minnesota to South Carolina roughly 1000 miles. In the location of the front kitchen slide out there is now a crack forming diagonally from the lower corner of the outside of the slide out. After doing research we learned this is what shows on the outside of the fiberglass when aluminum frame welds are br... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLE 350
(2021) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Apr 29, 2024
Incident date: Apr 28, 2024
On Thursday, [XXX], I called Mercedes Benz of Naperville at 7:23 AM, 12:34 PM and missed the call 3:03 PM. I reported Sandy in service on Thursday morning. That I smelt a burning plastic smell on Wednesday afternoon at 2:30PM. While picking up my grandchildren from their schools. I came home and parked my car. Later on, Wednesday night My Daughter drove my car and then told me. My car smelt o... Read more
Fire
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLE 350
(2021) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Apr 29, 2024
Incident date: Apr 28, 2024
I have owned this F-150 since new and most of its life it has been stored indoors. Recently I noted that any time the vehicle is driven in the rain or left outside while it rains, the rear corners of the cab leaks water. The source of that water is a failed seal surrounding the rear window, which I diagnosed in my shop after removing the headliner and other trim in order to observe the leaking wit... Read more
Incident date: Apr 9, 2024
I was driving very slowly in a long line of traffic due to a sudden downpour of hail, ice pellets, and frozen rain which blanketed the road in white. Suddenly, without warning, my 2016 Subaru Forester accelerated and veered to the right and into a grove of trees doing extensive damage to the front end. The vehicle was totaled by my insurance company. I suspect that there was sudden acceleratio... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Feb 16, 2024
The vehicle's tailgate stopped working and a series of distracting alerts repeatedly popped up on the instrument panel. Upon inspection, the liftgate control module had a significant amount of corrosion on the pins and on the circuit board itself, despite the surrounding area seeming dry. Replacement of the control module did not completely fix the problem because the connector pins are corroded a... Read more
COOPER
DISCOVERER AT3
(9999) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Apr 28, 2024
Incident date: Apr 26, 2024
My paint is delaminating all over my vehicle and is flying off in large sheets. My car now has metal exposed which is susceptible to rust which poses a risk to the structure of my vehicle and the potential of my windshield flying off as a result. This first started occurring less than 2 years after purchasing my vehicle in 2019. KIA fails to recognize this manufacturer defect and it continues to d... Read more
LAND ROVER
DEFENDER
(2023) — STRUCTURE:BODY
Apr 28, 2024
Incident date: Apr 27, 2024
Stress Crack under Kitchen slideout. Dealer told me this is common. I disagree
Incident date: Jan 16, 2024
My brother was driving his car on the highway and out of no where the sunroof literally exploded causing the glass to shatter on him and the front panel to detach from the vehicle. Swinging and hanging on the side of the car causing dents, scratches, and chips making this a safety hazard. Thank god my brother was able to safely merge over to the emergency lane without causing any accidents my brot... Read more
Incident date: Apr 24, 2024
The drivers door has a loud popping cracking like the door is going to break. It won’t shut properly. This is the 2020 escape.
Incident date: Apr 19, 2024
Flooding water is getting into car, trunk where the spare tire is kept. That whole portion is wet with water and it is affecting the electrical because it is getting wet.
Incident date: Apr 15, 2024
Driver front and passenger front door hinge making noise when opening. Dealer said a lot of people are having same issue but ford is only fixing ones when door falls off when weld completely breaks. Reported this to dealer on11/11/23 and was finally notified to bring in last week. Was called yesterday and was told not fixing at this time as was not safety issue yet! They said if door falls off it ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 12, 2024
Hvac system blows cold or hot air through defrost in any mode. Face , feet, no matter what. Makes it hard to see out windows.
Incident date: Apr 26, 2024
Hood shakes when driving at highway speed.
Incident date: Apr 20, 2024
More than 50% of the windows in this motor coach have either failed or are falling apart. One of the emergency egress windows blew completely out while traveling at high speed. The windows in question already have a safety recall, however this particular year for this motor coach is not included in the recall. Same bad windows, same part numbers, same manufacturer. SB RECALL 21V-52 2021-499 ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2023
The windshield cawl ( bottom piece that goes across windshield) has deteriorated. Making a whistling sound going down the road. I have already in December 2023 had to replace the A pillar trim and clips on driver side. Have talked to other explorer owners having the same issue. Thank you for your time
Incident date: Dec 1, 2023
The windshield cawl ( bottom piece that goes across windshield) has deteriorated. Making a whistling sound going down the road. I have already in December 2023 had to replace the A pillar trim and clips on driver side. Have talked to other explorer owners having the same issue. Thank you for your time
Incident date: Apr 26, 2024
Interior door panels are letting loose and detaching from frame. Seems seems to be rather unsafe with the side airbags and all. Many forums online from Dodge Charger owners with same issue on all (4) doors. We need help getting Dodge to recall this issue and help make it right. We are getting quotes of up to $3,500 to complete the repair and replace interior door panels.