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 ›

Clear

Showing 117,775 complaints - component: UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Incident date: Jun 16, 2026

EVAP warning light sporadically displays and the odor of fuel emits from vehicle - both inside and outside. Occured approximately seven times since purchase. Driver door is not operational, sporadically. Will not respond to key fob, windows will not roll down or up, cannot lock or unlock, and displaying a flashing red light with a loud noise emitting every three seconds. Occured approximately fi... Read more

Incident date: Jun 22, 2026

“The engine undercover (belly pan) detached and is dragging/scraping on the ground on a 2025 Kia K4 with approximately one year of normal use. The radiator support is also affected. Dealer (Selma Kia, Selma CA) denied warranty coverage and stated damage was caused by driver hitting a speed bump. These are factory-installed components on a one-year-old vehicle and should not detach under normal d... Read more

Incident date: Jun 1, 2026

The vehicle is a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. It had previously been included in an engine-fire-related recall/service campaign, and Hyundai replaced the engine between approximately October 2024 and January 2025 at about 113,000 miles. About 10,000 miles and 14 months later, the vehicle developed engine/performance problems. A Hyundai dealership service center performed about $6,500 in repairs, i... Read more

Fire

Incident date: Jan 17, 2026

When the engine shuts off while braking at a light/stop sign etc occasionally the car will fail to turn the engine back on and the car will go in to park and the only way to get in to drive is to restart the car. This happens once or twice a month.

Incident date: Jun 10, 2026

On our 2025 Lexus TX350, less than 1 year old, and under normal driving conditions, our AC stopped working suddenly. Upon inspection at the dealership, they determined a rock or road debris came through the front grill and impacted the condenser, which caused a major refrigerant leak and ac to stop working. I believe this was due to a poor design of the lower half of the front grill, it’s wide o... Read more

Incident date: Jun 17, 2026

The sunroof exploded while driving down the highway. It put other driver's at risk since glass was flying from the roof. I am waiting on a call from the dealership for a remedy for repair.

Incident date: Jun 17, 2026

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Multiple systems have failed sequentially — engine (replaced at ~84,000 miles), catalytic converter (replaced post engine replacement), and transmission (currently stalling, pending replacement authorization from Hyundai Corporate). The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. How was yo... Read more

Incident date: May 28, 2026

EGR pre conditions to pass CA state smog emissions test will not clear. Have changed entire EGR system and have drive the recommended Chrysler Drive cycle for my car with hundreds of miles on it since replacing battery with no luck. All other system checks clear.

Incident date: Jun 19, 2026

The B pillar plastic trim pieces are detaching from the vehicle on both sides. If these plastic pieces become dislodged at high speeds on a highway if could potentially cause damage to another vehicle/ cause a crash. There is a recall for the 2017 Ford Explorers for the same problem (25S53) however Ford refuses to cover this in that recall.

Incident date: May 16, 2026

. The horn on steering wheel only works when steering wheel is turned completely right, and it is available for inspection upon request. . My safety and others put at risk, when needing to use horn to warn pedestrian or another driver of near miss incidents. . Problem been reproduced and confirmed by independent service center. . Component been inspected by authorized mechanic shop. . There ... Read more

Incident date: May 27, 2026

I am requesting an executive review of my ongoing case regarding my 2026 BMW X2. Since purchasing the vehicle approximately seven months ago, I have experienced several recurring issues that remain unresolved despite numerous visits to the dealership and multiple communications with BMW Customer Relations. The primary concerns include: • A loud and persistent noise coming from the rear driver's ... Read more

Incident date: Nov 3, 2025

Intermittent severe shaking in steering wheel while driving at various speeds. No warning. Vehicle has less than 500 miles.

Incident date: Jun 21, 2026

while driving i noticed that there was some malfunctions with the car electronics and down by the drivers footwell there was a burning smell coming from it (fcm) which had me to stop the vehicle and get it towed home and stopped me from driving the car because of a risk of fire

Incident date: Jun 17, 2026

For over a year, engine shudders/jerks when accelerating. I see this has been a repeated complaint by many for a few years now. How is this not a recall?????

