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: Mar 16, 2025
Vehicle wont go in reverse and skips gears and an error came up to reduce acceleration. - Valve body Control assembly needing to be replaced.
Incident date: Mar 17, 2025
ESC ERROR PARKING BREAK NOT RELEASING Dashboard lights started flashing Check engine light came on
Incident date: Apr 12, 2025
Car jerking,Rpm needle jumps alot,feel like im going to run into someone or something, not getting gas mileage like before.
Incident date: Mar 15, 2025
The vehicle exhibited sudden loss of steering. Broken bolts on steering rack were discovered and vehicle was taken to dealer. Dealer bluespringsford.com refuses to fix vehicle under recall.
Incident date: Apr 10, 2025
The headlights are dim. I have replaced them with brighter H11 bulbs but I still cannot see. Others who have driven my car have indicated that the headlights are noticeably dimmer than normal. I literally cannot see the roadway. Also, I started having problems with the CVT shortly before 60,000miles. The problem was diagnosed as rudder codes. I was not financially able to replace the CVT at... Read more
Incident date: Mar 31, 2025
Started 2018 Mazda CX-5 and the engine was extremely loud and a ticking noise was heard. Brought it to my local garage (Charlies Garage) and it was determined that the lifters needed replacement. Garage told me that Mazda issued a Service Alert on November 22, 2019 (Alert # SA-012/19) and did not notify customers of the Valve Tapping or knocking noise from cylinder head. The Garage then told me t... Read more
Incident date: Mar 31, 2025
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser. The contact stated that while in reverse(R) and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle made an abnormal loud sound. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to diagnose the vehicle. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and a case was filed. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a safety complaint. The fai... Read more
Incident date: Mar 31, 2025
In February 2024, I received the enclosed safety recall notice from Ford Motor Company regarding my 2018 Ford Explorer. The notice described a problem with A-pillar applique trim clip attachments that could cause the pillar trim become detached. In March 2024 while driving home from Pittsburgh PA, my left side pillar trim did blow off while I was traveling south on [XXX], and its final resting pl... Read more
Incident date: Apr 10, 2025
At 715 miles on the odometer, the driver's side rear axle became detached from the wheel hub bearing, causing a loss of power while driving. Dealer states this was a manufacturing defect as the axle retaining bolt was cross-threaded and not properly seated.
Incident date: Apr 10, 2025
Car has been having issues related to recall but is not on list.
Incident date: Mar 16, 2025
clock spring in the steering column broke.
Incident date: Feb 12, 2025
The turbo has gone out on this and its not even 10 years old. I saw on other VIN's it got recalled and I believe all VIN's should be included
Incident date: Feb 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that the door locks failed to lock and unlock while using the key fob or the buttons on the outside or inside the vehicle. The locks failed to operate as needed until after the vehicle was driven. The contact had to manually lock the door; however, after locking the door, the contact was unable to unlockthe vehicle. The contact had to climb t... Read more
Incident date: Feb 12, 2025
He sold me the Honda 2011 pilot the defective transmission I bought it from the person by marketplace when 1 week ago when I took it to change the transmission oil they told me that the transmission was damaged
Incident date: Apr 8, 2025
On January 27th I was driving home on I-495 in the far left lane going about 70MPH when the electrical warning light came on. Telling me to stop the car and take to the dealership. While I was trying to get over into my far right lane, the car went from 70mph to 25 mph in about 40 seconds! Cars were flying all around me! It was terrifying and incredibly dangerous! The dealership discovered my ICC... Read more
Incident date: Apr 8, 2025
Driving down the road, my sunroof exploded. Sun shade was pulled so no injury. Dealer would not diagnose other than saying glass just doesn’t explode so must have been hit by something. I don’t believe that is the case. Easily as likely a manufacturer defect from the factory. I have had the truck for less than a year with 11000 miles
Incident date: Mar 1, 2025
The vehicle has two indicator lamp warnings. One warning for a rear seatbelt monitor fault and one warning for the driver's seatbelt monitor fault. When these seatbelt monitor faults occur the airbags throughout the vehicle are no longer operational. The safety risk of not having operational airbags is extremely high and puts all passengers at risk of serious harm or death. The vehicle is curre... Read more
Incident date: Feb 3, 2025
Unknown. I have a 2014 Dodge Ram 1500 Tradesman 5.7L Hemi 4x2. The ABS Control Module for the Anti-lock braking system pump. That component went out and my Cruise Control won't work without it and my Display has an engine light on because of the back order for this main component.
