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 27, 2024
On [XXX], I was involved in an accident in my Toyota Camry while the vehicle was stopped on the freeway [XXX]. The car suffered an impact at approximately 20 MPH or less. My friend [XXX] was driving with my permission while I was a passenger, and our two dogs were also in the vehicle. We were rear-ended by another driver, which pushed us into the vehicle in front of us, causing both rear and fro... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Apr 4, 2026
Tesla 2026 Model Y was involved in a severe motor vehicle accident directly caused by a critical software and/or hardware malfunction of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system. At the time of the incident, the vehicle’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software suite was actively engaged and driving the vehicle. While navigating, the system suffered an abrupt and uncommented control malfunction.... Read more
Crash
Incident date: May 1, 2026
Water sloshing around inside the passenger door after rain or car wash. If you pull at the seal a little bit, water pours out. This has happened a few times now in the last year of owning the car. The rear seatbelt sensor also goes off randomly, when no one is sitting in the back seat.
Incident date: Sep 25, 2025
My 2024 Used Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Platinum Max was at a slight decline stopped at a stop sign in Echo mode. The whole car began to violently shake and lurching forward. No one was in front of me and my foot was on the brake or I probably would have run into a car in front of me. The dashboard then flashed a warning about the hybrid system overheating. The only way to stop it was to t... Read more
Incident date: May 26, 2026
Touch Screen and/or infotainment center causing ghost touch. Available for inspection. Ghost touch (known Mazda issue) with touch screen has been changing radio stations, increasing volume to max. Will go into user settings and change guidance voice to full volume, increasing bass to full volume, fast forward songs, mute phone call feature, randomly switch from bluetooth to handset of phone. All o... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2026
I have changed this transmission twice, and the truck still turns off when it comes to a complete stop at an intersection. It hesitates, skips, and pulls back when driving.
Incident date: May 21, 2026
Engine fails to restart on its own from a complete stop at a traffic light or road intersection when the Auto Idle Stop function is engaged
HYUNDAI
SANTA FE SPORT
(2017) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 27, 2026
Incident date: Apr 28, 2026
The vehicle experienced failure of the HVAC heater flap/blend door mechanism on the driver’s side. Specifically, the plastic gear assembly broke at its mounting point, causing the gear to spin freely and preventing the airflow door from opening and functioning properly. As a result, the driver’s side heating and airflow system no longer operated correctly. The failed component is available fo... Read more
Incident date: Jun 12, 2025
Around 100,000 miles, my vehicle began experiencing intermittent hesitation, sudden loss of power, and frequent stalling. Prior to the complete failure, the vehicle would occasionally hesitate during acceleration and feel like it was losing engine power while driving. Over time, the problem became more frequent. One day, while driving approximately 50 mph on a side road, the vehicle suddenly stal... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2026
The Moon Roof glass, which is not designed to open, developed a non-impact, or stress fracture. Since it is not supposed to open, the glass is a structural part of the vehicle. It was not cracked when I first took possession of the vehicle, and since I did not open the interior screen all winter, I never noticed the crack. I reported it to the dealer, but it did not take responsibility or offer... Read more
Incident date: May 22, 2026
1. The failed component was the panoramic sunroof glass. The glass spontaneously shattered and blew inward into the cabin while the vehicle was in normal operation. Yes — the vehicle and the remaining glass fragments are available for inspection upon request. 2.How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The failure created an immediate and severe safety hazard. When the sunroof exp... Read more
Incident date: May 22, 2026
2022 Tiguan overhead consule just fell down hanging by wires. No glasses compartment so not sure what would cause the stress on it due to usage. Dealer said 2020 models had issue and have an extended warranty. The 2022 does not have any recall. Seems like design flaw VW should correct as issue comes up. If I was driving at the time. it would have hit me or passenger in the head. This is a safet... Read more
Incident date: May 22, 2026
Based on publicly available reports and similar complaints, multiple F-150 vehicles with the 10-speed automatic transmission appear to experience similar transmission failures at relatively low mileage under normal driving conditions.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2024
I repeatedly lost propulsion or shut down while driving. The vehicle would not shift into Drive or Reverse and would not move, although displays and lights remained powered. This occurred three times in approximately two weeks. One event occurred at approximately 55 mph. I had to call the police for help. This after Hudson Valley Property Maintence the two previous stalls had been fixed. Dealer p... Read more
Incident date: May 26, 2026
Rear backup camera is consistently distorted, inverted, or has a black or blue screen.
