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.

2,245,377 Total Complaints

140,173 Reported Crashes

56,794 Reported Fires

8,580 Reported 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

How to Read NHTSA Consumer Complaints › How NHTSA Investigations Work › Used Car: 7 Recall Checks to Run First › The Takata Airbag Recall: Full Story › OBD-II Codes Explained › All Articles ›

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Showing 117,775 complaints - component: UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Incident date: Jun 17, 2025

The car has been diagnosed with a CVT transmission problem which the mechanic stated was hard to diagnose. The car sometimes slow down to only 30 miles or less being unpredictable when driving and could cause an accident in a busy street or highway as the problem comes at unpredictable times. The car is close to 61000 miles and a car with this mileage should not have a transmission problem. Accord... Read more

Incident date: May 1, 2026

The thermo control valve (TCV) failed on my Forester (2020 model year). The failure first manifested on 16 June, 2026, with two warning lights: Eyesight Off, and Check Engine. Next day a related failure occurred, described below. Based on my call to dealer, the service department told me the car could be driven if the check engine light was steady, not blinking. It was steady. I then attempted... Read more

Incident date: Jun 25, 2026

Component: Driver Monitor Camera (DMC) — driver attention/drowsiness monitoring system. The Driver Monitor Camera repeatedly and incorrectly determines that the driver's eyes are closed when they are fully open and the driver is attentive and watching the road. This occurs during normal, attentive driving. When the system falsely registers "eyes closed," it issues escalating visual and audible... Read more

Incident date: May 31, 2026

On June 10, 2026, I attempted to enter my vehicle through the driver's door. The power running board was set to the "Automatic" position but failed to deploy when the driver's door was opened. I stepped toward the vehicle expecting the running board to be extended, as it normally would be, but it was not. As a result, I lost my footing and fell. The fall caused a nondisplaced fracture of my left ... Read more

1 injured

Incident date: Jun 4, 2026

While driving on the interstate, at approximately 70mph, the sunroof glass shattered causing glass to fall into the vehicle and into the face of the driver. This was not caused by any outside object or force, but simply shattered. Upon searching the web, I discovered NHSTA campaign #12V592000 and 12V56800 and Hyundai recall #108. While I was notified by Hyundai about other vehicle recalls, I was n... Read more

1 injured

Incident date: Jun 26, 2026

My PHEV car randomly and suddenly has loss of propulsion creating a safety hazard in traffic. It seems to occur at low speeds, sometimes from waiting in line at an intersection. This fault produces a solid red battery warning light, but no additional safety warnings, nor an error code for diagnostics. I have experienced this fault randomly in April, May, and June. The worst experience was with... Read more

Incident date: Apr 22, 2026

My 2016 Volvo XC90 suddenly lost power while I was driving, requiring me to pull over and have the vehicle towed. This is a documented safety issue associated with a known piston ring defect in 2013-2016 Volvo vehicles equipped with 2.0L and 2.5L engines, which was the subject of a federal class action lawsuit ([XXX] et al. v. Volvo Car USA, LLC, Case No. XXX, filed XXX. No there we NO warning lam... Read more

Incident date: Jun 9, 2026

Spontaneous rear window shattering while parked. Problem not confirmed or reproduced Insurance claim filed for repair No warning lamps, messages or symptoms of impending problem.

Incident date: Dec 31, 2024

Failing ABS hydraulic control module is causing a dash warning lamp accompanied with an alarm noise and check abs system displayed. This has been going on since I purchased the truck in July 2025. In the beginning the light/alarm/message was not happening too often. Now it is so often that I can barely stand to drive it anywhere. Last week I drove to the store and back home which is about 15 m... Read more

Incident date: Jun 25, 2026

I believe my car should be included in this recall. I've had the dealer check and they say it's nothing wrong with my car. 2020 GMC Acadia Fuel Pump Recall GMC has announced that 2781 vehicles have been affected by a Fuel Pump recall. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5, Cadillac XT6, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The fuel pump's jet nozzl... Read more

