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 114,844 complaints — component: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Incident date: May 21, 2026
Subaru’s infotainment system and GPS system has advertising pop ups which cover the map while driving. This has happened multiple times and it is incredibly distracting and dangerous. There is no way to opt out.
Incident date: May 21, 2026
The vehicle experienced a sudden, catastrophic brake-by-wire system failure while operating in one-pedal driving (Regeneration Boost mode). While decelerating at a low speed behind an 18-wheeler semi-truck, the vehicle failed to continue slowing down. I immediately depressed the physical brake pedal, but the vehicle completely ignored the foot pressure. The pedal and braking system became complete... Read more
Crash
Incident date: May 22, 2026
Rain water leaking into the parked vehicle on the driver and passenger seat belts, potentially weakening the belts and creating odor.
Incident date: Feb 14, 2026
February 14 early afternoon the car was just acting funny like I didn’t wanna go started jerking I pulled over on I-95 where the car continue to jerk and act funny so I cut the car off. Try to cut it back on and it wouldn’t crank up all the way, so I had to get the car to back to my address where I had a old mechanic come out to inspect with the problem. Engine light came on through some codes... Read more
Incident date: Nov 22, 2025
The oil filter housing failed and needed to be replaced due to be leaking coolant.. after changed that the failure of the water pump started to failed and engine started to spike high temperatures..
Incident date: May 16, 2026
The panoramic sunroof/front movable glass panel on my Hyundai Sonata N Line appeared to spontaneously shatter while driving on the highway. Weather conditions were clear and normal at the time of the incident. There was no traffic around the vehicle, no bridges or overhead objects nearby, and I did not observe any object strike the roof before the glass failed. The vehicle has approximately 20,00... Read more
Incident date: Apr 29, 2026
My parked, unoccupied 2013 Hyundai Accent spontaneously caught fire while turned off in my driveway. This vehicle is included in Hyundai Safety Recall 251 (NHTSA Campaign Number 23V651000) for a defective Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module that causes an electrical short circuit and engine compartment fires when parked. The local fire department responded to extinguish the blaze. The vehicle is a... Read more
Fire
Incident date: May 13, 2026
The vehicle just shut down as I exited. The power and gas pressure decreased. Pulled over to see if my hybrid battery was defective or drained. It wasn’t. A notification popped up and said “Hybrid Control System or Low Voltage DC/DC Converter, Contact dealer for service. Finally got it towed to Kia of Valencia the next day and they said it was “Hydraulic Clutch Actuator” and they want cha... Read more
Incident date: May 17, 2026
I am filing a safety complaint regarding my 2023 Nissan Ariya involving an apparent failure of the 12-volt battery and/or electrical system. While parked overnight in my driveway, powered off, and not plugged in nor charging, the front battery/engine compartment began sizzling, overheating, and producing smoke. The heat caused internal damage and disabled the vehicle. This created a serious fire ... Read more
Incident date: May 7, 2025
Vehicle: 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe, VIN [XXX] , exterior Quartz White Pearl. Component: Exterior factory paint (paint/trim). Complaint: This vehicle exhibits a systemic, progressive factory paint defect — excessive peeling and bubbling of the white finish that spreads from one body panel to the next. This is a known defect across this vehicle generation; Hyundai acknowledged it by issuing Warranty... Read more
Incident date: May 19, 2026
While driving normally, my 2025 Honda Prologue experienced an immediate, catastrophic mechanical and electronic failure in both the steering and braking systems. The steering wheel completely locked up/failed to respond, and the brakes became completely non-functional simultaneously, causing an absolute loss of control of the vehicle. Due to this sudden system failure, the vehicle veered off cours... Read more
Crash
Incident date: May 21, 2026
Full screen ads inhibiting, stopping, and blockingfunctionality unless interacted with from a third party service that was forcibly installed by dealership/manufacturer
Incident date: May 15, 2026
My 2019 BMW X3 equipped with a B46 engine developed a significant coolant leak at approximately 80,000 miles. The vehicle displayed a low coolant warning, and coolant was visibly leaking underneath the vehicle. Around the same time, I began noticing excessive white exhaust/steam during cold starts and, for the first time since owning the vehicle, had to add engine oil between scheduled oil changes... Read more
DODGE
GRAND CARAVAN
(2018) — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 21, 2026
Incident date: May 10, 2026
My rear passenger slide door has recently started buzzing when you press the unlock button. The lock itself will not move so it is not locking. We tried to get this fixed at our local dealership, they told us that it was under the 10y/100k miles warranty, we have 66k on the van. They then told us that they would have to remove a trim piece and they would break it and we would have to pay for it. T... Read more
Incident date: Jul 30, 2025
The evaporator for the air conditioning failed. BMW used an aluminum evaporator with yf coolant. Those combined cause the coolant to eat away the evaporator. Once the yf comes in contact to the air it turns toxic. This shouldn't fail at 82,000 miles.
