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 49,170 complaints - component: SUSPENSION
Incident date: Apr 29, 2026
I've had a creaking noise in my back suspension since I bought the vehicle. Took it back to the dealership for inspection year after year and they said that my Springs were fine and they were not included in the recall. I come to find out that back coil springs or fractured and I've been driving on them for a while now because I guess everyone that has inspected my car has missed it at the dealers... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2022
Driving on straight road going speed limit. Heard a pop behind me like a tire pop. Car fish tailed uncontrollably and ended up crashing into a Ranch Fence on the right side of the road. 2 of my kids and myself had injuries. When we got off the vehicle witnesses and I saw A rear link broken which keeps the tires straight.
Crash
3 injured
Incident date: Mar 15, 2026
I am writing to formally file a complaint regarding the failure of Land Rover and its authorized dealership network to complete Safety Recall D019 involving the front suspension knuckle crack on my 2015 Range Rover Sport. I received the official recall notice in September 2025. The recall concerns a serious safety defect involving the front suspension system, which presents a substantial risk of ... Read more
Incident date: May 12, 2025
2025 Lexus TX350, approximately 27,000 miles. Vehicle exhibits rotational clicking/vibration from front drivetrain during acceleration while turning. Dealer is attributing issue to brake pad and rotor wear. Lexus TSB L-SB-0033-24 Rev1 documents a known front drive shaft assembly defect on this platform. TSB applicability check has not been performed. Requesting investigation into whether this defe... Read more
Incident date: Mar 13, 2026
Car aggressively shakes and steering wheel shakes / jerks itself side to side when accelerating. Getting worse with time. GMC has it as a known issue but has been for months. Problem is getting worse the more it is driven. GMC says it is “safe”.
Incident date: Apr 28, 2026
Vehicle brought to Tesla Service Plano TX for front-end rattle on bumpy roads at 49,951 miles. Technician found right front compliance arm split, left front compliance arm tearing, right front aft link starting to wear, left front aft link split at bushing, rear bolt for link loose, and opposite side nut separated from the subframe causing bolt to have zero tension. Tesla replaced entire front sub... Read more
Incident date: Apr 19, 2026
- While stopped at a stoplight, my family and I heard a loud bang from the rear of the vehicle. The rear was visibly sagging after this. I verified with my mechanic that the driver's side rear spring coil had broken. - A broken rear spring makes the vehicle more apt for rollover when stopping quickly and puts more strain on the shocks. Not safe to drive. - Not confirmed by the dealer as I was unwi... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ID.4
(2023) - SUSPENSION
May 11, 2026
Incident date: May 11, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that on several occasions at various speeds, when the vehicle went over bumps in the road, it shook more than usual. Additionally, when the vehicle was slowed down and the brake pedal was depressed, it took more effort to depress the pedal. The vehicle was taken for inspection, where it was determined that there was a steering suspension ... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2023) - SUSPENSION
May 11, 2026
Incident date: May 9, 2026
The contact owns a 2010 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while the contact's mother was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was erractically shaking. The vehicle was driven to the contact's mother's residence. The contact's mother contacted an independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed with a corroded trailing arm and rear suspension. The contact was informed that the trailing arm and ... Read more
Incident date: May 7, 2026
first incident rear defrost tab would come on and get so hot it was burning the rear glass. major fire risk burning the components, reported to dealer, dealer replaced glass and component, no warnings, owner reported "smelling something burning". fire fighter found burned glass and component which was then unplugged. 2nd- hub centric ring loose and causing noise rubbing inside of wheel. owner stat... Read more
