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 22, 2026
The vehicle was involved in a rear and side impact collision and the car was totaled on 5/14/2026. The air bags did not deploy. There was a recall on the air bag system immediately after purchase 6/28/2025 and it was taken in July of 2025 to Mazda of Columbia, SC and it was “repaired.” The airbags of the truck that collided with the Mazda did deploy.
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: May 22, 2026
regarding my 2022 BMW X3 due to ongoing issues involving low coolant warnings, coolant leaking, and repeated cooling system problems shortly after reaching approximately 55,000 miles. My vehicle began displaying “low coolant” warnings and has required frequent coolant refills despite normal driving conditions and regular maintenance.the vehicle appears to have an active coolant leak and ongoin... Read more
Incident date: May 22, 2026
Premature transmission failure due to factory defect. All maintenance was done on time and at dealership.
Incident date: Mar 16, 2026
We are VERY concerned about the failure of some very important safety features of our 2021 Subaru Outback Touring Edition. We were involved in a bad car accident caused by a person under the influence who was in handcuffs when we were taken away by ambulance. As you can see by the photos, there was MAJOR damage to the other car and significant damage to ours. What is most concerning is the fact... Read more
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Feb 22, 2026
ABS and Traction control lights keep coming on intermittently. I know this is a known problem and a recall has already been issued. I feel like this is too important of an issue for Ram to be allowed 18 months and still no remedy. I could understand if this was a part availability wait but to not have a remedy after 18 months should require some sort of punishment for them or something should b... Read more
Incident date: May 23, 2026
The power window motor and regulator on the drivers side failed to roll up the window. It was raining and made it stessful driving home . The window was stuck down and the rain was soaking the inside of the car. Very distracting while driving.
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2021) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 23, 2026
Incident date: May 20, 2026
I am filing a safety complaint regarding my 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid. The vehicle developed a “Check Hybrid System” warning and was diagnosed by a Kia dealership as having a failure involving the high-voltage hybrid system, specifically the MCU (Motor Control Unit). The dealership informed me that the vehicle may be unsafe to drive due to the possibility of fire risk associated with the high... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2020) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 23, 2026
Incident date: Oct 1, 2025
The touch screen display malfunctions and is often either unresponsive or it has ghost touches and moves across various screens while you are driving and during navigation. The system will make calls, activate voice assistance, move the map when navigation is active to where you can no longer see your route, switch between audio sources, open random apps, etc while driving leading to distraction. ... Read more
Incident date: May 22, 2026
Esc system Poor braking. Engine idling rough. Almost hit another car
Incident date: May 2, 2026
Back up camera works only intermittently.
Incident date: May 2, 2026
I am submitting this complaint regarding a known exhaust manifold/flex pipe failure affecting my 2020 Subaru Ascent Touring (VIN: [XXX] ). My vehicle was diagnosed by a Subaru dealership with a “broken flex pipe on the header” causing excessive exhaust noise and exhaust leak concerns. Repair estimate was slightly over $2,000. After researching the issue, I discovered numerous reports from ot... Read more
Incident date: Sep 12, 2025
Vehicle serpentine belt is faulty and has required multiple replacements. The belt has cause multiple close calls with traffic accidents
Incident date: May 22, 2026
Scheduled appointment with dealer for the Grand Design Frame Flex recall today, 22 May 2026. Approximately 4 hours after dropping the trailer off the dealer called and said that the technician found significant frame flex and that the unit was unsafe to be towed. No other information was provided. I did ask for the measurements that the TSB 24-001 requires to be filled out ans submitted to Grand... Read more
ALFA ROMEO
STELVIO
(2018) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 22, 2026
Incident date: May 22, 2026
