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 117,775 complaints - component: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Incident date: Jan 9, 2026
CV joint clicking when turning about 1 month after purchasing the vehicle last year (vehicle purchased 1/4/25). Dealer is aware but said that there is no fix. Still clicking turning both left and right. False emergency breaking system--alerts when there is nothing in front of the car. Has suddenly stopped while driving twice, which is dangerous.
Incident date: Nov 22, 2025
Incident Date: [XXX] Vehicle: 2025 BMW X5 xDrive50e Issue: car fire On [XXX], while operating my 2025 BMW X5 xDrive50e (purchased new on [XXX]), a malfunction warning appeared on the infotainment screen. Immediately following this alert, the vehicle cabin filled rapidly with smoke. Upon stopping and exiting the vehicle, I observed flames coming from underneath the car. The fire quickly spread... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Feb 9, 2025
The vehicle just suddendenly shuts down when driven on the freeway, according to Tillery Chevrolet GMC the engine cracked and needed to replaced for total of $17,291.94
Incident date: Jan 4, 2026
It started with the oil. I constantly have to add oil. when it first started that’s what I was doing just adding oil. Then it got worse the engine light started to come on and it no longer gives me the low oil warning. I took it to the dealership and it was there for about three weeks. They said that the car needed a system update, they updated it and i took it home after that. Its been about a ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 18, 2025
Rear-end. The rear drivers side tire fell off while driving on a side street. With no noise or wobble or evidence of a problem. 2 days earlier my family and I were going 70 on an express way. Upon shops inspection the bearing was no longer working but wheel kept rolling, it egged out the housing of the axle shaft and heated up that point of axle and snapped the shaft at that spot. The picture will... Read more
Incident date: Jan 9, 2026
The front grille on my 2026 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy has developed visible deformation that appears consistent with heat damage or melting. The plastic behind and around the grille slats shows wavy, rippled distortion and texture changes. There is no evidence of impact damage, road debris, or external chemical exposure. The vehicle has approximately 2,000 miles and is only about 42 days old. T... Read more
Incident date: Dec 16, 2025
We continuously receive dashboard messaging related to this defect to replace the PTU. All lights illuminate near the shift knob, too. I'm scared I will lose motive power and cause a crash without warning or lose park function to cause injury. I received the Recall Letter a year ago in January 2025. I have checked with the dealer who sold us the Jeep and they say there isn't a fix for this. I unde... Read more
JEEP
WRANGLER 4XE
(2024) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jan 9, 2026
Incident date: Oct 13, 2025
Sunroof spontaneously exploded.
Incident date: Dec 26, 2025
I was told that my PTU needs replaced however since it did not throw the proper code it is not covered under the extended warranty that Jeep had out.
Incident date: Jun 22, 2021
Auto insurance company informed safety regulations due to recalls on this vehicle.
Incident date: Feb 10, 2023
Driver Attention Warning (DAW), "Consider Taking A Break", is coming on randomly, sometimes multiple times within a short driving distance. Has become a DISTRACTION instead of a SAFETY FEATURE! Cannot turn off or even turn down the sound. Even on "low" sound, still loud enough to wake up a sleeping passenger! Taken back to Kia dealer 3 times. They will do nothing because as they say" technician ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 4, 2024
My horn has been having problems on and off for the last year. It’s a 22 Hyundai Santa Fe. It is currently not working. Which is a safety hazard?
Incident date: Jan 8, 2026
transfer case AWD/xDrive system drivetrain components The dealer diagnosed a transfer case failure on the BMW X4 xDrive. Vehicle displayed drivetrain malfunction warning. Repair estimate exceeds $20,000. The vehicle has under 50,000 miles. The issue appears consistent with known xDrive transfer case complaints. The warning light came on on January 7, 2026, at approximately 6 pm.
KIA
SPORTAGE HYBRID
(2024) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jan 9, 2026
Incident date: Jan 8, 2026
When putting the car in reverse, the Backup Camera goes blank. This causes backing up out of a parking space to be hazardous because driver is unable to see around the end of the cars on either side. No inspection has taken place yet. No other warnings or messages.
