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: May 29, 2026
The Sirius XM advertisement creates an unsafe experience. The only way to safe way close it requires the driver to pull over to touch the “X”, or to risk taking eyes off the road in order to use the interface, including the climate control.
Incident date: May 19, 2026
Sirius XM ads keep popping up at random times removing the ability to use or see the media display unless you press the small X on the far side away from the driver. Usually happens when starting the car, sometimes happens when you are driving regardless of speed. Has happened multiple times and causes distraction and is more than potentially dangerous. Can not opt out of it on the car, have talke... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLS 450
(2020) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jun 3, 2026
Incident date: Mar 18, 2026
When the vehicle is moving forward, and rear camera is selected to visibly confirm the status of anything behind the vehicle, there is a giant black bar/box that states "full view not available" Clearly this is a safety hazard in the sense that I am unable to rapidly assess and determine the status of anything behind my vehicle, be it a trailer, a hitch mounted bike rack, or another vehicle. ... Read more
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2023) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jun 3, 2026
Incident date: Jun 13, 2025
While driving, a SiriusXM advertisement popped up in the center infotainment screen that controls not only the radio, but several of the driver assistance and climate control features of the car. They created it in a way that makes calling the advertiser very easy, with a big centrally-located button, and clearing the advertisement out with a tiny x over by the passenger side of the screen. I had ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
Even after the recent recall for backup camera freezing, my backup camera froze again today. I took the car in, in the past, to report the problem and was told to reset the computer even after the technician witnessed the problem. Got charged $300 so haven't been back. Problem has been there for a couple of years. I had hoped the software update would fix it but no such luck.
Incident date: May 26, 2026
I am reporting a severe saftey and crash-compatibility defect on the front passenger side of the 2026 Subaru Outback Premium trim. This vehicle is equipped with a fixed-height passenger seat that is positioned unsafely high relative to the headliner and sun visor assembly. Because the seat height cannot be lowered, an adult passenger of average height sits with their head in immediate proximity ... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: May 28, 2026
Sunroof/Moonroof After a stop light, while driving at less than 30mph, sunroof/moonroof exploded outwards. There were no surrounding cars in front or beside or in other lane direction. It was not hot or cold out. Evening time. No weather issues. If the fabric shade screen had not been closed all the glass would have fallen all over driver. There was no warning of any kind. Glass just exploded out... Read more
Incident date: May 30, 2026
Sirius XM advertisement popped up twice today while I was driving, effectively preventing me from following navigation guidance on the screen. I had to take my eyes off the road and find the “x” on the screen to close the advertisement, so I could continue following the navigated route. An accident could have happened during this time. This advertisement is unnecessary and UNWANTED. I never ap... Read more
Incident date: May 30, 2026
The trunk wiring which powers the tail lights, brake and parking lights, turn signals, trunk light, and the back up camera is too short, and it stretches and breaks when the trunk is opened and closed. Ford is aware of the issue, but is unwilling to fix it. The back up camera was already recalled, but it and the trunk light are not working again because the trunk wiring issue has not been address... Read more
Incident date: Jun 7, 2022
The AC compressor failed due to an isolation resistance failure at the high voltage inverter. Freon leaked from the AC system into the battery chiller coolant loop, causing crystallization and blockages in the inverter coolant circuit. This is a battery thermal management system failure. The failure was confirmed and diagnosed by an authorized Kia dealer. Warning lights appeared on the dashboard i... Read more
Incident date: Jun 7, 2022
I am repeatedly getting a pop-up ad from Sirius XM radio on my touch screen info Center on the dashboard. I cannot use any of the other on-screen commands until I cancel it, and the x to cancel. It is in a place that's kind of far away from the driver side and difficult to reach. And it's very distracting. There's evidently a way to opt out of it, but you have to have a Sirius XM radio account in ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
At 119500 miles a eev whining noise started. Only had all repairs done at a dealership.
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
I was driving and an ad for SiriusXM popped up. This has happened before. This disables thr head unit until you press the C button. This is dangerous. Please address with Subaru.
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER
(2017) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jun 2, 2026
Incident date: May 29, 2026
More than 3 times, I have had a SiriusXM pop-up completely covering my Subaru Outback's headunit screen while I was actively driving. It completely disables all functions on the screen until you are able to click the small red X in the far right corner, away from the driver. Even though the message says you can call to opt out, if you call Sirius, they will tell you there is no way to opt out of t... Read more
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
My car has shut off for a second time without warning. This time was in a busy chic [XXX] drive through line in [XXX] . The car read “low power steering” and the battery and engine light came on. These have both been checked before in addition to the alternator and they cannot find an issue. I am having it taken back to the dealership tomorrow for further investigation. Given I purchased this... Read more
Incident date: May 8, 2026
My wife was driving at about 40 MPH when the instrument panel displayed a warning "System Failure" and the digital speedometer stopped working and showed the current speed as two dashes instead of a number (ie "--" instead of "40"). After about 5-10 seconds the warning went away and the digital speedometer appeared to start displaying the correct speed again.
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
The latch on the back often sets off an error saying the rear hatch is ajar.
