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 3, 2026
Driver headrest AHR has deployed without any accident or incident. Car is under 100,000 miles. Dealer advises there is no recall or extended warranty on this issue, however research shows other jeep vehicles manufactured at the same time with extended warranty. Safety now at risk as no repair for factory issue and headrest now pushes head out of alignment with the seat.
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2021) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jan 3, 2026
Incident date: Mar 22, 2025
Component: Electrical Harness + Vehicle Shakiness Problem: Car would enter LIMP mode randomly and shut the car down to 18 MPH and can cause accidents anywhere, especially in highway where speed limits are 65+. Car also now starts shaking violently when 48 MPH is reached which is a safety concern. Reproduce: First turn taking into dealer they found issue then “disappeared” and they could not re... Read more
Incident date: Dec 31, 2025
While key FOB is operational, next to car door and under moderate temperature conditions, the exterior door handle(s) wont open the car door. The doors freeze, remain latched in place from the outside. The interior door handle on the same door remains operational. This makes it difficult to get into the vehicle to remove people from inside the car should dangerous conditions be present while the... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2026
Steering wheel lock up
Incident date: Nov 15, 2025
Onstar module is out. No wifi, speed reporting or maps access.
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
SiriusXM add takes over the infotainment screen while the car is in drive and actively being driven. This blocks GPS, temperature control, car information, radio controls, everything on the main screen. You have to physically tap a button to get it to close taking attention off the road. There are no settings on the car to stop this from happening.
Incident date: Jan 3, 2026
In-car pop-up advertisements, specifically from SiriusXM. The advertisement pops up while driving, attempting to use the safety features of the car, including navigation. It happens every few months, at random. There is no way to opt-out from the vehicle; the only option is using a desktop computer, creating an account, and finding the communication preferences. This is a dangerous feature, as it ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 30, 2025
My car was sitting on the driveway and spontaneously caught on fire. It has not been driven for the last week or two. Nobody was home, when it caught on fire. Our neighbors called 911
Fire
Incident date: Aug 1, 2025
UNKNOW, please see attached documents.
Incident date: Sep 17, 2021
My front camera sensor light came on stating it was unavailable, then turned back on after a few minutes. About a week later on several occasions, the emergency brake notification came on when I was on the freeway with no vehicles in front of me to cause this. There has been an excessive whirring sound coming from the engine also. With these issues there have been no warning signs including check ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2025
I am reporting a safety defect involving a welded rear subframe component. The welded section snapped under normal driving conditions, and this is a safety-critical structural suspension component. There was no collision, misuse, or accident prior to this failure. The vehicle is currently not safe to drive due to the compromised rear suspension structure. I have included photos showing the snapp... Read more
Incident date: Aug 7, 2025
This vehicle has experienced multiple substantial defects, several of which directly endangered my family, including an infant, and rendered the vehicle unsafe and inoperable for extended periods despite warranty repairs. Summary of defects and failures: 1.Electronic door locking failure The vehicle experienced an electronic malfunction that caused the doors to randomly lock, resulting in my infa... Read more
Incident date: Jun 10, 2025
I stopped to fill the gas on my road trip and the gas panel would not open. As a single women driving alone this is not ideal. It took 45 min of continuous unlocking/locking with pushing to get it to pop open. There needs to be an alternative/emergency handle to pull so this does not happen again. I was standing in 32 degree weather the entire time! NOT SAFE
Incident date: Jan 1, 2026
The issue is the bearing in my CVT transmission. I've been advised by three different shops/dealerships that this is the problem while being quoted $10k plus to replace the transmission. Through research, this is a known issue with the 2018-2022 Toyota CHRs. Thus making this vehicle heavily UNSAFE to drive and Toyota is not taking any accountability with this problem. There have been no warning li... Read more
Incident date: Jul 15, 2023
The weather became cold outside. After first frost overnight, an oil leak started underneath the hood next to the front passenger side tire. Got in be serviced 11/19. Told the plastic piece to oil housing assembly cracked and had 9 other palisades in for same exact issue. No warning lamps. Cost $519 to replace part.
Incident date: Jan 11, 2023
My vehicle was leaking fluid, so I took it in and discovered that my vehicle’s ABS module failed in what was described to me as an “unusual way” at both the initial garage where I took it and, later, to the dealership, which was the only place that could do the actual repair. Some research showed that the failure matched the way this component failed in Kia and Hyundais that were recalled ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 6, 2025
The vehicle is experiencing a “ghost touch” malfunction within the infotainment system, wherein the touchscreen registers unintended inputs. As a result, the system intermittently initiates phone calls, changes radio stations, and alters other settings without driver interaction. This erratic behavior is highly distracting and presents a potential safety concern while the vehicle is in operati... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
I am submitting this complaint to report a real‑world safety failure related to Ford Recall 19S38 involving a 2017 Ford Transit 350. The vehicle was purchased in 2021 from a Ford dealership, Joe Rizza Ford, with approximately 60,000 miles. At the time of purchase, Recall 19S38 was open on the vehicle and had not been completed. We were not informed of the open safety recall at the time of sale,... Read more
Incident date: Dec 24, 2025
Vehicle stalls when idle at stop signs or stop lights. When restarted while driving engine stops running. Idling is sporadic.
