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: Dec 17, 2023
On 12/28/2023, my wife was traveling on the highway at normal operating speed when she encountered the front end of our 2022 Jeep Wrangler begin violently shaking. I looked over the jeep to inspecting for any visual cues, but could see none. I thought maybe it was something in the road, so I drove it on the highway, all seemed well until I began to travel over a bridge and I thought the front en... Read more
Incident date: Dec 17, 2023
Ford has recalled my 2022 Maverick for potential engine compartment fires due to catastrophic engine failure (reference: 23V380). A remedy was estimated to be available in mid-October, 2023. They have failed to provide a fix yet and this is taking way too long to be resolved.
Incident date: Dec 17, 2023
The vehicle is starting to have an issue related to steering while the driver is making small lane adjustments during normal driving. The problem is noted while the vehicle is being driven on mostly straight portions of road, but we're also noticing it in curves. While making minor adjustments to stay within the center of the lane, the steering wheel "sticks," preventing the driver from making an ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 2, 2024
The steering wheel sticks during turns, curves, lane changes and requires extra effort to adjust making the car behave in a 'jerky' manner. Particularly concerning on wet roadways with short jerky movements to realign the car into its lane after a curve/turn. This 'jerkiness' began occurring about a month after I acquired the vehicle, around 4500 miles. It happens regardless of the speed or loc... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2023
The whole rear "racetrack" LED light on the lift gate fills with water and goes out. This is a VERY common and known problem by dodge/Mopar and they will not do anything to fix it. It is a $2000 out of pocket fix and that is asinine! It significantly reduces visibility from the rear of the vehicle while traveling at night.
Incident date: Jan 3, 2024
During highway driving, on two separate occasions that were two days apart, while using cruise control set to ~72MPH the vehicle suddenly tried to stop. It quickly decelerated by ~25MPH before I intervened by pressing the accelerator. There were no obstacles in the road and on the second instance there weren't any other vehicles in site (was in remote northern NH/VT). Had someone been driving behi... Read more
Incident date: Jan 3, 2024
During highway driving, on two separate occasions that were two days apart, while using cruise control set to ~72MPH the vehicle suddenly tried to stop. It quickly decelerated by ~25MPH before I intervened by pressing the accelerator. There were no obstacles in the road and on the second instance there weren't any other vehicles in site (was in remote northern NH/VT). Had someone been driving behi... Read more
Incident date: Jan 3, 2024
I started experiencing problems with my 2019 ford edge jerking when changing gears and over a few weeks it got worse. The jerking starts no matter what gear and no matter the speed, once you begin to accelerate or slow down and pick up speed the car has a horrible series of jerks! I took the car to a body shop and they told me it was the transmission so I scheduled an appointment with a transmissi... Read more
Incident date: Jan 3, 2024
LOW TIRE WARNING CAME ON. WENT TO TIRE SHOP. THEY REMOVED THE TIRE & SAID IT COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. WHILE THE TIRE WAS OFF THE RIM, HE SAID WE NEED TO TAKE PICTURES. THE SIDEWALL WAS CRACKING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. HE SAID THERE WAS NO DAMAGE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TIRE. PIRELLI TIRES P235/55R17 I HAVE THE PICTURES, BUT YOU WEBSITE WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO UPLOAD THEM.
Incident date: Jun 12, 2023
When the sun is out and there is no clouds obscuring the sunlight my vehicle has night time lights running, dimming the interior of my car making it difficult to see the speed and other dashboard requirements while perfectly bright and sunny outside and 0800AM as well as 1500PM. This has been going on for two months and I took it in to two dealerships. One told me check your manual and the other w... Read more
Incident date: Dec 4, 2023
After noticing my engine light come on, I had my vehicle checked out, the dealer informed (after spending $250.00) that the problem is the crankcase ventilation and it's a common problem. It seems the oh so familiar crankcase ventilation system is not working. This is a common problem with the GLC300 and Mercedes Benz needs to correct it. The engine is not being ventilated properly and the ove... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2023
Previously, about 5-6 times the car experienced sputtering and then stalling shortly after a warm engine restart. After 2 tries, the car would continue running. No check engine. No codes stored. Final time (before a scheduled shop visit) it stalled on a busy 4-lane road at rush hour and would not restart. Wife managed to manuever into the middle turn lane. Would not restart. Car displayed (unhe... Read more
Incident date: Dec 29, 2023
It gave me an engine code saying there was a connection issue but the car was drivable and that i needed to schedule service. No code saying your engine is failing. It was the holidays. Dealers were closing so i figured I'd call and schedule it for service. Never got the chance as it seized up on the interstate at 60mph. Thankfully i was able to safely get it to the emergency lane and then towe... Read more
Incident date: Dec 29, 2023
I purchase the vehicle at 58,000 or so miles, used at a dealership. The next day I returned the vehicle because while driving out of town, the vehicle said: Warning, Warning -- This vehicle is not safe to drive. Some components may not operator correctly. Do Not Drive this vehicle. This happens when you're on the highway above 50 miles per hour. There was a smoke smell also inside the car and ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
vehicle feels like it is always stuck in first gear. the Subaru dealership says its a rear hub bearing, drivers side. Cost to repair over $500. The vehicle has less than 60k miles on it.