Incident date: May 31, 2026
Built-in navigation application has on multiple occasions stopped working and stating "searching for GPS". This causes a distraction and increases the chance of a crash because I now have to try to figure out what is going on while I was relying on the navigation to understand where I was going.
Incident date: Dec 31, 1969
My power lines were not installed properly and leaked all over burning up my transmission. This is aVERY common ford issue to the point where the place where I took it said I got a lot further than others. Ford needs to do better
Crash
Incident date: May 23, 2026
On September 16, 2025, I was operating a powered industrial forklift inside Trailer No. [XXX]— a 2017 Great Dane refrigerated semi-trailer, VIN [XXX] — during routine dock-loading operations at [XXX] of the T.G. Lee Dairy / DFA Dairy Brands Fluid facility, [XXX] . The trailer was detached from its tractor, stationary, dock-locked, and wheel-chocked in the standard configuration for loading. W... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
2nd recall on my dodge dart sxt for the same reason transmission shift cable on this time been waiting 7 months and still hasn't been fixed I'm scared for my safety at this point!
Incident date: May 27, 2026
The bolt holding the hatchback piston that opens the trunk in place snapped and the piston went through the gap between the hatchback and the roof
Incident date: May 13, 2026
I PUT MY VEHICLE IN PARK AND VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE, IT MOVED OVER A CURB AND INTO A WALL. I BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP NEXT DAY AND THEY STATED IT WAS A GEAR CONTROL ISSUE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO GET AN ESTIMATE FOR REPAIRS AND ESTIMATE IS NEAR $7000. DEALERSHIP SAID THE PART IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND NO RECALLS. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN CHE... Read more
Crash
VOLKSWAGEN
TIGUAN
(2022) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jun 2, 2026
Incident date: May 4, 2026
Before I begin my commute, I’m greeted by a persistent message within the center infotainment display from the satellite radio service provider SirusXM. The message will not go away until manually closed out, as the exit button is farther away from the drivers reach (more accessible from the passenger side). This can lead to distracted driving, especially if you’ve already expressed no interes... Read more
Incident date: May 22, 2026
The interior of the vehicle is melting. It smells and the seats, sunglasses holder roof and other parts of the interior are seeding/melting. There is something wrong with this vehicle and Subaru will not help me. I have been there twice and contacted their customer advocacy and they will not help me.
Incident date: Feb 26, 2026
The electric sliding door cable broke due to unknown reason and the door partially opened and will not open even manually now.
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
I own a 2020 Lincoln Aviator. After starting the vehicle, I exited without intentionally placing the vehicle in gear. The vehicle began rolling backward unexpectedly after I exited. I was struck and injured by the vehicle, resulting in a laceration to my shin requiring eight stitches. At no point did I intentionally place the vehicle in a position that would allow it to move. The vehicle did not a... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
There is a promotional pop up which shows from Sirius XM, it appears several minutes into driving, while moving. This pop up advertises a deal on the subscription and is not only distracting, but it disables any other functions on the head unit including navigation assistance, drive modes and climate controls. The only way to exit from the promotional window is to clock an X which is nearly out of... Read more
Incident date: May 17, 2026
I receive many distracting ad messages from Subaru on my screen advertising Siriusxm while driving! I tried to get help from Subaru and the refuse to stop the ads. The messages are a dangerous, distracting safety issue. I almost had an accident.
Incident date: Apr 10, 2026
While driving the LCD screens would go blank intermittently. Sometimes staying off for 30 secs or more. I could still hear sound and could control volume. This has happened on two different occasions while traveling to work. I have a 35 minute commute on interstate highways.
Incident date: May 20, 2026
I am having issues with my 2019 RAV 4 rear hatch. The struts/hinges issue is not allowing my rear hatch to open. I feel like one issue caused the other, but warranty will only cover the struts. There is a potential class action lawsuit right now over this issue. Toyota will not do anything about it.
