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: Feb 24, 2026
My sunroof shattered. No other vehicles were near me and after hearing a very loud bang, I pulled over to check to see of something hit my car. All looked fine, but I did not look at the top of my car until about a week later due to hearing wind sounds. I then assumed something must have fell out of the sky. Dealership said that they do not fix sunroofs in-house and towed it to a body shop nea... Read more
Incident date: Feb 18, 2026
The contact owns a 2012 Dodge Challenger. The contact stated that when shifting the vehicle to reverse(R) or to neutral(N), the vehicle would only move forward. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to two independent mechanics and was advised that there were known issues associated with the transmission valve body. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufactur... Read more
Incident date: Dec 31, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V455000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked abnormally. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 31, 2025
The security system, alarm system and key fob have all been tampered with.
Incident date: Feb 11, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, another vehicle driving at an unknown speed crashed into the rear passenger's side of the vehicle, causing the front driver's side of the vehicle to hit a wooden post, and the vehicle came to a stop. The wooden post was bent. The air bags failed to deploy. There was no warning light illuminated after the cras... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Feb 11, 2026
The car in front of me did not put brakes on or slow down and hit a car that was slowed to a stop in front of her. I was behind her and hit by brakes and tried to avoid the collision. My brake assist did not work; my car did not alert me and did not try to help me stop. I was told when i bought the car that it did indeed have these safety features which failed me. I was not sited in the accident e... Read more
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Feb 22, 2026
When i am going down it's charging when the charge reaches 6 from 8 the engine starts working and stop changing at that point and the power continues comes from engine only without the hybrid battery and there are no codes
Incident date: Dec 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 BMW X5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed on the highway, the vehicle shut off. The vehicle was pulled off to the side of the road, but failed to restart after several attempts. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with starter failure. The dealer referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V761000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however,... Read more
Incident date: Dec 16, 2025
vehicle will not charge properly due to ICCU failure, causing it to not charge the 12v battery which could have caused it to run out of battery at any moment causing the car to stop operating while driving which could have caused an accident, particularly because I do mostly highway driving. The dealership has confirmed the ICCU failure. While it supposedly got the previous recall fixes, that did ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 16, 2025
The component that failed appears to be the hybrid propulsion and charging system, including the high-voltage battery management system and/or integrated charging electronics. The vehicle will not accept a charge from any home or public charging source. The high-voltage battery was replaced approximately one year ago; however, the charging failure persists. The vehicle is available for inspection ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 16, 2025
The component that failed appears to be the hybrid propulsion and charging system, including the high-voltage battery management system and/or integrated charging electronics. The vehicle will not accept a charge from any home or public charging source. The high-voltage battery was replaced approximately one year ago; however, the charging failure persists. The vehicle is available for inspection ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2026
When driving vehicle shuts off for no reason. Then I have to put my four-way on and turn my vehicle back on. It has already happened four times, and no one seems to know what the problem is or what is causing the issue.
Incident date: Jan 14, 2026
NHTSA Safety Complaint – Narrative VIN: [XXX] | Vehicle: 2026 BMW X3 | Purchase Date: December 2025 | Mileage at First Failure: 360 miles | Incident Date: January 14, 2026 | Crash: No | Injuries: No | Vehicle Moving: Yes I am filing this complaint regarding a serious, recurring defect in my 2026 BMW X3, purchased new in December 2025 in California. Defect: While driving at highway and surface s... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2026
NHTSA Safety Complaint – Narrative VIN: [XXX] | Vehicle: 2026 BMW X3 | Purchase Date: December 2025 | Mileage at First Failure: 360 miles | Incident Date: January 14, 2026 | Crash: No | Injuries: No | Vehicle Moving: Yes I am filing this complaint regarding a serious, recurring defect in my 2026 BMW X3, purchased new in December 2025 in California. Defect: While driving at highway and surface s... Read more
Incident date: Jan 10, 2026
After taking in to dealer for recall diagnostics and higher viscosity oil change a couple months later. Heard a noise while driving on interstate, lost cruise control, stability system, engine light came on with a ECS. Kept driving on the interstate until we got to a red light and the engine died. Cranked starter but hard to start and ran rough and died multiple times. Feathered throttle to ge... Read more
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
It gets hot fast when idle Radiator leaks , leaks coolant burns oil
Incident date: Feb 19, 2026
Front windshield cracked all along the bottom after having the defrost on
