Consumer Safety Complaints
Search 2,215,138 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA — including 138,663 crashes, 56,255 fires, and 8,561 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 2,215,138 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 16,985 complaints for ACURA
Incident date: May 21, 2025
2020 acura mdx tech package with 31600 miles, I purchased this vehicle first owner in march of 2021 and about 3 days ago 5/22/25 I get a fault reading for collision mitigation system problem, lane keep assist problem, road departure mitigation system problem, adaptive cruse control problem and auto high-beam problem, all safety feature issues, I brought vehicle to Acura dealership and they scanned... Read more
Incident date: Dec 24, 2024
I am unsure of when it first occurred, but before it finally stopped notifying me of a possible front end collision, I had noticed that it would begin to randomly notify me of a collision warning from the front end when there was nothing in front of me or near me. Then one day it just stopped notifying me all together. I checked all fuses and they are all working properly. That I can remember, it ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2025
On September 12, 2024 Nissan issued a safety recall because of "thermal incidents" affecting batteries in 2019 and 2020 Nissan Leafs. A software repair was promised by March 2025. Nissan has not provided the necessary repair and cannot tell owners if and when it will be available. Please see NHTSA Recall 24V-700.
Incident date: May 9, 2025
The infotainment screen in my 2019 Jeep Cherokee intermittently shuts off while driving. This occurs unexpectedly and has happened multiple times, sometimes while using navigation or the backup camera. On several occasions, the screen has turned completely blue and remained unresponsive for several minutes. The screen controls audio, climate, and safety features, and its failure creates distractio... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2025
The infotainment screen in my 2019 Jeep Cherokee intermittently shuts off while driving. This occurs unexpectedly and has happened multiple times, sometimes while using navigation or the backup camera. On several occasions, the screen has turned completely blue and remained unresponsive for several minutes. The screen controls audio, climate, and safety features, and its failure creates distractio... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2021
The Multi media interface (MMI) is constantly rebooting. Dealership efforts to repair have been unsuccessful and replacements are back ordered indefinitely. The inability to utilize the MMI poses a safety risk, as a variety of safety features are either inaccessible or much more difficulty to manage without the interface. I would greatly Appreciate a thorough invedtigstionto resolve this signif... Read more
Incident date: Nov 4, 2024
My driver's side rear sliding door will not open or unlock. The locking mechanism inside the door panel is seized up and will not release the lock, so the door cannot be opened. This is unsafe because I now only have one door that passengers can exit from the back and if something were to happen to the other back door, people could be trapped. I regularly transport my nieces that are [XXX] , [X... Read more
Incident date: May 22, 2025
- I received a "service hybrid system" light while driving (it only appeared for a split second and went away) and I took it to the dealership for troubleshooting. The dealership found a stored code of B273C-00. They contacted their Jeep engineers who have not been forthcoming as to what the issue is, but said the vehicle is not safe to drive, so I am not allowed to have the vehicle back (the same... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, the check engine warning light started flashing, and the message "Engine Fault" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic, where the contact was informed that the coolant reservoir was empty, and the coolant reservoir was refilled. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was d... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 MPH and exiting the gas station, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the vehicle jerked and then stalled. The check engine warning light was intermittently illuminated. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road. The vehic... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2025
I was driving on the freeway with my family when the dashboard lights went off and the car started making a noise. The car then started shaking and I immediately pulled over. I was with my family and my children got scared. Previously to this the car had not shown any signs of problems. I had the car towed to the dealership. I received a call 2 days later from dealership stating my car needed a n... Read more
Incident date: May 20, 2025
It says that my engine had a problem. It told me to press my brake to start my car. But then it just kept shaking like it was trying to start. I have also had a notification saying to put my car in park when it already was. Today my car just stopped in the middle of the road in heavy traffic. We could have been hit getting out of the car or someone could have hit my car. It was towed to the local ... Read more
Incident date: May 20, 2025
Motor Generator Unit Failure
Incident date: May 14, 2025
Front brake failure at 3k miles. Rotors warped so badly they failed to properly stop the vehicle. Vehicle shaking immensely Transmission failure at 11k miles. While vehicle is in Drive mode the transmission is stuck in first gear and will not shift. The tachometer was redlining at 6k I had to use the paddle shifters to get the transmission to shift. I was driving the vehicle as a manual transmiss... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2025
The engine has lifters ticking when cold and a loss of power during operation. The engine hesitates during driving at different times and runs rough. There is no warning before this happens and no warning lights/sensors activated. The truck only has 76k miles on it.
