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: Oct 14, 2023
Due to bad deals, one of our front lights was filled with water. Causing multiple sensors to go off, like our lane departure and camera features. Car had 5 warnings on dash
Incident date: Nov 28, 2023
The car's lithium batteries caught fire to the point of smoldering. This happened at the end of the charge cycle. The car was parked in our garage and if the fire department did not come to help, the fire could have intensified and burned down our whole house. We are very thankful we caught it so quickly. No warnings or issues were apparent with the vehicle when it was parked and put on the charg... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
The contact's mother owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after coming to a complete stop and then attempting to accelerate, the vehicle failed to respond when the accelerator pedal was depressed. There was no warning light illuminated during the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was covered under an unknown recall campaign. After the recent failure, the contact was infor... Read more
Incident date: Nov 5, 2023
NEXEN RADIAN HTX tires supplied on new 2019 RAM 3500 DRW. 19,920 miles, Front tires while towing 5th wheel RV began to shake a various speeds. With or without RV attached. RAM dealer indicates belts in both front tires have begun to separated. RAM Service rep stated they have seen this alot with NEXEN Tires.
Incident date: Oct 25, 2023
When I start my 2019 Highlander there is a loud screech that startles you and makes you jump out of your seat. It’s a very loud feedback noise through the speakers, and the red and green lights near the SOS button flash multiple times. This happens very often but intermittently, and when it doesn't happen the SOS button only flashes red/green once. This happened after the SOS trial service ha... Read more
Incident date: Oct 25, 2023
Component or system failure or malfunction: Delayed or no gear shifting. Transmission sudden downshift at low and high speeds, and failure to shift into lower or higher gear at takeoff, and/or while in motion. Safety risk: Sudden downshift at high speed caused stability and control issue at highway speed. The problem has been reproduced by owner and discussed with dealer by phone. The v... Read more
Incident date: Nov 18, 2023
While driving, my car slowed down and wouldn't accelerate pass 35 or 40 mph. I had to turn into a parking lot and restart the car. It drove fine, upon restarting. My OBD reader indicated DTC P200A Intake Manifold Runner. AAA informed me of KIA's notice regarding the same issue. This has happened on 4 occasions over the past weekend.
Incident date: Nov 21, 2022
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool con... Read more
Incident date: Jul 20, 2023
Evap small leak P0456 Car cabin smells strong gas odor check engine light is on
Incident date: May 4, 2023
The 2024 whom are being sold at the same time as the 2023 GR Corollas have had improvements to both the front brake cooling with aluminum and have had the ducting reopened after the safety correction. To ensure the safety of the drivers and passengers, quality of the vehicle and its longevity. Recommend recalling all 2023 circuit editions to also adjust the from driver and passenger side brakes an... Read more
Incident date: May 4, 2023
I have my headlights on auto so they turn on but they turn on during the day and then off at night they turn on they have turn off when I'm diving at night on freeway and turn back on
Incident date: Nov 26, 2023
225 / 70 R 16 A tire shop inspected my tires and said that all 4 of my belts are separating and indicated to me a convex shape that peaks in the center of the steel belt. These tires were purchased new some years ago when they were balanced, struts replaced, and full alignment, yet at speeds 55+ the car made a vibration that no shop was able to identify. Yesterday I hit a nail in the center of ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 26, 2023
While driving vehicle, noticed some slippage/clunking when turning. Took vehicle to Porsche dealer, they said transfer case needed to be replaced. Car has 12,600 original miles on it. Dealer said there was an extended warranty on the transfer case that had expired. In researching, it became obvious that there is a Porsche design problem that affected several model years for the Cayenne. As a ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 24, 2023
My family and I were driving home to LA from NM. I had been using the cruise and steer assist earlier in the drive but had it off after going through a metro area interstate. There was no vehicles within the cars front camera system when while driving 75 mph( that was the sped limit in TX), the cars braking system engaged with a hard break, no “brake” light flash of rapid break pumps as it wou... Read more
Incident date: Nov 24, 2023
CONTINENTAL CROSS CONTACT LX SPORT 245/50 R 20 102H M.S. RADIAL TUBELESS Vehicle was parked after a ride on Thu 11/23 with no problems. Vehicle was parked in a apartment lot with no issues previous night. Next day morning on 11/24, Rear Passenger tire is deflated fully with no air. Upon checking there are 2 cracks observed on the sidewall of the tire with no air left. There was no accident o... Read more
Incident date: Nov 24, 2023
CONTINENTAL CROSS CONTACT LX SPORT 245/50 R 20 102H M.S. RADIAL TUBELESS Vehicle was parked after a ride on Thu 11/23 with no problems. Vehicle was parked in a apartment lot with no issues previous night. Next day morning on 11/24, Rear Passenger tire is deflated fully with no air. Upon checking there are 2 cracks observed on the sidewall of the tire with no air left. There was no accident o... Read more
Incident date: Nov 24, 2023
The screen in the Truck doubles in picture, freezes and/or shuts down completely. This leaves you with out control of your GPS, radio, blue tooth, head light control and backup camera. Research on the internet has proven this seems to be an accruing problem in this truck, with some even losing their speed information. So far it has resolved itself after a while on its own, thankfully, but eac... Read more
Incident date: Nov 22, 2023
The back trunk latch is failing to unlock. The button can be heard and sometimes it sounds as if the motor is whining. After attempting to unlock the trunk by removing the cover on the safety wire and pulling it, this action was unsuccessful.
