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: Jul 19, 2024
This Jeep gladiator has not started on several occasions. And is now stuck in our driveway not turning over the engine. This apparently is a known problem and has stranded my family. Has Also stopped all the electrical with the engine driving down the road when my husband was returning from work, this is a safety issue please respond.
Incident date: Apr 22, 2024
Heavy trucks have mechanical redundancy, they have two of the exact same system to perform the same task to insure safe operation. Trucks have air brakes and they have engine brake (Jakes, Jacobs) that distinctive sound they do once they downshift "Brraaaaa". The engine is using the engine compression to slow down, combine with the mechanical advantage of the gears in the transmission. One issue,... Read more
Incident date: Jan 3, 2022
Recall related to crankshaft and engine wear/malfunction is not addressed in a timely manner from recall date. My local dealership has a waitlist of 500+ cars to address and they don’t even have enough parts to do so. I do not feel confident that technicians will inspect thoroughly and that leaves my family and I at risk while driving this car with a considerable issue.
Incident date: Jan 3, 2022
Instrument panel went black and radio went black after starting up car or while driving. Will get stuck in a loop of turning on and off while driving after 5 min returns back to normal.
Incident date: Jan 1, 2024
The transmission went out. It will cost 9000 dollars to fix. The dealership not Nissan warned me about this
Incident date: May 1, 2024
Check engine Transmission ABS VSA TPMS All lights went on suddenly. While I was driving suddenly all lights came on dashboard. I’ve used OBD scanner to find the root cause but the problem can’t be detected. I went to Acura dealer in NJ and paid $250. They inspected, and said it could be this Instrument cluster or that ECu. But they did not said anything concrete what could be faulty. Both ... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2024
Vehicle is burning oil. I drove 300 miles and had a low oil message pop up. Vehicle still had 50% oil life left.
Incident date: May 1, 2024
The door lock actuators on both of my rear doors suddenly no longer work. When I hit the button to lock all doors, only my 2 front doors lock. My cars 3 year warranty expired about 5 months ago and I have under 19,000 miles on the odometer. This is a safety issue. What if a carjacker walked up to my car while I’m in it, I lock the doors, and my back doors don’t lock. I could be killed. Not onl... Read more
Incident date: Aug 12, 2019
Air bag frontal ; Inflator module Issued: 08/12/2019 Recall ID # 320228 NHTSA campaign #19V50200 Reference: CCR §1962 Concord HONDA dealership & service 1461 concord avenue, concord California , 94520 Must be affixed to the vehicle before to deliver purchaser Dealer# 31804 Salesperson# S705254 License [XXX] VIN# [XXX] Date sold # [XXX] Mileage 110,411 REG 51 (REV) 9/2019) UH Pursuant to Cali... Read more
Incident date: Aug 12, 2019
open recall since March and it still has not been resolved. Worried about safety on this vehicle if not fixed.
Incident date: Aug 12, 2019
The car shuts off while driving. The dealership can’t re-create and isn’t sure what the problem is.
Incident date: Nov 23, 2023
Faulty torque converter and transmission range control module. Repaired both and now the vehicle shifts hard while driving.
Incident date: Jul 16, 2024
225/40r18 tires has a splitting on side wall it’s impossible to see unless the split location on the ground I tried to talk to the manufacturer but they don’t have a way to connect them. I have replaced one tire it has same problem tire shop noticed it they said they can put it back on the car now I have the other side same issue
Incident date: Jul 12, 2024
The contact called on behalf of a customer who owns a 2013 Dodge Charger. The contact who is an independent mechanic, stated that the vehicle was driven to his place of business; however, upon arrival the vehicle was smoking with an abnormally strong fuel odor. The contact stated upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact became aware that the fuel pump was dry, and fuel was leaking onto the ground ... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2024
On May 30, 2024, the vehicle associated with the VIN associated with the report was involved in an accident. The vehicle is inoperable due to the seatbelt no longer working since the accident. The vehicle is at the collision center of my choice, and all repairs except for the seatbelt have been made. The collision center and I have reached out to American Honda Motor Company, Inc. and Acura sev... Read more
Crash
Incident date: May 30, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle briefly hesitated and jerked, prompting the contact to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway. After pulling over, the contact observed that the vehicle was idling rough and turned off the vehicle. Upon attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle initially failed to start and requir... Read more
Incident date: May 30, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle briefly hesitated and jerked, prompting the contact to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway. After pulling over, the contact observed that the vehicle was idling rough and turned off the vehicle. Upon attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle initially failed to start and requir... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2024
Several systems suddenly were disabled, ABS, Electronic Stability Control, Front & Rear Park sensors, Tire Monitor system as well as the cruise control that may not be considered safety. The truck only as 11K miles. I have not been able to reset the system and the noted systems are inactive. I will contact the dealership but am bracing for a less than supportive meeting. From what I've read this... Read more
Incident date: Jul 14, 2024
"Shift toPark"message is displayed on the dic shifter control leaver
Incident date: Jul 13, 2024
While driving my car, the instrument panel just went blank. My gages all read 0. No speedometer, no battery voltage, no fuel level. The driver information center also shut off. Blinkers would not work, door lock/unlock button did not work after stopping the car. The engine never felt like it lost power and my car would still drive but I could not signal or see how fast I was going.
