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: May 10, 2021
The contact owns a 2006 Acura TL. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was leaking power steering fluid. The contact also stated that the air bag housing along the dashboard was cracked. The contact stated that there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer nor an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The... Read more
Incident date: Jun 16, 2021
The contact owns a 2009 Acura MDX. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and approaching a stop sign, the accelerator pedal was depressed however, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact shifted the vehicle to neutral and back to drive and the vehicle responded slowly. The failure recurred several times. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not no... Read more
Incident date: Jun 8, 2021
Car loses power on inclines. Stepping on gas and car decreases speed.
Incident date: Jun 23, 2021
When driving the car will shift into neutral. The only way to accelerate is to manually shift the gear shift into neutral and then back to drive. This occurs frequently at stops. There was a recall for this issue in 2004. The Acura dealership in Fort Worth, Texas indicated that the recalled part was replaced, however, this issue has re-occurred or was not properly fixed in the first instance. This... Read more
Incident date: Jun 23, 2021
I was driving 70mph on I-75 south and I moved into the left lane to pass a vehicle and when pressed down on the gas my car decelerated and multiple (all) warning lights on the dashboard lit up. The car did not recover from the deceleration and caused the car behind me to slam on their brakes, I had to quickly navigate three lanes of traffic during rush hour to get off of the highway. I called Ac... Read more
Incident date: Jun 30, 2021
I was driving at 45 miles per hour and out of nowhere the car stopped accelerating and turned on all the dash lights on many warnings
Incident date: Jun 11, 2021
As of June 2021... Experiencing the same issues as everyone else. Purchased the 2014 model in 2015 and while it is paid off and out of warranty, the power all wheel steering (paws) feature malfunctions while driving at various speeds. The rear wheels would erroneously turn and caused the vehicle to suddenly jerk and fishtail. Technicians at the Mac Churchill - Fort Worth dealership always told me... Read more
Incident date: Jun 24, 2021
Automatic emergency braking would not release…this occurred in the rain…it caused the vehicle to hydroplane, spin out, and hit a barricade.
Crash
Incident date: Jun 28, 2021
Acura has an open recall that shows the symptoms or malfunctions my vehicle is having for my year, make, and model, but the vehicle I.D number doesn't show this type of recall for it. Now, these things do not add up give the malfunctions I'm experiencing. First and foremost, the car stalls, I could be on the NJ turnpike and as soon as traffic slows down car goes into neutral on its own and engine ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2021
All sound warnings are very low and impossible to hear them especially with the music on. The volume is very low and will not override the music volume. The warning volume is very low and driver can’t increase the volume. Especially the blind spot warning on the right side, if you miss it, it’s an accident sure to happen. Acura can change this with a simple software update but they keep ignor... Read more
Incident date: Jun 19, 2021
I noticed a vertical straight line/crack in the dashboard of my 2008 Acura TL located on the passenger side, which is directly in the area of the air bag system. Oddly enough it seemed to appear literally overnight. I’ve noticed the crack seems to expand when in cooler temperatures, however the crack appears to fuse back together when the temperature is warmer and/or hot outside, which is conce... Read more
Incident date: Jun 12, 2020
The dash has developed a crack on the passenger side right over the area where the front passenger side airbag is located. This could possibly create a problem in the proper deployment of that air bag. Apparently, this is a common problem with this generation (3rd- '04 to '08) Acura TL. There are many similar complaints by owners posted online going back many years now about this very problem, yet... Read more
Incident date: Jun 5, 2021
A transmission error popped up on the car and the vehicle would not accelerate past a few miles per hour. The issue is happening intermittently and the dealer and Acura service claims it’s a random issue. A sign that says brake fault keeps popping up as well and it’s really scary to drive the car. Acura service said it’s normal and working as designed and there is no fix at the moment
Incident date: Apr 10, 2021
I was on a three hour drive in the rain and around the 2.5 hour mark I attempted to overtake a vehicle by rapidly accelerating. The vehicle had a complete loss of power and the check engine light illuminated. The car would not accelerate however the engine was running. I had to get to the shoulder across multiple lanes without engine power. The vehicle would only drive at idle speed until I p... Read more
Incident date: Jul 10, 2018
The contact owns a 2016 Acura MDX. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would stall. The contact also stated that the vehicle would jerk when the accelerator pedal was depressed. The contact stated the information and engine warning lights were illuminated on the control panel. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with the transmission needing t... Read more
Incident date: Jul 10, 2018
The contact owns a 2016 Acura MDX. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would stall. The contact also stated that the vehicle would jerk when the accelerator pedal was depressed. The contact stated the information and engine warning lights were illuminated on the control panel. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with the transmission needing t... Read more
Incident date: Jun 22, 2021
While driving, the engine suddenly lost power and started blinking the engine light and went into the "limp mode" mentioned here: https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/consumer-products/auto-news/nhtsa-report-2020-acura-rdx-lost-power-while-driving/ I was forced to pull over without power and wait with the engine off until it resumed normal function. This could have caused a crash with... Read more
Incident date: Jun 22, 2021
While driving, the engine suddenly lost power and started blinking the engine light and went into the "limp mode" mentioned here: https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/consumer-products/auto-news/nhtsa-report-2020-acura-rdx-lost-power-while-driving/ I was forced to pull over without power and wait with the engine off until it resumed normal function. This could have caused a crash with... Read more
Incident date: May 22, 2021
Can lost all power while driving 2 times. Stuck in neutral, should steer, couldn’t brake, all lights on dash board came on and told me to pull over and ally emergency brake when safe. Couldn’t shift car into park. Waited 30 mins with foot ok brake and car off, turned back on and was able to shift to park and all lights were off
Incident date: Jun 22, 2021
Power steering makes an extreme screeching sound and Honda Dealership in Eau Claire, WI, says they cannot perform the recalls, and that I have to go to Acura, which is 2 hours away from me and cannot get there. I feel that Honda in eau claire should be able to do it.