Incident date: Aug 1, 2023
On highway traveling the steering becomes tight and stiff. You have to use 2 hands to keep in lane. I have noticed it usually starts 30-45 minutes into the trip and get worse. Today is 3 trip it has happened.
Incident date: Aug 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact stated when the vehicle was first started, the vehicle hesitated before shifting out of park(P) into drive(D). The contact stated that the vehicle also hesitated while driving at various speeds and then jolted into the next gear. Additionally, the contact stated that after reversing down the driveway and attempting to shift reverse(R) to drive(D... Read more
Incident date: Jan 2, 2024
Warning light came on for electrical malfunction and many other malfunction lights car then shut down.
Incident date: Dec 24, 2023
While I was driving the car, the car stalled on me at a stop light, its a safety risk and could caused an accident at anytime, yes its available for inspection. Yes the problem has been reported and inspected by auto shop and dealership. No warning lights it just randomly happened while driving, while I was driving the check engine light popped up then disappeared and 2mintues later my car power w... Read more
Incident date: Jan 2, 2024
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed with the cruise control activated, the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration and then lost motive power. The check engine warning light... Read more
Incident date: Jun 5, 2023
Slowing down at a red light, getting into a left hand turning lane there was a "thud" sound and then the car completely shut off. Nothing worked, screens went blank, no hazards, no lights. We were stuck in the middle of the road with no way to even get the car out of the way. Every once in a while the green would come on or an alarm would go off but quickly went back to black. Tow truck was able t... Read more
Incident date: Dec 25, 2023
The power liftgate stopped working. This is the exact issue described in the 23V-338 / 49A Recall. The year, make, and model of my car are the same as detailed in the recall, but this specific VIN is not included. The issue is due to an electrical short that poses a fire hazard. There is no manual way to open the liftgate, it completely relies on the functionality of the electric system. It is cle... Read more
Incident date: Dec 31, 2023
With the Ford Intelli-Cruise enabled in settings, the vehicle automatically adjust the speed while using the cruise control. The vehicle will randomly, quickly, accellerate to a extreme new speed limit it thinks it has detected. For instance, several times while travelling on I-81, with a 70mph speed limit, the vehicle will think the new speed limit is suddenly 85mph and quickly accelerate to tha... Read more
Incident date: Dec 25, 2023
I bought this car with just under 48k miles September 2023, it had a very small chip on the bumper that I assumed was from a rock. After driving this car for a while, I noticed that chip got bigger and eventually other parts of my bumper and hood started bubbling and chipping as well.90% of my bumper is now lacking paint and it’s starting to chip on my hood more. I’ve only driven it an additio... Read more
Incident date: Dec 25, 2023
With all the known issues involving the failing CP4 fuel pumps out in the field, why hasn't there been a nationwide recall on this issue? We're being proactive in getting our LML repaired to save our engine. We want our costs reimbursed. This isn't a "small" matter. It's freakin' huge.
Incident date: Nov 13, 2023
Seat restrain system detected a fault with the back row seat buckle. This appears to be a repeated issue based on other drivers reporting same safety issue. Happy to provide photos.
Incident date: Dec 29, 2023
When I was driving, I stopped at a traffic light. When the light turned green and I pressed the accelerator, many warning lights turned on and the vehicle did not go forward. After about 15 minutes, I was able to turn off the car and restart it again and move forward. At the next red light, the same problem happened again. After another 15 minutes, I was able to again turn off the car and rest... Read more
Incident date: Jul 16, 2023
Navigation system is frequently giving an incorrect location. This has been occurring since I purchased the vehicle in September. My concern is that if I needed to transport myself or another to emergency services or if I needed to let emergency services personnel know my location I would be unable to do so correctly. Incidents such as mine are not unique if you can see here on the Taos forum. [XX... Read more
Incident date: Dec 24, 2023
The contact owns a 2006 Ford F-350. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the front of the vehicle started to wobble. While driving over a pothole, the vehicle wobbled violently. The contact was unable to control the vehicle while driving over 35 MPH. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact detected smoke coming from the vehicle. The engine warning light was illuminated. The con... Read more
Incident date: Dec 24, 2023
The contact owns a 2006 Ford F-350. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the front of the vehicle started to wobble. While driving over a pothole, the vehicle wobbled violently. The contact was unable to control the vehicle while driving over 35 MPH. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact detected smoke coming from the vehicle. The engine warning light was illuminated. The con... Read more
Incident date: Dec 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the engine was running rough. Additionally, the A/C was making a loud squealing sound while activated. The contact stated that upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact became aware that the coolant level was low. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer it was purchased ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2023
Extra resistance and steering effort when using steering wheel to make small corrections to stay in lane; steering effort feels “sticky.” Occurs after approximately 20 minutes of freeway driving.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering function became inoperable. The contact stated that while making a turn, the power steering was inoperable, and the vehicle was very difficult to steer. In addition, the contact became aware of a failure with the electrical system. The contact stated the radio and other features d... Read more
Incident date: Dec 29, 2023
My sunroof spontaneously combusted while driving, without anything hitting the vehicle or any pre-existing damage. The glass shattered everywhere while going down the highway.
