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: Jul 1, 2024
The Car is available for Inspection. Front Passenger Side Air Bag. When My Wife Sits in the Front Passenger Seat, The Air Bag indicator Indicates the Air Bag System is Off. This Means My Wife seated in the front passenger seat is not protected by the air bag system, this is un acceptable. This Condition Existed Since the car was new. Current Car Milage is 14,052 11/12/2024.
Incident date: Oct 28, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 50-55 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle regained power, and the contact drove to the residence. The vehicle failed to exceed 30 MPH while driving. The emission warning light was illuminated after the failure. The contact researched the failure and determined that it was related to NH... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2024
I have been 2x stopping at light then started to start back up do to green light and lost power for a second in the gas pedal. Then it kicks in!
Incident date: Aug 19, 2024
I purchased a new 2019 VW Jetta GLI. Since the first day I bought the car four years ago, whenever I call someone or receive a call, and my iPhone is plugged in to the USB socket to connect to hands-free calling, the person on the other end hears a very big echo and voice lag. 100% of the time this happens. I end up having to hang up and call just using the speaker on my phone because no one can s... Read more
Incident date: Aug 19, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Camry. While the contact's wife was driving approximately 5 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the pedal failed to respond. The contact's wife was able to stop the vehicle. The contact’s wife was not aware of any warning lights being illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer and was provided the cost for a diagnostic test. The contact inf... Read more
Incident date: Aug 19, 2024
The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Elantra N. The contact stated while driving 40–50 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. The vehicle went into LIMP Mode while driving. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V528000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the caus... Read more
Incident date: Nov 10, 2024
Fuel leak issue. I have a fuel leak coming from a faulty fuel pump on the driver'side. Very dangerous. Leaking down on side of tank. Could possibly leak down onto exhaust.GM said there was nothing they could do. I have taken it to Landers Mclarty Chevrolet in Huntsville, AL for replacement. Cost is $1963.02. There should have been a recall instead of a special advisory since they admitted it was a... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2024
I'm submitting this formal complaint because the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall remedy of the open recall on my vehicle. The recall was first created on Nov 01,2023 Manufacturer Recall Number: 23TB13 NHTSA Recall Number: 23V734 As of November 12, 2024, and after one year since it was issued, the recall status is still marked as "Recall Incomplete; remedy not y... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2017
I was driving my 2018 Honda Pilot. Which has less than 80k miles on it. While driving the engine temporarily stopped, then the car felt very sluggish, and every safety light came on. The car is not drivable. I currently have it at a Honda Dealership. They are saying the camshaft and timing belt are part of the problem. They are taking the engine out tomorrow to check. My car is not on the recall... Read more
Incident date: Nov 12, 2024
In 2022 while driving, my steering wheel became very difficult to turn. It felt as if the power steering quit altogether. All of the safety lights came on at once (brake, anti-skid, steering, etc.). After stopping, it was very difficult to turn the wheel. Not only was it frightening but I would not have been able to swerve or turn suddenly if needed. The Honda dealership believed at first it was a... Read more
Incident date: Oct 29, 2024
We purchased this vehicle in mid 2018. In October of 2018 Lexus issued a customer support process ZLZ which covered our vehicle for problems with the dashboard. At that time, we had no deterioration of our dashboard so we did not respond. The Lexus program expired in 2021. In the last two years, our dashboard has deteriorated quite substantially becoming sticky and more importantly, becoming very... Read more
Incident date: Oct 26, 2024
Engine light came on. First time this has happened. Took car immediately to Honda Dealer for inspection of engine light. Was informed that the car had a blown head gasket. Car only had 116000 miles. Car was taken to same dealer where purchased, and serviced constantly. Not once were we notified of any issue with the engine.
Incident date: Jun 17, 2023
This was such a strange occurance. After pulling off from a stop sign attempting a right turn, my vehicle stalled, readjusted, then stalled again. I was driving on a cobblestone road while it was raining, but did not find any issues with vision or traction. However, during this process, my passenger airbag deployed out of nowhere causing me to immediately stop the car to see if I had hit something... Read more
Incident date: Nov 8, 2024
My 2017 Hyundai Santa hybrid limited it all started with 11 icons appeared on the dash took it to Hyundai dealership Gainesville to be fixed in July of 2024 dropped it off Wednesday they emailed me with a price of 1563.70 I okay it to be fixed. I picked it up that following Saturday no sooner after leaving halfway home the check engine light came on took it back the following Monday they pulled ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 18, 2024
Based upon Big Star Hyundai Repair Department’s assessment the engine failed because there was a miss fire in cylinder 6. They have been waiting on a new engine since July 2024. Our car has been at the dealership since 2024.