Incident date: Feb 18, 2026
My 2026 Hyundai Tucson is experiencing a stuck update loop for the 2nd time since I purchased it new from a Hyundai dealer on February 2, 2026. The first stuck update occurred about Feb 18, 2026. A case was opened with Bluelink and it was taken to the deal for diagnosis on March 26, 2026. The update loop was cleared by the dealer’s service department in mid April. The second stuck update occurre... Read more
Incident date: Apr 10, 2026
My car will not shut off when shifted into park. I get a shift into park message.
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
When I put the shifter to park, it still dings and tells me "shift to park" and I struggle to make it go away and to be able to make it stop and be able to lock the car. It happens every time I drive it. Thank you
Incident date: May 20, 2026
2024 BMW X1 xDrive, 8000 miles, original tires. Front right tire wear to 2.7mm, front left tire wear to 4mm, and rear tires wear to 5mm. AWD vehicle where fronts should not be significantly outpacing rear wear. Left-right asymmetry on front axle suggests alignment issue. Dealer and BWM North America refused in investigation and call it normal. Requesting NHTSA agent review and case escalation.
MERCEDES-BENZ
GL450
(2013) — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 21, 2026
Incident date: Dec 23, 2025
I bought the vehicle with 104k miles. When hooked to a computer it shows 177k. The odometer was tampered with
Incident date: May 14, 2026
our car eats a ton of oil and the piston rings failed, we owe a lot on it and I'm told there is no help for this issue even though there used to be because we are outside the guidelines in terms of mileage and purchase date. our car has 156k its a 2012 MDX. VIN [XXX] . Just checking with everyone everywhere to make sure I've exhausted all resources as it will take 13,000 to fix and we owe 12,000. ... Read more
TOYOTA
RAV4 HYBRID
(2026) — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 21, 2026
Incident date: May 11, 2026
While driving on the freeway, I heard a loud explosive sound and pulled over to inspect my car. I found the panoramic sunroof glass shattered, but there were no signs of impact or objects hitting the vehicle. Mike Calvert Toyota inspected the car and denied warranty coverage, claiming impact damage despite no evidence. They advised us to contact insurance, but we believe this is spontaneous shatte... Read more
Incident date: May 17, 2026
my vehicle has had a recall since November 2024 For the HCU/ABS module that falsely reads pressure in the primary circuit may illuminate the brake lights (up to 4.5 mph), disable the ABS and Electronic Stability Control (ESC), and allow the vehicle to start and shift out of park without the brake pedal being depressed. Well back in November 2025 i had to pay for towing twice and have it in service... Read more
Incident date: Mar 14, 2026
We recently bought a used 2025 Subaru forester with 5000 miles on odometer from a dealer. Subsequently we are experiencing respiratory irritation. We question if the car had been in a flood or some other accident that compromised the a/c system. We wonder if the dealer concealed something or has not reported the problem. We suspect black mold may be in the a/c system.