Incident date: Mar 3, 2021
The roof molding strip has blown off on the freeway putting commuters at risk. This has happened on this vehicle type (discovery sport) for us, 3 times (2 on one vehicle and 1 on this VIN). With this part flying off on the freeway, other drivers swerve to miss it. I cannot stop on the freeway to retrieve it due to traffic and other driving at 60mph or more. We have met with the dealer on the other... Read more
Incident date: Sep 20, 2024
UNKNOWN, vehicle dash warnings advising front sensors were not working causing error messages. The vehicle was taken to the dealership for a recall and they advised the Right front Ultra Sonic Sensor also needed to be replaced. They alleged this was potentially caused by an unknown impact such as small rocks or bugs. The faulty sensor causes error messages on the dash and needed to be replaced. Th... Read more
Incident date: Jan 8, 2026
I was stopped waiting in line at a security gate. I was approximately 10 feet from the vehicle in front of me. A police officer started to walk between the vehicles. My foot was lightly on the brakes when suddenly the truck started surging forward. I immediately jammed as hard as I could on the brakes but my truck continued to move forward. I was forced to slam the shifter into park. There was a l... Read more
Incident date: Jul 15, 2024
Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to report a serious safety incident involving my Tesla Model Y (2026) licence plate : [XXX] that occurred on [XXX], at approximately [XXX]. While attempting to slowly park in a parking lot located at [XXX], East [XXX] and forcefully accelerated forward. I was performing a low-speed parking maneuver and did not intentionally press the accelerator. The vehicle... Read more
ALFA ROMEO
STELVIO
(2019) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jan 9, 2026
Incident date: Sep 9, 2025
The Instrument Cluster, the Speedometer and "NOW" the Odometer are not working--absolutely dead. "NOW" is in caps because to my surprise I noticed just recently that the Odometer is not working. In April 2021, after several weeks of waiting for the repairs to be finished, a Kia dealer, PEAK KIA in Colorado replaced the Instrument Cluster because of the faulty Speedometer. (This repair was done ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
I bought a car in Hyundai ELANTRA2024 at drivers Mart in Orlando, Florida. About a month after I bought the car I brought it back for something to service dealership area and let them know that the paint was coming off my car. I did notice that there was a tiny little spot that someone putcover paint about a half inch to an inch. The service people the dealership told me that there was a known cl... Read more
Incident date: Dec 5, 2025
I own a Kia 2026 EV9. We charged the car to 80% (we have reduced the limit to only 80%). The next morning there was no power to the car. The interior lights would not come on door handles would not work. I could not start the vehicle. I read on line of the 12v battery dying and ICCU failures. I charged the battery for 1.5 hours and was able to get the car to start. I immediately drove it to... Read more
Incident date: Dec 22, 2025
While driving the moving vehicle on 3 occasions my vehicle has stalled out with me driving it, however there is a recall online for the same year, make and model of my vehicle for the same exact problems I am experiencing and I am being told that there are no recalls for my VIN. This is a problem since (let me repeat myself) online a recall for same year, make and model experiencing the exact pro... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2019) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jan 9, 2026
Incident date: Jun 1, 2025
While nissan Rogue 2025 was sitting in my driveway with car running and loading my car to leave for work on 11/27/25 , the rear windshield spontaneously crackled and shattered from one corner to the other after closing a side door . Glass was everyplace in my vehicle my driveway and down into the rear hatch frame. Nissan dealership and nissan corporate took no responsibility for the defect , ca... Read more
Incident date: Dec 13, 2025
While driving on I-26 at 60 MPH at approximately 2PM on 01/08/2026 the sunroof exploded. It was not struck by anything, no other vehicle was within a half mile of us at the time. Fortunately the cover was closed because we do not use the sunroof. It has only been opened one time a the delership the day the car was delivered new. This sunroof explosion was loud and frankly scared the heck out of ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 9, 2026