Incident date: Feb 19, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Ram Promaster 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V720000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact was concerned about a potential fire. The local dealer was not notified. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available for the recall repair. The contact had not experie... Read more
Incident date: Feb 19, 2026
The seal on the sunroof of the car allows water into the car. My car will be available for inspection upon request. This issue allows water into the car around the b pillar airbag and the side window airbag which can damage the airbag and make it deploy without any accidents or make them not deploy in the case of a accident. BMW has an internal document in which acknowledging the issue with the se... Read more
Incident date: Feb 19, 2026
The seal on the sunroof of the car allows water into the car. My car will be available for inspection upon request. This issue allows water into the car around the b pillar airbag and the side window airbag which can damage the airbag and make it deploy without any accidents or make them not deploy in the case of a accident. BMW has an internal document in which acknowledging the issue with the se... Read more
Incident date: Jul 9, 2025
This is a 2019 Ford Edge in great condition. I just purchased the vehicle with roughly 90000 miles on it. After roughly 2 weeks of driving, I noticed the vehicle struggles to get up to speed, and the gears shift roughly, especially after a cold start. Additionally, while driving, the gears would struggle to downshift, staying at a higher RPM than it should, such as being stuck at 4000 RPM while dr... Read more
Incident date: Jan 23, 2026
We were notified by Toyota that it was unsafe to transport our children in the second row seats in October 2025 and the vehicle was under a recall. This puts our children at risk. A letter from NHTSA stated Toyota would have a remedy by 12/6. The manufacturer (Toyota) confirmed this recall. Given that Toyota has not indicated a solution date for this and the problem was discovered in October 2025 ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 23, 2026
We were picking up my wife’s 2022 BMW 228xi after having tinting applied to windows. As I was in the office paying for the work, my wife put her purse in the car and sat in the driver’s seat. She noticed the seat was too low and that her booster pad had been moved to the passenger seat. She had not touched any of the car's controls and was starting to turn to exit the car so she could place... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Jan 23, 2026
We were picking up my wife’s 2022 BMW 228xi after having tinting applied to windows. As I was in the office paying for the work, my wife put her purse in the car and sat in the driver’s seat. She noticed the seat was too low and that her booster pad had been moved to the passenger seat. She had not touched any of the car's controls and was starting to turn to exit the car so she could place... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Feb 9, 2026
The vehicle previously received a manufacturer dash wiring recall repair. After the recall repair was completed, the vehicle began experiencing intermittent and cascading electrical and communication failures across multiple integrated systems. Affected systems include Apple CarPlay, the DVD system, in-vehicle camera systems, CabinWatch, and repeated “MOST network unavailable” error messages.... Read more
Incident date: Sep 23, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Juke. The contact stated that while at a red light, the vehicle slowly accelerated to 60 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed back to the residence. An independent mechanic arrived at the residence to diagnose the vehicle. The contact was not notified of the cause of the failure. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure per... Read more
Incident date: Feb 2, 2026
Steering damper has failed with 45,000 miles on vehilce and causing a dangerous shake on the highway affectionately konw as the "death wobble" among jeep owners. This was recalled in eariler models of my vehicle (2018-2021 4XE) but is occruing the same in my 20234XE. This part should have not worn out already and is causing a dangerous situation.
Incident date: Feb 2, 2026
The contact owns a 2014 BMW X1. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that after shifting to park(P), there was white smoke coming from under the hood, with a burning plastic odor. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated th... Read more
Incident date: Jan 3, 2026
I was driving home from work in rush hour so traffic was pretty heavy and all of the sudden my gas pedal would not accelerate my car at all. I was cruising at 8-10 MPH as it was stop and go traffic. About 10 seconds later my break pedal stiffens and I am unable to break. Neither the gas or break pedal were functioning. It is a miracle that no accident was caused. I turned on my hazards lights but... Read more
Incident date: Feb 19, 2025
The contact owned a 2019 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50-52 MPH, there smoke coming from the front passenger’s side wheel well of the vehicle. The contact stated that an off-duty Police Officer witnessed the failure and activated the Emergency Lights, allowing the contact to safely pull off the highway The contact immediately pulled over and stopped the vehicle... Read more
Fire
3 injured
Incident date: Feb 13, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Prius Hybrid equipped with Bridgestone Tires, Tire Line: Ecopia EP422, Tire Size: 195/60/R17, DOT Number: Y9CDCJTX. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in for routine maintenance, during the tire rotation, the mechanic discovered that one of the front tires had developed a bubble on the sidewall. The contact was advised that the tire was unsafe to use and r... Read more
Incident date: Nov 10, 2025
UNKNOWN After diagnosis at the GMC dealership they stated that it is same issue as released in the following: Special Coverage Adjustments: N212356540 Front Exhaust Pipe N222385510 Special Coverage Front Exhaust Pipe However they CURRENTLY do not cover our GMC Acadia Model year 2022
Incident date: Nov 10, 2025
See attached document for complaint.