Incident date: Feb 6, 2026
UNKNOWN On just a regular day the vehicle stop showing on the screen the camera to back up , and glitching . The whole screen went out slowly by slowly . One day the screen lights up and you can see camera to warn you on cars and the next it doesn’t show anything on screen and it turns black . You can’t even read the temperature either because the screen blacks out or starts glitching really... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2026
While driving, the sunroof glass of the vehicle exploded/shattered with no known trigger, force or debris striking the glass. At the time no risk to myself as the sunroof shade was closed. I am in the process of getting this inspected and repaired.
Incident date: Jan 1, 2024
The infotainment/radio system in this 2021 Jeep Renegade has been malfunctioning for nearly two years. The dealership repeatedly states that no replacement parts are available and no repair can currently be performed. The system intermittently fails, freezes, reboots, or goes blank. When this occurs, the rear backup camera becomes unavailable or nonfunctional, creating a significant safety concern... Read more
Incident date: May 21, 2026
Driving SB on I-35 in Texas, going 70 MPH, no trucks or other cars passing, or following behind and the sunroof glass exploded. Nothing hit it. The screen was closed, so no glass fell down into the vehicle interior.
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE L
(2021) — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 21, 2026
Incident date: Sep 1, 2024
THE PASSENGER DOOR DOES NOT ALERT WHEN OPENING OR CLOSE . THE TBM MODULE DOES NOT UPDATE CAUSING A FEE OF $198.95
Incident date: Apr 23, 2026
I was driving on the highway at 70 mph approximately with my young daughter in the backseat. All of a sudden, the front display on my Hyundai Ioniq 9 went completely black and said "no signal." I lost all dashboard information about my speed, gas gauge, horsepower etc. The only thing I could do was see how fast I was going because I was on google maps and my audiovisual screen in the center was s... Read more
Incident date: May 21, 2026
Got oil changed and they found frame is rusted out. Called Toyota corp and they said they sent a notice to have it looked at on 04/12/2020 but we never received anything. This truck has always been garaged and we bought it new and has only 78148 miles. They refused to do anything.
TOYOTA
COROLLA MATRIX
(2005) — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 21, 2026
Incident date: May 4, 2012
These are the Dealers notes: ~INSPECTION ONLY HAS NEW PART NUMBER. This is the current SKU installed in my vehicle: 28113693 89661-02K41 Does this Part ECM require remedy?
Incident date: May 20, 2026
We brought the car to the dealer yesterday (where we bought it in Jan 2021), to have the air conditioning fixed. They told us they found rust on the frame and that it would not pass inspection again. It had been inspected there in February, 2026. At that time, we told them about a vibration and they said it was ice build up. But yesterday, they told us the linkage in the driveshaft needs to be r... Read more
Incident date: Mar 19, 2026
I received a recall notice on 3/19/2026 which stated my 2023 Palisade failed to meet safety standards due to "ejection mitigation." I called Hyundai directly for information after the dealership I purchased the car from had no information for me. Hyundai's customer service representative told me the third row was not safe for occupants and that I should not use it because in a roll over it could ... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ID.4
(2024) — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 21, 2026
Incident date: May 13, 2026
Recall 91VH causes some cars to break carnet modules and other modules. If you google the issues, you will find that Recall 91VH (5.4.3) causes multiple cars to break. We should not have to appeal and plead with VW on a 2 year old vehicle to get it fixed. This puts saftey at risk as it causes multiple malfunctions and warning lamps to appear. The dealer says to replace the module, but VW denies th... Read more
Incident date: Mar 6, 2023
My 2022 Honda Accord Infotainment have what is being referred to as "Ghost Touches" the screen very erratically switches between settings in the system, clear programmed data, and adjust the radio and volume without being touched. This has been a major distraction while driving and pose has huge safety risk for myself and put others at risks for accidents. I have had several near misses because of... Read more
Incident date: May 20, 2026
Attached is a photo of the lower driver-side knee bolster/under-dash panel after it detached while I was driving. The panel dropped directly into the pedal area and interfered with normal foot access to the brake and accelerator pedals. Given that no broken attachment points or damaged clips were reportedly identified, I am requesting a formal review of both the safety concern and the handling of... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2026) — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 21, 2026
Incident date: May 12, 2026
OnStar Super Cruise, while using super cruise the vehicle tried to change lanes with another vehicle in the other lane. I had to fiscally override the super cruise to prevent an accident. This happened on three separate occasions.