Incident date: Jun 19, 2026

While in Full Self Driving mode in my Tesla, it was making a right turn into a parking lot when it suddenly violently accelerated. Before I could gain control it crossed the parking lot entrance, climbed the curb, and came to rest on a lawn in front of a business. Luckily no one was hurt. It appears the car will be totaled by the insurance company at the completion of their investigation.

Incident date: Jun 13, 2026

Subject: Tesla HW2 FSD – Advertised Safety/Autonomy Features Not Provided Description: I am reporting an issue regarding my 2020 Tesla Model 3 equipped with Hardware 2 (HW2) and Full Self-Driving (FSD) package. Although the vehicle is listed and sold as “FSD capable,” Tesla has stopped providing FSD software updates for HW2 vehicles. My vehicle is stuck on FSD version 12.6.4 and cannot rece... Read more

Incident date: Jun 19, 2024

My safety and families safety is exposed to gas smell leaking inside the vehicle when driving and do/did not have a way to escape the smell inside the vehicle. My children range from infant-teenage and for them to smell a toxic smell can impact their lives and safety

Incident date: Jan 1, 2024

Vehicle is a safety hazard my jeep compass stalks while driving or sitting in traffic without warning. After sitting at traffic lights jeep stutters and hesitates before going again. My 2022 compass has stalled on me a couple of different times since I have had it. The car is unsafe.

Incident date: Jun 22, 2026

I bought my traverse in 2024 it’s now two year later and my entire transmission needs replaced no longer shifting between 1000& 2000rpms this is a known issue with these vehicles and there hasn’t been a recall yet. Also the button in my shift knob tells me it is not in park (shift to park) even though it’s clearly in park. Along with the transmission issue the stabilitrack warning comes on e... Read more

Incident date: Jun 18, 2026

When I am backing , my card comes to a complete stop, like I hit wall . There is nothing behind my car. It like you ran into a brick wall. This has happened several times

Incident date: Nov 2, 2025

The key fob separate from the key dangles while driving and with manual seats there is no way to adjust the seat up or down and while accelerating or braking, while moving leg and foot the knee hits the key fob and causes the key to turn while driving leading to a hazardous safety condition, Toyota needs to integrate the key fob into the key so nothing is dangling to get hit by the knee and knock ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 22, 2026

Back up Camera has a recall and there has not been a fix for over 3 months. The back up camera shows a black screen

Incident date: Jun 22, 2026

Severe paint delamination has occurred on my vehicle, causing the clear coat and base coat (Snow White Pearl color) to come off on the side of the hood, pillars, the doors, and the hood of the car. Not only does the peeling paint create an airborne/debris hazard, it also risks exposing the vehicle to premature rust/corrosion. This issue slowly began not to long after I bought the car in November 2... Read more

Incident date: Jun 12, 2026

Air conditioning has leaked after only 60,000 miles, costing me thousands in repairs. This is a recall on other models, but not this one. Mine and my baby’s safety is put at risk by being forced to drive around in the heat of summer without air conditioning. There were no warning lights. It was verified by the dealer, and I have a video of the inspection.

Incident date: Jun 20, 2026

Passenger side door lock became unresponsive to the vehicle's key FOB, and any attempt to open the passenger side door triggered the alarm system. Shortly afterward, the horn began sounding at random while the vehicle was started and being driven.