Incident date: Jan 3, 2026
Excessive oil leaks. When I fix an oil leak another pop up. Im fixing my 4th oil leak. You can smell the oil burning. Engine is making knocking sounds. Hood latch is not working. You have to hold the hood or it will come down.
Incident date: Jan 2, 2026
After loading our two children ages 2 and 5 in to vehicle and securing in car seats, the car doors were closed and would not reopen. The children were unable to open the doors themselves. The trunk and other entries did not open. There was no obvious way to open the doors or the issue the car was experiencing. The battery cover would not open. Eventually after I searched the Internet I determined ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 2, 2025
In bright sunlight or at certain sun angles, the central touchscreen in my 2026 Tesla Model Y becomes unreadable due to glare and washout. This screen is required for essential driving functions. Safety Concern: The touchscreen is used for selecting drive and reverse, viewing the rear camera, and accessing other safety-related controls. During glare conditions, I have difficulty seeing the screen... Read more
Incident date: Dec 9, 2025
The vehicle’s dashboard continuously displays a “hood open” warning even though the hood is fully closed and securely latched. The hood has been physically inspected and confirmed to be closed, yet the warning persists. The issue appears to be related to a faulty hood latch sensor or switch, which is part of the hood latch assembly. The warning is inaccurate and does not reflect the actual ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 31, 2023
UNKNOWN There are two issues. First one: After using the defrost, the rear window will shatter after the air pressure is change, opening the driver's side door to get in,the back glass shattered it. Second one: The technician informed me that on the nissian rogue, there is a gap in the back door panel that glass falls into making it nonexistent to retrieve all the glass, complicating the locki... Read more
Incident date: Jul 13, 2025
Car was affected by emergency theft system locked car down when moving and caused airbags to deploy in which fractured my spine vertebra causing spinal fusion
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Dec 20, 2025
On Nov 7, 2025, I took my 2018 Honda Accord (VIN: [XXX] ) to "Honda of Gainesville" (Dealer #208034). 1. Recall Negligence: The dealership performed unauthorized repairs on the vehicle's fuel system (alleged fuel injector failure). However, while the vehicle was in their service bay for fuel system work, they failed to perform or even disclose active NHTSA Safety Recall 23V-858 (Fuel Pump), which ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 7, 2025
Water intrusion from A/C system Mold growth inside cabin Health effects Vehicle returned unrepaired / unsafe
Incident date: Dec 13, 2025
On December 21, at approximately 9:17 PM, my Tesla was operating with Full Self-Driving (Supervised) engaged while reversing out of a parking space at 4 Cook Cir, Medford, MA, USA. During the maneuver, the FSD system failed to detect a low-positioned barrier and collided with it, impacting the rear right quarter panel near the rear right wheel. The damage was caused by the actions of the FSD syst... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Dec 13, 2025
Vehicle has been having driving issues such as noises and loss of power while driving. Recall for power control module, have been told they can’t give a loaner and they don’t have parts since the recall was issued (01/16/2025) was in the shop while that recall was going on (8 months actually because they couldn’t get parts) because it caused my differentials to lock up, they replaced them bu... Read more
Incident date: Dec 31, 2025
I am writing to report a serious and ongoing safety issue with my vehicle. While I was actively driving in traffic, my car suddenly shut off completely without warning. This occurred while the vehicle was in motion, creating an immediate and dangerous situation. During this incident, the steering wheel locked up multiple times while I was driving, making it extremely difficult to control the vehi... Read more
CADILLAC
ESCALADE ESV
(2021) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jan 2, 2026
Incident date: Dec 10, 2025
The dealership says that they repair the open recall, but it still shows that the issue hasn’t been fixed.
Incident date: Nov 21, 2025
I bought a truck from Paul Gerber Auto sales, Inc(used car dealer) in Omaha Nebraska. The transmission is bad because of the torque converter and a known issue where the transmission fluid gets too hot causing the torque converter to become damaged. There are also multiple known safety recalls with this vehicle and the issue with the transmission has been confirmed by a independent mechanic. The d... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2021
I'm not sure if these are related incidents or not, but at the end of Nov. 2025 I was driving in heavy traffic when all of a sudden I noticed a warning light on the dash came on. Then as I kept going another light, and another, each one about a minute apart until all of the warning lights were on. Then the car started cutting out and then it just died. I had been making my way over out of traffic ... Read more
HYUNDAI
ELANTRA HYBRID
(2023) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jan 2, 2026
Incident date: Dec 23, 2025
Antenna- on top of roof- came off in touch free car wash. Upon researching, I’ve seen this is a very common problem with this year model of traverse.