TOYOTA
CAMRY HYBRID
(2026) — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 20, 2026
Incident date: Apr 21, 2026
Clicking/ticking noise coming from the top of the B-pillar (driver’s side). consistent ticking or clicking sound that sounds like it’s coming from behind the trim near the seatbelt anchor or roofline area. It’s not just a little vibration — it’s a loud tick or click; not a vibration sound. it seems like it might be inside the B-pillar or at the headliner edge where it meets the pillar
Incident date: Mar 17, 2026
I have had two safety issues with this vehicle where there were system failures that did not record DTC codes. And an additional failure that does not record codes and cannot be duplicated. After leasing the vehicle for seventeen months, and during repair for an unrelated non-safety issue, it was discovered that the steering wheel airbag had a loose connection. No warning appeared at any time on t... Read more
Crash
Incident date: May 17, 2024
I have had “safety system restraints service is required “ as a warning four different times. Took my car in to a Tesla Service Center all 4 times & each time the repair only lasts about 6 months & it comes up again. For the 5th time I am going to the Tesla Service Center in Little Rock, AR. This time I will have to pay because my warranty is up. It is not fair & I want some remuneration or a ... Read more
Incident date: May 19, 2026
The vehicle has experienced premature factory paint and clear coat delamination across the main roof panel structure. This is not cosmetic weathering; it is a latent factory application defect where the clear coat chemically failed to bond to the substrate. The resulting delamination has left raw structural metal exposed, leading to rapid substrate oxidation and structural degradation of the roof ... Read more
Incident date: May 16, 2026
Driving at 70 mph down a clear stretch of highway, no cars in front, panoramic sunroof spontaneously exploded. Not under an overpass, no flying debris. Temperature was 54 degrees F. on a sunny day. The vehicles behind me pulled back as my sunroof showered them. Wife and daughter in vehicle, fortunately, the panoramic shade was closed, so no debris impacted anyone. As it’s visible on the pictures... Read more
Incident date: Apr 9, 2026
There is considerable rust to the point that the subframe has been structurally compromised. I also contacted Audi USA regarding this issue, but they advised that they could not provide any assistance and closed my case. I was instructed to have the vehicle inspected and see what the dealer could do. I have videos and photos documenting the compromised subframe which many Audi Q5 owners have been ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 12, 2025
The infotainment screen blacks out completely and sporadically, but as of recent, almost daily. Sometimes for about 3-5 minutes. When this happens, the rearview backup camera is completely disabled, creating a blind-spot safety hazard, violating Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 111. This issue directly impacts back over prevention and driver visibility. I have multiple videos of this occurri... Read more
Incident date: May 20, 2026
* See list below for specifics - yes vehicle is available at mechanics location * 6 lane intersection - vehicle and myself were in center lane blocking traffic - made 911 call requesting officer since I was blocking traffic * See below for detailed description * No at this particular time, it is at the mechanic's shop for further investigation - shop was closed by the time the tow truck carried th... Read more
Incident date: Nov 5, 2021
Complaint Regarding 2018 Honda HR-V AWD – Air Conditioning Failure, Odometer Malfunction, and Prior Fuel Pump Replacement. I am filing a complaint regarding my 2018 Honda HR-V AWD due to ongoing mechanical and electrical issues that appear to affect many Honda HR-V owners. The primary issue is the air conditioning system, which has not been functioning consistently. The A/C repeatedly fails to... Read more
TESLA
CYBERTRUCK
(2024) — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 20, 2026
Incident date: May 20, 2026
I am submitting a safety complaint regarding the rear visibility system on my Tesla Cybertruck. The physical rear view mirror does not provide any usable visibility of the roadway behind the vehicle. The design of the rear window and cargo area blocks the view, which makes the mirror ineffective for its intended safety function. Because the physical mirror cannot be used, the driver must rely on ... Read more
Incident date: May 20, 2026
The A! Sign comes on to immediately stop because the van will shut off.