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 6, 2021
The vehicle VIN - [XXX] The vehicle, 2021 Acura TLX, was purchased on June 8, 2021, from the showroom floor of Metro Acura Dealership. The vehicle was sold as being compatible with iPhone, Bluetooth HandsFree Link, and Apple CarPlay. Not to mention the innovative technology, Automatic Lighting Control, and Auto-Idle Stop System. The vehicle was purchased with a full 4 year/50,000-mile warran... Read more
Incident date: Dec 24, 2021
I was driving my 2013 Acura Tl on my way to work and suddenly I got an electronic power steering error that resulted in my steering wheel stiff and I had to use all my strength to pull over to the emergency lane. The vehicle's steering became very heavy and was very hard to turn. I am fortunate not to be in an accident when it occurred. There is so many people with Acura TL having this issue and ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 24, 2021
I was driving my 2013 Acura Tl on my way to work and suddenly I got an electronic power steering error that resulted in my steering wheel stiff and I had to use all my strength to pull over to the emergency lane. The vehicle's steering became very heavy and was very hard to turn. I am fortunate not to be in an accident when it occurred. There is so many people with Acura TL having this issue and ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 21, 2021
The airbag warning indicator keeps appearing. When message is pressed it says that airbag may not deploy when needed. States to turn car off and restart to see if indicator disappears- if reappear take to dealership to inspect.
Incident date: Jan 7, 2021
The contact owns a 2000 Acura RL. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V027000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact called the local dealer who confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 19, 2021
We have been the original owners of our 2005 MDX. on December 12/18/21 at 630. We were wearing our seat belts. We were driving in clear weather on a new street at 35 miles an hour. The passenger side seat airbag and the right side curtain deployed. My wife was sitting in the front passenger seat. There was no collision or hazard. The Airbag just exploded. We were not hit by any metal objects. The... Read more
Incident date: Dec 20, 2021
The contact owns a 2021 Acura RDX. The contact stated while the vehicle was stationary in the driveway, he noticed that the rear windshield had shattered. Upon inspection, the contact stated he did not see any near objects that would have caused the windshield to shatter. The contact read online of other vehicle owners experiencing the same failure due to the cold weather. The contact called the l... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2019
The contact owns a 2015 Acura TLX. The contact stated that while his son was driving at various speeds, the vehicle would shut off without warning. The contact had initially taken the vehicle to an unknown dealer in West Virginia which has since closed, and a software update was performed; however, the failure persisted. As the failure became more frequent, the contact drove the vehicle to another... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2019
The contact owns a 2015 Acura TLX. The contact stated that while his son was driving at various speeds, the vehicle would shut off without warning. The contact had initially taken the vehicle to an unknown dealer in West Virginia which has since closed, and a software update was performed; however, the failure persisted. As the failure became more frequent, the contact drove the vehicle to another... Read more
Incident date: Dec 20, 2021
12/20/21 Clear, 41 degree day, I got in my Acura RDX, closed the door and heard a very loud pop( I thought I had been shot at it was so loud). When I looked out my review window, I noticed the hole in the back windshield. The car was not on. I just closed the door. The whole back hatch windshield was shattered.