Incident date: Apr 18, 2024
The "touch screen" in the car has warped from heat and no longer responds to touch. Many features and settings for the car are no longer available. Not sure if it's a safety issue; it would depend on the car model and which settings are managed through the touch screen. Since I can't access the settings, I don't know what features or settings are now inaccessible, so I'm reporting the affected equ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 18, 2024
We purchased a juicebox charger in 2019 and it worked fine until April 2024. We noticed the breaker was tripping often & that the app provider had changed. We updated the app and reduced the default kw setting in the app to half the amount which seemed to resolve the issue of the breaker tripping. In the last month we noticed the breaker tripping a few times. On Nov 8, we smelled smoke from the o... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Nov 9, 2024
This truck has 20,000 miles. I experienced what’s called the death wobble which nearly shook the truck off the road. The dealership told me a $2000 dollar duel steering stabilizer would fix the problem. I reluctantly payed for it as they said the lift voided the warranty. The truck is still not fixed and my wife nearly went off the road today driving it. I read online that a stabilizer doesn’t... Read more
Incident date: Nov 9, 2024
Driving down the interstate to pick my children up from school and all of a sudden the car made a weird bubbly grinding sound and stopped accelerating. I had to pull off and park as the car would not go any further. My vehicle has had regular maintenance and oil changes since I purchased it. I had in fact just put a full quart of oil in it. The first mechanic stated that there was metal shards in ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 9, 2024
#N232426400-04: Safety Recall - Tailgate May Open Unexpectedly lists RPO code QT5 as the only applicable RPO code for the issue of tailgate opening unexpectedly. QT5 is for manual gate function with EZ lift, power lock release. The recall blames water intrusion into these vehicles’ tailgates that can come into contact with the electronic gate-release switch, potentially causing a short circuit, ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 6, 2024
While driving the car, the wheel locked and we lost acceleration, and a warning light for the electric engine throttle came on. The car is undriveable, and we are extremely lucky that we were not in an accident. We suspect that the W79 recall for other Jeeps is implicated for our car.
Incident date: Nov 6, 2024
While driving the car, the wheel locked and we lost acceleration, and a warning light for the electric engine throttle came on. The car is undriveable, and we are extremely lucky that we were not in an accident. We suspect that the W79 recall for other Jeeps is implicated for our car.
Incident date: Nov 6, 2024
While driving the car, the wheel locked and we lost acceleration, and a warning light for the electric engine throttle came on. The car is undriveable, and we are extremely lucky that we were not in an accident. We suspect that the W79 recall for other Jeeps is implicated for our car.
Incident date: Nov 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 BMW X1. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the engine overheated and the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the turbo and other unknown parts were ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Lincoln Continental. The contact stated that the front driver's side door latch failed to operate as needed. The failure rendered the vehicle inoperable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V077000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages); however, the VIN was not included in the recall.... Read more
Incident date: Oct 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Audi Q7. The contact stated that a message indicating that the side markers were inoperable was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who confirmed that the side markers were inoperable. The dealer confirmed that the failure was related to the NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V642000 (Exterior Lighting); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 31, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local mechanic who replaced the spark plugs and the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipes. The vehicle was driven to the local dealer who d... Read more
Incident date: Aug 19, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that coolant intrusion had caused a misfire in the engine. The contact was informed that the engine would eventually need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
My 2018 Ram 3500 DRW truck for no reason started throwing dash warning lights intermittently after 60,000 miles. The warning lights activated on the dash were for ABS and Traction Control, with an annoying ding when they appeared. The center dash light stated "Service Antilock Braking System. Additionally, when this occurred the cruise control did not work. The warning lights were intermittent... Read more
Incident date: Nov 6, 2024
Timely as my 2018 2500 seems affected. I've performed no troubleshooting but it is extremely intermittent, either the Service the ABS or Service the Electronic Braking System(s). Usually, a bump in the road makes it come and another turns it off. Sometimes it happens so quickly, only the message and traction control disabled light comes on, sometimes only the chime comes in. Sometimes the message ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 5, 2020
285/45/22 None of the tires will balance leading to terrible vibrations at highway speeds. Dealer tried several times to balance and also road force balance them. Vibrations can be dangerous at highway speeds.