Incident date: Jun 22, 2021
Brand new 2021 RDX - bought 3 days ago, only 128 miles. Driving on highway and it suddenly loses power. Was able to get to shoulder, but unable to get enough power to exit the highway to find a safer place to park. Check engine light and several transmission warnings indicating I should see dealer immediately. As vehicle came close to a stop, it shuddered and clunked so badly it seemed like I ran ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 22, 2021
Brand new 2021 RDX - bought 3 days ago, only 128 miles. Driving on highway and it suddenly loses power. Was able to get to shoulder, but unable to get enough power to exit the highway to find a safer place to park. Check engine light and several transmission warnings indicating I should see dealer immediately. As vehicle came close to a stop, it shuddered and clunked so badly it seemed like I ran ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 20, 2021
We were driving on the highway yesterday at 75 mph when suddenly our tachometer jumped a couple of times and then the car lost all power and switched into neutral. It's the same transmission problem others are reporting and dangerous.
Incident date: Jun 20, 2021
We were driving on the highway yesterday at 75 mph when suddenly our tachometer jumped a couple of times and then the car lost all power and switched into neutral. It's the same transmission problem others are reporting and dangerous.
Incident date: May 20, 2021
Went out with family recently and all of a sudden front passenger side seat belt buckle won't latch. I took it to the dealer (Pohanka Acura). They said seat belt buckle has to be replaced and it will cost approx. $1000. I called Acura and they said this is not a warranty issue. Car is only 7 years old and front passenger side is used only occasionally by an adult. I would like Acura to pay for the... Read more
Incident date: Jun 17, 2021
Transmission is going out an a lot of people say after 200,000 miles Acura TL the 2004 transmissions start to go out which mines is doing now what can I do this is a know problem with 2004-2006 Acura TL
Incident date: Jun 1, 2021
the front low beam headlights are extremely dim. Can typically only see approximately 30 feet in front while driving. Any speed in excess of 25mph is dangerous. High beams work fine. there are no fog lights on this vehicle.
Incident date: Jun 17, 2021
The reflective surface inside the headlight assemblies has delaminated. This effectively makes the headlights useless and creates a very unsafe driving condition at night. I reported the issue to Acura's national customer service number but they did nothing but record the call. This is a known issue with Acura as they have done recalls on other year and model combinations. This is clearly a very s... Read more
Incident date: Jun 12, 2021
Just recently purchased an 2020 Acura MDX AWD with Tech package. Noticed that the windshields have distortions near the A pillars, which happens from both driver side and passenger side. I feel nausea when looking through the window corner as objects are curved. I did a lot of research and found this issue has been there for a while. Distortion in windshield has safety issues that should be addres... Read more
Incident date: Jun 11, 2021
The contact owns a 2006 Acura TSX. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle loss motive power and stalled without warning. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer nor an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 13V093000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical system). The manufactur... Read more
Incident date: Jul 11, 2020
I bought the car July of last year (2020) and noticed the car was a bit jerky when I accelerated from a complete stop. But as I started to drive the car more I noticed it was jerky shifting from 2nd to 3rd gears. Its a violent jerk. Everyone in the car whiplashes when it happens. When I go downhill and press on the brakes to slow down it gets a sudden burst of speed and doesn't slow down but goes ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 15, 2021
I was driving to the store, my car jerked really hard, then as I turned the car off bought my items from the store. Coming back my car didn’t want to start at all. All the lights on the dashboard Came on
Incident date: Apr 22, 2021
1. I suffered a seatback failure in my 2018 Acura RDX when I was rear-ended at a high speed. The car is currently with my insurance company but I'm sure it's available for inspection. 2. The seatback failure made a big enough gap between my seat and seatbelt for me to slip completely under my seatbelt. I landed on the backseat floor after I smacked my head on the side rear airbag. I have multiple ... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Jun 1, 2021
Car has repeatedly stalled in oncoming traffic over the last 4 months.
Incident date: May 3, 2021
Transmission failed right as I drove off the lot. The car initially started to jerk and then was revving to 7000rpms and would not speed up past 25mph. The car also stopped moving when I put it in reverse. When I tool it back to the lot within the hour, around 3 days later they told me the transmission failed ln the car. This was a brand new car and should not have happened.
