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 17,413 complaints for ACURA
Incident date: Sep 9, 2026
Car at a stop light, went into idle stop, and then shut off with an error message that to continue to drive, depress brake pedal and push switch. Car then needs to be restarted. This has happened 3 times in less than a week, so it is becoming concerning as a safety issue. The issue seems to be related to the starter and idle stop feature.
Incident date: Sep 9, 2026
20 minutes after parking my car, it would not start. Several different codes came up on the gauges - BRAKE issue; hill issue;stabilization issue - multiple icons and warnings. I ended up having to be jumped off.
Incident date: Sep 9, 2026
20 minutes after parking my car, it would not start. Several different codes came up on the gauges - BRAKE issue; hill issue;stabilization issue - multiple icons and warnings. I ended up having to be jumped off.
Incident date: Sep 9, 2026
I own a 2019 Acura RDX that I purchased new in 2018. It has now experienced three separate major water-intrusion events. The first two occurred while I lived in [XXX], including an incident in approximately 2021 that required an insurance claim, extensive repair, and about a month without the vehicle. The current incident occurred in [XXX]. Because the same issue has occurred in two different stat... Read more
Incident date: Sep 9, 2026
I own a 2019 Acura RDX that I purchased new in 2018. It has now experienced three separate major water-intrusion events. The first two occurred while I lived in [XXX], including an incident in approximately 2021 that required an insurance claim, extensive repair, and about a month without the vehicle. The current incident occurred in [XXX]. Because the same issue has occurred in two different stat... Read more
Incident date: Sep 3, 2026
The contact owns a 2020 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the oil light illuminated. The contact stated that after restarting the vehicle, while driving, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate, with a ticking and knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed and metal shavings from the engine bear... Read more
Incident date: Mar 25, 2026
Occassionally when the "auto stop start" feature is on and I am stopped at traffic light, the engine does not restart when I release the brake and hit the gas pedal. I took my car into my local dealer and they replaced battery but I was also advised that I might not want to use the "auto stop start" feature because it is a real drain on battery. Even with the new battery, I have experienced fail... Read more
Incident date: Aug 14, 2026
Transfer case is leaking. Then the engine overheated. Confirmed and inspected by the dealer. No warnings prior to the incident.
Incident date: Sep 4, 2026
Heard a loud clunk followed by several small clunks when accelerating. Dealer confirmed the transmission & PTU are damaged and the car is no longer AWD. This issue is becoming more widespread with Acura MDXs and is a very expensive repair. From dealer: “FOUND DRIVESHAFT CAN TURN IN PARK WITHOUT TURNING FRONT WHEELS. THIS INDICATED TRANSMISSION AND PTU SPLINES ARE DAMAGED”
Incident date: Sep 5, 2026
Car Keyless Entry Module/ TPMS Module having problem and alarms keep going off at anytime. It also stops car while driving because of no fob detection. It also automatically tries to turn the car on/off even when it was parked.
Incident date: Sep 8, 2026
Auto Stop/Start fails to restart intermittently causing dangerous situations stuck at lights unable to move. Sometimes it restarts again after pressing the brake and ignition right away. Sometimes it takes a minute to restart. Either way it happens unexpectantly leading to being frozen until you figure out what is going on.
Incident date: Sep 8, 2026
Auto Stop/Start fails to restart intermittently causing dangerous situations stuck at lights unable to move. Sometimes it restarts again after pressing the brake and ignition right away. Sometimes it takes a minute to restart. Either way it happens unexpectantly leading to being frozen until you figure out what is going on.
