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: Oct 24, 2023
The MySky retractable roof is malfunctioning on many jeep that are equipped with the automatic roof. The panels can come loose and strike a vehicle that's behind. The roof malfunctions and will not open or close properly.
Incident date: Oct 24, 2023
The transmission randomly gets stuck in 1st gear and won’t shift beyond that. The RPMs rev up real high and the only way to fix it is to pull off the road and turn the car off and back on. The transmission also bumps really hard shifting sometimes or revs up real high before shifting with a big thud. The dealership says they can’t diagnose it if it’s not doing it when I bring it in. They s... Read more
Incident date: Oct 23, 2023
Vehicle has a 1.5L dragon 3 cylinder. When passing vehicles, on 3 occasions it throws codes that says that the engine has an engine overheated issue, service asap, and goes into a limp mode which does not give you any time to get to safety before your speed is dropped below 55 mph. It will not go out of limp mode until you completely shut off the vehicle and wait 5 or so minutes and turn it back ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 23, 2023
Vehicle has a 1.5L dragon 3 cylinder. When passing vehicles, on 3 occasions it throws codes that says that the engine has an engine overheated issue, service asap, and goes into a limp mode which does not give you any time to get to safety before your speed is dropped below 55 mph. It will not go out of limp mode until you completely shut off the vehicle and wait 5 or so minutes and turn it back ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2021
The vehicle began experiencing a slight vibration when accelerating. When the vehicle reaches 28 mph through 54 mph, the vibration is noticeable. Very noticeable when going uphill. It feels like the rumble strips you drive over at a road construction area. When the vehicle reaches close to 60 mph the vibration is not felt. It began around May/June 2023 and got worse as the months went on. I ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2023
I hit 2 mailboxes and one car back but not warning no emergency brake work. I wonder why my car doesn’t have any safety features it should have
Crash
Incident date: Oct 21, 2023
FIRST MY ENGINE WENT OUT; REPLACE WITH USED ENGINE $5,000. ONE CV JOINT WENT OUT; REPLACED $1400. DIFFERENTIAL BUSHING WENT OUT; AUTO SHOP SAID HE CAN'T FIND BUSHING; HAS TO REPLACE WHOLE DIFFERENTIAL $3,800. I'M SURE I'LL HAVE TO REPLACE THE OTHER CV JOINTS SOON. THIS CAR HAS 128,000 MILES ON IT. HOW DOES AN ENGINE AND TURBO GETS RUINED? THAT DAMN CAR WAS $21,000. NOW THE REPAIRS ARE ALMOST AS ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2023
This is the first episode of this event. I have been driving the vehicle for 17,000 miles. It was raining outside. When I pressed the button to start the ignition a horrifically loud screeching noise that terminated in what sounded like an explosion seemed to come from the passenger side if the vehicle. It last only a few seconds but it created a piercing sensation in my ears and left my ear was r... Read more
Incident date: Oct 22, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Infiniti QX50. The contact stated that upon pressing the start button and starting the vehicle, the vehicle sputtered. While driving attempting to drive, the vehicle failed to move. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. While driving, the vehicle failed to accelerate properly. There was ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 22, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds after refueling, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road on some occasions. On other occasions, the contact was not able to pull to the side of the road and turned on the hazards lights. The message "Hot" was displayed and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The cont... Read more
Incident date: Sep 27, 2023
The vehicle will randomly start emergency braking for no reason once so ever when using teslas full self driving. This is extremely dangerous as it can happen at any moment while the autopilot feature is in use. In my most recent instance autopilot was set to 70 mph, and with no vehicles are traffic control devices present what is known as “phantom braking” started to occur. Which requires me ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 30, 2023
We were driving at around 55mph and Panasonic sunroof exploded as is something hit it: however, nothing did. The glass tattered and fell on top of us (driver and passenger). We were unhurt but quite shook up.
Incident date: Sep 30, 2023
We were driving at around 55mph and Panasonic sunroof exploded as is something hit it: however, nothing did. The glass tattered and fell on top of us (driver and passenger). We were unhurt but quite shook up.