Incident date: Apr 29, 2026
The second-row passenger side seat release button is non-functional. Third-row passengers cannot exit without this button — it is inoperable, and they cannot reach the manual lever due to insufficient space. Third-row passengers are physically trapped and cannot self-evacuate without outside assistance. In an emergency — collision, fire, or submersion — third-row passengers would have no abi... Read more
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
The infotainment system on my Outback has become a complete distraction when driving. It calls people from my contacts on its own, it cuts off my navigation in the middle of a drive and it freezes up preventing cancelling of operation. This is the hub of the vehicle and makes using hands free devices next to impossible. I took the vehicle into the Subaru dealership and they confirmed the issue.... Read more
Incident date: May 27, 2026
The vehicle is experiencing a persistent and severe manufacturing defect regarding its steering wheel geometry and vehicle alignment. While operating the vehicle under normal driving conditions, the steering wheel alignment is visibly off-center, failing to achieve proper tracking geometry. There is comprehensive photographic and video evidence documenting that the steering wheel and tracking alig... Read more
CHEVROLET
CAPTIVA SPORT
(2014) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jun 2, 2026
Incident date: Apr 12, 2026
The Auto Start/Stop system shuts down the engine and periodically the engine fails to restart. The car needs to be put into Park and then the electronics seem to re-boot before the car will restart the engine. This has now happened many times in city traffic, interstate highways and in areas of questionable safety (high crime zones). The dealer and Acura has refused to repair since they have n... Read more
Incident date: May 8, 2026
The forward collision warning system emits a warning sound even when the car is in reverse. I was close enough to the door of my garage so that the forward warning was beeping. Since this always occurs when I back out of my driveway, I ignored the beeping. Unfortunately there was also something behind me and I backed into a low trash can. This could have been much more serious. The fact that the ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
While operating the vehicle, I began to hear a metallic grinding noise originating from the center of the engine compartment. The sound was clearly audible within the cabin. Approximately one mile before the vehicle ultimately failed, the engine began to malfunction. As I slowed to a stoplight, the vehicle started to shake before shutting off abruptly and entering a coasting state. All electrical ... Read more
Incident date: May 20, 2026
On multiple occasions, the car's onboard, factory-installed user interface system (the computer screen that operates climate control, navigation, entertainment, etc.) has pushed pop-up ads for Sirius FM. These pop-ups persist and interfere with operating of the system. This presents a driving distraction and hazard due to (1) operator attention is drawn from the road, (2) normal function of the s... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2025
Sunroof caused a leak in the vehicle cabin, under the front driver rug. So the water was coming up from the floor. This was after a heavy rain. I was told by Honda the drains were clogged and paid $1k for repair 5 months ago. I just recently noticed more water pooling on the rug after another heavy rain and now they say the seals on the sunroof are failing. I rarely use the sunroof. I purchased th... Read more
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
2021 Ford F-150 Lariat, 5.0L Coyote V8, purchased new, now 65k miles. Two interrelated safety defects: OIL CONSUMPTION: On 3/21/2026 at 62k miles, I discovered the engine was critically low on oil. Only 3 quarts drained during a full oil change, against a rated 8.8 quart capacity. The engine had been running on one third of required oil. The onboard oil life monitor showed 9% remaining and gave NO... Read more
Incident date: May 30, 2026
The panoramic sunroof unexpectedly shattered while the vehicle was parked in my driveway overnight. There was no collision, impact, weather event, vandalism, or any other external cause that could explain the failure. The damaged sunroof remains available for inspection upon request, and security camera footage from my property shows no outside influence that could have caused the glass to break. ... Read more
Incident date: May 13, 2026
I am filing a formal safety complaint against Camping World for structural equipment overloading, unauthorized safety component manipulation, and willful public safety endangerment. On May 29, the dealer hitched a 37' long trailer to my half ton truck frame. This combination violates critical highway stability standards. A 37' trailer requires a minimum 178" tow vehicle wheelbase to counteract lat... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2026
while traveling at highway speed on the interstate in Alabama, the panoramic roof glass on my 2025 Ram 1500 spontaneously shattered and expelled outward from the vehicle. There was no prior impact, road debris strike, or warning of any kind. No injuries occurred, but the sudden loud explosion of glass was an extreme distraction and created a serious safety hazard for myself, child in the back seat... Read more
Incident date: May 29, 2026
I believe the Hybrid Propulsion System in my kia optima hybrid should have been part of the recall. The vehicle is currently showing signs of the vehicle's Voltage Protection Device activating inadvertently, causing a sudden loss of power. Vehicle is currently with an authorized dealership being tested.
Incident date: May 29, 2026
While i was driving on the freeway one Sunday afternoon, the radio started making a static noise. It became very loud that i could barely hear the cars around. I tried to turn off the radio to no avail. I pulled over on the road side, turned off the vehicle and waited for a few minutes. When I started the car, the noise came back on even though the radio power was off. Since then about two month... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
While driving my 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport the car began to overheat when i slowed down or came to a stop. I brought it to my mechanic who informed me the radiator cooling fan failed and had to be replaced. I found out that many Nissan Rogue Sport models have had this issue. I think it is a saftey isse when you car overheats....
NISSAN
ROGUE SPORT
(2018) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jun 2, 2026
Incident date: Jun 30, 2025
AWD system failure Warning lights Known issue on 2020 Escape Module needs to be replaced with parts and labor $1710.50 plus tax Vehicle only has 32,000 miles on it Opened case with Ford Case #: CXH08137060-B8L5X8 Asked for Goodwill assistance, dealer also requested goodwill assistance and it was denied. Called Ford back and asked for it to be elevated and they said no.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
While driving on freeway, the overhead console in my 2020 VW Tiguan suddenly fell down. At highway speeds , I thought I had been hit or something. It immediately obstructed the view through my wind shield and rear view. I had to rapidly pull over, narrowly averting a collision. Very dangerous. I see that this is a common problem in this model of car supposedly caused by the factory over torquing ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
Rear view mirror has come detached from the main roof and it's presented that the only option to repair this is a complete windshield replacement. If the mirror is adhered to the windshield, this presents a major design flaw and safety hazard. I should not have to replace an entire windshield to replace just a rearview mirror. Also, because this is requiring me to seek additional services outside ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 21, 2026
radiator cracked causing overheating in need of repair. did not hit potholes, was not in an accident. 46,000 miles, 2024.