Incident date: Dec 29, 2023
While driving the car on a busy fast-flowing road the message "Stop Safely Now" appeared on the dashboard. The car lost power and could only be driven at 20 mph and would not speed up. I pulled over and when I stopped but did not power off, the car would not start moving again. After turning the car off for five minutes it drove again properly with no issue. This is the second time this has happen... Read more
Incident date: Dec 27, 2023
I lost power steering while driving 70 mph on a two-lane highway in Wyoming. There were no warnings before the incident, but a Service Power Steering light came on at the same time it quit working. One mechanic shop did a diagnosis on the car. I was told that the Electric Gear Power Steering Motor needs to be replaced along the whole Rack and Pinion that it's attached to has to be replaced because... Read more
Incident date: Oct 14, 2023
The van continues to accelerate when I'm braking. This has happened 4 times after an hour or two of driving the freeway. As we were exiting the car continued to Rev up as we applied the brakes. Thank God the light was green. Another time I tried to park and as I was braking the car was accelerating. I had to quickly put it in park position. The van is in the shop, Hunter Dodge, now and they ran a... Read more
Incident date: Dec 28, 2023
My airbag light stays on and I heard if the air bag gis off it could have metal in it..that don't sound like something I want to happen...also this cars power go's out and back on its scary when your driving down the road.it only has 141k miles something is wrong...
Incident date: Dec 1, 2023
Car uses lots of oil between oil changes 1 1/2 quart in between suggested change intervals
Incident date: Dec 1, 2023
Windshield randomly developed a crack for no apparent reason. No rocks flying in, no extreme conditions, we were in 40-60 degrees temperatures in California on normal freeways and streets, not in any off-road conditions.
Incident date: Dec 1, 2023
Hi. Our 1-owner, 13,500-mile, 2023 Integra started experiencing “sticky steering” back in October 2023, which has gotten worse. It happens at all vehicle speeds, and in each of the three driving modes. It has gotten annoying, and seems quite unsafe. Especially for our inexperienced son (18). Sudden correction/overcorrection of steering input has the vehicle wandering off line, and jerking sid... Read more
Incident date: Oct 9, 2023
While driving the brake pedal stays stuck causing the brake lights to be illuminated while driving, and causing the motorcycle to activate the ABS
Incident date: Dec 1, 2023
The headlights on the Nissan Altima are dangerously dim. In dry weather the only way to see at night is with the high beams on. When it is raining even that doesn't help. I paid several hundred dollars to have the bulbs replaced at a Nissan dealer and they advised they likely will not help. At no time did the Nissan dealer tell me that there was a recall on the headlights, so I found this out to... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
I have complained several times with Ford Dealers to fix the issues involving my vehicle accelerating on its own. The vehicle within a week will accelerate on its own 4-6 times when exiting a parking spot or my driveway.
Incident date: Dec 26, 2023
While my husband was driving the engine failed. The oil pan was filled with metal. The fuel injectors were not pumping oil
Incident date: Dec 16, 2023
Steering sticks. It feels like it sticks then releases. Does this every time it's driven. I reported to dealer where I purchased vehicle. They took it in and were not able to notice any issues. They put on computer and nothing alerted. It drove normal for about a week after I picked it up, but then issue came back again.
Incident date: Dec 25, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated after leaving the dealer for a previous issue with a locked steering wheel, the contact was driving 50 mph on an entrance ramp as he accelerated to merge onto the highway, the steering wheel seized to the right in non-autopilot mode causing the contact to crash into the guardrail on the right side. The contact injured his neck and received... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Dec 26, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Lexus UX200. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. While driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle stalled. While accelerating from a stop, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the transmission was slipping while driving at various speeds. The driver restarted the vehicle, waited an hour, and the vehicle restarted. The contact state... Read more