Incident date: Dec 16, 2025

When I put the vehicle in park, the dash warning says it is not in park or shift to park. The components continue to work. I have taken it to the dealership and according to the service manger, this is a very common occurrence in these trucks. This seems to me that it would be a very serious safety issue if one assumes their vehicle is in park and it is actually not. The shift to park warning is... Read more

Incident date: Jun 25, 2026

My car was recalled because the auto brake was triggering incorrectly and causing issues (at least 4 accidents with injuries are known to have been casued by this problem). I brought my car in to have the auto braking issue fixed, after I had already been rear ended due to it automatically activating (submitted a previous NHTSA claim about this.) The same defect recurred while I was driving yest... Read more

Incident date: Jun 1, 2026

I drive a 2013 Ford Edge. It's getting the same error on the rearview camera that many other Ford vehicles have had recalled.

Incident date: May 23, 2026

I am reporting a severe, systemic, and undiagnosed electrical defect that compromises vehicle safety and control. The manufacturer’s authorized repair facilities and corporate Technical Assistance Center (TAC) have explicitly documented that their factory test plans are "inconclusive" and they cannot isolate the root cause of the failures. The primary symptom is the catastrophic failure of the c... Read more

Incident date: Jun 24, 2026

The ac will quit on long trips and if I have fogged windows the windshield will not defog. This has happened on several occasions. Ford knows about this and has sent out a technical software update but wants customers to pay for this tps 242212.. On some vehicles the sensor is on the wrong place and ford has the mechanic to put a spacer in there. This cost $2000-$3000. Ford should take ownership a... Read more

Incident date: Jun 24, 2026

Our sunroof completely shattered for no reason. We were not hit by or with anything, we did not hit any objects, it just spontaneously broke. Thankfully our interior shade was pulled, otherwise we would have been showered with shards of glass. It is available for inspection. Our safety was put at risk as we were on a freeway, in traffic & the loud sound it made scared us, it sounded like a v... Read more

Incident date: Jan 15, 2026

Back window was leaking into the seatbelt. I did take it in for service back in 2022 back window was replaced along with top liner. And it has still continued to leak and just now recently I’ve noticed the water must be going into the cabin mmbecause my screen has what looks to be water in it and continues to leak anytime it rains or I go in the car was and the water goes to the seatbelt I’ll ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 25, 2026

Infotainment Center

Incident date: Apr 1, 2026

While underway at speeds under 20 mph. Vehicle hesitates and lurches creating a danger when taking off from a stop light. Vehicle may delay acceleration from a stop, which can feel unsafe in traffic and in merging situations.This activity is uncontrollable as the driver has no control and could lead to an accident or injury to pedestrians or other wise. Another problem is rough shifting, hard down... Read more

Incident date: Jun 26, 2026

The factory-applied Super White (paint code 040) paint on my vehicle has peeled down to bare metal on multiple exterior body panels. The peeling is not the result of any collision damage, scratches, or external trauma — it is consistent with the known factory paint adhesion defect that Toyota itself acknowledged through Customer Support Program ZKG, which covered this exact vehicle model, year, ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 22, 2026

Our rear view (back up) camera on our 2016 Ford F-150 is not working properly. It gives a distorted image or not image at all or sometimes works. Our truck only has approximately 60,000 and this should not be happening. This is available upon inspection. Matter of fact, Mel Hambelton Ford dealership inspected it and told us "I'm sorry; there is no recall on your VIN #". I do not know how there isn... Read more

Incident date: Apr 8, 2026

The truck have a bad shudder that can shake you off the road. They know about the issue because its been an issue with there vehicles. I have a 2020 colorado also with this dangerous issue.

Incident date: Jun 26, 2021

Vehicle stalled while driving — unsafe loss of power. While driving at normal speed, the vehicle suddenly shut off without warning and the electrical system malfunctioned. I had to pull over and restart car. This created a dangerous situation and could have caused a collision. Prior to this incidenct, the vehicle had intermittent electrical issues during startup (flickering electronics). This... Read more

Incident date: May 30, 2026

this is not a safety issue but not sure who to notify..The black paint on the front side window frames is peeling off real bad. Would this be a warranty issue? Thank you,

Incident date: Sep 1, 2025

Driving down the road and the left rear passenger window exploded. Shatters went everywhere all over the passenger in the back. I went online and looked and this is a hugh issue evidently with some Kias. To me this is really serious issues that Kia is completely ignoring. Someone will eventually get seriously injured bi the glass exploding like it does.

