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 16,369 complaints for AUDI
Incident date: Jun 14, 2021
I have multiple safety features that are suddenly malfunctioning. The care suddenly braked when traveling at 80mph in the HOV lane. The pre sense function suddenly braked the car while another was passing in the opposite direction. The emergency assist tried to steer me into a car in the lane adjacent to mine. Multiple warning messages have appeared in the dash board. This is blamed by my deal... Read more
Incident date: Jul 23, 2018
Oil consumption is getting worse and worse. Currently, I am adding a quart of oil every 3 days in between regular oil changes. This is a real issue. I just spent 5,000 dollars approx. on a tune up at a foreign car body shop but they could not repair the oil issue. This is now a known issue with Audis. What can be done to help this issue?
Incident date: Apr 18, 2021
This issue has been happening since I got the car and is getting worse by the day. The car only has about 11,000 miles and I bought it when it had almost 10,000 miles. Something in the dashboard and behind the instrument panels (A/C Controls and User Screens) makes a lot of Vibration Noises/Sounds as the car is slowly accelerated or as we drive over some uneven road. It seems like there is someth... Read more
Incident date: Apr 18, 2021
This issue has been happening since I got the car and is getting worse by the day. The car only has about 11,000 miles and I bought it when it had almost 10,000 miles. Something in the dashboard and behind the instrument panels (A/C Controls and User Screens) makes a lot of Vibration Noises/Sounds as the car is slowly accelerated or as we drive over some uneven road. It seems like there is someth... Read more
Incident date: Jul 16, 2021
Passenger Air bag light that indicates it is OFF and pre sense safety system failure . This has been occurring for years on my 2015 A3 . How long does the manufacture have to repair said problem ?
Incident date: Jul 15, 2021
The problem occurs when making a left-hand turn. I'm in the left-hand turn lane waiting for oncoming traffic to clear. When it is clear, I proceed with my left-hand turn. After a short distance, the Forward Collision Warning indicator flashes, the brakes are applied very hard, and the car stalls. I am often left in the oncoming lane, with a stalled car. I have to put it in park, start it then put... Read more
Incident date: Jul 14, 2021
Front left door pillar is becoming soaked from an apparent water leak possibly coming from the panoramic sunroof or windshield. Regardless it has to be running into the pillar airbag and has to be a safety concern.
Incident date: Jul 13, 2021
Receiving Safety Malfunction warning with airbag symbol repeatedly while trying to drive. I am unsure why this is occurring, however it would seem this is a known recall for numerous 2017 Audi A4 vehicles. Please help.
Incident date: Jul 8, 2021
Tire sidewall is splitting. There have been no accidents or incidents that could have caused this type of sidewall damage. The tire is a Contisportcontact 5P, 255/40 zr21.
Incident date: Jun 27, 2021
I was driving my 2009 Audi Q7 last June 27,2021 at 5 pm in interstate 5N my speed is 70mph when i heard a beep sound , Air bag and Hood light on flashes in the dash board and i decided to pull over on the shoulder lane when my wife noticed that smoke coming out in front of the engine, i stopped the engine but i can`t pull the key and my set belt locked to where i can`t release it , my wife help me... Read more
Fire
2 injured
Incident date: Jul 12, 2021
Audi has not responded to this Recall in a prompt manner. I was in the process of selling my Audi A3 but I cannot due to this. I took my car in to have this issue addressed in December 2019 and now I am learning that there is still a problem with the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) and Audi has no solution. They have known about this issue since March 2021.
Incident date: Jul 12, 2021
Car loss power and turned off while turning at an intersection. Had to stop, place in Parking and restart the car with power switch
Incident date: Jun 27, 2021
I leased a 2021 Audi Q5 (VIN: WA1BAAFY7M2[XXX]) in November 2020. 2021 Audi Q5 has gateway module underneath the middle row seat. The gateway module is like the brain of the car and if it stops working the car stops - basically the car is brain dead. In my case, I was driving the car with my family i.e. wife, 7 and 3 year old kids when the car abruptly shut off. Luckily, I was on a road with 45 MP... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2021
WHILE DRIVING ON THE MAIN HIGHWAY, MY CAR ENGINE SHUT OFF. I HAD DYSFUNCTIONAL BRAKE AND STEERING FAILURE. BRAKE WAS HARDLY WORKING AND I HAD TO USE ALL MY STRENGTH TO CONTROL STEERING. BASICALLY, WHILE DRIVING AT 50MPH, CAR ENGINE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING AND I LOST STEERING AND BRAKING. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD INTO A VACANT PARKING LOT AND CAR CAME TO A STOP. FORTUNATELY, NO CARS WER... Read more
Incident date: Jul 5, 2021
The battery failed/malfunctioned and was leaking hydrogen sulfide gas into my car slowly for a long period of time. A month or two after I initially financed this used Audi A4 at Volkswagon in Dothan, AL, I started experiencing the side effects of low dose exposure to hydrogen sulfide gas. From that point until today my symptoms have been getting worse and worse. My asthma symptoms progressed. I c... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Jun 18, 2021
Coolent migration from the coolant valve through the wire into the connection to ecu. This caused corrosion which in turn caused an unsafe driving condition by shutting the throttle pedal control to the engine off. This has been recalled on many other models and is quite prevalent in the a4 with manual transmission as mine is.
