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: Apr 4, 2026
My 2017 Acura MDX unexpectedly shifts into neutral while I am driving, specifically when slowing down approaching stop signs. When this happens, the vehicle loses power and will not accelerate, creating a dangerous situation in traffic. I have to manually press the Drive button to put the vehicle back into gear while still on the road. This has happened multiple times without warning and no recall... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
Low beam halogen headlights are dangerously dim. It is not possible to see in darkness without the high beams on. New factory bulbs have been replaced. Lens cleaning restoration has been performed. This widely known flaw will cause accidents if it hasn't already. Hundreds of complains have been filed with the NHTSA. There are dozens of forums highlighting this important design flaw. The issue lies... Read more
Incident date: Dec 16, 2025
Incident 1 (Loss of Propulsion in Traffic) - 12/16/25 The vehicle failed to restart immediately after the auto start-stop system attempted to re-engage the engine. Upon attempting to accelerate, the engine did not restart, resulting in a complete loss of propulsion while in active traffic. The vehicle became temporarily inoperable and unresponsive, creating a hazardous condition with elevated risk... Read more
Incident date: Dec 16, 2025
Incident 1 (Loss of Propulsion in Traffic) - 12/16/25 The vehicle failed to restart immediately after the auto start-stop system attempted to re-engage the engine. Upon attempting to accelerate, the engine did not restart, resulting in a complete loss of propulsion while in active traffic. The vehicle became temporarily inoperable and unresponsive, creating a hazardous condition with elevated risk... Read more
Incident date: Dec 16, 2025
Incident 1 (Loss of Propulsion in Traffic) - 12/16/25 The vehicle failed to restart immediately after the auto start-stop system attempted to re-engage the engine. Upon attempting to accelerate, the engine did not restart, resulting in a complete loss of propulsion while in active traffic. The vehicle became temporarily inoperable and unresponsive, creating a hazardous condition with elevated risk... Read more
Incident date: Jul 16, 2025
Emission systems problem and parking brake problem lights came on simultaneously. Mechanic has not been able to figure out the problem Replaced vent valve
Incident date: Apr 3, 2026
While driving through an active intersection, the vehicle experienced a sudden and complete loss of electrical power. The engine shut off without warning and all electrical systems immediately went dead. The instrument cluster went dark, the ignition was unresponsive, and the hazard lights did not function. The vehicle lost propulsion while in traffic and could not be restarted. Police were requir... Read more
Incident date: Apr 3, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Acura ILX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V859000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer and another dealer were contacted and confirmed that parts were on a national back order. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the reca... Read more
Incident date: Apr 3, 2026
The contact owns a 2020 Acura RLX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn, with an abnormal sound coming from the steering wheel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the steering rack had f... Read more
Incident date: Feb 19, 2026
The contact owned a 2005 Acura TL. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the front driver's side air bag might have deployed without impact, hit the contact's face, reducing the roadway visibility and causing the vehicle to crash into the rear-end of another vehicle. The contact stated that the air bag exploded and propelled fragments, causing the driver to experience difficul... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Feb 6, 2026
I have a recall on my Acura 2017 ILX. I called Bergstrom Acura Appleton in Wisconsin to make an appointment. Ashley said it would take about 2 hours. Trying to get a loaner car out of her was like pulling teeth. A week before service would have taken place, she called back and said that there was a diagnostic fee with the recall. I tried to retrain her about manufacturing problems are the dealersh... Read more
Incident date: Apr 2, 2026
Catastrophic engine failure at speed, connecting rod failure, which is a known failure for this engine. Engine blew, lost all power, and hot oil hit the hot exhaust and the car caught on fire. A fire truck came to put out the engine fire.
Fire
ACURA
TLX TYPE S
(2021) — POWER TRAIN
Apr 2, 2026
Incident date: Jun 7, 2025
The All Wheel Drive (AWD) system of the vehicle became partially inoperable after hearing a loud bang under normal vehicle acceleration some time in early 2025. The vehicle did not trigger or display any warnings stored in the onboard computer or on the dash display that the AWD system had any faults or issues. Had this system failed during an emergency situation involving hazardous or dangerous d... Read more
Incident date: Apr 2, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Acura RDX. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the sunroof unexpectedly shattered. There was no impact on the sunroof to cause it to shatter. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 74,000.
Incident date: Mar 31, 2026
My vehicles motor is internally destroying itself. The rod bearing has gone and the motor is none functional. The car only has 98k miles. I have gotten the oil changed every 3k-4k miles and used 0W-20 oil as the manufacturer desired. It seems as though there has been 1.4million cars with this same issue as mine. I think a recall is in order. OEM new motor is $25.7k.