If I leave the auto idle engine stop on,and come to a complete stop, the auto engine stop turns on, but as I release the brake to drive, the vehicle stalls in drive and engine shuts down. I will have to manually turn the car back on and restart the whole system before being allowed to continue. All while at a green light and a ton of traffic waiting behind me to move! Its very disappointing and em... Read more
GRAND DESIGN
MOMENTUM
(2021) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 22, 2026
Incident date: May 22, 2026
They should be responsible for repairs or replacement of the cheap made frames that rust away so fast so u ain’t gotta worry about your truck fallling apart going down the rd and the lower control arms made of cast that rust from inside out and you don’t know until breaks while driving along with camber adjustments where they can throw alignment out with a single bump. Mostly the frame replace... Read more
Incident date: Apr 10, 2026
I rented a car from Avis on [XXX] (a Friday) for a 24-hour rental. I rented it in Manhattan, and the car (a Kia Telluride) had a New York license plate [XXX] ). I drove to Boston to pick up my daughter from college and then returned the car Saturday morning (XXX). The drive was fine. But when I returned the car, the attendant took the key and wrote on the window and windshield that the car ha... Read more
Incident date: May 17, 2026
I have a 2023 Kia Sportage I purchased and I was driving one day and my entire cars power shut off & so did the engine while I was driving on the highway going 70mph + and when I’m driving on the regular roads as well I’ve almost gotten into an accident over this issue already once when I went to go take it into Jeffery Kia in Roseville Michigan and asked for it to be looked at i was immediate... Read more
Incident date: May 21, 2026
The driver-side front door window developed a crack suddenly while the vehicle was in normal use. There was no known impact, and no object was seen or heard striking the glass. The crack originated near the edge of the window close to the side mirror and spread across the glass. There were no warning messages, alerts, or prior symptoms before the failure. The failure appeared spontaneous. This c... Read more
Incident date: May 21, 2026
Formal Consumer Complaint Statement — GM / Crivelli Buick I am filing a formal consumer complaint against Crivelli Chevrolet Buick GMC and General Motors/Buick regarding what I believe was discriminatory and unfair treatment in connection with a warranty-covered vehicle repair. The customer is [XXX] , owner of a 2017 Buick Encore. The vehicle was serviced by Crivelli Chevrolet Buick GMC in Mt.... Read more
Incident date: May 18, 2026
2019 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid experienced a serious charging system failure during routine overnight charging using a standard Level 2 home charger that had previously worked without issue. In the morning, the charging connector was physically trapped in the vehicle charge port and could not be removed despite repeated normal troubleshooting attempts, including repeated unlock cycles, charger powe... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2026
Ghost touch screen sudden changes in the volume to the maximum while driving. The Mazda dealership where I bought the car said I would need to pay for it, because the car is not under warranty. Mazda said they would not cover the repair.
Incident date: Feb 20, 2025
Contacted ford about recalls 26S28 and 19V075 and they report that my vehicle is out of the warranty period for repair. They were advised that this is under a NHTSA recall and still refuse to honor the NHTSA safety recall stating that it is outside the window for replacement. Again advised them that this is a NHTSA recall and they still refuse to honor it. My vehicle is inoperable due to this.
Incident date: May 16, 2026
My 2019 Toyota Highlander has taken on water from a leaking Panoramic Sunroof. Both times the dealership ran it through a car wash and it did not leak after cleaning the sun roof drains. Took my car in on 5/4/2026 after a thunderstorm and they cleaned (Tom O’Brien Toyota) the roof drains. Then on the evening of [XXX], we had a heavy thunderstorm which resulted in 3 quarts of water that my hus... Read more
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER
(2004) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 22, 2026
Incident date: May 20, 2026
Automatic start stop completely turns off car when pulling up to a stop sign, light, or yield intersection. Car completely turned off and wouldn’t start on a bridge overpass causing a safety hazard. Took a solid minute for it to restart.