Incident date: Nov 22, 2023
Power steering failure while the vehicle is in motion. Power assist goes off and on intermittently, without warning. This causes a very unsafe condition, particularly if you are in a curve or turn. There have been other reported failures on this model truck. I have taken the vehicle to an authorized Chevrolet dealer who stated there is no recall on the vehicle for this problem, but also stated... Read more
Incident date: Nov 22, 2023
Took a trip to the grocery store, and started up my car when I got back. The engine turned over but after a few seconds, it stalled. Tried this again, but lightly pressed the accelerator. This raised the RPM, but it dropped quickly and stalled the engine again. Made a couple more attempts after and eventually, the engine light came on. Shortly before this incident, I had about 10-15% of gas left i... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
I was driving north on I-5 in Northern California when the car braked twice for no apparent reason. I was using the traffic aware cruise control. The first time the car was on a slight curve to the left and there was traffic in the right lane. About two hours later I was on a straightaway with no nearby traffic.
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
Abs and traction Control keeps going off and on showing service brake system.
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
Abs and traction Control keeps going off and on showing service brake system.
Incident date: Nov 16, 2023
On September 17, 2023, while traveling at 65 mph on the highway, my car's steering suddenly pulled, resulting in a blown front passenger tire. The impact forced the car into construction barriers, damaging the passenger side mirror. Due to construction constraints, finding a safe spot to pull over was challenging, so I drove a short distance to assess the damage. Upon inspection, the tire was shre... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Nov 14, 2023
Normal driving - about 69,000 miles. Rear wheel rim developed cracks in inner bead lip causing complete loss of inflation.
Incident date: Nov 16, 2023
The ABS and Traction Control System light and warning engage intermittently when operating. The alarm startles the driver and unsure if system works
Incident date: Nov 11, 2023
Transmission programming recall, clutch recall, fuel cap recall and many more recalls were not performed at ford dealership! Had to pay out of pocket at dealer for “labor” task was never performed at dealer for all recalls!
Incident date: Nov 13, 2023
While backing up in a driveway at approximately 3-4 miles per hour, the vehicle lost all power and stalled. Both screens went completely black. Seconds later (10-15 maybe) the system re-initialized as if it was rebooted. If this happened at higher speed, it might result in accidents.
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
The original motor on Tesla Model S vehicles between 2012-2019 has a reputation of leaking coolant inside the drive train and therefore locking up the motor that stops all operations of the vehicle. This has already happened twice with an average life expectance of 40-60k miles. I was just informed that Tesla has finally created a version of this motor that prevents coolant leaks on the latest rev... Read more
AUDI
A3 CABRIOLET
(2018) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Nov 15, 2023
Incident date: Jul 8, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the parking brake independently activated with the brake warning light and "Parking Brake Engaged," and "Collision Alert" messages displayed. The vehicle had been taken to the dealer on several occasions where they vehicle was serviced under warranty; however, the failure returned soon after repair. Additi... Read more
Incident date: Apr 15, 2023
Per Subaru there is something wrong with the Cockpit Control Module (CCM) that is causing a constant / parasitic draw on the battery. This results in the battery being dead within 4 hours, leaving us constantly stranded. Because the CCM also controls the electrical system, many of the safety features (auto breaking, lane departure, etc) turn off randomly. This is the diagnosis from our local... Read more
Incident date: Mar 10, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Impreza. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V624000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The ma... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2022
The A pillar panel on the windows are a hazard. While driving yesterday the panel flew off and hit the car behind us causing the driver to over react and almost crash into several other vehicles. Ford has been unhelpful with this matter on making these safe.