Incident date: Nov 3, 2025
Asymmetrical wear on the front brakes. The outer pad wears out completely while the inner pad( with the brake wear sensor) shows almost no wear. The dealer (Park Place Acura, Plano Texas) brought this to my attention on November 3, 2025 saying only the front pads needed replacing but did not disclose the asymmetrical wear. I took the vehicle back to the Dealer January 15, 2026 for repair after dis... Read more
Incident date: Mar 25, 2026
My car has stalled while driving on the highway multiple times now. The first time it happened, it lost power, stopped accelerating, and cycled through multiple warning lights, causing a significant safety risk. I pulled over and it restarted within minutes. I took it to a repair shop and they could not find a problem with it, even with the codes provided. Nothing pointed to a solution. It happene... Read more
Incident date: Mar 25, 2026
My car has stalled while driving on the highway multiple times now. The first time it happened, it lost power, stopped accelerating, and cycled through multiple warning lights, causing a significant safety risk. I pulled over and it restarted within minutes. I took it to a repair shop and they could not find a problem with it, even with the codes provided. Nothing pointed to a solution. It happene... Read more
Incident date: Mar 29, 2026
The contact owns a 2014 Mercedes-Benz E350. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, fuel was leaking from near the fuel tank. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of t... Read more
Incident date: Aug 14, 2025
My 2017 Ford Expedition is currently at an authorized dealership (Arlington Heights Ford, IL) for a failed transmission lead frame (DTCs P0706, P0707, P1702), which causes intermittent loss of gear engagement and sudden shift issues. This specific part is subject to NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA26001. Ford is refusing to honor the 10-year/150000-mile extended coverage (Program 19N01 Supplement 4) ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power. The vehicle stalled with the check engine light and several other unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was restarted; however, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer to be diagnosed, and it w... Read more
ACURA
RDX
(2025) — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
Apr 1, 2026
Incident date: Mar 30, 2026
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced transmission failure, and the brake lines were rusted. The contact was trapped in the desert for hours with his dog. The contact stated that two independent mechanics had determined that the idler pulley needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
A week or so after taking the car in for an oil change, I was on the highway and heard a rattling sound coming from the engine. There were no indicator or warning lights from the dashboard. The car then stopped accelerating. It was on, and the accelerator increased the RPMs but the car did not move faster. I safely got home and checked the oil and it had less than a quart. There were no low-oil in... Read more
Incident date: Feb 26, 2026
See attached document for complaint.
Incident date: Mar 20, 2026
The contact’s father owns a 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that the rear sliding doors unexpectedly opened while the vehicle was parked and idling, or while driving at various speeds. The driver pulled over to the side of the road and manually closed the door. The contact researched online and became aware of an extended warranty for the failure; however, the VIN was not included. ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 15, 2026
Was driving on highway when my steering warning light came on and my steering wheel wouldn't turn at all. Took it in and found out need a new rack and pinion assembly.
Incident date: Mar 15, 2026
I am reporting a safety issue with my Porsche Taycan. On two separate occasions within the past month, the vehicle has experienced a sudden and complete loss of power while I was accelerating hard on the highway. In both instances, the vehicle immediately entered “turtle mode,” severely limiting performance to the point where there was effectively no power available to maintain speed or safely... Read more
Incident date: Mar 15, 2026
My 2023 Tesla Model Y suddenly became inaccessible via key card and phone key with no prior warning. The tow operator successfully jump-started the vehicle with a 12V jump and it powered on — suggesting a 12V battery failure, not an HV system failure. Tesla diagnosed water ingress in the HV battery pack and HV harness, citing an isolation resistance fault and open flood port. Their conclusion es... Read more
Incident date: Dec 10, 2025
There has been an urgent safety recall with no fix for 4 months. I need the issue to be resolved so that my vehicle is no longer a safety hazard, but both the dealership I purchased it from and the manufacturer have stated that it's not a big deal.