Incident date: Dec 12, 2025
Sunroof shattered without warning
Incident date: Dec 31, 2025
Paint chipping and peeling in several places
Incident date: Dec 3, 2025
1-Rear driver-side Power Lift-gate actuator ball bolt snapped right off while rear gate is open. 2- It came right down on my head and caused severe bump and bleeding from a 250 pound rear door. I am 6ft 1 in, but if it is someone small it can cause sever injuries and possible death from the heavy door coming down on the person. 3-problem was looked at by my mechanic and they cannot fix issue as b... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Dec 22, 2025
I need to open a safety case. My 2014 Ford F-150 had recall 24S37 performed. Immediately after the recall, the steering locked, the truck stopped itself while still in Drive, and a blue oil pressure warning light appeared. The vehicle is unsafe and cannot be driven out of my driveway. The dealership is refusing responsibility and wants to charge diagnostics. I need this inspected and towed under r... Read more
Incident date: Dec 10, 2025
Was driving on Dallas North Toll way when my vehicle lost acceleration. Had to pull over and engine started smoking and lit a flame under the hood. Car is now at Clay Cooley Kia in Irving, TX. Car has been there for over two weeks and I still have no answers or information regarding the plan to fix it. Major dealership delay and all they keep saying is “Waiting on a Kia Engineer to come out but ... Read more
Fire
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2022) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jan 2, 2026
Incident date: Nov 7, 2025
I purchased a Certified Mercedes GLE 350 with many advanced safety features. Including a SOS feature that allows I believe detects an accident and reports it to Mercedes as well as allows me to press the SOS button to manually contact Mercedes to report a need for help plus other functions. Thnis is a very important safety feature to me as I am getting order and may need assistance. In addition ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 10, 2025
Well driving on highway, front portion of sunroof shattered. Very loud, exploding sound.
Incident date: Nov 30, 2025
Telematics unit in my Chevrolet equinox EV 2025 has failed. GPS/navigation/wifi does not work anymore. Calls to onStar for collision data / support in emergencies also do not work anymore. Also, basic features on the myChevrolet app to unlock/lock the car do not work. This happened gradually over time. Around 6 months after owning the vehicle, the GPS unit would sometimes randomly turn on/off and ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 31, 2025
On December 31 at approximately 300 p.m., our 2015 Honda Odyssey experienced a sudden and complete loss of motive power while traveling eastbound on the Sam Houston Parkway South just after crossing the Buffalo Bayou Toll Bridge at highway speed. While driving normally, the Check ABS warning light illuminated. Immediately afterward, multiple dashboard warning lights began flashing and the engine a... Read more
Incident date: Dec 31, 2025
RF hub has now failed 3 times in the last 10 months. The last time they replaced the third brake like and now I am having the same issue. Dealership is telling me it’s the back window and that they will not pay for the problem to be fixed. Safety at risk by vehicle breaking down with no transportation on the side of the road. Problem has been confirmed by dealership which led to first repair. N... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
My Kia EV6’s ICCU failed while I was driving, leading the car to completely lose power while on a busy street.
Incident date: Apr 29, 2024
My battery recall was completed by my dealership (FCA 68C) and then once I received my car back my mpg dramatically dropped from an average of 32 MPG combined to at BEST 28 MPG combined. The recall states that they will do a software update for the battery and that if it is not resolved then they will replace it. My concern is that now my MPG is so much lower, what software update was completed? D... Read more
Incident date: Dec 16, 2024
Vehicle is 1.5 years old. Power gate failure Repair soft is $680. They say something is leaking on the arms to lift gate
Incident date: May 28, 2025
This is the 2nd email I sent and haven't gotten any response yet. My rear view camera is getting worse and distorted. Very hard to see out of it, especially at night. I have my grandchild in my car on a daily. I can't even sell this car because the recall is on the Car Fax Report. Who is going to buy a car that has an outstanding recall, especially finding out the parts to fix it are unavailable? ... Read more
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2021) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jan 2, 2026
Incident date: May 10, 2025
Have a 2017 Honda Civic and my fob has been having issues for months now. Randomly works for turning my car on not responding to remote ignition or when I walk up to my car, it doesn’t recognize my fob so my door won’t unlock. I have to keep pushing different buttons to make it register or I’ll hit my fob on my palm and kind of jar it and sometimes that will make it work. This is a common ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 26, 2025
OnStar quite working, light nothing. Called Onstar, told me I need to take to the dealer.