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: Jun 20, 2022
The contact owns a 2019 Acura RDX. The contact stated that while at a stop light, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle failed to move or shift into neutral(N). The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump motor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified but no additional assistance was provided. The contact stated that the fail... Read more
Incident date: Jun 20, 2022
The contact owns a 2019 Acura RDX. The contact stated that while at a stop light, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle failed to move or shift into neutral(N). The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump motor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified but no additional assistance was provided. The contact stated that the fail... Read more
Incident date: Jun 20, 2022
The contact owns a 2019 Acura RDX. The contact stated that while at a stop light, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle failed to move or shift into neutral(N). The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump motor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified but no additional assistance was provided. The contact stated that the fail... Read more
Incident date: Jun 30, 2022
The sun roof just Shatter in pieces when I was driving due to the sun or heat we live in Chicago
Incident date: Jun 30, 2022
The sun roof just Shatter in pieces when I was driving due to the sun or heat we live in Chicago
Incident date: Jun 30, 2022
The sun roof just Shatter in pieces when I was driving due to the sun or heat we live in Chicago
Incident date: Jun 21, 2022
At about 35 mph, the vehicle started to fishtail while going straight after performing a left U-turn. VERY SCARY!! I regain control after two seconds and warning lights started to flash. I had my four and six-year-old in the car. I pulled over, turned off the vehicle, waited 30 seconds and restarted it. All lights went away. I then after, drove the car slowly home in 100+ degree weather. Th... Read more
Incident date: Nov 20, 2021
DONE everything Dealer suggested and still having problems with random misfires in 1,2 and 3 cylinders, changed spark plugs, fuel injectors, ignition coils and compression test and changed rear CAT. Still check engine light come on sometime then the SUV driving good, and sometimes it drive ruff, check engine light come on then go off then come back on with same codes: random misfire.
Incident date: Nov 20, 2021
DONE everything Dealer suggested and still having problems with random misfires in 1,2 and 3 cylinders, changed spark plugs, fuel injectors, ignition coils and compression test and changed rear CAT. Still check engine light come on sometime then the SUV driving good, and sometimes it drive ruff, check engine light come on then go off then come back on with same codes: random misfire.
Incident date: Nov 20, 2021
DONE everything Dealer suggested and still having problems with random misfires in 1,2 and 3 cylinders, changed spark plugs, fuel injectors, ignition coils and compression test and changed rear CAT. Still check engine light come on sometime then the SUV driving good, and sometimes it drive ruff, check engine light come on then go off then come back on with same codes: random misfire.
Incident date: May 1, 2017
The contact owns a 2008 Acura TL. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle there was a whining sound coming from the steering column while making right or left turns. Upon inspection, it was discovered that power steering fluid had leaked from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the power steering pump had failed. The contact indicated that the po... Read more
Incident date: Jun 20, 2022
One week ago 6-20-22, my car started to ‘chug’ and slow down as I was accelerating up a hill on a highway. It was almost as if my car was losing power. When this happened about 10 warnings signs came up on my dash. I drove it directly to the dealership. They replaced my oil saying the pressure was low. All was well for the day after 6-21 when driving it home from dealership. On 6-22 I went to ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 20, 2022
One week ago 6-20-22, my car started to ‘chug’ and slow down as I was accelerating up a hill on a highway. It was almost as if my car was losing power. When this happened about 10 warnings signs came up on my dash. I drove it directly to the dealership. They replaced my oil saying the pressure was low. All was well for the day after 6-21 when driving it home from dealership. On 6-22 I went to ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 20, 2022
One week ago 6-20-22, my car started to ‘chug’ and slow down as I was accelerating up a hill on a highway. It was almost as if my car was losing power. When this happened about 10 warnings signs came up on my dash. I drove it directly to the dealership. They replaced my oil saying the pressure was low. All was well for the day after 6-21 when driving it home from dealership. On 6-22 I went to ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 25, 2022
Brake hold disengages and the car starts to move forward often. The manual states it should stay engaged for 10 minutes. Car pulls away at stop lights and towards pedestrians and bikers while brake hold is engaged. https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-rdx-problems-fixes-458/brake-hold-issue-977762/
Incident date: Jun 25, 2022
Brake hold disengages and the car starts to move forward often. The manual states it should stay engaged for 10 minutes. Car pulls away at stop lights and towards pedestrians and bikers while brake hold is engaged. https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-rdx-problems-fixes-458/brake-hold-issue-977762/
Incident date: Jun 25, 2022