Incident date: Jun 29, 2021
The contact owns a 2017 Audi Q7. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 mph, the power steer malfunction warning light illuminated, and the steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the steering control module and steering gear were faulty and needed to be replaced. The steering module and ste... Read more
Incident date: Mar 27, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the dealer informed the contact 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 manufacturer was notified of the issue and confirmed that the remed... Read more
Incident date: Mar 27, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the dealer informed the contact 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 manufacturer was notified of the issue and confirmed that the remed... Read more
Incident date: Jul 7, 2021
The auto start/stop feature of this vehicle is horrible, on several occasions I've almost gotten into an accident turning at an intersection. The engine loses power for 2-3 seconds despite pushing the gas pedal all the way down. I've also scared pedestrians at cross walks on several occasions when the vehicle is at a full stop but then suddenly lunges forward at them. The sensors on this vehicle ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2020
Takata recall. The contact owns a 1998 Audi A4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V056000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. ... Read more
Incident date: May 21, 2021
Audi has not come up with a repair for the PODS recall. This is the second time they have needed to repair the PODS system. Users could run into an issue where if an accident were to occur with a passenger the airbag may not deploy. NO TIME FRAME GIVEN.
Incident date: Jul 2, 2021
TURBOS FAILED, CAR STALLED AND WILL NOT START UNLESS GIVING IT GAS. DOWN ON POWER AND PERFORMANCE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON
Incident date: Jul 5, 2021
The contact owns a 2013 Audi A4 The contact stated that while driving between 50-60m mph when driving in the dark on an unfamiliar road when they missed a turn and ended up crashing into a pole on the side of the road. As a result, the vehicle flipped few times. The vehicle ended up coming to a stop. No airbags deployed. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed but had not been deemed tot... Read more
Crash
Incident date: May 31, 2021
Excessive oil consumption. Needs 1 quart of oil per tank of gas, more often with city driving. Issues most likely with original rings and pistons. Repair likely $6000. Oil consumption not disclosed as a problem when I bought the car 4000 miles ago. Currently 106,000 miles.
Incident date: May 13, 2021
On several occasions, the supposed "driver's assistance" almost made me crash. In two or three cases, the assistance slammed on my breaks unnecessarily when a vehicle in front of me changed lanes, which almost caused me to be rear ended. In another, even more concerning case, the assistance accelerated heavily just as a slower vehicle moved into my lane of traffic, which was extremely dangerous. T... Read more
Incident date: Jul 2, 2021
There has been a National recall on my VIN with no known fix at this time. My car has stalled, would not cool off, it will read error codes that don’t make any sense. It goes from speed, to shut engine off now, immediately exit and turn off vehicle, saying it’s too Hot, oil leaking, airbag lights coming on/off randomly, the air conditioner won’t cool off when the dash lights are reading mul... Read more
Incident date: Jan 5, 2019
My turbochargers failed due to oil starvation caused by a clogged oil screen. My vehicle had 71,393 miles on it when the turbos failed and had no prior problems or warning lights. While driving to the dealership for a Passenger Occupant Detection System recall (unrelated issue with no warning lights), my car lost power in traffic as I was pulling off the main road into the parking lot. Luckily ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 15, 2021
I am writing to report a problem with Faulty electronic control monitors (ECM). This is a vehicle safety problem, because if the ECM is faulty, drivers won't know when there is truly a problem. Approximately 2 weeks ago, my vehicle check engine light came on. I don't drive the car that often, so I scheduled an appointment and took a picture. The day of my appointment the light wasn't on. The r... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2021
Panoramic sunroof glass panel shattered. Obviously, if the glass had fallen while I was driving, I (or any passengers) could have been cut and injured. I also could have been distracted and injured myself or someone else in a crash. Rockville Audi has not inspected it yet; although, they are scheduling the repair. The vehicle was inspected on July 1st at about 9:00pm by two Washington National C... Read more
Incident date: Jun 11, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact received recall notifications for NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V474000 (Air Bags) and 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and a case was filed. The manufacturer r... Read more
Incident date: Jun 11, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact received recall notifications for NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V474000 (Air Bags) and 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and a case was filed. The manufacturer r... Read more
AUDI
A3 CABRIOLET
(2017) - AIR BAGS
Jul 1, 2021
Incident date: Jul 1, 2021
The contact owns a 2017 Audi A3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign number: 21V198000 (Air Bags). The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The part was not available for the repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available. Due to the... Read more
AUDI
A3 CABRIOLET
(2018) - AIR BAGS
Jul 1, 2021
Incident date: Jun 1, 2021
The contact owns a 2018 Audi A3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do 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 dealer and manufacturer were made aware of the issue and informed the contact that the remedy was not available.... Read more
Incident date: Jun 30, 2021
The contact owns a 2021 Audi SQ8. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V295000 (Suspension) however, the part to do 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 manufacturer was notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distributi... Read more
Incident date: Jun 28, 2021
Rubber boot around the electronic steering rack wore out after only 30k miles. This has caused no warning lights, and very dangerous behaviour from the steering mechanisms. To include the steering wheel locking up mid turn, and the steering wheel "stuttering" due to the electronic motor failing.