Incident date: Sep 11, 2025
"My 2016 Acura MDX completely seized on the highway after a loud knocking sound, which perfectly matches the connecting rod bearing failure under Recall 23V-751. Even if my specific VIN isn't showing up as open on the website, I know the NHTSA has a major open investigation into 1.4 million of these V6 engines because hundreds of vehicles are failing exactly like mine outside the original recall s... Read more
Incident date: Jul 3, 2026
The factory-installed LED Daytime Running Light (DRL) system on my 2019 Acura RDX has failed. The passenger-side DRL is completely inoperative, and an authorized Acura dealership documented that the driver's-side DRL is beginning to fail as well. The affected components are available for inspection upon request dealership has declined to provide further documents and American Honda Moto Daytime R... Read more
Incident date: Jul 3, 2026
The factory-installed LED Daytime Running Light (DRL) system on my 2019 Acura RDX has failed. The passenger-side DRL is completely inoperative, and an authorized Acura dealership documented that the driver's-side DRL is beginning to fail as well. The affected components are available for inspection upon request dealership has declined to provide further documents and American Honda Moto Daytime R... Read more
Incident date: Apr 18, 2026
Multipurpose camera unit failure code U3000-49. My camera does not keep its lane assist accurately and sways from side to side when it is working. 9 out of 10 times it does not work. Other acura owners of the ILX 2019-2022 have experienced the same codes and issues around 90K miles+. I have lights on my dashboard like Adaptive cruise control, Automatic braking system, Foward collision warning, La... Read more
Incident date: Apr 18, 2026
Multipurpose camera unit failure code U3000-49. My camera does not keep its lane assist accurately and sways from side to side when it is working. 9 out of 10 times it does not work. Other acura owners of the ILX 2019-2022 have experienced the same codes and issues around 90K miles+. I have lights on my dashboard like Adaptive cruise control, Automatic braking system, Foward collision warning, La... Read more
Incident date: Apr 18, 2026
Multipurpose camera unit failure code U3000-49. My camera does not keep its lane assist accurately and sways from side to side when it is working. 9 out of 10 times it does not work. Other acura owners of the ILX 2019-2022 have experienced the same codes and issues around 90K miles+. I have lights on my dashboard like Adaptive cruise control, Automatic braking system, Foward collision warning, La... Read more
Incident date: Aug 30, 2026
Acura TLX 2017, with only 112,000 miles. On [XXX], while the consumer was driving, the vehicle caught on fire. The consumer saw what appeared to be smoke coming from under the hood. The consumer stopped the vehicle immediately at a 4-way intersection, put it in park, and turned it off. The hood latch was open. When the consumer opened the hood, the engine compartment was on fire, and the car was e... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Aug 30, 2026
Acura TLX 2017, with only 112,000 miles. On [XXX], while the consumer was driving, the vehicle caught on fire. The consumer saw what appeared to be smoke coming from under the hood. The consumer stopped the vehicle immediately at a 4-way intersection, put it in park, and turned it off. The hood latch was open. When the consumer opened the hood, the engine compartment was on fire, and the car was e... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Dec 15, 2025
Blind spot warning system stops working when the it is hot outside or inside of the vehicle
Incident date: Sep 4, 2026
My 2019 RDX Rear Windshield Glass Shattered. The car was parked and not started. There was no impact or reason for it to shatter.
Incident date: Sep 3, 2026
"Vehicle experienced a sudden flashing check engine light pulled over checked oil restarted car flashing check engine light went away then started flashing again a few miles down the road (Cylinder 3 misfire) accompanied by severe engine knocking. The engine locked up/seized while hot. car was stuck on the road and was unable to shift to neutral. After cooling down, the engine restarted but produc... Read more
Incident date: Sep 4, 2026
Engine seized multiple times. Completely broken now. Online it says many people have these problems.
Incident date: Sep 3, 2026
I was driving w a passenger on a busy 4 lane road and trying to make a left turn. When I tried to hit the gas after coming to a stop, my car would not move. I did not know what was happening, as it turned out the car had shifted into park and turned off. Extremely dangerous scenario. I had to take my foot off the brake, restart the the car and put it in drive again to move. I brought it to the de... Read more
Incident date: Aug 29, 2026
Incident Description: Spontaneous Rear Window Shattering On the night of August 28th, 2026, my 2025 Acura RDX was parked legally in my apartment complex's residential parking area. There was no severe weather, falling debris, or external activity in the area. When I returned to the vehicle the following morning on August 29th, 2026, I discovered that the rear windshield glass had completely shatt... Read more
Incident date: Aug 18, 2026
Was exiting I275 onto Westbound Route 32 when the brakes were unexpectedly applied by the vehicle’s safety system. No vehicles were in front or beside me. Very alarming when it happened. This also happed two other times at slower speeds.
Incident date: Aug 18, 2026
Was exiting I275 onto Westbound Route 32 when the brakes were unexpectedly applied by the vehicle’s safety system. No vehicles were in front or beside me. Very alarming when it happened. This also happed two other times at slower speeds.
Incident date: Sep 4, 2026
My 2020 Acura MDX has experienced repeated Auto Idle Stop system malfunctions. When the system activates at a stop, the engine shuts off and does not return to normal operation as expected. The incidents are becoming more frequent and create a safety concern when the vehicle is stopped in traffic. This problem has been reported by telephone on multiple prior occasions. The 12-volt battery has als... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2024
The internal spring inside my driver's side sun visor completely failed and now the visor hangs down and totally blocks my view of the road while driving. It is a major safety hazard because I literally have to duck to see traffic in front of me and I keep hitting my head on it. If I get into an accident and the airbags deploy, this loose plastic visor is going to smash right into my face. Acura k... Read more
Incident date: Aug 8, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Acura MDX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V365000 (Structure, Suspension) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The vehicle was taken to a local authorized dealer, and recall repairs were performed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Incident date: Aug 8, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Acura MDX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V365000 (Structure, Suspension) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The vehicle was taken to a local authorized dealer, and recall repairs were performed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Incident date: Aug 23, 2026
The car was being driven as normal and while at a stop light the car shut off and alerted the driver with a transmission error code. The car would not start for about 30 mins after the incident. When we took it to be looked at by the dealership we were told that it was related to code P07E4. The dealership reset the system and the code and returned the car back to me. They stated that if this h... Read more
Incident date: Sep 3, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH and driving over construction steel plates on the roadway, the brakes independently engaged while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The contact stated that the failure could have caused a rear-end crash while driving at faster speeds with other vehicles nearby and posed a risk to her 1-year-old child s... Read more
Incident date: Sep 3, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH and driving over construction steel plates on the roadway, the brakes independently engaged while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The contact stated that the failure could have caused a rear-end crash while driving at faster speeds with other vehicles nearby and posed a risk to her 1-year-old child s... Read more
Incident date: Aug 31, 2026
I have a 2025 Acura MDX SH-AWD. Several times while stopped in traffic, the Auto Idle Stop system shut the engine off and the vehicle displayed ‘RESTART ENGINE.’ The vehicle did not restart automatically. I'm concerned that this could cause a safety hazard if it happens in traffic. I want to file a safety complaint.
