Consumer Safety Complaints
Search 2,215,138 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA — including 138,663 crashes, 56,255 fires, and 8,561 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 2,215,138 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 40,555 complaints for BMW
Incident date: Jul 2, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to slow the vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed and went all the way to the floorboard; however, the vehicle failed to slow as intended. The contact shifted the vehicle into low gear and coasted to a complete stop. The low brake fluid warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was ta... Read more
Incident date: Jul 5, 2024
After 3 weeks of sitting idle, the car door had trouble to open. We changed the key batteries but didn’t fix the issue. The next day, car door opened without issue and the car was fine to drive. The 3rd day, the car went dead with no response to the key. The 4th day it came back to live again. However, the car went completely stalled during driving. The engine stopped and no lights or electrici... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2024
On June 25, 2024 my 2018 Ford Escape overheated. I had to get it towed. I noticed there was no coolant in the coolant receptacle under the hood. There was also no evidence of a coolant leak anywhere. On June 27, I brought it into a service station where a pressure test was performed and no leak was detected. I then brought it to a Ford dealership and explained the issue. It was then I learned abou... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while their son was driving in a parking garage at approximately 3 - 4 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to turn and the driver had to use excessive force to regain control of the vehicle. The contact stated that there was an abnormal rumbling sound coming from the steering wheel. The air bag warning light was illuminated and othe... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while their son was driving in a parking garage at approximately 3 - 4 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to turn and the driver had to use excessive force to regain control of the vehicle. The contact stated that there was an abnormal rumbling sound coming from the steering wheel. The air bag warning light was illuminated and othe... Read more
Incident date: Jun 8, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that whenever the passenger’s side sliding door was opened by the fob or from inside the vehicle, there was an abnormally loud clicking sound heard. The contact stated that while inspecting the door, the contact became aware that the door had failed to close securely. The contact released the child safety lock on the door enabling t... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2023
When driving and attempting to apply pressure to my brakes, there is no digital response for my wheels stopping/catching. My brakes are not giving a complete response when applying pressure. Also, the tire service monitoring system is not working properly. It only shows dashes. My tire information is as follows: Michelin Premier [XXX] TPCSPEC1467MS MAX LOAD 850 kg (1874 LBS) MAX PRESS300... Read more
Incident date: Jun 18, 2024
My vehicle has the same issues related to a recall where the coolant leaked into a cylinder effecting the engine which now has to be replaced. The problem is that this recall is vin specific which eliminates my vehicle from this recall. It is my opinion that this needs to be reviewed because somewhere along the lines somebody dropped the ball. How can my vehicle not fall under this recall due to... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2024
I was driving the car and suddenly it started showing ‘hybrid malfunction do not drive’ It doesn’t go over 40km/hr. The Hyundai dealership wants me to trade it in. It’s only been 2.5 years that I have this car. Mechanics couldn’t figure out the solution
Incident date: Dec 18, 2023
ABS light and traction control light comes on – says service electrical break system and antilock brake system
Incident date: Jun 27, 2024
The contact owns a 2006 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle hesitated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light and the TPMS warning light were ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 28, 2024
The contact owned a 2013 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the contact's residential driveway, the contact noticed the smoke exiting from the hood area of the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was on fire. The fire department arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire. A fire report was filed. The vehicle remained at the contact's residence. The... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jun 2, 2024
Emergency breaking for no reason. Car shuts down and stalls. Flashing Emission system problem, brake systems problem, brake hold systems problem, Power steering systems problem, vehicle stability assist problem, Hill start assist problem, adaptive cruise control problem, Collision mitigation System problem, Road departure mitigation system, problem. This is continuing to happen after the recall w... Read more
Incident date: Jun 29, 2024
Vehicle reported a Passenger Restraint Failure intermittently and upon getting diagnosed is related to a faulty seat occupancy sensor. If this sensor can fail ~4yrs of ownership with < 30k miles driven and it is critical to passenger restraint, it would seem that this should be fixed by BMW. With quick search, the problem doesn't seem isolated: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM... Read more
Incident date: Jun 29, 2024
Back passenger door will not lock /unlock unless you do it manually..Daytime running lights on drivers side out and you have limited area of light at dusk/dawn.car is available for inspection
Incident date: Jun 29, 2024
Back passenger door will not lock /unlock unless you do it manually..Daytime running lights on drivers side out and you have limited area of light at dusk/dawn.car is available for inspection
Incident date: Jun 27, 2024
The front camera has gone out on the Honda pilot, but inconsistently works. It will turn on while driving and turn off while the adaptive cruise control is on. The vehicle does not have a way to bypass the camera, so then there is consistently lights and alerts on. With not being able to bypass the camera features they will automatically come on or off while driving while the camera is not working... Read more
Incident date: Jun 28, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH and approaching a red traffic light, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact swerved to the left and overtook the vehicle in front of her vehicle, drove off the road, and drove in circles on the grass until the vehicle stopped... Read more
Incident date: May 30, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Acura MDX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted. 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 expe... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2024
215/55-17 Driving a brand new 2024 Toyota Camry with the OEM Bridgestone Tires on a smooth road at normal speed. Tire exploded and went flat. My safety and others were at risk but fortunately I was able to keep control of the car. Bridgestone is unwilling to honor the warranty
Incident date: Oct 15, 2023
Due to CDK Global cyberattack, I cannot complete my safety recall of my Hyundai Elantra 2015 (ABS Fuse that can cause engine to explode, according to Hyundai safety recall report). Hyundai does not allow dealerships to keep safety recall parts on hand (or a very small amount). I have to walk into the dealership to order the part. I cannot call to order the part. I have to constantly drive to p... Read more
Incident date: Apr 2, 2024
Blind spot warning randomly works. Passenger seatbelt phantom seatbelt warning while driving alone!