Incident date: Apr 20, 2026
As per the Audi dealership inspection: Driver's-side rear coil spring is broken (also noted that the passenger-side spring is "swollen" and will need to be replaced). Appears to be a known issue; many complaints can be found online for the exact same issue (google 2017 Audi Q7 rear broken spring). The NHTSA issued a recall for a similar issue within the VW/Audi group for the VW Atlas (a similar ve... Read more
Incident date: Dec 31, 1969
The vehicle has been taken to Tesla multiple times due to ongoing controllability and safety concerns. The Autopilot system will occasionally brake unexpectedly at green lights or when another vehicle is passing on the right side. The vehicle has also experienced repeated drivetrain issues, including the half shafts failing at least four times within a short period. During acceleration, the vehic... Read more
Incident date: Mar 24, 2026
I am filing a safety complaint regarding a 2020 Lincoln Aviator Reserve VIN [XXX] involving recurring safety-related electrical and visibility concerns. The vehicle has experienced repeated service-related issues involving suspension systems, electrical inspections, camera/display concerns, and manufacturer customer satisfaction programs. Most significantly, the vehicle is subject to an active ... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2026
I have had this vehicle since about August 2025, the brakes and wheel bearings have failed twice, the strut failed, the power steering system has messed up repeatedly, the coolant came FLYING out of the car (while parked) FOR ABSOLUTELY NO REASON! There have been multiple warning lights on since I got the vehicle and I have been told they are just sensors from multiple mechanics and that they don'... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2026
Rear Subframe rust, sudden excessive suspension instability and excessive vibration while driving. A “recall” issue in UK but not the US ??
Incident date: Jan 31, 2024
When we brought it in for first oil change at the dealership ; when we got it back it had a broken axle which they tried to say we just needed new tires , after contacting service manager and he and I go for a ride in it they kept it for several weeks and put over 300 miles on it and got ford engineering involved to determine the cause was broken axle. It has been replaced again since then suppos... Read more
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
Driving at low speed, the control arm became unfastened from the frame and the front driver's side wheel collapsed into the frame of the car.
Incident date: Feb 19, 2026
The suspension module failed due to water accumulation on floorboards. Suspect other electronics may be at risk. Water ingress cause by a combination of what dealer said was a worn out sunroof gasket and two of four drains that became plugged. Further examination from dealer found the plugged drains were crimped from when the vehicle was manufactured. The dealer blamed the excessive water ingress ... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2026
This vehicle has major suspension issues containing the complete strut assembly, lower control arms, and strut yokes/forks, which can not be replaced due to the discontinuance of the vehicle and parts itself. Because of this the car cannot receive an alignment which cause the tires to be eaten up at a rapid rate. When going over a bump in the highway the steering column goes one way while the car ... Read more
Incident date: May 3, 2026
Coming to a stop sign or red light the car won’t accelerate or will go in traction control making it difficult to move or not accelerate. Had 2-3 fuel leaks this year also having problems to keep the car going sometimes the max speed it will go is 20-40 miles n won’t go up unless u keep letting it slow down slowly n then accelerating n even after that it won’t make it above 60-70 miles it us... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2026
Rear Suspension Dampers leaking prematurely which could cause unsafe driving issues.