Incident date: May 8, 2026
Something needs to be done because Toyota is stalling on sending out a critical safety component that has been recalled in thousands of vehicles. It is the HV floor wire connector, when the corrosion is beyond repair, the parts have been back ordered for months. Toyota and dealerships are not approving loaner vehicles. This is a serious safety issue because: If the wire corrodes or shorts out, the... Read more
HYUNDAI
SONATA HYBRID
(2021) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 22, 2026
Incident date: May 22, 2026
THE FIN ANTENNA ON TOP OF THE TRUCK HAS COME LOOSE, I GOT A CONTINOUS MESSAGE FOR THE LAST 2= MONTHS. SERVICE EMERGANCY CALLING MY TRUCK IS 6 MONTHS OLD NOW, BUT THIS HAPPENED 2 MONTHS AGO. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, FRIENDLY CHEVORLET WHERE I BOUGHT IT. TECH GUY SAYS I MUST HAVE HIT SOMETHING. I CALLED GMC AND ASKED ABOUT PRODUCT DEFECT, WAS TOLD THATS NOT THE CASE.I ORDERED A NEW ANTENNA 4-12... Read more
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2018) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 22, 2026
Incident date: May 11, 2026
while driving , simultaneously radio sound stops working randomly and cell phone connected to car play sound stops working
Incident date: May 21, 2026
Flex frame is failing: the front structural rv moves noticeable when pin box is pushed, which is leading to interior cracking and wall separation. Issues was not resolved with resolution fox in 2025. The flex Fram is still failing and Forrest River jas no resolution.
CHRYSLER
PACIFICA PLUG-IN HYBRID
(2018) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 22, 2026
Incident date: Mar 15, 2026
On March 17, 2026, the sunroof of our Hyundai Sante Fe 2021 exploded. The driver and two passengers were not hurt because the sunroof was closed and the liner in place when the explosion took place. The incident occurred on an open country highway on a sunny afternoon with no other vehicles or flying objects sighted.
Incident date: May 21, 2026
changed from outside lane to inside lane, when I tried to turn right to stay in the middle lane the steering wheel locked sending me into the left hand turn lane and then into a car that was in the next lane, hitting their left rear tire. I told the insurance adjuster about the issue, he told me they would have the car checked, but I don't think he or my insurance company had the car issue inspect... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Oct 22, 2025
Subaru’s infotainment system and GPS system has advertising pop ups which cover the map while driving. This has happened multiple times and it is incredibly distracting and dangerous. There is no way to opt out.
Incident date: Mar 24, 2026
The vehicle experienced a sudden, catastrophic brake-by-wire system failure while operating in one-pedal driving (Regeneration Boost mode). While decelerating at a low speed behind an 18-wheeler semi-truck, the vehicle failed to continue slowing down. I immediately depressed the physical brake pedal, but the vehicle completely ignored the foot pressure. The pedal and braking system became complete... Read more
Crash
Incident date: May 21, 2026
Rain water leaking into the parked vehicle on the driver and passenger seat belts, potentially weakening the belts and creating odor.
Incident date: Dec 26, 2023
February 14 early afternoon the car was just acting funny like I didn’t wanna go started jerking I pulled over on I-95 where the car continue to jerk and act funny so I cut the car off. Try to cut it back on and it wouldn’t crank up all the way, so I had to get the car to back to my address where I had a old mechanic come out to inspect with the problem. Engine light came on through some codes... Read more
Incident date: May 21, 2026
The oil filter housing failed and needed to be replaced due to be leaking coolant.. after changed that the failure of the water pump started to failed and engine started to spike high temperatures..