Incident date: Apr 2, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the exhaust manifolds were leaking due to fractured exhaust bolts. The dealer replaced the two exhaust manifold gaskets and bolts. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 2, 2024
P2682 Engine overheating and engine gauge flashing red due to a recall related to the engine coolant bypass valve. The vehicle stopped and required a tow for $417 to the nearest Subaru dealership to repair. After towing to the dealership they charged 31% of parts to labor and would not eliminate or discount the invoice.
Incident date: Jun 20, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the front driver’s and passenger’s side doors failed to open when needed. The contact stated that several attempts were needed while using the key fob to unlock the door. Additionally, the contact stated that vehicle was not equipped with automatic lock/unlock feature and could only be locked/unlocked using the key fob. The contact st... Read more
Incident date: Jun 21, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, the engine would shut off or idle roughly immediately after starting up. There were several unknown warning lights illuminated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed; the contact was later referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. Upon investigation, the contact related the fa... Read more
Incident date: Jun 21, 2024
My truck has an issue with reading how much gas is in the truck. When I fill it up it goes to full but after about 40 miles it shows empty and the check engine light comes on. The vehicle has about 66500 miles on it. Talked to the dealer and was told it is a common problem with this vehicle.
Incident date: Jun 25, 2024
These two failure types for 4 incidents may involve 3 components or 1 or 2 of the ADAS; Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Emergency Braking (Certainly,) and Forward Collision Warning: The first incident was at town speed when a vehicle to the immediate front right slowed to depart the turn land into a driveway, and my vehicle slowed abruptly, although the other was not in my path. A subsequent ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 25, 2024
These two failure types for 4 incidents may involve 3 components or 1 or 2 of the ADAS; Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Emergency Braking (Certainly,) and Forward Collision Warning: The first incident was at town speed when a vehicle to the immediate front right slowed to depart the turn land into a driveway, and my vehicle slowed abruptly, although the other was not in my path. A subsequent ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission made an abnormal sound. Additionally, the vehicle jerked and hesitated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repair... Read more
Incident date: Jun 26, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving and attempting to make a right turn, the vehicle lost motive power and the steering wheel became very firm and the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The contact almost rear-ended the vehicle in front. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or lo... Read more
Incident date: Jun 26, 2024
Vehicle stalled and was unable to get out of roadway due to failed fuel pump module.
Incident date: Jun 5, 2024
The dashboard showed an error message regarding the power steering. I took it to my mechanic and they put it on the computer to scan. It came back with 2 error codes. The first one was DTC C0569 46. The second one was DTC C0460 00/4B. I was told the dealership would have to address the issue. They told me these codes were not covered by the recalled part they replaced. The car has approximately 81... Read more
Incident date: Jun 25, 2024
1. Vehicle has oil leaking out of valve covers so bad it starts smoking from under the hood. 2. Transmission will stick into low gear and I have to put the vehicle into neutral to get it to start shifting correctly again. Vehicle will also pulsate speed with transmission growling. 3. Turbo chargers not operating correctly causing Vehicle to buck and hesitate under acceleration.
Incident date: Jun 24, 2024
First, the car was brought in 6/2/24 to take care of the open recall. I am still receiving notices but the dealership assured me the recall dealing with the battery was addressed. I came to a stop at a red light and the car shut down (all screens black). I attempted to restart. Car would not start but the radio, wipers, and screens flashing warnings intermittently came on. Could not turn on haza... Read more
Incident date: Jun 24, 2024
This vehicle is owned by the City of Fort Lauderdale Police Department. We are submitting complaints for multiple Tahoe's that have stopped during operation causing extreme danger to our staff and other drivers in the city. The cause is always bad fuel pumps and our units have had to have the pumps replaced in some cases multiple times. 7-30-23 Stalled & Died twice replaced Fuel Pump 3-08-24... Read more
Incident date: Jun 23, 2024
At a low speed coming to a stop sign on an uneven paved road the steering wheel shook and the brake pedal pulsed. I was unable to stop the vehicle in a timely manner. The outside conditions were normal and the pavement was dry. Luckily there was not a vehicle or pedestrian in front of me or I likely would have ran into them. It scared me and my daughter that was in the car with me.