Incident date: May 8, 2026
1.The USB port not working in the center console 2.Battery was draining and it was struggling to start, died at lights and barely turned back on 3. Door sensor on passenger side kept saying it was open when it wasnt 4. Air barely working 5. Wind sound whipping through the driver side 6. Raining in to the vehicle on the passenger side 7. Screen barely works, sometimes it takes forever to turn on ... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2026
I have a 2025 honda odyssey, I bought mine with 2 miles on it, it was rhe first vehicle ive owned that was new so we had something safe and reliable and this has been far from it. So far we have had 1.The USB port not working in the center console 2.Battery was draining and it was struggling to start, died at lights and barely turned back on 3. Door sensor on passenger side kept saying it was o... Read more
Incident date: May 4, 2026
Car has airbag light on. The car keeps leaking which then caused damage to my spark plugs and coil pack. It then led to the O2 sensors being burned. It has been at the dealership multiple times within a 3-week time frame. The low fuel light comes on when it is on a full tank, then it begins to hesitate and the car lunges forward when at a complete stop. Tires act like they cannot keep traction whe... Read more
NISSAN
PATHFINDER
(2026) - SUSPENSION
May 9, 2026
Incident date: Apr 8, 2026
The front driver-side lower control arm bolt completely fell off the vehicle while in motion at 5pm in a parking lot. The failure caused the front suspension to immediately collapse, resulting in the front driver side of the vehicle dropping and resting directly on the wheel. The failure was witnessed and confirmed by the roadside assistance tow truck operator. The operator had to temporarily jack... Read more
Incident date: May 8, 2026
The vehicle has experienced recurring suspension, drivability, and pulling issues associated with the 4-corner air ride leveling suspension system since early ownership. The first major incident occurred at approximately 4,600 miles when the vehicle displayed suspension warnings and would not accelerate properly past highway speeds. Since that time, the vehicle has repeatedly experienced pulling d... Read more
Incident date: Apr 30, 2026
Driver side rear control arm broke in half propagating along what appears to be a weld seam line for this hollow aluminum suspension part. It is incredible that a critical safety component holding a 5,000 pound curb weight vehicle was allowed on the car. The potential situation of a complete lower control arm break while driving at highway speeds is beyond imagining. Not only would such a situa... Read more
Incident date: May 3, 2026
I was driving in Topanga Canyon, heard a loud clang. Noticed the steering was off, so pulled over. The front lateral links had failed and it took me 6 hours to get a tow. Had I been at freeway speeds when that happened, I may have crashed and not been able to pull over safely as I was headed towards the 101 freeway before the links failed. Upon researching this, I found online this is a common i... Read more
Incident date: May 4, 2026
The control arms on all make and models of tesla have a horrible design that all water off of the car flows down the sides of the front hood and down onto the control arm bushing. This could be a simple fix for tesla to out a boot on it to cover the bushing. The control arms start to fail at any given time. This is costing owners thousands of dollars. I have had to had them replace once under warr... Read more
Incident date: May 3, 2026
Rear axle joint degraded, the vehicle cannot steer smoothly, indicator shows AWD temporarily disabled; large vibrations and unsafe to drive. In the end the vehicle was having troubles turning directions.
Incident date: May 31, 2025
in beginning of January of 2026 my vehicle had lifter issues. Brought it to Chevrolet Group 1 in Spring Texas. Three weeks without transportation. Beginning of February the vehicle stopped in the middle of the feeder. Vehicle lights up but goes dark for five seconds and will not start. Had it towed back to the same dealership and told it was the battery cable that needs to be replaced. Three weeks... Read more
Incident date: May 8, 2026
Please consider opening or expanding an investigation into frame, underbody, brake-line, and suspension-mount corrosion affecting Toyota FJ Cruisers. I own a 2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser 4WD. A professional inspection found multiple fluid leaks, heavy rust, rusted exhaust, leaking rear shocks, and brake line/hose concerns. After reviewing the condition, the mechanic essentially declined to repair it and... Read more
Incident date: May 8, 2026
Rear shock absorbers failed with only 8009 miles on vehicle
Incident date: May 7, 2026
when towing the rear end bounce you in on coming lanes! I saw oil on shock took to dealer they fought me on replacing it then they said they will replace 1 and want to send me down the road 1/2 fixed ! No dealer will replace 1 always in pairs because it will cause un even braking and safety issues ! This was at Auburn jeep [XXX] ! If they do this type of work jeperdizing peoples safety they shou... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2026
The contact's daughter owns a 2020 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, an abnormal, squeaking sound would emit from the vehicle without warning. The contact called the service center where they gave the contact an estimate for a diagnostic. The contact was also informed that the vehicle may be covered under a goodwill warranty. The vehicle several parts of the f... Read more
Incident date: Apr 13, 2026
Vehicle was determined to be unsafe to operate per inspection performed by Mike Maroone Chevrolet on 8/26/24 immediately after I purchased from Rocky Mountain Auto Brokers in Colorado Springs on 8/8/26. It was discovered by customer immediately after sale that bank 2 catalytic converter was restricted internally (after Rocky Mountain failed to correctly diagnose and repair 3 times before and after... Read more
Incident date: May 7, 2026
My 2019 Dodge Durango R/T began experiencing drivetrain and warning system issues after collision/body repairs were completed by a repair facility. The original repair work involved suspension/body-related repairs and did not originally include documented transfer case or internal drivetrain damage. At the time I picked the vehicle up from the repair facility, the tire pressure monitoring system ... Read more
Incident date: May 4, 2026
The vehicle experiences major engine performance issues following a replacement engine installation (approximately 8,000 miles on the new engine). Additionally, the catalytic converter is malfunctioning, the steering exhibits significant pulsation during braking, and the suspension system is malfunctioning. These combined defects create an unsafe driving condition and pose a serious risk to the dr... Read more
Incident date: May 7, 2026
Frame is rusted to the point of failure
Incident date: May 6, 2026
My steering feels loose and truck doesn't sways and wanders. It wasn't that way when I got it and I only put like 20000 miles on it. It shouldn't be having these issues. Other models 23-24 have a recall for this same issue.