Incident date: Apr 12, 2025
I am writing to formally express my concern regarding ongoing issues with my vehicle following repairs performed at Crown Lexus in Ontario. In December 2024, I experienced rough idling, slow acceleration with vibration, fluctuating RPMs, and stalling. The check engine light turned on, and an error message instructed me to pull over and contact a local dealer due to engine/transmission trouble. I ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 12, 2025
I am writing to formally express my concern regarding ongoing issues with my vehicle following repairs performed at Crown Lexus in Ontario. In December 2024, I experienced rough idling, slow acceleration with vibration, fluctuating RPMs, and stalling. The check engine light turned on, and an error message instructed me to pull over and contact a local dealer due to engine/transmission trouble. I ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 12, 2025
As I was navigating a turn onto a highway on-ramp, the vehicle unexpectedly decelerated or attempted to brake autonomously, accompanied by a sudden loss of power steering assist. This created a hazardous situation, nearly causing a collision with the guardrail. After safely bringing the vehicle to a stop, the dashboard illuminated with numerous warning lights and messages such as: Electric Powe... Read more
Incident date: Oct 17, 2024
I am reporting repeated safety-critical failures with my 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee that have rendered the vehicle unreliable, dangerous, and now inoperable. I believe this vehicle suffers from a systemic electrical defect related to the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM)—a well-documented issue across Jeep models that causes starting failures, loss of power, and unpredictable behavior of vehi... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated upon attempting to change a flat tire, the contact was unable to replace the wheel because the lug nuts were swollen. The contact called Roadside Assistance, who informed the contact that the lug nuts were swollen, and Roadside Assistance replaced the wheel with specialized equipment. The vehicle was taken to Goodyear Tires, where the fr... Read more
Incident date: Oct 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2023 BMW X1. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V104000 (Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not exp... Read more
Incident date: May 2, 2025
There is a water accumulation problem in the doors. This could potentially cause some rot from the inside out causing electrical to fail or metal to rust and cause the affected door(s) to not open correctly. No warning lights came on or anything on the dashboard.
Incident date: Nov 9, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Cadillac CT6. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V148000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts ... Read more
Incident date: May 5, 2025
The car randomly goes into LIMP mode when driving in every condition going at any speed, the car has a significant loss of power and needs to be restarted to gain power back. I have almost crashed because of this problem numerous times. Genesis dealership refuses to fix anything because the car doesn't bring back any error codes. This has happened to new and older G70s, there has also been numerou... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2025
The contact owns a 2023 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V274000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. Th... Read more
Incident date: May 5, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for further assistance. The manufactur... Read more
Incident date: May 5, 2025
School Bus- Engine exhaust pipe from the exhaust manifold has melted from excessive heat in the system creating large hole for fumes and potential fire to escape. Exhaust is inadequate for the heat levels from the engine or engine performance is misprogrammed to create excessive heat/fuel. Widespread issue with many school buses in our fleet with the same powertrain.
Incident date: May 5, 2025
It was raining and I was sat at a stop light. The brakes started to slip a little no matter how much I pressed then all of a sudden the entire car started shutting down. Engine, Transmission, Power Steering, Lane Keep Assist, Collision warning, all the lights started flashing. The car was put into Limp mode.
Incident date: Apr 6, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while idling at a stop light, there was a loud pop coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact stated that the rear glass had fractured into several pieces without impact. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who confirmed that the glass needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 24, 2025
the radio malfunctions. it beeps constantly. it randomly changes inputs it won’t tune. the screen is severely dirty on inside so can’t clean it; thus making back up camera look smudged.
Incident date: May 5, 2025
the radio malfunctions. it beeps constantly. it randomly changes inputs it won’t tune. the screen is severely dirty on inside so can’t clean it; thus making back up camera look smudged.