Incident date: Jul 6, 2024
While vehicle is in motion the brake system will automatically start to lock up the brakes and then the stabilitrak light will light up on the dash. As well as if cruise control was set to whatever speed the brakes at some point will begin to slowly lock up causing cruise control to disengage and stabilitrak light will turn on. Relating to: NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 20V603000 GM's number for this recall... Read more
Incident date: Jul 6, 2024
While vehicle is in motion the brake system will automatically start to lock up the brakes and then the stabilitrak light will light up on the dash. As well as if cruise control was set to whatever speed the brakes at some point will begin to slowly lock up causing cruise control to disengage and stabilitrak light will turn on. Relating to: NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 20V603000 GM's number for this recall... Read more
Incident date: May 24, 2024
I was driving when I came upon a couple of metal plates on the road. I slowed a bit to go slower across them when my car slammed on the brakes, the brake orange light came on and beeped on the dash. There was a truck behind me that was luckily leaving enough space. I was jolted and everything fell off my passenger seat due to the aggressive sudden braking. If it had happened on a highway or the tr... Read more
Incident date: May 24, 2024
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Camry Hybrid. The contact stated while driving downhill on a winding road at a slow speed, the motion detection sensors erroneously detected an obstruction in the roadway. Due to the failure, the contact lost control of the vehicle and struck the median at a slow speed. The air bags did not deploy, and there was no injury. The contact was able to disengage the Forwar... Read more
Incident date: Jul 9, 2024
I purchased my Ford Escape SE eco boost 2017 new. and now the engine light came on and I had ford checked to see what was the issue. once diagnosis was done they told me I had to replace my engine for eleven thousand (insane ) my coolant was leaking into my cylinders and engine. I looked up this issue and found that there are thousand of people with this issue. Ford is aware of this yet will not r... Read more
Incident date: Jul 12, 2024
Where seatbelt would secure carseat if you weren't using the base is sharp. My child's finger got cut. Pictures attached of injury, blood on carseat from injury and where it is sharp on the carseat that caused the injury. Called company and no answer, emailed and got automated response with a claim number stating I would be contacted soon.
1 injured
Incident date: Jul 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal tapping sound coming from the engine. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the lifters needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was appro... Read more
Incident date: Jun 17, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds at night, the headlight illumination was inadequate. The contact used the high-beam headlights while driving at night. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V137000 (Exterior Lighting). The vehicle was repai... Read more
Incident date: Jun 17, 2024
1. This is not a safety issue. This is a cosmetic issue. 2. Not applicable to warning lights. 3. General Issue: Bottom portion of drivers seat, reported to be leather, is peeling. This peeling is discoloring the seat and shows signs that it will continue over the entire seat. Never before have I seen this issue with leather seats (in many previous vehicles), including other Jeep vehicles. The issu... Read more
Incident date: Jul 10, 2024
* Front air vents are not working. Yes, it is available for inspection upon request. They are closed by default and there is no physical lever to control the vent. Since the vents are broken inside, they cannot be controlled from central screen. I had to pry open the vents each time when I get in a car manually with a pen or a screwdriver. And they may get closed again shortly after. * Due to extr... Read more
Incident date: Jul 8, 2024
Power steering completely failed on 6/28/2024. Truck was purchased new in March 2021, and has less than 36,000 miles. Local Chevy dealer said entire power steering assist assembly must be replaced at $2,000+ but the wire harness is on backorder. Recall #21V213000 was for similar problem in 2015 models but the problem still persists, at least through June 2021. Obviously, GM dealer's must be replac... Read more
Incident date: Oct 8, 2022
I've done searches with Carfax and there's 4 or more recalls on my Jeep but it's not wanting to do anything now it won't even start I just drove it and the night before and I believe there's an electrical problem a transmission problem and I don't know what else and yes the car Financial Place knows about it and the place where I bought it from
Incident date: Apr 2, 2024
While driving on the New Jersey Turnpike on November 17, 2023, a burning smell was noticed inside the car. The smell lasted about an hour. No smoke was present and the car continued to operate. While concerned, I assumed it was environmental and outside the car. On November 25, 2023 my car threw a 48V battery warning and forcibly shut off. We were not on a highway at the time and were able t... Read more
Incident date: Jul 5, 2024
1st issue was the a/c unit which mechanic said was a factory defective part. Replaced under warranty & now is not working again. 2nd issue is coolant & flushing system. replaced las year & mechanic said it was a factory defective part. This was 2 different mechanics. I just had my car overheat on me again nearly a year later with sludge in the tank AGAIN. I AM PAYONG WAYYYYY TOO MUCH MONEY f... Read more