Incident date: Feb 3, 2025
Sparks coming out the charge port
Incident date: Feb 3, 2025
My tailgate will randomly open on its own. I’ve had several instances( 5 or 6 times so far) when I’ve had open on its own. Only once so far when i was driving. Luckily, i was on my private road without anything in my bed that could fall out. I often carry mountain bikes over the tailgate which could pose a serious danger if the tailgate were to open when driving. Also earlier this evening when... Read more
Incident date: May 13, 2019
Our 2020 Honda Pilot has 96,000 miles on it. We were traveling on the interstate and the engine light came on and an immediate grinding and knocking sound was heard. We pulled over on an exit ramp. We called AAA and had the vehicle towed 35 miles to the nearest city. The vehicle was determined to have a connecting rod bearing failure that required the engine to be replaced. I understand there... Read more
Incident date: May 13, 2019
The contact owns a 2022 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled, and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated the failure occurred while driving on a busy highway. The contact called the Emergency Services, who arrived on the scene and assisted with moving the vehicle to the shoulder of the road. The contact stated that the situation was ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 7, 2025
The contact owns a 2013 Lincoln MKS. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the defroster setting malfunctioned, and the contact was unable to defrost and clear the windows, creating a visibility hazard. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the Accessory Protocol Interface Module (APIM) was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. Th... Read more
Incident date: Apr 4, 2025
All the dash lights come on car acceleration will either speed up or slow down on its own the transmission slips shakes and stalls at red lights
Incident date: Apr 4, 2025
All the dash lights come on car acceleration will either speed up or slow down on its own the transmission slips shakes and stalls at red lights
Incident date: Apr 4, 2025
So we were in a accident the front right of the bumper was completely destroyed and the airbags didn’t deploy
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Apr 6, 2025
Driving back from Spring Break Vacation in Destin, FL, with my wife, daughter [XXX] and son [XXX] on [XXX] and the vehicle engine started making a clicking sound slightly past Greenville, AL. When given gas, the vehicle RPMs would increase, but the vehicle would fail to accelerate. Pulled off onto the shoulder and the vehicle completely died I wouldn't start again. Had to call Emergency Roadside... Read more
Incident date: Apr 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. The contact stated that the steering wheel was pulling to the left, almost causing the vehicle to crash into a wall. The contact’s minor child was an occupant in the vehicle at the time of the failure. The contact stated that the fail... Read more
Incident date: Apr 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. The contact stated that the steering wheel was pulling to the left, almost causing the vehicle to crash into a wall. The contact’s minor child was an occupant in the vehicle at the time of the failure. The contact stated that the fail... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Lincoln Corsair. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact discovered that the trunk compartment was flooded with water. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to be inspected; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer on several occasions however, the cause of the failure could not... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2025
I’m filing this complaint regarding the Takata airbag recall on my 2013 Volkswagen Beetle. I took my vehicle to the dealership, but they informed me that the replacement part is on national backorder with no clear timeframe for availability. I called Volkswagen Customer CARE on April 3, 2025 and spoke with a representative named Dawn (Case #[XXX]). I was told that no loaner vehicles or rental a... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2025
On [XXX] my 2011 Hyundai Sonata seized and all lights illuminated on the dash while accelerating on to a busy street. I was able to pull to the side of the road but unable to restart the vehicle. I had it towed to Wesley Chapel Hyundai (27000 Wesley Chapel Blvd., Wesley Chapel, FL 33544) who notified me that there was an oil pan leak which was the possible cause of the engine failing. They correct... Read more
Incident date: Oct 7, 2024
The contact's employer owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started in the morning, there was a small puddle of fuel pooling under the fuel tank lid. The contact was not aware of any warning light being illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the leak was from the fuel f... Read more
Incident date: Oct 7, 2024
The vehicle is a 2025 BMW X7 M60i purchased in New Mexico on [XXX]. The car's emergency call system and navigation became disabled on [XXX] after taking the vehicle to a car wash. Subsequently the car was brought to the BMW dealer for repairs; however, the problem recurred after several days, dashboard now showing a traction control warning light. Since the initial malfunction on [XXX], this car h... Read more
Incident date: Feb 8, 2025
The Forward Attention Warning system in the refreshed 2025 Ioniq 5 gives constant false positives for both my wife and myself when we are driving the car. With Hyundai's HDA and lane keep active, the system keeps chiming, claiming that the driver is not looking at the road when we are. In fact, the calibration is so poor that it is a safety issue. The constant random warnings are very distracti... Read more
Incident date: Feb 8, 2025
Sun shade sagging. Causing loss of visibility.