Incident date: May 18, 2026
The panoramic sunroof/front movable glass panel on my Hyundai Sonata N Line appeared to spontaneously shatter while driving on the highway. Weather conditions were clear and normal at the time of the incident. There was no traffic around the vehicle, no bridges or overhead objects nearby, and I did not observe any object strike the roof before the glass failed. The vehicle has approximately 20,00... Read more
Incident date: May 21, 2026
My parked, unoccupied 2013 Hyundai Accent spontaneously caught fire while turned off in my driveway. This vehicle is included in Hyundai Safety Recall 251 (NHTSA Campaign Number 23V651000) for a defective Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module that causes an electrical short circuit and engine compartment fires when parked. The local fire department responded to extinguish the blaze. The vehicle is a... Read more
Fire
TOYOTA
LAND CRUISER HYBRID
(2025) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 21, 2026
Incident date: May 21, 2026
The vehicle just shut down as I exited. The power and gas pressure decreased. Pulled over to see if my hybrid battery was defective or drained. It wasn’t. A notification popped up and said “Hybrid Control System or Low Voltage DC/DC Converter, Contact dealer for service. Finally got it towed to Kia of Valencia the next day and they said it was “Hydraulic Clutch Actuator” and they want cha... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2020) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 21, 2026
Incident date: May 21, 2026
I am filing a safety complaint regarding my 2023 Nissan Ariya involving an apparent failure of the 12-volt battery and/or electrical system. While parked overnight in my driveway, powered off, and not plugged in nor charging, the front battery/engine compartment began sizzling, overheating, and producing smoke. The heat caused internal damage and disabled the vehicle. This created a serious fire ... Read more
Incident date: May 21, 2026
Vehicle: 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe, VIN [XXX] , exterior Quartz White Pearl. Component: Exterior factory paint (paint/trim). Complaint: This vehicle exhibits a systemic, progressive factory paint defect — excessive peeling and bubbling of the white finish that spreads from one body panel to the next. This is a known defect across this vehicle generation; Hyundai acknowledged it by issuing Warranty... Read more
Incident date: May 21, 2026
While driving normally, my 2025 Honda Prologue experienced an immediate, catastrophic mechanical and electronic failure in both the steering and braking systems. The steering wheel completely locked up/failed to respond, and the brakes became completely non-functional simultaneously, causing an absolute loss of control of the vehicle. Due to this sudden system failure, the vehicle veered off cours... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Apr 27, 2026
Full screen ads inhibiting, stopping, and blockingfunctionality unless interacted with from a third party service that was forcibly installed by dealership/manufacturer
Incident date: May 19, 2026
My 2019 BMW X3 equipped with a B46 engine developed a significant coolant leak at approximately 80,000 miles. The vehicle displayed a low coolant warning, and coolant was visibly leaking underneath the vehicle. Around the same time, I began noticing excessive white exhaust/steam during cold starts and, for the first time since owning the vehicle, had to add engine oil between scheduled oil changes... Read more
Incident date: May 20, 2026
My rear passenger slide door has recently started buzzing when you press the unlock button. The lock itself will not move so it is not locking. We tried to get this fixed at our local dealership, they told us that it was under the 10y/100k miles warranty, we have 66k on the van. They then told us that they would have to remove a trim piece and they would break it and we would have to pay for it. T... Read more
Incident date: Apr 26, 2026
The evaporator for the air conditioning failed. BMW used an aluminum evaporator with yf coolant. Those combined cause the coolant to eat away the evaporator. Once the yf comes in contact to the air it turns toxic. This shouldn't fail at 82,000 miles.
Incident date: Apr 26, 2026
My 2026 Hyundai Tucson is experiencing a stuck update loop for the 2nd time since I purchased it new from a Hyundai dealer on February 2, 2026. The first stuck update occurred about Feb 18, 2026. A case was opened with Bluelink and it was taken to the deal for diagnosis on March 26, 2026. The update loop was cleared by the dealer’s service department in mid April. The second stuck update occurre... Read more
Incident date: May 5, 2026
My car will not shut off when shifted into park. I get a shift into park message.
MERCEDES-BENZ
METRIS
(2016) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 21, 2026
Incident date: May 21, 2026
When I put the shifter to park, it still dings and tells me "shift to park" and I struggle to make it go away and to be able to make it stop and be able to lock the car. It happens every time I drive it. Thank you
Incident date: Oct 14, 2025
2024 BMW X1 xDrive, 8000 miles, original tires. Front right tire wear to 2.7mm, front left tire wear to 4mm, and rear tires wear to 5mm. AWD vehicle where fronts should not be significantly outpacing rear wear. Left-right asymmetry on front axle suggests alignment issue. Dealer and BWM North America refused in investigation and call it normal. Requesting NHTSA agent review and case escalation.
Incident date: Jan 14, 2026
I bought the vehicle with 104k miles. When hooked to a computer it shows 177k. The odometer was tampered with