Incident date: Dec 20, 2021
Car miss shifts especially in the 25 to 40 mph range. Sometimes hesitates when taking off. Also stays in one gear and will not upshift when entering the Freeway. Very dangerous. I found numerous complaints on the web in reference to these problems, but still no recall??? Have told the dealership about these problems with every service, but they said that there is nothing wrong.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2019
Low beam headlights are so dim I can’t safely drive at night.I have replaced bulbs with higher quality and brightness,but still very dim.Its like driving with parking light S on!Called the Acura dealership Crown Acura in Greensboro,N.C. and they said the reflector deteriorates on 2013-2015 models.Cost to replace both headlight fixtures 1500.00 my question is why Acura does not have a recall .Thi... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2021
Vehicle is having problems w original recall issues. Car stopping on its own on the highway, car says it’s on E all the time but has gas, car hesitates continually and sometimes just stops, electrical system is having major glitches, transmission and engine having major issues with hesitation and delay. I’ve bright it back many times and I’m beyond frustrated with no resolution. It’s unsaf... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2021
Vehicle is having problems w original recall issues. Car stopping on its own on the highway, car says it’s on E all the time but has gas, car hesitates continually and sometimes just stops, electrical system is having major glitches, transmission and engine having major issues with hesitation and delay. I’ve bright it back many times and I’m beyond frustrated with no resolution. It’s unsaf... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2021
Vehicle is having problems w original recall issues. Car stopping on its own on the highway, car says it’s on E all the time but has gas, car hesitates continually and sometimes just stops, electrical system is having major glitches, transmission and engine having major issues with hesitation and delay. I’ve bright it back many times and I’m beyond frustrated with no resolution. It’s unsaf... Read more
Incident date: Dec 9, 2021
Since I purchased my car in 2014 the headlights have dimmed tremendously. So much that my husband pulled the car to the side of the road the other night because he insisted the headlights were burnt out. I explained that they've been that way for a long time. We absolutely cannot drive my car at night because it's as if we have no headlights. I think this poses an extreme safety hazard.
Incident date: Dec 11, 2021
Headlights are extremely dim - dangerous to drive at night. Reported issue to dealer, who cleaned the lens but problem persists.
Incident date: Nov 12, 2021
The contact owned a 2013 Acura ILX . The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, the vehicle in front of her suddenly stopped. The driver depressed the brake pedal however, was unable to stop in time and crashed into the rear of an unknown Audi. The air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained injuries to the chest, neck, and head. The driver believes the impact knocked her unco... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Nov 15, 2021
In San Diego on 11/15/2021, my daughter side swiped a parked vehicle in residential area driving about 30 miles. No airbags deployed. A minute later the car stopped and would not start and started to have smoke and flames come from under hood and through inside windshield and dash. My daughter was able to get out and take her 3 year old son out of his carseat and run for their lives as the car com... Read more
Crash
Fire
Incident date: Nov 15, 2021
In San Diego on 11/15/2021, my daughter side swiped a parked vehicle in residential area driving about 30 miles. No airbags deployed. A minute later the car stopped and would not start and started to have smoke and flames come from under hood and through inside windshield and dash. My daughter was able to get out and take her 3 year old son out of his carseat and run for their lives as the car com... Read more
Crash
Fire
Incident date: Nov 15, 2021
In San Diego on 11/15/2021, my daughter side swiped a parked vehicle in residential area driving about 30 miles. No airbags deployed. A minute later the car stopped and would not start and started to have smoke and flames come from under hood and through inside windshield and dash. My daughter was able to get out and take her 3 year old son out of his carseat and run for their lives as the car com... Read more
Crash
Fire
Incident date: Dec 6, 2021
MY hood floats and rattles at freeway speeds. It is concerning in that other Honda vehicles also exhibit the same symptom and are now being recalled for hoods opening unexpectedly due to structure issues.
Incident date: Dec 5, 2021
The diminished light output of the low beam headlights began to diminish visibility so significantly that it was reported to the dealer at 89,000 miles, in March 2020. The dealer response was "normal operation of the headlights compared to other RDX." The driver's visibility is now decreased to the point the visibility is like only the lo output driving lights are on. Hi beams have to be used whe... Read more
Incident date: Dec 5, 2021
The diminished light output of the low beam headlights began to diminish visibility so significantly that it was reported to the dealer at 89,000 miles, in March 2020. The dealer response was "normal operation of the headlights compared to other RDX." The driver's visibility is now decreased to the point the visibility is like only the lo output driving lights are on. Hi beams have to be used whe... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2021
Certain areas of the roof and tailgate are peeling off, exposing bare metal. This is a one owner Car that has been garage since new.