Incident date: Jun 28, 2024
I was driving and all the dash board lights came on and it started warning beepings then it would not go over 35mph The ABS module was affected because it has a defective eyelet in the TIPM Module wiring connector that allows water to seep in I had a level 2 system testing done to find the defect. Jeep is aware of the problem because when I tried to order a new ABS module I was told it was not... Read more
Incident date: Jul 9, 2024
My 2020 Tiguan was purchased used about 10 months ago. We moved from RI to CA and the overhead console has completely fallen down and is hanging by the wiring harnesses. I have contacted the dealer and corporate. They do not want to make the repair because it is out of warranty. Upon further investigation It appears that this is a common issue effecting many other 2020-2023 VW Tiguans. This is a s... Read more
Incident date: Jul 9, 2024
My 2020 Tiguan was purchased used about 10 months ago. We moved from RI to CA and the overhead console has completely fallen down and is hanging by the wiring harnesses. I have contacted the dealer and corporate. They do not want to make the repair because it is out of warranty. Upon further investigation It appears that this is a common issue effecting many other 2020-2023 VW Tiguans. This is a s... Read more
Incident date: Dec 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Honda HR-V. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); 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. The manufac... Read more
Incident date: Jul 8, 2024
2017 Highlander with the Auto Start/Stop. It will sometimes go completely dead when idling, like at a stop light. Completely dead meaning zero electricity - no lights. This will last a couple of seconds. But one day, the car died at a stop light right. No power. Completely dead. Couldn’t turn on my hazard lights Gears were stuck. Couldn’t shift gears.
Incident date: Jun 25, 2024
The accelerator on my vehicle malfunctioned and got stuck. While making turn with no acceleration, the acceleration of the vehicle got stuck and the brakes did not respond causing the vehicle to hit a sidewalk and breaking the passenger side suspension and control arm and axel of the vehicle. Airbags deployed. Controlled the vehicle until it stopped completely. When vehicle was completely stopped ... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jan 16, 2024
Vehicle started to make “knocking” noises from front axle when going over bumps. Brought to a shop that stated the ball joints just needed to be greased up. The sound returned within 24 hours and become continuous while driving. The car begins to shake and feel unstable at speeds above 45/50mph. Brought vehicle in that day to a new shop, which diagnosed the problem as a faulty/broken Power Tra... Read more
Incident date: Jun 27, 2024
Passenger side active headrest deployed without accident while sitting in driveway no one in or around vehicle and also not running.
Incident date: Jul 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Camry. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags) 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 not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienc... Read more
Incident date: Nov 20, 2023
Have been told it’s the catalytic converter but when driving it loses power and stalls. It has almost caused wrecks. Ever since I got this vehicle it’s been one thing after another and the more I look online about the issues with my vehicle, the more I realize that thousands and thousands of Chevy Cruze owners are having the same issues. I’ve had to put two oxygen sensors on it since having ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 27, 2024
Car shuts down after fueling, shudders while driving. Read forum https://www.fordforums.com/threads/2019-ford-edge-sel-trans-issues.315266/ Ford needs to own up to issues since ppl are being jeopardized while driving. I am retired, help my elderly parents and young grand children. I can't afford these "fixes" or new vehcile. Need help. 1st time I realized the problem I was pulling out of gas stat... Read more
Incident date: Sep 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Ford EcoSport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (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. The ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 25, 2024
Vehicle began jerking while in motion, and all error messages the vehicle has ability to display rotated across the screen, including PO848. Transmission was replaced by a dealer. Vehicle would not start two weeks later. Vehicle towed to dealer. Dealer stated battery and starter were bad. Both of those components replaced by Acura dealer. Within one week, alarm was sounding randomly and clic... Read more
Incident date: Apr 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that after taking the vehicle for service, the contact was made aware that the front suspension lateral linkage bolt had detached and that the bolts were damaged. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V235000 (Suspension); bu... Read more
Incident date: Apr 25, 2024
The contact owned a 2022 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to work properly causing her to crash into the vehicle in front. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated there was a minor scratch on the front bumper. No injuries were sustained. No police report was filed. The manufacturer was ... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jul 3, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Dodge Charger. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V198000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was... Read more