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: Jun 10, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH with the Adaptive Cruise Control activated, the Forward Collision Avoidance system erroneously activated, causing the vehicle to abruptly decelerate. The contact stated that during the failure, there was no other vehicles or objects nearby to cause the system to be activated. The contact stated that t... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2021
My car has a steering problem and my car doesn't always drive straight. It is a serious problem when I have to react in a life and death situation when my car just jerks in the opposite direction of my steering.
Incident date: Jun 8, 2023
When coming to a complete stop at low speeds, the vehicle suddenly lurches forward unexpectedly which may cause an accident. It's not consistent, so it catches you off guard when it happens. I'm concerned that this may cause me to hit a another car or worse yet a pedestrian crossing an intersection.
Incident date: Jun 12, 2023
Passenger headlight continues to go out, replaced bulb and wiring harness multiple times
Incident date: Jun 12, 2023
Passenger headlight continues to go out, replaced bulb and wiring harness multiple times
Incident date: Jun 12, 2023
At 10 AM on a sunny day on Sunday driving on a highway at ~68 MPH on autopilot, car suddenly applied the breaks causing it to stop but I applied accelerator to prevent rear end accident. Accident avoided because road didn’t have much traffic.
Incident date: May 27, 2023
Have been waiting since March to get Safety Recall No. 21V-907:EGR Cooler completed. BMW of Henderson is the dealership. I called BMW customer relations and they told me each dealer is independently owned and they can’t do anything for me. This dealership is notorious for poor service.
Incident date: Jun 4, 2023
Owner driving route on 680 approaching Omaha 6/9/23 at 4:43. Car abruptly slowed and braked while passing a semi truck in the right lane on a curve. Regained control by pressing accelerator. But the reduction in speed was large and could easily have caused a rear end collision had a car been following at the time. Logged using In Car Bug Report as instructed previously by Tesla Customer Support. H... Read more
Incident date: Jun 10, 2023
My MCU (onboard computer system) glitched out and the screen began flickering. I lost all of the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, navigation, music, phone link, sunroof venting, climate control, including defrost. The screen froze and I had no functions. This has happened 4 times, possibly a 5th time, while driving in the last 6000 miles. I put in a service request to Tesla and they ran a ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 15, 2022
The TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) never illuminated to let me know I had a flat tire, and still didn't illuminate even after the entire tread was ripped off the sidewall of the tire. The front left tire was the one that went flat, and had I not been astute to the vehicles behavior, I could have been in a severe accident, as it is a front tire. I noticed the car pulling left a little, bu... Read more
Incident date: May 29, 2023
Air bag line came on, dealer states is clock spring.
Incident date: Jan 11, 2021
Vehicle engine shuts off while driving especially on the freeway. There is some kind of problem with the lifters on this type of motor. Several people are having this problem.
Incident date: Jan 11, 2021
The Automatic Emergency Braking System has activated at least 3 different times while I was driving. At each occurrence there was nothing in the roadway or travel lane. The vehicle came to an abrupt stop twice and slammed the brakes on but then released them a moment later once. In each event a very near collision with other vehicles was almost caused. There are other drivers that use this truck t... Read more
Incident date: Jun 5, 2023
2006 MAZADA TRIBUTE- Consumer sent a request to Mazda North America to request estimate for cost of repair for replacement of the sensor and switches on the doors and service to the "door ajar" alarm system. Mazda customer care stated they wouldn't be able to provide assistance in the issue. The vehicle is out of warranty and there is no open recalls or special service programs. Consumer resubmitt... Read more
Incident date: Jun 4, 2023
The driver dashboard went blank except for randomly flashing nonsense numbers. Vehicle speed, fuel level, engine RPM and other vehicle information was lost. Additionally forward collision avoidance, lane keep and departure, adaptive cruise, emergency braking and blind spot warning systems became inactive. I am unsure if the antilock brake system and stability controls are functional. My safety was... Read more
Incident date: Jun 4, 2023
I am reporting countless incidences of my backup camera screen going to black or blue when the Gear Shift is selected to REVERSE. This has happened multiple times a day, week, month, etc. and is extremely frustrating. I am reporting in hopes to do anything I can to get the software fix expedited because it has been occurring for too long without a fix. t=The only "FIX" (if you can even call it t... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2023
My 2017 Honda Civic Touring, has had two major issues in the past two months. So far, I have put about $3,000 in these issues. Issue 1:Two months ago, they found a leak in the front seal of the compressor, and it had to be replaced. There is no extended warranty on the compressor (only the condenser), though it seems to be a big issue for the Civic. This expense was approximately $2000. Issue 2:Lo... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2021
UNKNOWN. Truck would not move out of gear as the gear shift was just moving up and down and not catching any gears
Incident date: Dec 1, 2020
After filling up vehicle (not overfilled) it stalls when I come to a stop or slow down for a turn. This just started today after filling up from the same fuel station I always use. The Jeep restarts after a few seconds after turning it completely off.