Incident date: Nov 1, 2021
Had starter replaced on my vehicle and still doing the same thing it was doing before. I click the push to start button and just get a grinding noise or sometime nothing will happen. I been reading forms and a lot of Rlx owners are reporting the same issue. Other problem I’m having with the vehicle is the Paws system can feel the car wanting to kick out in the rear wheels feel like they are turn... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2021
Had starter replaced on my vehicle and still doing the same thing it was doing before. I click the push to start button and just get a grinding noise or sometime nothing will happen. I been reading forms and a lot of Rlx owners are reporting the same issue. Other problem I’m having with the vehicle is the Paws system can feel the car wanting to kick out in the rear wheels feel like they are turn... Read more
Incident date: Oct 25, 2021
I think this recall needs to be expanded: Honda and Acura have recalled 2019 and 2020 vehicles including the CR-V and Accord for fuel pumps which can malfunction and cause the engine to lose power. My wife recently had her 2019 MDX stall on her in an intersection and she had to turn off the car and turn it back on so it would work. It sounds exactly like the below: “While driving, the vehicle s... Read more
Incident date: Oct 25, 2021
I think this recall needs to be expanded: Honda and Acura have recalled 2019 and 2020 vehicles including the CR-V and Accord for fuel pumps which can malfunction and cause the engine to lose power. My wife recently had her 2019 MDX stall on her in an intersection and she had to turn off the car and turn it back on so it would work. It sounds exactly like the below: “While driving, the vehicle s... Read more
Incident date: Oct 25, 2021
I think this recall needs to be expanded: Honda and Acura have recalled 2019 and 2020 vehicles including the CR-V and Accord for fuel pumps which can malfunction and cause the engine to lose power. My wife recently had her 2019 MDX stall on her in an intersection and she had to turn off the car and turn it back on so it would work. It sounds exactly like the below: “While driving, the vehicle s... Read more
Incident date: Oct 13, 2021
This vehicle was taken in for a recall for a corrosive ECM. 1 hour prior to taking this vehicle in my assigned service writer gave me a call, your vehicle is ready for pick up. I was advised due to their visual inspection of the ECM( Electronic control module)(electrical computer) not having corrosion, they will not change the unit but they have decided to replace the cover on the unit. I've fil... Read more
Incident date: Oct 13, 2021
This vehicle was taken in for a recall for a corrosive ECM. 1 hour prior to taking this vehicle in my assigned service writer gave me a call, your vehicle is ready for pick up. I was advised due to their visual inspection of the ECM( Electronic control module)(electrical computer) not having corrosion, they will not change the unit but they have decided to replace the cover on the unit. I've fil... Read more
Incident date: Oct 13, 2021
This vehicle was taken in for a recall for a corrosive ECM. 1 hour prior to taking this vehicle in my assigned service writer gave me a call, your vehicle is ready for pick up. I was advised due to their visual inspection of the ECM( Electronic control module)(electrical computer) not having corrosion, they will not change the unit but they have decided to replace the cover on the unit. I've fil... Read more
Incident date: Dec 2, 2021
Frank let us Acura would not preform my transmission recall after it locked up “stating the recall has already been done” but they “don’t have any record of it” they claim someone didn’t file the paper work on it but my trans locked up going 70 miles and hour and threw me off of the road
Incident date: Dec 1, 2021
Torque converter shutter at speeds of 30mph - 45mph causing erratic acceleration fluctuations. I addressed the concern with the dealership at around 72,000 miles (just out of manufacturers warranty). I told there was a fluid recall. They changed the fluid which remedies the issue. The transmission fluid has to be changed every 5,000-10,000 for the vehicle to perform with a less noticeable trans... Read more
Incident date: Nov 6, 2021
11/6/21: Mid way home from a trip from Washington to Connecticut on the New Jersey turnpike in the left-hand lane the car lost all ability to accelerate. Concurrently the engine like came on and multiple warning signals came on regarding traction control, breaking, and steering. One can imagine how unsettling that could be but at that moment. Being in the left lane it was apparent I needed to get ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 6, 2021
11/6/21: Mid way home from a trip from Washington to Connecticut on the New Jersey turnpike in the left-hand lane the car lost all ability to accelerate. Concurrently the engine like came on and multiple warning signals came on regarding traction control, breaking, and steering. One can imagine how unsettling that could be but at that moment. Being in the left lane it was apparent I needed to get ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 6, 2021
11/6/21: Mid way home from a trip from Washington to Connecticut on the New Jersey turnpike in the left-hand lane the car lost all ability to accelerate. Concurrently the engine like came on and multiple warning signals came on regarding traction control, breaking, and steering. One can imagine how unsettling that could be but at that moment. Being in the left lane it was apparent I needed to get ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2019
Headlight low beam do not project can’t see at night I have 2 Acura RDX one is 2015 and 2013 both have the same issue I can only drive with high beams low beams is like driving with them off I drive down 206 to Fort Dix lots of deer I can’t drive with the high beam all the time it will effect the other driver.