Incident date: Mar 9, 2026
During acceleration from 40-60 miles per hour, there was a pronounced vibration/shudder through the front end of the vehicle. After taking it to the dealership, they advised both front axles would need to be replaced. The catastrophic failure of an axle is likely to cause a car crash. The problem has been identified by Ford Motor Company and also confirmed by the Ford Dealership where I got it ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 5, 2026
I was slowly turning left into an alley when I heard a loud noise, the front of my car dropped, and the car immediately stopped and was immovable. Upon getting out of the car, it appears some joint separated from the wheel.
Incident date: May 7, 2026
Suspension and wheels do not stay aligned even after 7 attempts by Honda dealers to reset and realign. Suspension always jumps out of alignment.
Incident date: Mar 20, 2026
I have experienced a persistent steering and suspension-related issue with my 2019 Toyota 4Runner since early ownership, beginning at approximately 6,800 miles. The vehicle repeatedly pulls/drifts to the right at highway speeds and requires constant steering correction. I have also experienced steering wheel vibration and instability, particularly at speeds above approximately 50–60 MPH. Over s... Read more
Incident date: May 3, 2026
Engine is burning a tremendous amount of motor oil. Dealer does acknowledge engine is burning oil. No warning lights on. Told burning motor oil is normal for a hyundai engine. Engine can seize during driving with no warning and is a safety issue. Front struts are also failing. No warning and is a safety issue: Currently trying to get dealer to cover defective components under warranty. Nothing has... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2026
I noticed that my front tires were showing abnormal wear on the outer edge of both driver and passenger side front tires. I would also hear a loud popping/thumping/grinding noise coming from front tires when I would back up and then have to turn my tires to move the car to leave a parking spot, etc. The tire pressure warning light will come on and off randomly. I have checked my tire pressure an... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
On a side street approximately 1/4 mile before we were going to enter a highway the car suddenly resisted motion substantially and I had to immediately pull to the side. I tried reverse and the resistance was higher, I put it back in forward and it released. However, I immediately but slowly headed for my service station 2 miles away. A warning message appeared just as I brought the car to a stop ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 12, 2026
Both rear coils for my rear suspension broke at the same time. There was a recall for the 2019 VW Atlas back in January 2019 for rear suspension coils due to breakage. My vehicle was purchased in July of 2019. My VIN is not listed with the prior recall however I find it odd that after 56,000 miles both of my rear coils break at the same time. My car is used to travel to and from work on local road... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2026
The vehicle experienced a failure involving the automatic transmission gear shift cable (recall AOC 2013–2016). The gear selector indicated the vehicle was in “Park,” but the transmission was not fully engaged in Park due to the defective shift cable/bushing. This created a significant safety risk, as the vehicle was capable of rolling unexpectedly after being placed in Park. This condition... Read more