AUDI
RS 6 AVANT
(2021) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Nov 13, 2023
Incident date: Oct 27, 2023
I purchased my 2020 kia optima 8/2022. On 10/21/23 I was on the freeway and the engine light started flashing, car made a knocking sound, went limp, speed dropped from 75 to 32 quickly while I was changing lanes, and Would not go over 32 mph. I made it home and started researching online and found out about the recalls. My car is not one since it's a 2020. I removed the car from my garage and park... Read more
AUDI
RS 6 AVANT
(2021) - LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK
Nov 13, 2023
Incident date: Oct 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Land Rover Discovery. The contact stated that the bracket that opened the bench seat was fractured. Due to the failure, the hatch failed to close after being opened. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the contact was informed that the defect was not covered under recall or warranty and the contact was given an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was not notified ... Read more
AUDI
RS 6 AVANT
(2021) - SERVICE BRAKES
Nov 13, 2023
Incident date: Oct 27, 2023
On November 12, 2023, approximately 3PM, my family and I were traveling eastbound on Miramar Road, near Camino Santa Fe Road, San Diego, when we experienced an immediate and sudden braking of our vehicle (2022 Tesla, model Y), for no apparent reason. There were no warning lights or symptoms that would have exhibited any kind of problem with the vehicle. This sudden braking caused my wife, the dr... Read more
Incident date: Nov 10, 2023
The CVT transmission was replaced under a recall at 114k miles. The replacement transmission failed at 150,180 miles, which is 180 miles outside of the extended warranty. Honda declined to repair/replace the transmission a second time. I took it in because the dashboard lights were flashing. The dealer replaced the valve body at my cost and the lights came back on just 29 miles into driving it. Wh... Read more
Incident date: Nov 12, 2023
Transmission problem out of no where. Acceleration changed with a high reving/whining noise, with no power on the gas pedal while turning left, putting me and my family at risk. There were no warning lights and no warning whatsoever. There has been no recall with this type of CVT transmission as there should as it is a HIGH RISK of DANGER on the road! I can't even believe that Nissan won't even ad... Read more
Incident date: Nov 12, 2023
1. My car will randomly not accelerate when the gas is being pressed. This has almost got me killed when making a left hand turn on more than 1 occasion now. The car also struggles with random shifting and power issues while going up steep hills at high speeds. 2. The front passenger side door and the rear drivers side passenger door just randomly stopped working with a week of each other. The... Read more
Incident date: Nov 11, 2023
Moss brothers sold me a stolen car the metal bintag is missing the 2nd key missing air bags tampered I paid it off 2 days ago the car dangerous swaying wrong break petal and gas the seats the frame not safe and the bin number shows a sunroof they sold me a salvaged car here's the engine a rustedengine the windshield unsafe corporate the car is dangerous and marked parts the tire can off a ND... Read more
Incident date: Nov 10, 2023
On Thursday, May 25, 2023, I took delivery of my new 2023 Lexus RX 500h at Nalley Lexus in Roswell, Georgia. On Saturday, June 3, 2023, I noticed that the interior dashboard trim has become separated. I could (can) see the plastic clips and some exposed wiring. My initial thought was to not touch it because it could possibly cause an electrical shock and to take the vehicle back to the dealership.... Read more
Incident date: Nov 10, 2023
your Child Restraint and mail it promptly. Child Restraints could be recalled for safety reasons. You must register this restraint to be reached in a recall. Send your name, address, e-mail address if available, and the restraint’s model number and manufacturing date to:
Incident date: Nov 8, 2023
The rear emergency exit window fell off during travel. Being a large motorhome I do not know where or when it happened and was noticed upon arrival at home. It is likely it came detached in traffic. I do have the make or model of the window but the Thor DAX # is 0273323.
Incident date: Oct 9, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Buick Enclave. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not... Read more
Incident date: Oct 9, 2023
Vehicle lost power and stalled on major highway during rush hour traffic. Would not restart. Due to the amount of traffic and sudden deceleration, vehicle was impaired on a major throughway. No warning lamps appeared and all sensors were within normal range prior to incident. Vehicle was towed to Jeep dealership and confirmed the problem was a defective fuel pump. Simply not acceptable for a relat... Read more
Incident date: Oct 9, 2023
We just got my wife’s Sorento SXL back from our Kia dealership in Kennesaw Georgia Yesterday.we took it in because of a clicking sound in the engine.they kept the car for a diagnostic They said the car had low or no oil,My wife informed the service Rep.that we have all the oil changes and we’ve never ,ever drove the car without oil ! They kept the car another week We found out yesterday what i... Read more
Incident date: Nov 4, 2023
The steering is ‘sticky’ making the vehicle very difficult to drive without wandering all over the road. I first reported this problem 2 months after purchasing the vehicle new (Feb 2023 - purchase was 12/2022). At that time, the dealer did a visual inspection, and a short test drive and said the vehicle was acting properly and ‘just reacting to the roadway’. They made it seem like I wa... Read more
Incident date: Nov 4, 2023
My 2018 Mazda CX-9 developed a rapid overheating issue which was determined to be caused by a cracked cylinder head. This was a known issue by Mazda as noted in a technical service bulletin (Mazda TSB 01-013/21). I've been told by Mazda corporate and the Mazda dealership where the car is currently parked that this bulletin means nothing and will they will not cover the cost of repair. My extended... Read more
Incident date: Sep 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V215000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not yet... Read more