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 17 complaints for BENDIX
Incident date: Nov 1, 2020
MAKING THIS REPORT TO NHTSA PER CPSC.GOV RECOMMENDATION. QUICKJACK BL-5000SLX CAR LIFT LOCK FAILURE LEADING TO COLLAPSE WITH VEHICLE ON LIFT. QUICKJACK IS A FAMILY OF "FAIL SAFE" LOCK EQUIPPED HYDRAULIC LIFT SYSTEM SOLDS TO CONSUMERS AS A SAFER ALTERNATIVE TO CAR JACK STANDS. I FOUND TO MY SHOCK THAT IT CAN EASILY BE PLACED INTO A FALSE LOCK STATE THAT SUPPORTS VEHICLE WEIGHT, BUT IS PRONE T... Read more
Incident date: Mar 10, 2015
HTTP://WWW.GOOGLE.COM/PATENTS/US8423191 FAILED PRESTRESS CALIPERS REGULARLY (40% - 50% OF THE TIME) SAT UNCONTROLLED IN THE OPEN WITHOUT A REJECT TAG FOR 8 HOURS UNTIL THE END OF THE SHIFT UNTIL THEY WERE BROUGHT TO ME IN DIAGNOSTICS, WHERE I FABRICATED A FALSE TAG AT THE END OF THE SHIFT FOR (FINANCIAL SCRAP TRACKING PURPOSES). AT ADB STATION #1 CARROUSEL, WHEN A CALIPER WITH A "FAILED PRES... Read more
Incident date: Jan 10, 2010
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 DODGE RAM VAN WITH AFTERMARKET BENDIX BRAKES (MODEL NUMBER: 13481).THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 10 MPH WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND, CAUSING THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.THE CONTACT DID NOT CALL THE MANUFACTURER OF THE VEHICLE OR THE BRAKES IN REGARD TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Dec 15, 2009
I HAVE A 1996 DODGE CARAVAN. THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED IN JUNE OF 2009. BENDIX BRAKE PADS AND BENDIX ROTORS WERE USED. ON DECEMBER 15, 2009, BOTH BRAKE ROTORS FAILED CAUSING A TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKING. WHILE SLOWING DOWN A LOUD BANG CAME FROM THE FRONT OF THE VAN. THE BRAKES DID NOT FEEL RIGHT AT THIS POINT. WHILE LOOKING FOR A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER AND STOP, ANOTHER LOUD BANG WAS HEA... Read more
BENDIX
MASTER CYLINDER
(9999) - EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
Jul 9, 2008
Incident date: Jul 7, 2008
BENDIX ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE. *ON SIX (6) DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THE BRAKES HAVE LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING. I PRESS THE BRAKE AND IT DOESN'T MOVE (HARD BRAKE/NO BRAKES) IN THE FOLLOWING LIST THIS OCCURRENCE WILL BE STATED AS *ABS MALFUNCTION. THIS HAS RESULTED IN ONE ACCIDENT AND SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS. MAY 2004: *ABS MALFUNCTION, BRAKE FLUID ADDED $89.00. OCT 2004: ACCIDENT AND RESULT... Read more
Incident date: Mar 9, 2006
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE COOLING VEINS ON THE ROTORS WERE DRILLED THROUGH. FOUR BRAKE ROTORS WERE PURCHASED FOR THE VEHICLE ON 3/9/2006. WHEN THE DEALER OF THE ROTORS WAS NOTIFIED, THEY DETERMINED THE CONTACT SHOULD NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE BREAKS MAY FAIL. THE DEALER PROMISED TO THE REPLACE THE ROTORS. WHEN THE MANUFACTURER OF THE ROTORS WAS NOTIFIED, THEY DETERMINED THAT THEY WERE N... Read more
Incident date: Jul 19, 2005
CONTINUING ABS FAILURE, I HAVE HAD THE ABS REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THE ABS SYSTEM KEEPS FAILING. NOW MUSIC CITY DODGE IS TELLING ME THERE IS CONTAMINATION IN THE SYSTEM AND EVERY THING IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED TO THE TUNE OF $3000.00. I CAN'T SEE HOW THIS IS CORRECT CONSIDERING THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO HAVE WORKED ON THE BRAKES.*JB
Incident date: Jan 1, 1996