Incident date: Nov 20, 2021
On NOV 20th 2021 took the vehicle for Oil change, to Acura dealer. The service tech informed me the hood its not opening. The latch or cable its broken. The part its not in stock. I can't open the hood to check all necessary fluids, especially windshield washer fluid. I think its safety concern when I'm out of washer.
Incident date: Nov 20, 2021
On NOV 20th 2021 took the vehicle for Oil change, to Acura dealer. The service tech informed me the hood its not opening. The latch or cable its broken. The part its not in stock. I can't open the hood to check all necessary fluids, especially windshield washer fluid. I think its safety concern when I'm out of washer.
Incident date: Nov 14, 2021
2019 RDX with 20k miles. Was accelerating to go over a rise from low speed to passing speed and power cut out and had to pull to shoulder. Was slightly raining when occurred and 44 degrees out. Check engine light came on. Had to stop vehicle on side of road as power was lost. If wasn’t 0600 in the morn and during busier hours it could’ve caused an accident since I was accelerating to merge. ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 11, 2021
The contact owns a 2001 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while he was at a stop light, the vehicle inadvertently switched gears to neutral independently. The contact stated that he switched gears to drive and was able to drive the vehicle; however, the vehicle switched gears to neutral when he made another stop. The contact also stated that the vehicle started jerking. The check engine warning l... Read more
Incident date: Jul 30, 2021
Air Bag light shows on dash but when driving the air bad light flashes off and on. It happens often
Incident date: Nov 1, 2020
The contact owns a 2015 Acura RDX. The contact stated that while driving at night, the low-beam headlamps failed to illuminate. The contact replaced the bulbs. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and diagnosed. The contact was informed that the headlamps needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to NHTSA for ass... Read more
Incident date: Nov 28, 2021
The headlight reflector material has deteriorated causing headlight brightness to dim so much that they are not much brighter than the running lights. Makes night driving EXTREMELY dangerous. No warning lights. Has not cause me to crash yet, but have come close several times. At this point the car is essentially unusable at night. New bulbs don’t make a difference. Entire headlight assemblies m... Read more
Incident date: Apr 15, 2021
The headlights on my vehicle don’t project adequate light to see while driving at night. I’ve reported this issue to the dealership on multiple occasions and the only solution they’ve suggested is replacing the entire headlight assembly. In my research of other vehicles of the same make, model, and year, shows that there are numerous customer complaints and issues with the functioning of the... Read more
Incident date: Nov 21, 2021
Vehicle has ongoing rough transmission shifting issues. It jerks between gears when accelerating at stop signs or stop lights. I have also received a letter from attorney alleging ongoing transmission issues with this model - 2017 MDX. Car has only 23k miles. I used your website to search for possible recalls and did not see any. However, I wanted to share my experience to hopefully help other... Read more
Incident date: Nov 21, 2021
The vehicle put emission system and electronic parking brake warning lights on panel, allowed vehicle to be placed in drive "D", then suddenly switched to a flashing "P," stalled in parking lot, and would not allow the vehicle to be changed to any other gear.
Incident date: Oct 8, 2021
The fuel pump appears to be malfunctioning. The car is basically inoperable when driving in any other mode besides Eco. From 10/5/21 - 11/19/21, I’ve filled my fuel tank 11 times and never received any errors or warning messages. I am willing to have the vehicle inspected to confirm by Acura.