Incident date: Jun 25, 2026

I was at a red light and all of a sudden my car switched to neutral. I could not get out of neutral and tried unsuccessfully to get my car into drive. I finally was able to shut the car off (not sure if opening the door helped reset the system) and start it again. I now turn off the idle option

Incident date: Jun 24, 2026

My 2022 Honda Accord Sport screen / navigation is malfunctioning / failing and it is available for inspection. This is a MAJOR SAFETY issue because unless the screen is in Anti-Theft mode (after a reset) which locks all functions, the screen will start glitching / ghost-tapping to where the screen nonstop beeps and flashes from feature to feature without any ability to stop it or even tap the scre... Read more

Incident date: Mar 20, 2026

I was the only person in the truck and there was no one nearby. I was slowly backing the Ford 150 Lighting into my driveway, going straight back. I was going slow because another car was parked at the back end corner. As I was rolling slowly back, the truck started to accelerate on its own, I had not increased pressure on the pedal. The truck was not making any beeping noises or alerts on the ... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Jun 23, 2026

The vehicle has suffered a total failure of the audio output system/amplifier. While the central infotainment screen visually illuminates and functions correctly, there is zero audio output across all speakers and inputs. The failed component is currently in the vehicle and is available for inspection upon request. Because there is no audio output, all voice-activated, hands-free Bluetooth callin... Read more

Incident date: Jun 1, 2026

In the past year, I have already had to replace the bulb for the "daytime running light" on the front passenger side of my Renegade. Now, the light has just popped back onto my dashboard for the 3rd time stating that the light is out again for the 3rd time in a year. I have also noticed several other Renegades in my area driving with the same exact light out on their vehicle as well. The first 2 t... Read more

Incident date: Jun 25, 2026

Got in the car around 8am. Sat down, shut the door and then BOOM! The rear hatch glass shattered into a thousand pieces. Nothing touched nothing hit it , it just shattered. Luckily no one was in the back seat. Brought it to the dealer. Interesting , at the exact time I pulled into the dealer another Forestef arrived with the EXACT SAME problem!

Incident date: Jun 25, 2026

Paint chipping on tailgate and roof.

Incident date: Jun 17, 2026

My 2025 Mazda CX-5 has an intermittent defect that causes Android phones connected to Android Auto through the vehicle's USB-C port to unexpectedly perform a complete device reboot while the vehicle is being driven. The problem began in August 2025 after I purchased a Google Pixel 9. I initially believed the phone was defective and spent several months troubleshooting the phone. After the same pr... Read more

Incident date: Jun 26, 2026

The rear backup camera is extremely dark at low light level conditions causing it to be a deterrent instead of assistant. I cannot see in the dark with the camera!

Incident date: Jun 23, 2026

Yesterday, I viewed photos of a Macan EV that was significantly damaged when the hood flew open while the vehicle was in motion. This caused me to investigate the safety of my vehicle. I have found that there is no secondary "mechanical only" safety latch on the hood of this newly designed car. This means a single button push on the key fob, or inside the vehicle's control panel will rapidly eje... Read more

Incident date: Jun 19, 2026

Hi, I have a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe sport and I recently went to the dealership to get my brakes done and that day they did the recall 9C2 which is a software update on the engine/transmission and the next morning when I drove my car the rpm’s were going up and my mph wouldn’t go past 15 mph for about a block down the road and the car jerked two times and then drove like normal. I call the deal... Read more

Incident date: Dec 21, 2025

A fire started under my hood immediately after starting my car.