Incident date: May 21, 2026
Door unlocking while driving
Incident date: May 26, 2026
The vehicle involved is a Mercedes-Benz vehicle that experienced severe corrosion and deterioration of the rear subframe component. The subframe is available for inspection upon request and has been identified as unsafe due to excessive rust and structural corrosion. The corrosion created a major safety risk because the subframe supports critical suspension and stability components. The condition... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLK350
(2010) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 27, 2026
Incident date: Mar 6, 2026
Reverse camera is very blurry. You have to squint your eyes to see what the object is when reversing. Daylight helps a little but but at nights it's pretty much faulty. I have attached some pictures, however, the AI features of my phone make the image better than it really is. The car was sold like this, and the consesionary told me that other cars, not just mine, camera was faulty. Please help, t... Read more
Incident date: May 26, 2026
I purchased my car in 2020 and have had this issue recently come up. I have coolant that is vanishing from my car but not dripping to the floor. I've learned since then that there was a recall on my car for my water pump which causes this exact issue which has caused a related check engine light to appear. It seems unfair to me that there's a recall on my car that was taken away after one year des... Read more
Incident date: May 25, 2026
On Friday, December 5, 2025, I was coming out of the driveway at the Jack In The Box on the corner of El Camino & Nobili Avenue in Santa Clara. My foot was on the break as I was going to stop at the end of the driveway to check to see if there was any traffic coming down Nobili before I exited the Jack In The Box driveway. All of a sudden before I even hit the end of the driveway while I had my fo... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
2 recall notices on my 2023 Toyota Tundra has not been repaired yet. 1. Engine recall has not been remedied. 2. back up camera still not repaired. It's been over 6 month's that my truck has been at the dealer since January 2026 and Toyota still has not made any repairs to the recall. Toyota provides the rent a car, however, I want my truck returned to me. I opened two cases with Toyota for lemon l... Read more
Incident date: May 22, 2026
The temperature gauge does not work, it stays at cold. The heater does not work unless the car is moving. AC does not blow cold air at all. I get a message that says “steering assist is reduced. Drive with care”. There are a lot of people online with the same complaints on these vehicles
HYUNDAI
IONIQ PLUG-IN HYBRID
(2021) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 26, 2026
Incident date: Feb 1, 2026
Infotainment is malfunctioning and it is available for inspection. The screen clicks on its own, and leads to GPS errors, makes incorrect phone calls and does not respond to my inputs. It has not been reproduced by the dealer, but I have videos and have shown the dealer. It has not been inspected by others. There were no messages or warning lamps.
Incident date: May 22, 2026
I have a severe safety concern regarding the auto shut off for this Chevy Silverado pick up. Several times I have almost gotten into an accident because while slowing briefly to stop before making a left, turn across traffic, the engine shuts off. When you press the gas, the engine starts back up, but the delay causes a safety concern with oncoming traffic. This feature should have a longer delay ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 17, 2025
Car will suddenly go into limp mode while driving. Took to dealership and couldn' t find anything wrong. One week later did the same thing. Took back to dealership and haven't heard anything from them yet. It will just go limp and cars coming behind you could crash into you.
KIA
SORENTO HYBRID
(2025) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 26, 2026
Incident date: May 1, 2026
The Auto Idle Stop (AIS) system malfunctions during normal driving. When coming to a stop, the AIS shuts off the engine as designed, but the vehicle then fails to restart when the brake is released. The vehicle shifts itself into Park automatically without driver input, either before or at the same time as a dashboard message appears instructing the driver to depress the brake pedal and press the ... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2025
The car does not accelerate when the gas is pressed. It will delay, jerk or accelerate slower than it's supposed to.
Incident date: May 26, 2026
For no apparent reason the truck goes into “low power mode” and gives off code p2138 often happens around 30-35 mph. Have had it happen to me also around 45 mph also. I have replaced sensors and parts to which a month or so goes by and it happens again.
Incident date: May 8, 2026
The sunroof/moonroof glass spontaneously shattered. At 245 in the afternoon at 65 miles an hour no other vehicles near it. The day was clear and the temperature was in the low 70s. Heard a bang and pulled over to discover the glass had shattered. There was flying glass had another vehicle been near they would be been pelted with broken glass. The potential for injury of the passenger of the ve... Read more
Incident date: Apr 21, 2026
My SOS system has failed due to tsp/atm module defect from faulty shark fin component. My vehicle is off line and im unable to receive emergency services in case of an emergent situation.
Incident date: May 12, 2026
While driving on the highway my navagation, internet, gps stopped working. An error came up on the dash saying "SOS emergency call system fault" We were not sure what was happening with the vehicle or if was safe to drive. We made an appointment with a Volvo service center. Volvo service center stated we would need to pay to have this diagnosed because the vehicle has a rebuilt title. The dea... Read more
Incident date: May 20, 2026
I went to have my car make/model Dodge Charger serviced and when I went to the dealership I told them the problem before they even got to look at it, because it’s a known problem with Dodge Charger SRT models. Stellantis hasn't put a recall out on the part called Mopar Exhaust Valve Actuator - Mopar (68505881AA). There is a detachable spring that can break over time and its a known common proble... Read more
Incident date: May 25, 2026
Loud unbearable static noises coming from speakers. Hard to stay focused when driving. Was told by the dealership that it's the radio control head.. Very expensive to replace. Now I'm hearing a lot more people are having the same issue with their Honda Accord. This is a mental and road safety concern and should be recalled.
