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: May 19, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Renegade. The contact stated that the touch screen was inoperable. The contact stated that calls were being made independently. Additionally, the GPS was inoperable. The contact stated that while on a call, the call dropped unintendedly. The radio and functions related to the infotainment system was inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 28, 2023
While driving the doors will open to the secondary latch.
Incident date: Sep 4, 2023
I own a 2020 Chevrolet Traverse. At the time of the incident, I was driving at 55 mph and heard a very loud and unusual sound. The vehicle then began to uncontrollably shake so I pulled over to the right shoulder. A truck driver pulled over with me as he thought it was something in his truck that had malfunctioned due to the intensity of the sound that it produced. At the rear right wheel of my ve... Read more
Incident date: Oct 8, 2023
I own a 2017 Acura RDX that I purchased new in 2017. My vehicle only has 45587 miles on it. I've noticed in this last year, that it is very hard to see at night. When driving at night I have to use my high beams to be able to see ahead and drive safely. Yesterday(10/16/2023) when driving home around 8:30 at night I was pulled over by a state trooper for driving with my high beams on. Luckily enoug... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2023
the lighting on the 2023 Defender 110 is not adequate, particularly at dusk and in the evening. The brightness control does not adjust for the brightness needed to see gauges. This is a safety risk.
Incident date: Oct 3, 2023
The motor and chemical smell
Incident date: Oct 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the oil warning light was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where a diagnostic test was performed but no errors were found. Out of an abundance of precaution, the oil pressure sensor was replaced; however, the failure persisted. Upon investigation, the conta... Read more
Incident date: Oct 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Edge. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle was idling rough. After a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact became aware that the coolant reservoir level was low. Upon refilling the coolant reservoir, the contact became aware that the engine was consuming coolant abnormally quick. The check engine warning light was illuminate... Read more
Incident date: Oct 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the instrument panel flashed and then the vehicle became inoperable. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not able to restart and remained on the side of the road. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The f... Read more
Incident date: Oct 6, 2023
Steering wheel is jerking/sticking and making it necessary to have to make steering adjustment and making the car swerve while driving. This seems to be a common occurrence on comparable Honda Civic models as well. This vehicle only has 2,800 miles on it.
Incident date: Oct 18, 2022
The contact’s wife owns a 2017 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the parking brake inadvertently actuated. The contact stated that he was notified by his wife of the failure. The contact was able to direct his wife on how to disable the parking brake. The contact’s wife was able to disable the parking brake to proceed driving the vehicle. Th... Read more
Incident date: Oct 14, 2023
The parking camera system freezes and flickers on a fresh startup on a fairly consistent basis, all you have to do is let the car go into a "sleep state" then enter the car and go in to reverse. Also, there are false positives from the parking collision system in the rear when going down a sidewalk apron, causing the emergency braking system to trigger. This has happened often enough to the point ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 10, 2021
The head front left head light has had to be replaced 3 times in 3 months same for the left turn signal. Another issue I have is each time I put gas in, the car gets stuck trying to turn over Until I pump the gas.
Incident date: Dec 13, 2021
Driving 65 miles and I rear ended another vehicle from behind. The air bags did not deployed.
Crash
Incident date: Oct 10, 2023
Component: Driver side mirror. Issue: When the vehicle is above 50 mph, the mirror vibrates and obscures driver's view, which could lead to death/serious injury. Passenger side mirror is steady. When: The issue happened since first day of vehicle ownership. But it was not reported to dealership until 3 weeks after delivery (i.e.Sep 12, 2023) Dealership Inspection: The dealership acknowledg... Read more
Incident date: Aug 10, 2023
Engine failure at 82,000 miles due to coolant leak into cylinders resulting in need for new engine.
Incident date: Oct 12, 2023
After parking car and turning off engine, I exited vehicle and noticed a cascade of fuel falling to the pavement by the rear wheel near the fuel tank. Fire Department was called as I was in a public parking lot. Vehicle was towed to dealer.
AUDI
A6 ALLROAD
(2021) - ENGINE
Oct 10, 2023
Incident date: Oct 7, 2023
Engine light - crankcase vent valve issue
Incident date: Aug 14, 2023
The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz R350. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) 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 made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distributi... Read more
Incident date: Oct 9, 2023
Driving on Highway 46 in California at a speeds ranging from 65 to 75 mph in both adaptive cruise control and autopilot when the car suddenly braked abruptly for no reason. There wasno traffic or obstruction. This occurred several different times on this highway in both directions and on different days during daylight hours with both light and moderate traffic.
Incident date: Oct 9, 2023
Coolant leak. Needs new motor to fix issue.
Incident date: Oct 9, 2023
Passenger seat air bag light off light is on
Incident date: Aug 11, 2023
after fixing airbag with recalls before, i was forced to adjust airbag again. TOYOTA NEEDS ANOTHER RECALL. $1000 OU TOF POCKET
Incident date: Sep 29, 2023
I purchased a brand new, 2020 Chevrolet Malibu in March of 2020. The car had 90 miles on it when I purchased it. Those 90 miles were on it due to it being driven to me from Illinois because the dealership in Illinois had the exact car and color I wanted. In late 2020 I started having reduced engine power. The car would mis fire, randomly lose engine power and only allow me to drive below 40mph and... Read more
Incident date: Sep 29, 2023
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Freestar. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost significant motive power before briefly hesitating and jerking. After restarting the vehicle, it returned to normal functionality, but the failure had since become a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an i... Read more
Incident date: Aug 24, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle steering wheel had become firm. The power steering lock warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired by a dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 23,000.