Incident date: Jun 20, 2026

My vehicle is confirmed affected by three active NHTSA safety recalls, none of which currently have an available remedy: • NHTSA Recall 25V741000 – High Voltage Battery May Fail and Cause Fire. Issued October 2025. This is the third recall issued for this same underlying defect. I have been monitoring this recall since it was issued — now over eight months later — with no resolution. •... Read more

Incident date: Jun 15, 2026

My vehicle is subject to Toyota Safety Recall 25TA15 (NHTSA Recall 25V869) involving a loose inverter bolt. Toyota dealership has retained possession of my vehicle since February 23, 2026. As of June 22, 2026, the vehicle has been out of service for more than 120 days. Toyota has failed to provide a repair date, repair timeline, or meaningful resolution despite multiple contacts, a certified mail ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 1, 2026

What component or system failed, and is it available for inspection? The roof/water sealing system failed, allowing water to enter the vehicle interior. It is available for inspection upon request. How was safety put at risk? Water intrusion through the roof caused visible mold growth, interior deterioration, and a severe foul odor. The mold and contamination inside the vehicle is causing constant... Read more

Incident date: Jun 22, 2026

While parked overnight, the panoramic sunroof shattered upwards. There is zero evidence of an impact. While opening door to stand on retractable running boards to take a picture, the center area of glass collapsed into the SUV. Rain storms in area and had to immediately tarp roof. Was on vacation 13 hours from home. Had to drive home at 60 MPH and re-tarp the sunroof in excess of 5 times. ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 20, 2026

The A/C evaporator core failed completely on my vehicle due to a known manufacturing and design defect in this climate control system architecture. Because the system cannot hold refrigerant, the vehicle has entirely lost its moisture-removal capability. This makes it impossible to effectively defrost or defog the windshield during rain or high-humidity conditions, severely obstructing driver visi... Read more

Incident date: Jun 18, 2026

Door Lock Actuator, the door latch is stuck on unlock and it won’t close or lock when the lock button is pressed on key fob.

Incident date: Apr 24, 2026

We had our van parked on a driveway with a front facing slope, we had hard rains went we where going away there was water coming out of the seat belt on the passenger side and the panel above the window was stained down to the window support where the air bag is. I've been reading reports as far back as 2008 we have a 2020, went taken to the dealer they want 1000 to 2700 to remove the head liner a... Read more

Incident date: Apr 15, 2021

I am submitting this complaint to report a serious safety hazard involving my 2011 Toyota Camry. The vehicle's dashboard has deteriorated and is melting, creating a sticky surface that reflects sunlight onto the windshield and significantly impairs visibility while driving. The dashboard continuously emits a residue that transfers to the windshield, making it difficult to keep the glass clear and ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 21, 2026

Panoramic sunroof shattered while sitting parked in a closed garage.

Incident date: Jun 17, 2026

While heading west on interstate after a Drs. Appointment my wife was driving our 2021 Nissan Altima when suddenly there was a loss of power to the engine as if the engine was overheating or had loss of fuel or only able to slowly exit the freeway to a safe place and call a tow truck, after 1 1/2 days of diagnosing and testing. I was able to drive the vehicle with no issues for approximately 4000 ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 7, 2026

Child opened the back hatch (as instructed). The child then pressed the button to close the back hatch. Fingers were trapped at the bottom of the hatch, and the hatch “clamped” into position. The interior hatch release was not sufficiently intuitive for the chiller to remove the trim and slide the tab, resulting in the child being trapped for 10-15 minutes before help arrived.

1 injured

Incident date: Jun 20, 2026

Been having issues with this vehicle since purchase, currently has 3 recalls outstanding, 2 with no remedy…Car dealerships won’t even talk to you when you try and trade it IN Stellnellis is not doing anything to help consumers out.

Incident date: Jun 17, 2026

The outside part of the glove box is coming off. It could prevent air bags from working properly. It seems like the O ring glue holding it together has failed. It is available for inspection upon request. The issue is well known and is documented online. The issue has in the past been inspected by the manufacturer and requests an approximate $400 from the customer to fix the issue.