LAND ROVER
DISCOVERY
(2019) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 26, 2026
Incident date: May 22, 2026
Car’s sunroof exploded while driving, was going about 55 on the highway and I heard a loud pop followed by the sound of breaking glass which I found to be my whole sunroof exploding from the inside out. This is dangerous because of the possibility of glass landing on people or in the car leading to potential injury. This issue is apparently one that happens fairly commonly. The component has not... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2026
The sunroof wind deflector broke and as a result the sunroof was jammed open. In order to close the top I had to break the mechanism and now the sunroof, while mostly shut, still shifts free occasionally when driving.
Incident date: May 22, 2026
Vehicle: 2023 Ford Explorer Recall Number 25S49 (NHTSA:25V315) I am filing this complaint regarding a failed recall remedy & my Ford dealership's refusal to re-repair my vehicle. The recall remedy was previously performed at an authorized Ford dealership. The defect has since recurred, my infotainment screen is completely black & non-functional at all times, leaving me with no rear-view camera ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 26, 2025
I am reporting an issue with Supervised FSD regarding school zones in Ohio. In my area, active school zones are indicated by flashing lights. The FSD system successfully recognizes these lights and reduces the vehicle's speed to the legal limit of 20 mph. However, if there is a traffic light within the school zone, the vehicle loses track of the school zone speed limit after stopping or cycling t... Read more
Incident date: May 26, 2026
Variable Valve Timing (VVT) exhaust Solenoid engine light has been coming on and turning off immediately for a few months, finally found the issue. $665 replacement.
Incident date: Jan 1, 2025
No accident, malfunction, warning lights, or safety-related issues occurred. Vehicle is operating normally at this time.
Incident date: May 26, 2026
While driving in rush hour traffic, I heard an intermittent vibration/noise that seemed to come and go and became louder when I stopped. As I put my car in park when I got home, I heard a loud clunk and the battery light came on. When I popped the hood, we saw metal shavings flying around. The dealer diagnosed the alternator and provided a quote for replacement. I am concerned the failure could h... Read more
Incident date: May 23, 2026
After the newest software update, the Tesla Model Y FSD now shows a pop-up menu every time you disengage full self-driving. The pop up menu is black, so it contrasts with the white screen and causes a visual distraction. Additionally, the pop up menu requires you to make a selection in order to make it disappear - there’s no way to swipe it away (which would still be problematic while driving). ... Read more
Incident date: May 18, 2026
This model lacks a well-tested turn signal lever, replacing it with arrows on the steering wheel. This method of activating turns signals is fundamentally unreliable and consequently dangerous. As an owner of the subject Tesla for just over one year, I find that I regularly fail to achieve correct activation, even with repeated attempts to do so. The steering wheel control may: Not activate at ... Read more
Incident date: May 26, 2026
I was trapped inside my car because the driver side door lock actuator was broken. I had the door lock actuator replaced at a Nissan dealership who verified the problem. There was an issue where the driver side door would not lock properly with the key fob. When I tried to unlock the door with the fob, the car horn would go off until I pressed the fob again.
Incident date: Mar 15, 2026
I am writing to request assistance regarding a recurring issue with Recall SC276. Approximately two years ago, I had the hydraulic clutch actuator (HCA) replaced by a dealership as part of this recall. Since then, the vehicle has been driven only 10,000 miles, bringing the total mileage to about 45,000. The vehicle recently broke down, and the dealership confirmed that the replacement HCA has fai... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2022
Sometimes the Ford Bronco will hesitate to move from a stop position especially when the auto start and stop has been engaged during periods of driving. Also the vehicle hesitated when trying to change lanes. I had to push gas peddle all the way down in order to get into another lane. Several times the light is green for me to go and there is several seconds of hesitation and then the vehicle wou... Read more
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2024) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 26, 2026
Incident date: Apr 14, 2026
The vehicle looses the display screen and or the camera screen while driving forward and reverse at times. It also freezes up and glitches which then makes the reverse camera not in real-time causing a minor accident. The screen sometimes turns black and sometimes blue. Secondly the trailer towing lights don't work properly and say that the trailer disconnected or not working properly. We tow or m... Read more
Crash
Incident date: May 26, 2026
Car alarm keeps going off. Lights go crazy and car loses battery.
Incident date: May 22, 2026
2022 GMC Canyon AT4 Crew Cab. After the vehicle is shifted into Park and the engine is shut off, the ignition key cannot be removed from the cylinder. The key is physically locked, the steering wheel will not lock, and the vehicle cannot be reliably secured. The only workaround is to restart the engine and cycle the shifter repeatedly until the interlock releases the key. Recurring. Safety implic... Read more
Incident date: Apr 10, 2026
When you driving at any speed but mainly when the vehicle is traveling at least 45 mph or more. When you have to abruptly stop, occasionally you will hear a bike horn sound. I have no clue what's causing it and/or where the noise is coming from.
Incident date: Jun 18, 2025
Alternator overheated and vehicle stalled. Smoke was seen coming out from alternator. Incidentbandbvehicke details are consistent with FCA Recall T36. Looking to include vehicle in recall.