Incident date: Oct 18, 2023
Car won’t start suddenly. Message says “brake system not working contact dealer”. Then says “system initializing” then goes blank. No response at all when start button is pushed
Incident date: Oct 20, 2022
It is Acura ILX 2021. The current mileage is 17,480. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? *Driveshaft/suspension is broken after inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? *Intense shaking coming from underneath the vehicle. Worn out u-joints, couplers or carrier bearings can cause the driveshaft to vibrate ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 2, 2023
On October 14, 2023, several lights came on after starting the car up, including the ABS light. This had not happened before. We had just had the car serviced for an oil change 2 weeks prior. We called friend who was a mechanic to see what we should do. Not long after we had reached out, we had a situation where we pulled out of our neighborhood and someone illegally turned in front of us almost h... Read more
Incident date: Oct 2, 2023
My car was diagnosed with positive crankcase ventilation regulator valve performance failure. This should be recalled by the manufacturer because many c300 are having this very same issue.
Incident date: Oct 19, 2023
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving out of the driveway, the brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle was slow to respond. The contact stated that she noticed that an unknown fluid was leaking from the vehicle. The traction control, oil, and brake warning lights were illuminated. The check brake fluid and check oil messages were displayed. The local dealer... Read more
Incident date: Oct 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power while driving uphill. The contact stated that the front of the vehicle had started shaking uncontrollably. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The fa... Read more
Incident date: Oct 14, 2023
Dec 2022- Windshield trim on passenger side ripped off while driving on the interstate. Sept 2023- noticed noise while driving. Checked driver side trim and noticed seal was gone. Trim was cracked along its entirety. Replaced before it also flew off
Incident date: Jan 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering assist warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the power steering became inoperable. The contact stated she was able to safely drive the vehicle to the shoulder of the road. The contact turned off the vehicle and waited for several minutes before restarting the vehicl... Read more
Incident date: Oct 19, 2023
The vehicle’s power steering and stability control (Stabilitrak) have stopped working suddenly several times over the past two weeks. There have been no warnings leading up to the loss of power steering .This has happened while I have been traveling at highway speeds as well as in the middle of making a turn and has nearly led to crashes on a couple of occasions. It has also happened at lower sp... Read more
Incident date: Oct 16, 2023
In the middle of turning into a busy intersection, service shifter light came on and car is shutting off without warning. Shifter lights flash and car dashboard states to put car into gear in order to drive. Took several minutes for car to restart in order to get out of the busy intersection. Huge safety issue could cause a collision while driving for car to shut off without warning. Numerous rep... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that on two occasions while driving approximately 45 MPH, the oil warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was not been diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.
Incident date: Oct 17, 2023
The bushing on the cable that holds the transmission gear selector cable to to the transmission gear selector bracket on the transmission housing broke and left the truck unable to be shifted in or out of gear using the lever on the steering column. The only way to move the vehicle was to crawl under the vehicle and manually move the gear shift selector to the desired gear. I was able to drive i... Read more
Incident date: Oct 12, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Blazer. The contact stated that while the vehicle was shifted into reverse, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 65,000.
Incident date: Oct 12, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to shift into the intended gear. The contact noticed smoke coming from an unknown location of the vehicle and the vehicle started to shake. The contact also stated that the steering wheel became stiff and difficult to operate. The transmission warning light was intermittently illuminat... Read more
Incident date: Oct 20, 2022
Engine ticking diagnosed by mechanic found to be scoring on two roller rockers on different sides on the engine. ALL ROCKERS, LIFTERS, PRIMARY AND SECONDARY TIMING CHAINS WITH TENSIONERS ARE RECOMMENDED. The cost of this repair was $6,856.56
Incident date: Oct 17, 2023
Horn should be relocated to center of steering wheel from small button on steering wheel. Very dangerous in times of emergency, as hand goes directly to center of steering wheel.