Incident date: Jun 11, 2021
I was driving in the rain, accelerated to pass a vehicle and the engine lost power. The check engine light came on and the car went into "limp" mode. The car would barely go 40 mph on a highway and the speed seemed to be continuing to decrease. Luckily I was able to pull over and shut the car off. Restarted, the problem appeared to go away. This is a very dangerous situation and I have read other ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 10, 2021
Brand new 2021 Acura RDX panoramic sunroof exploded less than 2 weeks after purchase. I was driving when all the sudden, out of nowhere, there was a loud pop/explosion sound. I immediately pulled over and inspected the but didn't find anything. Not one scratch or dent anywhere. It wasn't until I was getting back in the car, and heard the sound of glass slowly shattering, that I realized it was the... Read more
Incident date: Jun 9, 2021
My fiancé is 8 months pregnant and her sunroof literally exploded on her while she was on the freeway yesterday. She was almost in an accident and could have been killed. She has a 2020 MDX and I’m reading online that she isn’t the only person this has happened to. The dealership told her that she’s on her own and this defect isn’t covered under warranty when she called. It has not been i... Read more
Incident date: Jun 5, 2019
I have 2014 built, 2015 registered Acura rlx. Problem is when I make left turn all warning yellow lights on, like X-mas trees and shows all faults like traction control, brake, steering ...etc. Around 45 degrees angle to my right hand side on steering wheel if I control my car to go straight. (Cars tail swings to right hand side line) Max speed is around 50mph. This problem disappears after turns ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 6, 2021
Two times in three weeks with the auto idle stop active the car failed to restart on a green light. Following all the prompts in the car it takes over a minute to re start the car while blocking traffic.
Incident date: Jun 6, 2021
Two times in three weeks with the auto idle stop active the car failed to restart on a green light. Following all the prompts in the car it takes over a minute to re start the car while blocking traffic.
Incident date: Jun 8, 2021
My vehicle has only 36526 miles. The brake pedal goes down to 2 inches from the floor and is a major traffic hazzard. I have attempted numerous times unsuccessfuly to make an appointment with Elite Acura in Maple Shade, NJ No answer at Service Dept. Today, 6/8/21, I contacted Acura Customer Relation and the Rep. could not contact Elite Acura as well. She did assigned case # 12275613. This is t... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2021
On May 9th we were driving on the freeway at around 3 pm on a sunlit clear day. It was a straight section of road. Dry pavement and traffic moving reasonably well. The car in front of us was at least 100 yards in front of us and about the same for the vehicle behind I believe. We were going around 50 mph. The car slammed on the brakes so hard the seat belt restraints engaged as we flew forward, en... Read more
Incident date: Jun 6, 2021
I was driving around 30miles/hr and the engines shut off unexpectedly. I was stuck in the middle of a highway and the engine didn’t turn back on. The dashboard showed total failure. The car was one year old with 11k miles. I just had it serviced by the dealer.
Incident date: Jun 4, 2021
While driving on interstate I-15 in Las Vegas the car suddenly without any warning stalled and engine shutoff in the middle of the interstate. No warning messsages or indicators on dashboard. There was sufficient fuel in the car. Several attempts to start were made but were unsuccessful. Mu family and I were dangerously trapped on the Interstate for 30 minutes. I could not move the vehicle to saf... Read more
Incident date: Feb 5, 2020
This is the second complaint I have filed with the NTSB. The transmission in my 2020 Acura RDX feels as if it is slipping. From a complete stop to trying to advance the call forward, the engine will act as if it cannot find first gear and then will "jump". This does not happen all the time but is frequent enough to garner my attention. This problem started immediately after I purchased the car... Read more
Incident date: May 31, 2021
I purchased the new MDX 2022 on May 27th 2021. On May 31st, while driving on the Interstate 287 at 65mph, the car suddenly stop accelerating. When I pushed the gas pedal, the engine only revved up but the car continued to slow down. I pulled the car on the shoulder lane, shut the engine off and restarted. The problem continued. The dashboard had the warning sign "Transmission System Problem. Avoid... Read more
Incident date: May 26, 2021
Car stalled while in traffic line with Auto idle engaged. Took foot off brake to move forward and car stalled. Unable to restart car after the stall. Had to be towed to Honda dealership, they assessed it was an alternator issue. Alternator replaced car starts normally. Drove car for approximately 30 min and had turned off the Auto idle feature. Car stalled again after sitting in traffic and trying... Read more
Incident date: Jan 5, 2021
The rear wheel steering system (P-AWS) causes the rear end to suddenly swing out of the traffic lane after making a turn. This has happened several times and since there is no way for the driver to control the rear wheel steering it is very difficult to avoid colliding with surrounding or oncoming traffic. I have contacted the dealer and they seem to have no idea as to what the cause could be or ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2021
On June 1, 2021 at about 9 p.m. the hood popped up, then the truck latch, the speedometer was reading a different speed than the cruise control without any interference, and the bluetooth and entertainment center were not operating correctly, yet no codes or warning lights. On resuming travel on I-80 a semi started flashing his lights and veered out of the way so I slowed, and the parking brake e... Read more
Crash