Incident date: May 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started pulling to the left, and the vehicle ended up in the next lane. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The veh... Read more
Incident date: Jan 9, 2024
The Backup Camera and dashboard screen are malfunctioning. The dashboard screen is completely black/blank when car is put in reverse. There are no warning lamps on dash or any other messages showing any errors/failures, etc. This is a safety issue, due to blind spots on vehicle. I took car to mechanic and they said this is an "on going issue with Ford, multiple people are having issues. The b... Read more
Incident date: Jan 9, 2024
Vehicle: 2019 Hyundai Elantra VIN: [XXX] Mileage at failure:163,799 Issue: Complete premature engine failure due to a piston rod fracture through the engine block Hyundai’s Response: Dealership (Murdock Hyundai Lindon, 530 Lindon Park Drive, Lindon, Utah 84042) reviewed vehicle maintenance history, noted a single vehicle owner, and regular maintenance history, conducted a review of valvetrain a... Read more
Incident date: Jan 9, 2024
I have attached all my service records from Honda/Acura and the dealership Motorworld which is located in Wilkes Barre, PA I had my first issue with the car in January 2024 with sensors malfunctioning. They we replaced a few times, repeated issue I had other issues that didn't replicate themself or show as an error code when I brought the car in. Issue accelerating or inability to accelerate on ... Read more
Incident date: May 3, 2025
Cam phaser failure, yes, available for inspection. This disrupts the engine's timing and can lead to oil pressure issues as well as engine stalling or engine damage. Yes, confirmed by ford dealer. No, not been inspected by manufacturer or others. No warning lamps yet but the noise was the first indicator and it began about 6 weeks ago. My 2018 Ford Expedition is experiencing cam phaser failure. I... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2018
First, when the truck is at a stop (red/stop sign), acceleration fails, resulting in a sudden, hard jolt into gear or a complete loss of power. Near rear end collision occurrence avoided several times. Second, while driving 0-30MPH there is a constant hard swift into gear causing a forward/backward jolt of all passengers. Last, and most significant, is the sudden loss of power experienced with hi... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2018
A few months ago, I tried to get the above-referenced recall item taken care of at BMW of West Houston (Texas). I was told by the dealership service advisor that it would take at least two days to get the work done. The recall notice, of course, says the work should take about four hours. I was also told that in many cases the valve cover gets bent when performing this work and the cost of the rep... Read more
Incident date: May 7, 2025
Engine light came on and over heates
Incident date: May 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2022 GMC Sierra 3500. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speeds, the transmission downshifted hard. The contact stated that the transmission failed to properly shift gear. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V797000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was tak... Read more
Incident date: May 7, 2025
The active recall for the trim only includes the front two trim pillars. There are trim pillars down each window on this vehicle, making that a total of 8 pieces of trim for the windows. Driving down the highway my drivers side window trim pillar (which includes a lock panel with wiring) blew off and almost hit another vehicle that was passing me, while with my children, causing me to have to pull... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2025
All lights on dash board on and would not cut off. We were told it was the battery that was bad. The battery in the vehicle was not a year old. We purchased the new battery and within a couple weeks it happened again with all of the lights on. This is a safety matter because this can cause problem with the heads to the motors or can just stop running. We took the car back to the dealer and then th... Read more
Incident date: Dec 16, 2023
Woke up and started my car, all the lights were on including engine light. no adapter cruise, steering light was on. Screen also was saying avoid speeding. Every notification was telling me go to the dealer ship. I took it Howdy Honda in Texas and they said we will need to do a diagnostic and it was for 255 for to see what the problem was. They looked and said I had code for po172(rich) and misfi... Read more
Incident date: Dec 16, 2023
Woke up and started my car, all the lights were on including engine light. no adapter cruise, steering light was on. Screen also was saying avoid speeding. Every notification was telling me go to the dealer ship. I took it Howdy Honda in Texas and they said we will need to do a diagnostic and it was for 255 for to see what the problem was. They looked and said I had code for po172(rich) and misfi... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2025
My 2016 GMC Terrain exhibited the excessive oil consumption outlined in both of the following Special Coverage Adjustment bulletins. In addition to the excessive oil consumption, the oil light and oil pressure warnings never gave any indication that there was an issue or that the oil was low. This ended in the engine shaking the whole car, jerking it forward when stopped, and causing the engine to... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2025
Torque converter is bad. Codes will not come up when test ran. Mechanics mis diagnose the issue until it’s too late. Mechanic now doesn’t think it’s worth it to replace- wants whole new transmission.
Incident date: Apr 21, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V406000 (Fuel System, Diesel); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not exper... Read more
Incident date: Apr 30, 2025
The contact owned a 2012 Hyundai Genesis. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, she collided with another vehicle on the front driver's side. No air bags deployed. BM Automotive towed the vehicle, then the vehicle was towed to her local dealership. The contact stated that she sustained head and back injuries. The contact mentioned they informed her that she sustained whiplash ... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Apr 7, 2025
The contact's husband owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at highway speeds, the vehicle unexpectedly downshifted and the instrument panel went blank. The contact's husband restarted the vehicle and resumed normal operation; however, the failure returned the next day. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was acknowledged that the vehicle had ex... Read more