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
When I'm driving on the hwy or interstate after a while. Maybe 30 minutes to an hour. The steering wants to jerk either left or right. If I'm trying to drive straight and give it a little correction it'll grab and pull either direction. No warning lights or anything or that sort. But it has almost made me wreck several times. Especially in high traffic areas
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of a NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V896000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part for 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... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the sunroof slides became inoperable. There was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer annually, where it was diagnosed and determined that the slides were fractured. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was contacted... Read more
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 Infiniti QX55. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed, and there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle hesitated, and the ECM fault code was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with VCT actuator failure. The contact was informed that the VCT actuator needed to be re... Read more
Incident date: Feb 20, 2026
The motor through a misfire code and began making a noise while vehicle was sitting at a red light. Vehicle lost all power and had to be towed. Was quoted my the Acura dealership $9k. Main reason for addressing this concern is because numerous Acura J35 series motors have already been recalled for engine connecting rod issues. While this motor doesn't apparently fall under that recall, odd that it... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
While driving under normal conditions, a front grille trim component detached from my vehicle without any impact or external cause. The piece became airborne and struck my windshield, creating an immediate safety hazard and risk of loss of control. There was no prior damage or warning. This represents a failure of a vehicle component under normal operation and indicates a defect in materials, des... Read more
Incident date: Mar 4, 2026
This vehicle is subject to NHTSA Recall 25V-655 involving the high-voltage traction battery. The recall restricts the vehicle from using DC fast charging (Level 3), which significantly limits the safe and practical operation of the vehicle for its intended use. My household must routinely complete 300+ mile one-way trips on a weekly basis. Without DC fast charging capability, the vehicle cannot r... Read more
Incident date: Mar 4, 2026
RF Module lost connection to CAN Bus and caused the vehicle to shutoff while driving. Symptoms include messages about key fob not within range and TPMS not able to communicate with sensors. RF Module was replaced however the issue returned. Other symptoms include parasitic draw caused by RF Module that in turn causes the system to report low voltage while driving. Vehicle has left me stranded on m... Read more
Incident date: Mar 4, 2026
RF Module lost connection to CAN Bus and caused the vehicle to shutoff while driving. Symptoms include messages about key fob not within range and TPMS not able to communicate with sensors. RF Module was replaced however the issue returned. Other symptoms include parasitic draw caused by RF Module that in turn causes the system to report low voltage while driving. Vehicle has left me stranded on m... Read more
Incident date: Mar 29, 2026
Took my vehicle to dealership for fuel pump recall. Was told it wasn’t the actual pump but the wiring and they fixed it. Vehicle continued to have the same issues plus a new issue where the car completely stalled out while driving. I took it back, they said the parts they put on were defective but I’d still have to pay 300$. I paid the money and within 10 hours of getting my car back I stalled... Read more
Incident date: Feb 2, 2026
The contact owns a 2020 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while driving 35-40 MPH, the message "Vehicle Not in Park" was displayed intermittently, and the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was restarted after several attempts and was driven to the residence. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that no fail... Read more
Incident date: Feb 2, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 Alliance Valor RV. The contact stated that the lithium 12-Volt battery failed to charge, and the battery warning light was flashing. The error codes 01 and 08 were displayed indicating a temperature overload. Upon inspection, the contact discovered that the 12-Volt Lithium battery was wrapped in the tank heater pad that was smoldering. The contact removed the heater pad. Th... Read more
Incident date: Dec 29, 2025
While driving, I accelerated to merge onto the highway. The check engine light flashed a few times and the engine started wobbling like it was misfiring. I have also been having a parasitic drain on my auxiliary batter that makes the car not open to my key fob that I know works. The dealership told me it was bad fuel, but they “tested the fuel” with no diagnostic report/proof/records, saying t... Read more
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
The oil consumption issue has begun. At about 75k miles, my 2018 Hyundai Tucson 1.6L Turbo is burning oil at an insane rate. And there is no indicator of it occurring (no codes or anything on the dash) until it's too late. Hyundai is now WELL KNOWN, and aware, for this problem and it is a catastrophic safety issue because of the possibility of the engine seizing and disabling the vehicle. It isn't... Read more
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
On multiple lane roads whe I am driving next to traffic in the same direction, if I try to give a large truck in the next lane plenty of room the lane keep assist activates and pushes me closer to the vehicle I am trying to avoid. When LCA first takes control it feels like it turns toward the line it's alerting about. Then it steers me towards the thing I was trying to avoid. The happens every ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 29, 2026
I am reporting a safety defect involving Continental CrossContact LX Sport tires, size 245/50 R20 used on my 2021 Honda Pilot. These tires are not currently included in the existing Continental recalls, but they are showing the same types of failures described in NHTSA recall 21T‑001 and related Continental bulletins. Specifically, my tires developed cracking/localized tread wear/vibration and v... Read more
Incident date: Mar 29, 2026
I first noticed the brakes squealing in August 2025 at 15,000 miles. The dealership said I needed to resurface the front rotors. I mistook this a coating and brake debris, but it was actually the rotors warping. By 21,000 the vehicle is pulsing heavily when stopping. I went back to the dealer and this time they told me all 4 rotors are warped. GM denied coverage of the pads and rotors. Normal driv... Read more
Incident date: Mar 29, 2026
UNKNOWN
Incident date: Mar 28, 2026
The component that has malfunctioned is the hybrid inverter assembly, a loose internal bolt within the hybrid propulsion system. This vehicle is currently held at Fred Haas Toyota Country (Houston, TX) and is available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of the public are at risk because, as stated by the recall notice given on December 16 2025, this defect involves a bolt in the... Read more
Incident date: Mar 27, 2026
After replacing the newest recall for the rear toe link on my Explorer, I’ve noticed (along with a couple others on some forums) that the alignment does not stay set and will come undone. I finished driving 1000 miles after the swap and had sudden pressure loss in my rear tire. When I looked at it the entire outside of the tire on both driver and passenger side were completely eaten through and ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 27, 2026
Engine failure resulting in new engine.