Incident date: Aug 30, 2022
All the warning lights turn on tachometer stops working and sometimes it looses power steering. I was driving about 45mph when all the warning lights turned on and I lost power steering. I had to pull over luckily it was when going straight. Very scary took to dealer they said they could not replicate picked up car 3days later happened again
Incident date: Aug 30, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Jeep Renegade. The contact stated that while leaving his garage, the battery lost power and was completely drained. The vehicle was jumpstarted. The next day, the battery was drained again. The vehicle was jumpstarted again. Additionally, the vehicle failed to shift into park(P). There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer and who provided ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2021
The contact owns a 2023 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the message "Battery Charge, Switch to Park" displayed and the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact stated that moments later, the vehicle was restarted and operated normally. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was contacted, and an appointment was schedul... Read more
Incident date: Apr 13, 2023
While driving down a city street, heard a very loud crack/bang, and lost control of the vehicle. Fortunately I was going slow, 20-30mph and was able to safely stop. Upon exiting the vehicle, the rear driver side wheel was hanging at a weird angle. Looking under the car, the entire trailing arm and wheel assembly has broken off of the frame. If I was going faster, or had been on the highway, this w... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2023
The back up camera is now inverted. What is coming from the left appears to be coming from the right, and what is coming from the right appears to be coming from the left. Once the problem started, it has not gone away. The problem was confirmed at an independent service center.
Incident date: May 31, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that the vehicle was initially taken to the dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V903000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the contact stated that while driving at night at an undisclosed speed, the headlights were extremely dim. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to safely drive to her destination. Th... Read more
Incident date: Feb 27, 2023
The panoramic sunroof exploded without warning while traveling at 70 MPH on interstate 55 in Southaven Mississippi. Glass entered the vehicle resulting in cuts on front passenger arms. My husband was able to maintain control of the vehicle and exit safely on the next exit ramp. We notified Southaven police and inspection of the vehicle by ourselves and the officer resulted in no foreign objects ca... Read more
Incident date: May 8, 2023
Approximately 5 times while using Adaptive Cruise Control my 2023 Tesla Y will abruptly brake and slow down approximately 10-15 mph even through there are not roadway dangers. It is a startling event every time.
ACURA
MDX TYPE S
(2022) - POWER TRAIN
May 25, 2023
Incident date: May 21, 2023
I have brought my 2018 Buick Lacrosse to two different Buick dealerships who say that even though a special instruction letter was recognized and a recall was observed, because my check light went out and the codes on the car where cleared, they will not fix either recall. On three different occasions, the car slowed down to a crawl speed, the check engine light went on and the brakes applied them... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2020
Car was turning off while I was driving it. I would be driving and the car would literally just stop... this is very dangerous at high speeds. Just got a call from the dealership and they said it is the engine and is $7,000 to repair. The car only has $120,000 miles on it and it has been maintained well!
Incident date: May 19, 2023
The contact owns a 2008 Ford F-350. The contact stated that on several occasions while the accelerator pedal was depressed, the contact noticed a burning odor throughout the vehicle. The contact stated that the rear driver’s and passenger’s side wheels inadvertently locked without warning then released. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the brake ped... Read more
Incident date: Mar 8, 2019
The 2013 Acura TL has a problem with the pistons in the engine causing excessive oil consumption. This was the subject matter of a class action described in the website Acura Oil Consumption Settlement. This part should be recalled and American Honda should be required to repair or replace the pistons in the engine.