Incident date: Jun 29, 2021
I have contacted Audi USA several times regarding the recall on my Audi A3 2016 but it seems that they don't care about the issue and asked me to drive it and nothing will happen.
Incident date: Jun 28, 2021
An alert when I started my car stated that the steering system had a fault but it was ok to continue driving. Later that evening during my drive home, and about 20 miles from the start of the trip, the car then provided an alert for a steering system failure and to stop driving. The power steering appears to have stopped working - the car could only turn the wheels with great effort.
Incident date: Jun 23, 2021
The 2nd generation Audi Q5 (roughly 2017-2021+) has a major susceptibility to immediate, catastrophic failure as evidenced from my own experience and dozens of episodes reported online. This failure typically causes a $2000-$3000 repair bill that Audi will not cover and will claim is the fault of the owner. My wife was driving the vehicle with our 5-year-old daughter in the car In the middle of t... Read more
Incident date: Jun 23, 2021
The 2nd generation Audi Q5 (roughly 2017-2021+) has a major susceptibility to immediate, catastrophic failure as evidenced from my own experience and dozens of episodes reported online. This failure typically causes a $2000-$3000 repair bill that Audi will not cover and will claim is the fault of the owner. My wife was driving the vehicle with our 5-year-old daughter in the car In the middle of t... Read more
Incident date: Jun 23, 2021
The 2nd generation Audi Q5 (roughly 2017-2021+) has a major susceptibility to immediate, catastrophic failure as evidenced from my own experience and dozens of episodes reported online. This failure typically causes a $2000-$3000 repair bill that Audi will not cover and will claim is the fault of the owner. My wife was driving the vehicle with our 5-year-old daughter in the car In the middle of t... Read more
Incident date: Jun 17, 2021
Driver was with 2 passengers (3 young females) driving in a new 2021 Audi Q5 (less than 5 months old and less than 6000 miles) at about 70 mph on Garden State Parkway in NJ. A brake malfunction warning light appeared on the dashboard and within 5 seconds the car completely shut down in the middle lane of the parkway (in a black car at 10pm). This was the first notification or warning--nothing in t... Read more
Incident date: Jun 25, 2021
I was driving and my turbos blew causing my car to shut down and not be able to restart. I was in the middle of traffic and was lucky to pull over. There was no warning and I had my 2 young kids in the car and it could have caused an accident. This was dangerous for myself and other motorists. I use this vehicle as a daily driver and this should not happen. I have not had it repaired yet but I c... Read more
Incident date: May 8, 2021
Water was spilled in the backseat of the car (less than 12 ounces of water). This caused a complete electrical failure impacting the engine and power steering. The failure happened at a slow speed in a parking lot but would have been much more dangerous on highway. The car would not turn on or off and would not shift into any gear after coming to a stop. Was told that the water caused a failure i... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2021
As I reported on June 3, I drove my car onto my office parking lot, up- hill, in the afternoon, when suddenly my car raced, without my stepping on the accelerator to make it race, crushed into the first car parked there. That car was pushed into the wheel of the neighboring car, which fortunately was a big and sturdy car. I managed to drive my car into an empty parking space. The owners of the ... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jun 24, 2021
The pre-sense and/or automatic emergency braking function comes on unnecessarily at least once a week. It will occur when I am driving on the highway and the car thinks there is something in front of me and then the seatbelt will tighten out of nowhere. This is a significant safety risk as it is terrifying and is not being triggered for any legitimate reason. It is so abrupt when it happens that... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Jun 14, 2021
Fuel is leaking from the top of the driver side of fuel tank. Appears to be near to rollover nipple that was previously recalled in 2010. Result: accumulation of fuel near exhaust - fire hazard.
Incident date: Jun 22, 2021
1) Sunroof exploded while merging onto highway from a rest stop (I believe I was still on the on ramp at the time) - Vehicle in the process of being fixed so probably not available for inspection but the collision shop has pictures 2) Fortunate I didn't freak out and was able to process the situation and not get into a collision. 3) not sure 4) The collision shop is inspecting the sun roof, but ... Read more
Incident date: May 26, 2021
Extreme oil consumption (burning 2+ quarts in less than 500 miles); cutting off while idling. Yes it is available for inspection upon request. If this is a leak, it could possibly catch on fire while my child is driving to school, or it could cut off while driving causing a bad accident. Yes it has been confirmed by a repair facility. Check/add oil indicator; check engine light; emits black smoke ... Read more
Incident date: May 26, 2021
Extreme oil consumption (burning 2+ quarts in less than 500 miles); cutting off while idling. Yes it is available for inspection upon request. If this is a leak, it could possibly catch on fire while my child is driving to school, or it could cut off while driving causing a bad accident. Yes it has been confirmed by a repair facility. Check/add oil indicator; check engine light; emits black smoke ... Read more