Incident date: Mar 28, 2025
Cold winter day, the car would not accelerate past 30-35 MPH. The engine would rev but would not be able to get past about 35 MPH.
Incident date: Feb 9, 2023
The vehicle stopped running. We brought it to the mechanic. The mechanic confirmed that it is a high-pressure fuel pump malfunction and a known issue with these vehicles. All the oil has leaked out because of this issue, which could cause a fire. There is a huge charge to replace this and the spark plugs which were affected by the leak. There is a recall for certain 2015 equinox is because of this... Read more
Incident date: Feb 9, 2023
The AC condenser has failed. Kia said the condenser is damaged in the far corner of the condenser where it meets the rubber. They said the warranty would not cover the repair but could not explain the damage. I have reviewed a webpage where many Kia Sorento owners had this issue. The techs all said the same thing: the rock-damaged condenser and warranty won't cover the cost of almost 1500 dollars.... Read more
Incident date: Mar 28, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that on four separate occasions while driving at highway speeds, the vehicle shut off with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that after each failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer and the contact was informed each time that the failure was related to the active fuel management system. The manufacturer was ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 13, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated while shifting to reverse(R), the rear camera image was distorted. The contact stated that the image was blank, and blue intermittently. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer, or an independent mechanic, and was not diagnosed. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired because it was not under recall. On a separate... Read more
Incident date: Sep 13, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated while shifting to reverse(R), the rear camera image was distorted. The contact stated that the image was blank, and blue intermittently. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer, or an independent mechanic, and was not diagnosed. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired because it was not under recall. On a separate... Read more
Incident date: Sep 13, 2023
The day after I purchased this 2018 Used Hyundai Santa Fe, the passenger air bag light came on. July 2024. I have been working with the dealership where I purchased the vehicle (Larry H Miller Chevrolet, in Murray Utah), and calling Hyundai Corporation for months. Hyundai called me every 3 days for almost 3 months with a customer update and they would say is "We have no updates". This is extremely... Read more
Incident date: Jul 24, 2023
Driver seat moves all the way forward on its own and the side view mirror moves out of range. This has happened while in the seat and car running. It happens intermittently. It scares the heck out of you and pushes you all the way into the steering wheel which makes it impossible to steer. You have to be quick in order to stop it and because it startles you when it happens the reaction time is not... Read more
Incident date: Jul 24, 2023
The pump in the power-assist brakes puts out less vacuum power than needed, increasing stopping distance and the risk of a crash. My car rolls and doesn't stop. I have new brakes so this is unacceptable!!
AUDI
A4 ALLROAD
(2013) - POWER TRAIN
Mar 28, 2025
Incident date: Jan 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, the transmission shifted incorrectly. The message “4WD Unavailable - Service Required” was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with PTU failure. The contact was informed that the PTU needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the... Read more
Incident date: Mar 30, 2024
It has been a known issue that chevrolet has issue with their shifter assembly creating "shift to park" messages and not allowing the car to turn off. My car has gone through this issue twice now and why should people who own chevys be penalized for their defective parts?
Incident date: Mar 30, 2024
My tailgate started opening randomly for 2 consecutive days now. This happens while the vehicle is in park with the keys out of the ignition and also while driving down the road exposing items in the bed to possibly fall out and cause potential injury or death from accidents.