Low beam headlights have become progressively dimmer to the point that the vehicle is unsafe to drive at night
Incident date: Jun 24, 2022
I was driving my 2022 Acura MDX on interstate highway in the middle lane of a three lane road. We had our panoramic sunroof closed, but the interior sliding sunroof door was fully open exposing the entire panoramic sunroof. After a period of time and without indication or warning, the sunroof exploded (sounded like a gunshot when it exploded) sending glass throughout the interior of the vehicle ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 20, 2022
After the harness is clipped in place and tightened as directed, you can pull the straps forward (including my 3yo child was able to do this) and loosen the straps of the harness without pressing on the release button. The harness pulls loose and will not stay locked in place. I also tried to simulate impact with a sudden and strong pull on the harness to see if it would lock in that situation and... Read more
Incident date: Apr 20, 2022
When I bought the 2018 Acura TLX I asked about the buttons on the shifter being warn out. And they said they were fine and did not need to be replaced. I also brought this to Acura's attention that the fact that they wear out enough other drivers will not know which buttons is which and it can become a safety issue. Again, they brushed it off and said it wasn't in need of fixing. Well, my friend d... Read more
Incident date: May 11, 2022
My mechanic replaced the battery on May 9th and could smell gas but I had just fueled the vehicle. Two days later is when it got worse while driving back home I pulled over and could smell gasoline inside the vehicle as if an open gas can was sitting in the passenger seat. I stopped using the vehicle and took it to my mechanic and he discovered a crack in the weld on the front fuel rail. This coul... Read more
Incident date: Jun 20, 2022
Brakes are squeaking very bad
Incident date: Jun 18, 2022
Idle Stop does not restart car & is difficult to restart since car remains in Drive after restart fails. A recall notice was issued, but the software update is not available at any dealers as of June 18, 2022. Product Update required for PGM-FI Software.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2021
Gas petal is very touchy. It accelerates to fast even when you try to barely push the petal. And causes to shift hard.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2021
Gas petal is very touchy. It accelerates to fast even when you try to barely push the petal. And causes to shift hard.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2013
Paint has pealed away, exposing the metal on the body which is starting to rust. The major areas are on top of hood, roof and top of trunk.
Incident date: Jun 9, 2022
Under heavy acceleration, the vehicle began "bucking" and then lost all power. The check-engine light began flashing. The engine was still running but did not provide power. I Had to pull off the road, shut the engine off and then restart to clear the problem. This has happened twice in two days. The Acura dealer says it is an issue with moisture entering the turbo-charger but did not have any... Read more
Incident date: Jun 10, 2022
On Friday May 10, 2022, as I was merging from a local road to the highway, I tried to accelerate to complete a safe merge however, the car stated loosing power and jerking, I had to floor the accelerator to get the power needed to avoid a collision with the vehicle behind me. About 1 mile later, the care started loosing power again and cut out. I restarted and continued driving, a few yards late... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2022
Consistent issue with the auto idle start stop system. This has been a continuous problem during the life of the car. It has happened while stopped at traffic lights, in traffic and while in the drive thru line at fast food restaurants. As a deterrent, I try to remember to disable the auto idle start stop every time I start my car.
Incident date: Apr 19, 2022
Auto Stop/Start feature fails to restart vehicle, rendering vehicle inoperable. Powering off the vehicle and then powering up the vehicle thus far has restarted everything, much to the frustration of myself and the drivers behind me.
Incident date: May 1, 2017
The contact owns a 2017 Acura TLX. The contact stated that since purchasing the vehicle, the vehicle experienced stalling failures without warning. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. Additionally, the contact also stated that she turned off the auto start option. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the battery to be replaced. The contact ... Read more
Incident date: May 8, 2022
The auto start stop feature failed to start vehicle in 3 different occasions, leading to a traffic jam every time and vehicles behind me almost hitting me because they thought I will be moving with traffic, still waiting on acura for appointment to bring vehicle
Incident date: Jun 8, 2022
Headlights seem to be defective. So dim, you cannot see at night. This has been a problem with several years of RDX from what I am reading.
Incident date: Jun 2, 2022
This 2016 Acura MDX with the 9 speed automatic transmission and the Auto Engine Shut Off function will sometimes fail to restart the engine after cutting off. This presents a safety issue as the car stalls in traffic. This has happened multiple times over the last 4 years (most recently 06/02/2022). This issue was noted to the Acura service department who stated they could not find an issue.
Incident date: Jun 7, 2022
Auto start-stop system failed on several occasions, the car shut itself down Since then every time I start the cat I disable it. Transmission feels clunky, there is kick to it between 2nd and 3rd gear, many complaints found on the web. Bought the car with 16xxx miles 2 years old.