Incident date: Jan 15, 2023
Unknown, there has been no remedy for this recall for more than a month
AUDI
A6 ALLROAD
(2020) - SEAT BELTS
Oct 8, 2023
Incident date: Sep 19, 2023
Front Passenger safety restraint system fault. This is 3rd time this system warning has come up. The previous 2 fixes were under warrantee (the last one was Feb 2023), the new one is not and estimated at $1100 fix.
AUDI
A6 ALLROAD
(2020) - SEATS
Oct 8, 2023
Incident date: Sep 19, 2023
Front Passenger safety restraint system fault. This is 3rd time this system warning has come up. The previous 2 fixes were under warrantee (the last one was Feb 2023), the new one is not and estimated at $1100 fix.
Incident date: Sep 13, 2023
Driving on hwy 24 about 6 weeks ago car started missing badly. Engine light came on had to pull off hwy almost got rear ended. Waited for roadside assistance over 2 hours was 110 degrees outside. Called Hyandai road side assistance they said another 2 hours. We called dealer they said to just try driving it to dealer. They had car 2 weeks finally figured out had bad fuel injector car had 22000 mil... Read more
Incident date: Oct 3, 2023
Trying to leave work. Have to stop the car to scan my badge. Went to hit the gas and the car was off while in drive. Took me 5 minutes to get the car to turn back on. Serious safety issue that they said is only happening to the AWD but it’s also happening to the FWD and Volkswagen is not doing anything about it.
Incident date: Oct 3, 2023
When accelerating from a stop between 35-45 mph the steering wheel shakes and you feel a vibration coming from the front wheels. I thought the wheels were loose and were about to come off.
Incident date: Sep 30, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V215000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, 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. The manufacturer was ma... Read more
Incident date: Oct 5, 2023
When starting the vehicle, the engine will not fully start, it will turn over as if it’s out of gas. Canceling the start process, then retrying usually results in a running engine. As of October 5’th, my vehicle is not currently you on the fuel pump recall, but this issues seems like a fuel pump issue.
AUDI
Q4 E-TRON SPORTBACK
(2023) - POWER TRAIN
Oct 4, 2023
Incident date: Oct 2, 2023
Vehicle stopped while driving down the road lost power threw up multiple codes and was stuck in the middle of the roadway!
Incident date: Oct 4, 2023
Known Jeep Wrangler issue "Death Wobble". When hit a bump at 60-70 MPH, Jeep shakes violently. Reducing speed and the shake stops. Steering damper replaced on 5/31/23 and 8/31/23. Occurred again and now the Power Steering Gear Box is being replaced. Disappointing for this on a known problem on a 2 year old Jeep.
AUDI
Q4 E-TRON SPORTBACK
(2023) - STEERING
Oct 4, 2023
Incident date: Sep 22, 2023
Hello I just bought this car and started experiencing steering problems, it gets very stiff while driving and trying to turn. I was told by a mechanic that this is a recall for my car and I need further help in getting this fixed especially since winter is right around the corner.
AUDI
Q4 E-TRON SPORTBACK
(2023) - FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Oct 4, 2023
Incident date: Sep 22, 2023
Four different times when driving through an underpass. My car instantly slammed on the brakes. Almost causing an accident the last time. I took it to the Honda dealership after 2nd incident and they could not find the problem. Happened twice since then.
Incident date: Sep 29, 2023
The rear view camera on my 2020 Ford Edge works intermittently. I found recall "NHTSA ID21V011000" and called Ford, but they say this does not apply to my vehicle. The symptoms described in the recall are the same as I am experiencing. This is definitely a safety issue and I am asking that this recall be extended to include my vehicle.
Incident date: Sep 29, 2023
We are having downshifting issues and the speed is randomly changing. The truck came to a stop while still driving. The speedometer doesn’t reflect accurate to the truck speed.
Incident date: Jun 27, 2023
My screen is delaminating and posing a risk for backing up and using the rear view camera. I am unable to use navigation which causes me to make wrong turns and struggle to get where I’m going as I have to hold my phone for navigation. This is very stressful as the screen touches things by itself. It makes calls during my drive so I struggle to end them before going through.
Incident date: May 15, 2021
multiple lights on dash turned on also check engine light' loss of power and jerking of vehicle
Incident date: May 15, 2021
multiple lights on dash turned on also check engine light' loss of power and jerking of vehicle
Incident date: Sep 22, 2023
I was driving during the rain with the wipers on (intermittent) and the auto start/stop feature engaged. I got to a red light and stopped. I lifted my foot off the brake to press the accelerator and then the car didn't restart. The instrument panel then said low steering power and another message about the brake. A loud tone was continuously emitted. I pressed the brake and put the car in park an... Read more
Incident date: Sep 30, 2023
Engine failure/thrown rod in engine while drive. 90k miles.
Incident date: Sep 7, 2023
The oil leaks every time I brake, and car engine and brakes get hot.
Incident date: Sep 21, 2023
On 9/25/23 I was driving the Tesla Model 3 and had entered a parking garage when the steering suddenly locked and would not work while I was in drive mode. The Tesla screen gave a warning that additional force may be required to manouver. It was with a lot of difficulty that I was able to safely park the car in the garage and called Tesla support. I was instructed to power off the car and reboot. ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 21, 2023
Car driving with no one in front and brake assist went off on own. Also car driving and electrical system in car shut down and lost control of car. Then all dashboard lights came on, was able to regain control and pull in parking lot. Shut car off. Hooked up ODB. No codes. Then started car and ran fine. Had burning electrical smell.
Incident date: Sep 22, 2023
Vehicle recall was addressed, yet problem persisted which was an engine oil leak/burn. Oil continued to leak/burn and caused engine problems. Cylinder 1 misfire was most recent, lost of acceleration, a/c failure, burning of engine coolant. All regular maintenance has been performed, 2nd set of new spark plugs within 12 months were installed a week ago. I have spent over $500 in the last few months... Read more