Incident date: Nov 2, 2024
While waiting at a stop light when the automatic start kicked back in it was so hard I felt that someone had rear ended my car and then the car stalled. I had to put the car in park and restart the engine. My biggest fear is being rear ended. My engine whines and the rpm will hit 4 or 5 before the car will shift into the next gear. It does the ssame thing when trying to accelerate - it's as if it'... Read more
Incident date: Nov 2, 2024
While waiting at a stop light when the automatic start kicked back in it was so hard I felt that someone had rear ended my car and then the car stalled. I had to put the car in park and restart the engine. My biggest fear is being rear ended. My engine whines and the rpm will hit 4 or 5 before the car will shift into the next gear. It does the ssame thing when trying to accelerate - it's as if it'... Read more
Incident date: Feb 4, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 60-70 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly downshifted to first gear. The contact was able to pull over safely and restart the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for the recall repair under NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V444000 (Power Train). The vehicle was repaired, but after leavin... Read more
Incident date: Nov 4, 2024
in 2022 the abs and traction control lights began to come on together, leading to loss of ABS and traction control in addition to not being able to use the cruise control. Vehicle was taken to the dealer to be serviced and they stated they would replace the HCU but would not replace the ABS module as they would only address one thing at a time. The problem continues to persist with the constant a... Read more
Incident date: Nov 4, 2024
While driving northbound on [XXX], south of Oklahoma City, at normal highway speed, at night, in the rain (on [XXX]), this EV lost all power to the wheels and the regenerative braking ceased to function. It appears that all flow of electrons from the batteries to the drive motors, and from the regenerative brakes to the batteries stopped. I still had dashboard lights, steering, and conventional ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 16, 2024
I was driving in a parking lot and suddenly my air bag deployed for no reason I did not hit anyone or get hit for the airbag to deploy. Suffered some bruising on my right forearm and in my left ear I still hear ringing from the airbag deploying.
1 injured
Incident date: Aug 24, 2024
Driving vehicle on the road, the suite of driver assistance system suddenly failed including LKAS, front collision warning system, adaptive cruise control, lane departure as well as brake system light. I took the car to the dealership which indicated the front camera had catastrophically failed. This issue seems to be a recurring issue in all models of odyssey minivans. The issue seems to appear ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 17, 2024
1) Caused by faulty Body Control Module (BCM). 2) Can't enter car, key fob won't unlock car. Dashboard is illuminated when car is off, I can see it through my window. 3) Alarm horn went on when car is off. 4) Turn on my car, multiple errors, go to drive the car thinking I need to reset it from battery change. Shut off my car, but go to turn it back on. Car cranks but won't turn on, shows multi... Read more
Incident date: Oct 31, 2024
The tailgate has opened randomly on about 4 or 5 occasions most recently the tailgate opened making a right turn while the horse trailer was connected to it and damaged the tailgate. It seems to open on right turns or when washed or been raining. The key is kept in the console and i always apply the parking brake. It is very random. There was a recall/ owner satisfaction program 21m01 but this tru... Read more
Incident date: Oct 30, 2024
The rear passenger side seat belt has been defective for the last 12+ months. It first started with it not registering a person was occupying the seat and would not signal that a seat belt needed to be fastened, such as the other side when both are occupied simultaneously. For the last 6+ months the latch where the seat belt buckles would latch inconsistent. As of yesterday, the seat belt buckle f... Read more
Incident date: Oct 31, 2024
The contact owned a 2012 Kia Forte. The contact stated that the seat belt warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated while he was occupying the parked vehicle, the vehicle made an abnormal sound and the contact noticed fire coming from underneath the hood. The contact immediately exited the vehicle. The contact stated that the hood became engulfed in fire. The fire was extingu... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Oct 30, 2024
The contact rented a 2023 Jeep Gladiator from Budget Rental Car Company located at 28 Ibm Rd, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH and driving over a pothole in the roadway, the front end of the vehicle and the steering wheel started shuddering violently. The contact stated that upon releasing the accelerator pedal and decelerating to 55 MPH, the vehicle operated as need... Read more
Incident date: Oct 30, 2024
255/40/R20 Tires thread separated Tires were purchased 10/14/2021 At Audi of Fort Myers
Incident date: Oct 30, 2024
Lug nuts are swollen and need to be replaced. It seems like this is an issue with Fords.
Incident date: Oct 30, 2024
DCM battery drain and bad head unit display. The class action law suit does not cover the fix for the battery drain problem. Just a new battery. My is the battery continues to drain. I cannot afford to replace the problem DCM. I had to pull that fuse as a fix. I now do not have fro t speakers or Bluetooth. My CarPlay maps no longer tell me where I need to turn. Causing me to looks at the disp... Read more
Incident date: Oct 26, 2024
Upon purchase of my vehicle, I occasionally would notice an unusual gear downshift. Then, upon receiving a Ford Recall 24S37 and NHTSA Recall 24V444000, regarding the update to the powertrain control module, I now continue to have a check engine light come on each month with the same error code. I've returned each month since the recall to Ford dealers to have the check engine light looked into fu... Read more
Incident date: Oct 18, 2024
Cylinder 2 misfire code p0302. I replaced the spark plugs, coil, and injector. Code still remains. Vehicle seems to run fine.
Incident date: Oct 18, 2024
Cylinder 2 misfire code p0302. I replaced the spark plugs, coil, and injector. Code still remains. Vehicle seems to run fine.
Incident date: Oct 18, 2024
I lose my power steering. First time it happened I had turned the steering wheel to its’ fullest extent, then lost the power steering.when I turn off the engine and restart it, the power returns. This has happened 4-5 times in the past 4-5 years… until today. Today it happened 4 times, just with normal turns (no hard banked turns) - again, I had to turn off the engine, then start it, with ho... Read more