Fire

Incident date: Jun 15, 2026

Auto Idle Stop restart. Engine shit off at a complete stop. Release the brake to go and vehicle fails to restart. Vehicle may shit itself into neutral or park. Must manually restart the vehicle. Sometimes after multiple time attempts. Vehicle is stranded in traffic for several seconds to several minutes.

Incident date: Jun 10, 2026

Warning lights on while driving. The emergency triangle, collison warning, break warning, both turn signals, and departure warning lights were illuminated. We were concerned of causing damage to the vehicle and pulled over. Dealer knows of issues in CA and AZ with other Sorentos. Dealer said it is due to camera overheating; the camera housing is metal and therefore causes this issue. No known... Read more

Incident date: May 19, 2026

I wish to respectfully report a safety concern with my new 2026 Mercedes All-Terrain Wagon. Specifically, at certain sun angles under cloudless skies, flaring occurs on the inside of my front windshield. They would appear to be linked to the Heads-Up Display Unit via reflection. The housing and dash can also reflect patterns on the windshield. Again, this occurs under certain sun angles when th... Read more

Incident date: Feb 19, 2026

On [XXX] I purchased the vehicle from Bakersfield Hyundai within days I reported break failure and notified them about a noise that was coming from the SUV that sounded like a mini motorcycle, they first said (Xavier) that the noise would go away because it had just gotten serviced but they kept me there for four plus hours and said I had to take it back which I did and again I took it for break r... Read more

Incident date: Jun 6, 2026

Backup camera intermittently glitches and cuts to a black screen. Display will also occasionally appear darker than normal. Concern began suddenly with no known cause. It first occurred after vehicle was parked for 10-11 hours.

Incident date: Jun 22, 2026

Have been having issues with my 2021 highlander power liftgate strut failure. It will not open at times unless you have to repeat pressing the button. It makes a noise that you know it is definitely not working right. This has been going on for three years and the service department keeps telling me it is working fine for right now...

Incident date: Jun 25, 2026

I have a complaint about GM and my 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ regarding the radio / infotainment system failure after attempting a recommended software update, and the resulting degradation of installed safety features. On 08 MAY 2026, my infotainment system indicated a software update was necessary, so I followed the directions to complete the update. When the update was complete, my in... Read more

Incident date: May 8, 2026

The auto start and stop feature failed on numerous occasions. So when I am in the middle of a road stopped waiting for a car to turn my van will autostop but then it fails to restart. This has caused me on numerous occasion to be stalled out in the middle of busy roads and intersections. I almost was involved in an accident that was a near miss luckily. I have young children and I fear for their s... Read more

Incident date: May 25, 2026

My driver side window has not been working for almost 3 years now. I have taken it to 4 mechanics and they fix it but only last a couple days. They have all say they can’t really do anything about it since they need an original piece. My AC is another issue I have that I have tried fixing 3 times now. The same issue happens they fix it and it last about a week or so. The longest it has lasted wa... Read more

Incident date: May 22, 2026

Aftermarket vehicle equipment (Rough Country Hard Tri-Fold Flip Up Bed Cover, SKU: 49520551A) suffered a catastrophic structural hardware failure while traveling at highway speeds (approx. 70 MPH) on the interstate. Both the primary latching clamps and the factory-installed secondary safety retention straps failed simultaneously under standard operating conditions. The entire cover detached from t... Read more

Incident date: May 22, 2026

Incident date: May 31, 2026

I was driving home at 4am on I-95 with my children in the car. My car has had a history of "juttering" and making a vibrational noise, but on the way home there was an issue with acceleration when using the gas pedal, and slow to gain speed. There were times when the gas pedal didn't respond to my foot depression at all, and did not accelerate. When I was almost home, many lights came on my das... Read more

Incident date: Jun 1, 2026

I'm using my door as normal, The door catch breaks off. My door sounds like it's going to fall off and my window is inoperable. I figure out there is a hinge recall. I take it to the dealer the dealer tells me it's going to be about a month to get the door in. The dealer has my car for 31 days The door was not complete. They tell me they can't get the part in time that they want me to take the veh... Read more

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Consumer Safety Complaints

What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?

How to interpret what you read

If you've experienced a defect

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