Incident date: Jun 19, 2026

Static noise comes from all speakers even when the audio is switched off. The intensity or volume of the noise is so high that the driver or passengers inside the car can't hear any sound coming from the engine or outside. How it impacts safety--it distracts the driver; both passengers and driver feel they will lose their hearing ability. It feels like ear drum will break. Yes, I took my car to a ... Read more

Incident date: Jan 8, 2024

In May 2026, my vehicle began exhibiting serious and dangerous problems. It would shake violently after starting and occasionally stop on its own while driving. On [XXX], my wife and I got into the vehicle and started driving from our home in West Virginia. While driving uphill at approximately 30 mph, the vehicle suddenly began shaking severely and then came to a complete stop. After a few momen... Read more

Incident date: May 13, 2026

While accelerating to merge into traffic and make a left turn, the vehicle briefly hesitated, which has occurred previously. After completing the turn and straightening the vehicle, I fully released the accelerator pedal, but the vehicle continued accelerating and maintaining speed without accelerator input from me. The vehicle appeared to maintain approximately 54 mph in a 45-mph zone while I wa... Read more

Incident date: Jun 20, 2026

2025 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon X. I have experienced two separate incidents in less than a month where the vehicle accelerated suddenly and violently, while attempting to park in my garage. Both incidents resulted to significant damage to a parked vehicle, and the building structure. Both incidents were completely random and unexpected. I assumed the first on was caused by something I did. I know wit... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Jun 20, 2026

The anti whip lash prevention malfunctioned and the headrest was launched forwards

Incident date: Jun 11, 2026

Backup camera stopped working and displays a blue screen stating “service backup camera.” This was an issue when the vehicle was under 3 year manufacturer bumper to bumper warranty and was fixed by dealer at no cost. Now this same issue has occurred again approximately 3-4 years later. I thought at first this was an issue specific to my vehicle but now after doing research I see this is an iss... Read more

Incident date: Jun 20, 2026

UNKNOWN: Left rear door latch is not working, door keeps open after trying to closed it. Safety issue is door opens by accident during driving!

Incident date: Jul 15, 2025

Horn on vehicle consistently goes out. Either goes out entirely or the volume of the horn is below a safe level. This is a known Hyundai issue and Hyundai refuses to acknowledge it on this specific model, but has acknowledged it on different models. I Have had multiple repairs by Hyundai directly, and the horn consistently keeps going out. There are sometimes in dangerous situations where I need ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 4, 2026

The vehicle suffered an unexpected loss of engine compression and dropped into a dangerous Limp Mode while driving due to a Cylinder 3 Misfire code (P0303). The manufacturer dealership misdiagnosed the mechanical issue using an unrelated 2.0L engine service bulletin (SB23-026) to clear the error. Six months later, the dashboard completely illuminated again with code P0299 (Turbocharger Underboost)... Read more

Incident date: Jun 20, 2026

I bought my 2025 Pathfinder in November 2025. In early December, the automatic emergency braking symbol started flashing; I took it to the Nissan dealership in Downey, and they told me that unless there was a permanent error code, they couldn't do anything. After reading comments and forum posts, I saw that this was a common issue caused by sunlight and such, so I didn't worry too much about it, b... Read more

1 injured

Incident date: May 15, 2026

In early 2022 I was going to retrieve my wallet from the console area of my wife's 2019 Ford Expedition when thumb was lacerated by something on the vehicle. I was unable to find what exactly had cut my thumb. A few months later on June 7, 2022 my wife was injured when her hand was lacerated by a sharp piece of chrome trim in the console area of the same vehicle. The injury to her hand was much wo... Read more

1 injured

Incident date: Jun 13, 2026

While driving there is a loss of power, the battery fails, electronic components shut down and car stops. Has happened intermittently. Replaced battery. This is a significant safety issue happened on freeway near exit ramp, in parking lot in driveway, everything cuts out. Opened hood and seems to be battery terminal connector. Recall was issued for certain Subaru models but not legacy. No war... Read more

Previous 1 2 3 4 5 ... 52 53 54 ... 2355 2356 Next

Vehicle Safety

Consumer Safety

Infrastructure

Public Health

Consumer Safety Complaints

What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?

How to interpret what you read

If you've experienced a defect

Read more from our blog