I am reporting a vehicle fire that occurred in June 2025 involving my Kia vehicle. On the day of the incident, I started my car and immediately noticed excessive smoke coming out of the air vents, along with a strong burning smell. I drove only a short distance and pulled into a gas station across the street to stop and check what was wrong. While stopped, my children in the back seat alerted me ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
Transmission is going out. Costly repair $13,000 Seems to be a known issue but no recall? Let’s do better for your customers
Incident date: Jun 9, 2024
I need help to get the recalls done on the vehicle I purchased and was never warned of any issues and now stuck and ford service is dwnyinf the repair recalls and I cannot afford or find financing. Please help
Incident date: Sep 19, 2025
Owners of affected Mercedes-Benz vehicles were given no meaningful advance warning that core, built-in safety and emergency communication systems would be permanently disabled. No replacement system has been offered, no retrofit path exists, and no alternative emergency solution has been provided. The manufacturer has instead unilaterally orphaned these vehicles by discontinuing backend support re... Read more
Incident date: Aug 26, 2025
EGR valve and oil leaking The malfunction light came on and the car reduced power and almost killed me on the highway in Dallas Tx! Yes has been confirmed by trophy Nissan in Mesquite! I have also had to replace motor mount transmission mount torque strut mount the turbo hose! I have seen like 50 people have the same problem and saying they paid over $2000 to fix and car still breaks down! I will ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 8, 2025
I noticed the windshield washer nozzle on the passenger side isn't either working or not there. I reached out to Tesla, and also stopped by a Local Dealership and they told me that it would cost me out of pocket, since it's out of warranty. Secondly, the left side driver repeater camera has a Glare when turned at night time only. which is quite dangerous due to very less visibility due to the Gl... Read more
Incident date: Nov 28, 2025
I was driving down the freeway on cruise,when all of a sudden,the vehicle started vibrating and shaking violently.This happened in the middle of a downpour,and the tires broke loose momentarily,but I was able to gain control,and safely pull on to the shoulder.After searching the internet,this incident sounds very much like a broken crankshaft,as described in the many,many reports of this type of f... Read more
Incident date: Jan 3, 2026
There was a loud "pop" above the car while driving. The sunroof had shattered. No object or other damage on the car present.
Incident date: Jan 8, 2026
While driving, which occurred 20 minutes after i started the car, the driver’s door gets unlocked automatically and i started hearing car warning with ⚠️ appearing on my dashboard. I also heard wind noise from the highway. With the electric, i could not simply open and close the door while driving, but had to pull the door with my left hand for the next 40 minutes while driving until i hit d... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2025
While driving on a service road at approximately 45 mph, the corner side glass on my 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe shattered suddenly and without warning. There was no impact from a rock or object, and no other vehicles were present that could have caused debris. We had just entered the service road, and road conditions were normal. My [XXX] was seated in the front passenger seat at the time of the inci... Read more
Incident date: Jan 8, 2026
The vehicle began popping when turning left near the axel. Once brought up to Honda we were made aware that they know about the issue but my vehicle didn’t fall as necessary to fix…..yet and they are hoping for a recall in order to address my issue. Till then I’m supposed to drive around with a potentially broken axel with my children.
LINCOLN
CONTINENTAL
(2017) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jan 8, 2026
Incident date: Jun 8, 2025
I had been driving my 2022 Toyota Highlander XLE with 46k miles that I just got for about two weeks, so about 10 days out of the 14 i actually drove it from home to work and back home. Within those 10 days driving the SUV, 8 mornings and one afternoon the highlander engine had issues accelerating and shifting gears. Basically when pulling out on to a highway from a side street coming down a hill w... Read more
Incident date: Dec 9, 2025
Rear window shattered when driver door was closed. There is a class action lawsuit for this. 2022-024.