Incident date: Dec 13, 2025
Vehicle: 2025 Honda CRV HYBRID SPORTS TOURING VIN: [XXX] The vehicle is subject to an active recall involving the high-pressure fuel pump, which may leak fuel and create a fire hazard. Dispute prior dealer inspections, the during cold starts, abnormal ticking/ knocking noise from the high-pressure fuel pump area. The recall repair was not completed, and the defect remain unresolved. I'm conc... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
I was driving down S. South Danville Rd. in Abilene, Texas, and it was raining and all of a sudden my steering wheel just jerks to the right and then my steering is now real hard to turn real hard to steer, and I almost crashed into another vehicle which would’ve not only hurt me but my daughter so I need to figure out what we need to do about this all of this happen without any type of warning
Incident date: Dec 20, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. There were several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted, but the failure recurred days later. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V8580... Read more
Incident date: Feb 17, 2026
I am filing a safety complaint regarding my 2020 Ford Expedition, which is currently subject to Recall (24E13) related to the Powertrain Control Module (PCM)> Despite multiple repair attempts, the vehicle continues to experience dangerous transmission and drivability issues. While driving , the vehicle: Loses gears unexpectedly Engine RPMs rev excessively high before the transmission finally e... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. While the contact's wife was parking the vehicle, the gear shifter was shifted to park(P), and the engine revved very high. No warning lights were illuminated. The failure had occurred three times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated, but the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that while driving at an undis... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2025
Vehicle: 2018 BMW X5 xDrive40e Recall: NHTSA Safety Recall 24V-608 Complaint Description: My 2018 BMW X5 xDrive40e experienced a sudden Electric Motor Electronics (EME) failure that rendered the vehicle inoperable. This occurred before the recall remedy for NHTSA Safety Recall 24V-608 was completed. It is available for inspection upon request. Recall 24V-608 addresses fluid intrusion into ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2025
Vehicle: 2018 BMW X5 xDrive40e Recall: NHTSA Safety Recall 24V-608 Complaint Description: My 2018 BMW X5 xDrive40e experienced a sudden Electric Motor Electronics (EME) failure that rendered the vehicle inoperable. This occurred before the recall remedy for NHTSA Safety Recall 24V-608 was completed. It is available for inspection upon request. Recall 24V-608 addresses fluid intrusion into ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 6, 2026
All of the audio warnings in the car suddenly stop working without any associated warning. On certain occasions (once every couple of months, unpredictably) the car's audio completely stops working. This includes any of the safety warnings such as the parking collision or rear cross traffic warnings. The audio starts working again after resetting the infotainment system by holding down the "Home... Read more
Incident date: Feb 6, 2026
The car died without warning on highway. Lost control because of no power. Car was towed. no codes found. Car died again on highway, lost control no power to brakes and steering. Car was hit trying to got off into breakdown lane. High pressure fuel pump no good.
Crash
Incident date: Feb 17, 2026
I started the truck including the rear and front window defroster. After about 5 minutes, I heard a loud "pop." I looked around the vehicle and noticed that back window was broken.
Incident date: Feb 13, 2026
There has been safety recall for six months with no updates or fix. The fix is simple but they are not implementing it. It is causing issues for me.
Incident date: Dec 20, 2025
On 01/30/26, I delivered my vehicle to an authorized Jeep dealership for the third time in connection with Safety Recall 68C involving the hybrid battery system. The recall addresses a battery defect that carries risk of fire. This is the third occasion on which I have had to leave my vehicle with the dealership because the recall repair has not been successfully completed. During the most recent ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 31, 2025
The engine began sputtering and then shut off. I had it towed in to a third party mechanic we frequently use, and they confirmed that the engine had seized, and they could not ascertain the cause. It didn't seem to have anything to do with low oil. I wondered if it was an issue with the fuel pumps failing again, because they recently failed and we had to have them replaced. I checked our VIN numbe... Read more
Incident date: Aug 31, 2025
1. The primary failure occurred within the electrical system and engine compartment wiring. According to the official forensic report (Ref No: XXX by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, the fire originated in the engine compartment due to an electrotechnical fault (short circuit). 2. The vehicle spontaneously exploded and caught fire while parked in a closed, underground parking facili... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Aug 31, 2025
1. The primary failure occurred within the electrical system and engine compartment wiring. According to the official forensic report (Ref No: XXX by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, the fire originated in the engine compartment due to an electrotechnical fault (short circuit). 2. The vehicle spontaneously exploded and caught fire while parked in a closed, underground parking facili... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Feb 16, 2026
The passenger side of my 2018 Rogue door lock actuator failed last year. I am unable to enter through my front passenger door. Earlier this year (2026) the driver side door lock actuator also failed, often leaving me locked out from both sides. I have to leave the door unlocked to ensure I can get into/out of my car.
Incident date: Feb 15, 2026
Transmission Clutch Shudder -transmission Clutch . I took my vehicle in before it would have severe issues to the Ashland Ohio Ford dealer and they told me that there was nothing wrong with my vehicle. And now my vehicle is not drivable due to this recall parked. Please help me it would be a blessing!