Incident date: Mar 8, 2019
I heard a very loud boom. It scared me. The sunroof exploded. I did not see anything in the road or any object flying toward me. Then I heard cracking and the sunroof started falling in above me. Thankfully, the fabric cover kept the glass from falling on me. Otherwise, the glass would have fallen on me. I could see pieces of glass. I pulled over and looked at the glass. I started towards my ... Read more
Incident date: May 5, 2023
Car was in autopilot multiple times and sharply applied brakes with nothing in front or obstacles. This is dangerous and almost caused an accident.
Incident date: May 5, 2023
I have been a Lyft driver for over 2 years, and because of the mileage I put on mile personal vehicle. I had to result to renting a vehicle from Lyft Flex Drive Rental, located at 2214 Century Center Blvd Irving, TX 75062. 0n 05/15/2023 at approximately 8:15 p.m. Right after dropping off passenger, and on my way to pick up another one. The vehicle mentioned hereof suddenly blew up out of no where... Read more
Fire
Incident date: May 21, 2023
Car lost power/pressure will not accelerate and has an engine knock
Incident date: May 1, 2023
Car was parked in garage. 14 inch crack appeared in windshield with no impact. Crack just appeared while car was parked.
Incident date: May 21, 2023
Upon starting my vehicle today the center screen did not power on. The vehicle displayed several messages indicating various safety features were unavailable, including blind spot assist, lane keeping assist, parking assist, etc. Additionally, the exterior cameras (e.g., reverse camera) were inoperable as well. Since the center screen controls the sound system and climate control system, those... Read more
Incident date: May 21, 2023
Upon starting my vehicle today the center screen did not power on. The vehicle displayed several messages indicating various safety features were unavailable, including blind spot assist, lane keeping assist, parking assist, etc. Additionally, the exterior cameras (e.g., reverse camera) were inoperable as well. Since the center screen controls the sound system and climate control system, those... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2023
My transmission keeps slipping. I was on freeway this time and it slipped out of gear but it was like I pushed all the way down on pedal the RPM went way up so I had to wait until it slipped back into gear to be able to continue on down the freeway. I backed up traffic for a minute because I can't put on gas until it goes back in gear.
Incident date: May 9, 2023
My transmission keeps slipping. I was on freeway this time and it slipped out of gear but it was like I pushed all the way down on pedal the RPM went way up so I had to wait until it slipped back into gear to be able to continue on down the freeway. I backed up traffic for a minute because I can't put on gas until it goes back in gear.
Incident date: May 22, 2023
WHY I AM SUBMITTING THIS COMPLAINT: I am writing to you upon the advice of the CA Attorney General's office. Their guidance was in response to a question I submitted on their web about safe and legal towing with the Model Y factory-installed towing package. PROBLEM: Risk of silent brake controller failure. VEHICLES IMPACTED Model Y's with the Lithium Ion low voltage battery & towing trailers ... Read more
Incident date: May 17, 2023
While traveling down 20E around MM83 in South Carolina, the car suddenly lost power and throttled down to around 10-15 miles per hour. Upon having in towed to a garage for a diagnostic, I was told that the catalytic converter had overheated and stalled the vehicle. This appears to be an issue that would be covered under NHTSA Recall 19V120, dated April 12 2019, which reads in part "Under certain c... Read more
Incident date: May 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the gear shifter was forced into another gear and did not operate as intended. Additionally, the contact observed a loud clunking noise while changing gear. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission need... Read more
Incident date: May 16, 2023
Car does not accelerate from a full stop. Hesitates to react to gas pedal for a few seconds
Incident date: Mar 1, 2021
Another automatic phantom braking throwing us toward in the car with no objects or other cars in proximity.
Incident date: May 14, 2023
Another automatic phantom braking throwing us toward in the car with no objects or other cars in proximity.
Incident date: May 14, 2023
Last week the the security alarm went off for no reason. The following day, I arrived to work and parked my car. 45 minutes later, I am notified my headlights were on. I ALWAYS keep my headlights on AUTO so they never should have been on. After I started my car for a minute, everything seems fine. 3 hours later, I hear an alarm in the parking lot but did not think it was my vehicle. I leave work a... Read more
Incident date: May 5, 2023
Transmission has trouble shifting
Incident date: May 5, 2023
after starting car, orange triangle indicator light came on (traction control I believe) and Message: "eng reduction loss of power steering, drove to Midas for oil change a couple miles away with manual steering(more difficult that my 61 Pontiac Tempest). I turned car off and immediately restarted and power steering was restored, car was fine driving home after oil change. In addition, I've owned... Read more