Incident date: Jun 7, 2022
Auto start-stop system failed on several occasions, the car shut itself down Since then every time I start the cat I disable it. Transmission feels clunky, there is kick to it between 2nd and 3rd gear, many complaints found on the web. Bought the car with 16xxx miles 2 years old.
Incident date: May 11, 2022
We purchased the vehicle on April 2nd. The front left strut airbag burst while we were driving at 23 miles an hour. Thankfully were weren't going fast when the failure occurred. I would imagine that at highway speeds this could greatly impact your driving ability as the front left of the car dropped down about 6 inches. The dealer currently has the part on backorder but has yet to attempt a repair... Read more
Incident date: Apr 12, 2022
In many instances while driving about 40-60 MPH and with no vehicles in front the car would suddenly brake.
Incident date: May 29, 2022
Car has feature that kills engine when at full stop. Car fails to automatically restart, often stalling at intersections and causing a dangerous situation. Car has to be turned off and restarted, a process that can take 15 to 30 seconds. With a brand new battery and/or full charge, the car performs flawlessly. It appears that the electrical demands of the car system exceed the ability of the bat... Read more
Incident date: May 29, 2022
Car has feature that kills engine when at full stop. Car fails to automatically restart, often stalling at intersections and causing a dangerous situation. Car has to be turned off and restarted, a process that can take 15 to 30 seconds. With a brand new battery and/or full charge, the car performs flawlessly. It appears that the electrical demands of the car system exceed the ability of the bat... Read more
Incident date: Jun 2, 2022
My car has 80,000 miles. My headlamps do not provide adequate light to safely drive my car at night. They have gradually gotten very dim over the past 2-3 years and now I can barely see the road when I drive at night. I work 7AM-7PM so I must drive to and from work in the dark during the fall-spring. The dealer said it is $2800 to replace the headlamps. I do not have the money right now so I am pu... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2022
The power steering alert light suddenly when I drive my friend on the road. Turning the steering wheel becomes very difficult. I rushed over to the lawn by the side of the road and luckily there was no one and no trees. Fortunately, no accident happened, and no one was hurt, but I am very worried and scared about driving this car again!!!!!! Recall this car !!
Incident date: May 28, 2022
The vehicle stalls and loses all power when coming out of auto idle stop. This is a default feature that shuts the engine off when the vehicle stops to create fuel efficiency. But it is creating a terrible safety issue of having vehicles unexpectedly stopped on the roadway. The feature cannot be permanently turned off. Common issue on MDX forums without any real solution from dealership mechanics.
Incident date: Mar 23, 2022
While driving on the interstate miles in cruise control vehicle started to reduce speed quickly. upon pressing the accelerator (as a semi was right behind me) nothing happened. I attempted to pump the gas pedal in desperation of not being hit as no pull off lane was available. After about 4 minutes vehicle was able to accelerate once again no warning signs or lights came on at this time (i had ... Read more
Incident date: May 26, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Acura TLX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently shifted to park (P) and then stalled. The transmission warning light and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at... Read more
Incident date: Feb 3, 2022
on 2/3/22, after only 12 hours of owning the vehicle, I merged onto 287 South and upon speeding up and merging into the center lane, I lost all acceleration and my dash lit up like a Christmas Tree. An 18 wheeler was coming behind me in the middle lane at 65 mph while my car slowed down to 25 mph. I was thankfully able to get over to the side of the road without being hurt or even killed. Upon bri... Read more
Incident date: Feb 3, 2022
on 2/3/22, after only 12 hours of owning the vehicle, I merged onto 287 South and upon speeding up and merging into the center lane, I lost all acceleration and my dash lit up like a Christmas Tree. An 18 wheeler was coming behind me in the middle lane at 65 mph while my car slowed down to 25 mph. I was thankfully able to get over to the side of the road without being hurt or even killed. Upon bri... Read more
Incident date: Feb 3, 2022
on 2/3/22, after only 12 hours of owning the vehicle, I merged onto 287 South and upon speeding up and merging into the center lane, I lost all acceleration and my dash lit up like a Christmas Tree. An 18 wheeler was coming behind me in the middle lane at 65 mph while my car slowed down to 25 mph. I was thankfully able to get over to the side of the road without being hurt or even killed. Upon bri... Read more
Incident date: Jan 12, 2022
There is an issue with the windshield. When driving into direct sun the total windshield appears to be pitted and visibility is hampered. I reported this to Southern Motors in Savannah and the service manager photographed the windshield and said he would follow up. I went back about a week later and was told that Acura had him photograph all RDX's on the lot. All of them had a similar issue, i... Read more