THIS IS AN INQUIRY RELATED TO H-D TRUCK ABS. ARE THERE ANY DATA WHICH SHOWS A CAUSE AND EFFECT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ABS DEFECTS AND ACCIDENTS. IF YES, IS THE DETAIL AS TO MAKE, MODEL, YEAR AND NAME OF ABS SYSTEM AVAILABLE? IF THERE WAS COLLATERAL DAMGE TO OTHER COMPONENTS, WOULD THAT ALSO BE AVAILABLE? I INCLUDED A START DATE FOR ANY AVAILABLE DATA
Crash
Incident date: Jan 1, 1996
THIS IS AN INQUIRY RELATED TO H-D TRUCK ABS. ARE THERE ANY DATA WHICH SHOWS A CAUSE AND EFFECT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ABS DEFECTS AND ACCIDENTS. IF YES, IS THE DETAIL AS TO MAKE, MODEL, YEAR AND NAME OF ABS SYSTEM AVAILABLE? IF THERE WAS COLLATERAL DAMGE TO OTHER COMPONENTS, WOULD THAT ALSO BE AVAILABLE? I INCLUDED A START DATE FOR ANY AVAILABLE DATA
Crash
Incident date: Jan 1, 1996
THIS IS AN INQUIRY RELATED TO H-D TRUCK ABS. ARE THERE ANY DATA WHICH SHOWS A CAUSE AND EFFECT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ABS DEFECTS AND ACCIDENTS. IF YES, IS THE DETAIL AS TO MAKE, MODEL, YEAR AND NAME OF ABS SYSTEM AVAILABLE? IF THERE WAS COLLATERAL DAMGE TO OTHER COMPONENTS, WOULD THAT ALSO BE AVAILABLE? I INCLUDED A START DATE FOR ANY AVAILABLE DATA
Crash
Incident date: Jun 30, 2005
MY ORIGINAL SET OF INNER BRAKE PADS WERE 75% WORN PER DEALER REPAIR SHOP AT 29,672 MILES. THE OUTER PADS WERE FINE. THE ROTORS WERE APPROACHING END OF LIFE. I HAD THEM REPLACE THE PADS AT THIS TIME. THE DEALER DID NOT OFFER TO COVER THEM UNDER WARRANTY. AT 30,945, 1273 MILES LATER, I TOOK THE CAR BACK FOR ANOTHER BRAKE INSPECTION. AT THIS TIME THEY FOUND THAT THE ROTORS WERE RUSTED AND PITTE... Read more
Incident date: May 10, 2005
TERRIBLE SQUEALING NOISE IN BELT AREA. DEALER CHARGED ~$250 FOR BELT AND TENSIONER REPLACEMENT AND NOISE WAS GREATLY REDUCED. SEVERAL YEARS LATER THE NOISE RETURNED AND GREW EVEN WORSE. REPLACED THE WORN BELT AND NOISE WAS GREATLY REDUCED FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS. AFTER THE NOISE RETURNED, REMOVED THE BELT AND CHECKED ALL PULLEYS - FOUND NO PROBLEMS. REPLACED TENSIONER AND IDLER PULLEYS ANYWAY (~$20 EA... Read more
BENDIX
TRAILER CONTROL VALVE
(9999) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jan 31, 2004
Incident date: Jan 31, 2004
I HAVE A POTENTIAL PROBLEM TO REPORT WITH A LOCAL CLINIC INVOLVED IN TESTING COMMERCIAL DRIVERS ON PRE-EMPLOYMENT AND RANDOM DRUG AND ALCOHOL SCREENINGS. I HAVE WHAT I CONSIDER RELIABLE INFORMATION THAT THEIR PROCESS, AND PERSONNEL, HAVE BEEN CORRUPTED. I HAVE TRIED OTHER ATTEMPTS AT ENTRY INTO THE DOT E-MAIL SYSTEM TO SUBMIT THIS MESSAGE, BUT HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. PLEASE, I IMPLORE YOU, FORWARD... Read more
BENDIX
AD-2 AIR DRYER
(9999) - EQUIPMENT
Aug 29, 2003
Incident date: Aug 26, 2003
BRAKES ARE NO GOOD AFTER 6500 MILES THE DEALER WON'T FIX THEM UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE HONDA CLAIMS IT'S THE WAY I DRIVE. *AK
BENDIX
MASTER CYLINDER
(9999) - EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL
Jul 15, 2003
Incident date: Jul 3, 2003
MY 1992 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER MINIVAN HAS EXPERIENCED RECURRING FAILURE OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM. THE BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT AND ABS WARNING LIGHT BOTH ILLUMINATED. ON OCCASION THE SYSTEM RESUMED OPERATION IF THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF OR NOT DRIVEN FOR 2 OR MORE HOURS. IN MARCH OF 2003 A LOCAL GARAGE DIAGNOSED THE ABS RELAY WAS NOT PROVIDING POWER TO THE ABS PUMP. THE RELAY WAS REP... Read more
PETITION FOR DEFECT INVESTIGATION OF BENDIX COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SYSTEMS FOR RECALL OF THE EC-17 ANTI-LOCK BRAKE ELECTRONIC CONTROLLER FOR BUSES, TRUCKS, AND TRACTORS(RECALL 00E-041), AND THE DURA- DRAIN M-12 MODULATOR FOR ITS TRAILER ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM. *MR *SCC *JB