Incident date: Jul 15, 2026
Lost all wheel drive rear wheels not turning front wheel drive only. Out of warranty
Incident date: Sep 1, 2026
Moisture accumulating within the driver side headlight is limiting illumination and safe night driving. Photos compare driver side to passenger side.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2026
Moisture accumulating within the driver side headlight is limiting illumination and safe night driving. Photos compare driver side to passenger side.
Incident date: Jul 8, 2026
My 2014 Acura RLX has experienced a severe failure of the Precision All-Wheel Steer (P-AWS) Rear Toe Control (RTC) Actuators. The vehicle and its components are currently located at the Hiley Acura of Fort Worth dealership and are fully available for inspection. Safety Risk: This failure causes dangerous rear-end fish-tailing, violent swaying, and completely unpredictable steering control at highw... Read more
Incident date: Jul 8, 2026
My 2014 Acura RLX has experienced a severe failure of the Precision All-Wheel Steer (P-AWS) Rear Toe Control (RTC) Actuators. The vehicle and its components are currently located at the Hiley Acura of Fort Worth dealership and are fully available for inspection. Safety Risk: This failure causes dangerous rear-end fish-tailing, violent swaying, and completely unpredictable steering control at highw... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2024
driver seat rocking. Acura stated 2018 recall for this issue was vin number specific and does not include my vehicle however this is the issue with my driver seat. they advise repairs at my expense.
Incident date: Jul 2, 2025
Head lights are so dim that I had to pull off side of road to see if they were even on. They were on, but absolutely úseles on dark road way because they are so dim thus making driving at night very dangerous. . Problem started about 85,000 miles. I cannot safely drive at night in this vehicle.
Incident date: Mar 13, 2026
When at a red light the engine cuts off and does not restart when foot comes off the brake. Sometimes it takes several minutes to start. We were stuck in an intersection and almost were rear ended. Took it ti the dealership. had a new battery up in. By the time we got home, it did it again. Took it back to the dealership, they replaced the started. No problems for 4 months. Now it is doing the sa... Read more
Incident date: Mar 13, 2026
When at a red light the engine cuts off and does not restart when foot comes off the brake. Sometimes it takes several minutes to start. We were stuck in an intersection and almost were rear ended. Took it ti the dealership. had a new battery up in. By the time we got home, it did it again. Took it back to the dealership, they replaced the started. No problems for 4 months. Now it is doing the sa... Read more
Incident date: May 5, 2024
While driving home on a Sunday afternoon, out of nowhere, a very loud pop sound happened followed by grinding. We were so worried that my husband pulled over thinking we had done major damage to the car somehow. Visual inspection under the car yielded nothing leaving us puzzled. No warning lights came on before, during, or after. We had it taken to the Acura dealership in Fairfield, Ohio. The car ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 29, 2026
The shark-fin antenna housing on my Acura ZDX appears to have a defect in the way it is secured to the vehicle. The housing can separate from the roof during normal vehicle operation, creating a road hazard and potentially striking another vehicle, cyclist, or pedestrian. I reported the issue to Acura, but the company stated that the repair was not covered under warranty. I have found reports fro... Read more
Incident date: Aug 30, 2026
Factory seal allows water to seep into the internal coupling cavity. The water mixes with the factory grease, creating a rusty, muddy brown fluid that eventually washed out and leaks from the casing. Over time, this moisture causes the interfacing splines between the transmission and the transfer case to strip and shear off completely.
Incident date: Aug 16, 2026
The auto shutoff and restart system has failed multiple times causing the car to shutoff in the middle of traffic. This has happened in traffic on the interstate, on surface streets and in the drive thru line. Safety was put at risk as had to restart car in middle of traffic multiple times; once car would not restart at stop light. This could have caused an accident as vehicle was at a full st... Read more
Incident date: Aug 16, 2026
The auto shutoff and restart system has failed multiple times causing the car to shutoff in the middle of traffic. This has happened in traffic on the interstate, on surface streets and in the drive thru line. Safety was put at risk as had to restart car in middle of traffic multiple times; once car would not restart at stop light. This could have caused an accident as vehicle was at a full st... Read more