Incident date: Oct 11, 2023
Chrysler recall 03A is installed on my pacifica hybrid. Since then, the past two times the van has been driven at highway speed, it has suddenly notified me that vehicle shutdown is imminenent and put the vehicle into limp mode. In both cases, turning the car off and on again allowed normal operation, with the check engine light locked in. The first time the code was P0A43, to be determined what t... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2023
My truck has developed what is colloquially called a death wobble. The truck shakes wildly and aggressively when hitting a bump. It happens most frequently when crossing the transition from roadway to bridge. But it can occure from a bump in the roadway. When it occurs I have no control. I have paid to replace the steering damper That did not alleviate the problem. My truck is a 2016 Ford F... Read more
Incident date: Feb 15, 2022
This is an ongoing problem and it appears to be affecting other owners of this vehicle as well. The code is C0020-001. The ABS/Traction control light comes on - a message to service the Anti-Lock braking system comes on - and the cruise control does not work. This happens intermittently sometimes 20 times in a minute, sometimes it's 20 times a day and sometimes I can go 2 or 3 days without it comi... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2023
I bought a 2017 BMW R 1200 GS used from a dealer with 554 miles on it. Basically new. I put 1100 miles on the bike before I had a work related accident. The Bike has 1687 miles on it now. Bike has been sitting for 3+ years in a garage. The rear brake goes all the way to the bump stop with no resistance. With the bike on the center stand and the rear brake lever all the way down to the bump stop, t... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Expedition. The contact stated during cold starts, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and failed to accelerate as needed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed a failure with the cam phasers. ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 14, 2023
TECHNICIAN - Was unable to perform test drive of vehicle. Inspected operation & found; Vehicle will not turn over, battery very weak. Removed battery, put on charger for approximately 45 minutes. Reinstalled battery. Vehicle had power but did not start. Was unable to get shifter into neutral. Found engine still not turning over. Found starter motor making clicking sounds. Got to turn over once b... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2020
Steering began to wobble and vehicle pulling hard to the right. Took car to Tires Plus for alignment and inspection. Technician advised the drivers side front tire has advanced tread separation and the front passenger side tire is beginning to separate and is cupping. My daughter drives this car. 205/50R/16 87H, passenger tire is dot [XXX], drivers side is [XXX] . Tires rated for 65k, they on... Read more
Incident date: Oct 13, 2023
The Highway Drive Assist (HDA) designed to auto change cruise speed according to posted speed limit signs - at 80mph limit will auto change to 83mph and 85mph limit will auto change to 95mph. Hyundai has said this is not available to inspect.
Incident date: Oct 13, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 22V904000 (Structure) and 23V060000 (Electrical System) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 25, 2023
The driver's side door has a broke weld - there is an issue that it will not open and close correctly. Also due to the issue the window can not be rolled down which can causes visibility issues when rain or fog conditions are present. The door can sometimes be latched closed and other times will unlatch on its own. I tried to resolve with Ford but they indicate it is a known issue and will not c... Read more
Incident date: Jul 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V181000 (Trailer Hitches) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were 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: Jan 28, 2023
Steering difficulty at cruising speeds. Above 35mph, steering can become difficult to move. When the issue occurs, making any adjustment to the wheel requires increased effort. Vehicle feels unsafe and difficult to control. It seems to be an intermittent problem with electric power steering. Occurred September 30, 2023, October 1 2023, October 7 2023, and October 10, 2023. Conditions 65-75F and... Read more
Incident date: Sep 30, 2023
High beams quit working I. Weather conditions and now high beams don’t work period and have to replace head light do to problem with assembly driver side and passenger side high beams don’t work
Incident date: Jul 29, 2021
I had my engine replaced in match 2023 due to stalled vehicle. After several trips to hyundai. Now just 6 months later and as off present my check engine light is back on . I took my car in to get the immobilizer installed from another recall. The dealership is giving me run around. I am confused why if they replaced my engine with a new one why do I have the check engine on again just some time ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 9, 2023
I purchased a 2018 Ford Escape from CarMax, I’ve had the car for 6 months I drove it to Illinois and my car was in park but stating it was in neutral upon a diagnostic it was discover my shifting cable was not working and I needed to keep my car parked and keep The emergency break on at all times. I called Ford and told them my issue they explained to me that in November of 2022 the gear shiftin... Read more
Incident date: Oct 9, 2023
Parked and turned off Jeep went into store and when I came out got in vehicle check engine light came on and it said high coolant temperature but it weren’t hot. Would not start. Flashing all kinds of stuff.
Incident date: Oct 14, 2022
Dashboard warnings about the high-voltage battery due to a fault. There is a known issue with the HVBJB (high-voltage battery junction box) plus a powertrain malfunction warning..
Incident date: Oct 6, 2023
Transmission. Was replaced at 101,000 miles. Made driving situation unsafe, at risk for transmission failure. Replaced at independent service. Has been brought to a ford dealership and looked at. Check engine light appeared. 6 months before replacement.
Incident date: Oct 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH and attempting to complete a turn, he became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning. After restarting the vehicle, it returned to normal functionality, but the failure became an intermittent occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagn... Read more
Incident date: Sep 24, 2023
The CVT component on these cars causes it to lose power and acceleration which can cause an bad accident..one morning while going to work i got onto the expressway and car did not want to acceleration and almost caused me to get into a collision with an 18 wheeler.. The next day i took it to an mechanic shop whereas they told me nothing was wrong with my car and i should contact nissan and complai... Read more