Incident date: Oct 20, 2025
The rear body vent seal failed, allowing water to enter the vehicle interior. This component is available for inspection. I noticed a sloshing water sound, and over time there was excess interior moisture, including repeated interior window frosting that required scraping for visibility. A Nissan dealership later confirmed water intrusion and interior mold contamination affecting the driver-side ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 3, 2026
THIS IS A LEASED VEHICLE THAT HAS HAD 3 RECALLS : 2 RECALLS , THAT AFTER MONTHS OF WAITING, COULD BE SCHEDULE FOR A POTENTIAL FIX (DONE ON 12/31). THERE IS 1 THAT STILL HAS NO FIX. THESE ARE HIGHLY DANGERS RISKS (FIRES, EXPLOSIONS, COMPLETE SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING, ETC) THIS IS MY FAMILY VEHICLE, CHILDREN ARE IN THIS CAR. I AM CURRENTLY PAYING WELL MORE THAN THE CAR IS VALUED AT SINCE IT DEPRICIA... Read more
Incident date: Jan 3, 2026
Backup camera distorted, wavy lines, and sometimes blank screen. I have seen other trucks of same year and model that have recalls and dont understand why mine don't. It happens all the time.
Incident date: Dec 14, 2025
my sensor does not work and does not detect the gas in tank car wont start or turn on
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS CROSS SPORT
(2021) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jan 8, 2026
Incident date: Jul 1, 2024
Nissan still has not provided a remedy for recall number Nissan recall R24B2 NHTSA 24V700000. This prevents me from being able to access the full use of the car because I cannot fast charge without risk of damaging the EV battery. Just last week I had to borrow a gas car and pay for gas in order to take a road trip. This is unacceptable. We should have a remedy by now.
Incident date: Jan 7, 2026
The car jerks so hard at times randomly that it feels like I got rear ended and it is completely unsafe. It also does small jerks at times. It's happened driving 70 mph down a highway, making a right turn accelerating slowly. Going slow down the street at 35, at a red light completely stopped or stop sign. There's no rhyme or reason to it. I've taken it to Mercedes five or six times now with the s... Read more
Incident date: Nov 6, 2025
On Tuesday, [XXX], between approximately [XXX] and [XXX] PM EST, I parked my Mustang Mach-E, powered the vehicle off, and exited the car with my wife and child. After unloading groceries and sports equipment, I retrieved the Level 2 charger from the front of my garage and plugged it into the vehicle. I waited for the blue indicator lights to turn solid and blink, confirming charging had started, w... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Dec 17, 2025
1) Part that failed per General Motors Chevrolet dealer was the Thermostat along with Coolant Sensor. 2) I was getting warning notices on dash board screen stating (Reduced steering assist) I was also getting a ESC warning 3) Problem has been repaired at GM dealer 4) Parts were replaced by GM dealer/service center 5) ESC warning light that came on for a short time after motor stopped for auto sto... Read more
Incident date: Jan 8, 2026
My Rear axle bolt broke in early October. It has now been over 3 months and I have zero update on when my recall will be addressed. I have a rental, but this is beyond the fair and reasonable time frame to repair a recall. The Service center can provide zero update or status of when this will be resolve. I'm making 4 payment on a vehicle that I don't have. What other recourses do we have. Ca... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 3500
(2012) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jan 8, 2026
Incident date: Dec 10, 2025
This vehicle has the ability to push a button on the keyfob and all the windows and sun roof all open completely but it dose not have the ability to turn this off or close the windows with the key fob. I have gone out several times and found all my windows open and I think a 3 year old had gotten ahold of the key fob and when I tried asking a honda dealer about this feature but i was told there's ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
Our Dash board cracked very badly from the top next to the speaker to the passenger side air bag. We purposely use a dash board cover and never place heavy things on it. This is a safety issue as if getting in an accident wouldn’t be bad enough flying shrapnel would be worse. We just had it fixed at a dealership to the tune of $2500. This is not okay as I see this is a constant problem.
Incident date: Dec 25, 2025
SUN ROOF SCREEN STOPED RETRACTING PROPERLY CAUSES THE CLOTH TO BUNCH UP AND AT TIMES DISTRACT THE VIEW WHEN LOOKING IN REAR VIEW MIRROR06