Incident date: Dec 10, 2023
On [XXX] i was traveling on [XXX] coming home from Nashville, TN the cruise control was set at approx 75mph, my truck was in 10th gear. I suddenly heard a loud clunk , looked at the instrument cluster and the gear indicator showed i was in 3rd gear, I promptly pulled over and stopped to inspect for any type of damage. There was none so i proceeded to a nearby exit and gas station, put the truck i... Read more
Incident date: Jun 24, 2024
Transmission/transfer case has a known bearing/internal fault that makes a whining sound between 20-40 mph, vehicle has only 56,000 miles. Based on other owner experiences the transmission must be replaced at an estimated cost of 10,000-13,000 dollars.
Incident date: Jun 24, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the engine temperature gauge raised and indicated that the engine was HOT. The message "Overheating - Pull Over Immediately" was displayed temporarily. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that there was a coolant leak present in cylinder #2. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufact... Read more
Incident date: Jun 24, 2024
Purchased Vehicle brand new- Beck & Masten Buick GM - Houston, TX [XXX] Performed rout maint regularly. Last oil change 1-5-2024 before catastrophic failure and complete engine seizure. Towed to Wiesner GMC [XXX] 1-12-2024: Mileage on car roughly 99K- had no issues no check engine light, no mechanical failure or indication that anything was running other than normal. No Start on [XXX] PM afte... Read more
Incident date: Jun 23, 2024
Car catch on fire and explode it with 2 ocupantes inside
Fire
Incident date: Jun 23, 2024
The frame has broke on this camper, Keystone knows it has an issue with the welding not being correct, they sent out a TSB for this because of the large number of incidences. This then causes many other items to break when frame is broke, including slide outs, roofs and doors and interior walls. Rain gets into doors and mold develops too. ****Also the fuse box for the camper is located behind a s... Read more
Incident date: Jun 23, 2024
The frame has broke on this camper, Keystone knows it has an issue with the welding not being correct, they sent out a TSB for this because of the large number of incidences. This then causes many other items to break when frame is broke, including slide outs, roofs and doors and interior walls. Rain gets into doors and mold develops too. ****Also the fuse box for the camper is located behind a s... Read more
Incident date: Dec 7, 2023
The contact owns a 1993 Ford F-150. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 00V424000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) and 05V017000 (Vehicle Speed Control); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that while inspecting the fuel tanks, he noticed that fuel had transferred from one tank to the other, nearly causing the tank... Read more
Incident date: May 11, 2024
My car has two warning lights on my dashboard. First one is Check Foward Safety system. Second one is Check Smart Cruise Control System. Both of them turned on when I was driving in the middle of a highway. These warning lights activated out of the blue, without any unusual circumstances.I cannot use my smart cruise control system and the car is not able to alert me about forward collision. This i... Read more
Incident date: Jun 15, 2024
My oil cooler has failed and it caused oil to mix with my coolant and also causing a bad coolant leak. It over heats to car and my warranty will not cover ANYTHING! This is a major problem with diesel jeeps and the oil cooler needs to be recalled also. It can catch on fire and is a real safety hazard. I’ve tried multiple times to fix the oil cooler and leak. Jeep will not fix my recall at all. A... Read more
Incident date: Feb 6, 2024
Ford dealership performed EEC test and ran OASIS- identified TSB 22-2229 and verified that my 2017 Escape SE 2.0L (purchased in July 2020) met criteria for inspection on 02/27/2024. The vehicle had been experiencing an intermittent engine light, coolant loss x 3-4 months, rough start up, and white exhaust. An OBD code of P0302 was noted one week prior to the dealership appointment and was verifie... Read more
Incident date: Feb 21, 2024
The horn is a small button on the steering wheel vs a large horn in the middle of the steering wheel. In an emergency situation the horn requires thought to press. Time is not something you have in an emergency.
Incident date: Feb 21, 2024
*This car was parked in the driveway 2 days without being driven before the following incident* ALSO- there are recalls for this make and model. Honda always said that the recalls do not include my car. Recalls should be expanded to include mine since the car is un drivable at the Honda service center. WHAT HAPPENED: Alarm went off on car in driveway. Horn constantly going off. Smoke came out arou... Read more