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 41,082 complaints for BMW
Incident date: Oct 11, 2023
I have errors popping up on my dashboard. It says “travel assist is currently not available “ or “emergency assist is currently not available “ . This does not happen every time I drive the vehicle but it happens quite frequently. When it happens It flashes and beeps constantly for a couple of minutes or even longer. Sometimes it beeps during the whole 30+ minutes trip. There is no way... Read more
Incident date: Oct 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the contact noticed that the vehicle was hesitant to move and the accelerator pedal was able to be pushed all the way to the floorboard. No warning light was illuminated The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle had been diagnosed by a dealer however, the mechanic was not able... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Oct 18, 2023
My Chevrolet Traverse was purchased in July 2019. At that time, the vehicle had 58667 miles. As I drove the vehicle over the next year and half or so, approaching 80000 miles the vehicle would shudder/shake/jerk as I accelerated and shifted gears. At first it was very random and not predictable. The first two times I had my mechanic try to diagnose the issue, they were not able to feel the car... Read more
Incident date: Jun 15, 2023
While driving in June 2023 I was suddenly unable to turn my steering wheel and I had issues bring the vehicle to a stop. The vehicle warning notice was "abnormal voltage steering power low". Once I was able to stop the vehicle stopped altogether. I towed the vehicle to my Toyota dealership and the description on the repair is Learn Value Reset and R&R CV Valve Lift Con. I am still having this ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 15, 2023
TODAY, I was driving my vehicle when I got multiple warnings including a “electrical failure, ABS failure, start stop failure.” I was on a stretch of road where I could not safely remove myself from traffic and was forced to proceed. Within 5 minutes of receiving the error messages my car shutdown and I was unable to control the car. Horrifying experience. By the grace of god I was able to ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Edge. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle shuddered and lurched significantly. Additionally, the tachometer rose to 2,000 RPMs and started fluctuating. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle operated as intended while accelerating to 40 MPH. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The v... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2023
Three out of four window regulators failed in my vehicle over the span of 3 months. The windows could not go down nor stay up. This became a safety hazard as I was unable to retain cool air in my vehicle during the summer months and driving at higher speeds on the highway was difficult due to the outside air siphoning into the vehicle from a small window opening. It also would have prevented me fr... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2023
Three out of four window regulators failed in my vehicle over the span of 3 months. The windows could not go down nor stay up. This became a safety hazard as I was unable to retain cool air in my vehicle during the summer months and driving at higher speeds on the highway was difficult due to the outside air siphoning into the vehicle from a small window opening. It also would have prevented me fr... Read more
Incident date: Oct 10, 2023
On 10/16/23 I was turning slowly into a parking spot and my car suddenly accelerated without my pressing the accelerator. I slammed on the break and the car stopped. It was frightening because I could have hit someone or something but luckily the car stopped before that happened. I believe that this was a malfunction of the accelerator. This has not been checked or reported to anyone yet but I wil... Read more
BMW
R 1200 GS ADVENTURE
(2017) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Oct 16, 2023
Incident date: Oct 12, 2023
MY PURGE PUMP HAS GONE OUT 3 TIMES. I DO NOT OVERFILL MY TANK. THEY HAVE ALSO STATED IT IS DUE TO NO LID ON THE GAS TANK BUT THIS TRUCK IS DESIGNED WITHOUT A LID FOR THE TANK. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAS NOW GONE BAD PER THE DEALERSHIP. THE TRUCK ONLY HAS 121000 MILES ON IT. I SHOULD NOT BE HAVING THESE KINDS OF PROBLEMS. I WANTED TO REPORT THESE SINCE THE TRUCK IS NOT THAT OLD SO THIS MAY B... Read more
Incident date: Oct 21, 2021
When I hit a bump my ABS warning light and my traction control light come on on the dash. My cruise control stops working. Had it scanned and there is an error code C0020-01-ABS PUMP MOTOR CONTROL - motor pump (open recirculation test). - internal electronic failure. It comes on and off more often when hitting a bump. This is apparently common and should be a recall.
Incident date: Oct 21, 2021
When I hit a bump my ABS warning light and my traction control light come on on the dash. My cruise control stops working. Had it scanned and there is an error code C0020-01-ABS PUMP MOTOR CONTROL - motor pump (open recirculation test). - internal electronic failure. It comes on and off more often when hitting a bump. This is apparently common and should be a recall.
Incident date: Oct 21, 2021
When I am driving with my headlights on auto, every time I use my turn signal (and sometimes spontaneously) my headlights flicker. Sometimes it’s just for a second, but other times it has lasted more than 3 seconds which can be very dangerous while driving at night. It is also dangerous because other drivers may think I’m flashing my brights at them when im not. During this the dash will flick... Read more
Incident date: Oct 10, 2023
Vehicle would suddenly slam on breaks when breaking and stalled changing gears. We have had it looked at and it is in engine failure - the vehicle is only 3 years old.
Incident date: Oct 15, 2023
Drivers door limiter broke away from the door creating an issue opening and closing the door. Also unable to roll the drivers window down very far.
Incident date: Jun 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that on start-up there was a rattling sound coming from under the hood of the vehicle. The check engine warning light intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the timing chain and VCT actuator and solenoid 02 sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Additionally, the contac... Read more
Incident date: Oct 10, 2023
As I was crossing an intersection, a vehicle ran through a red light and hit the front of my vehicle. There was significant damage to the whole front end and my vehicle was shifted to the left due to the impact. My air bags did not deploy. I injured my head and neck by striking the sun visor which cause a laceration and a cervical strain. My vehicle has been maintained well and there was no indica... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Mar 7, 2022
When at the Winnebago factory service center for other recalls and repairs, technicians found that the propane line going from the regulator at the tanks to the cooktop in the kitchen was worn and frayed, having rubbed against the rear tires for more than 15,000 miles. They said it was a safety hazard and had to replace the line and ensure it would no longer rub against the tires.
Incident date: Mar 7, 2022
When at the Winnebago factory service center for other recalls and repairs, technicians found that the propane line going from the regulator at the tanks to the cooktop in the kitchen was worn and frayed, having rubbed against the rear tires for more than 15,000 miles. They said it was a safety hazard and had to replace the line and ensure it would no longer rub against the tires.
Incident date: Mar 7, 2022
My interior door handle cannot unlock the door. As I pull on the interior door handle, the door lock pin would come up partially, but it doesn’t unlock or open the door. I tried multiple pulls, because this car required two pulls to unlock.
Incident date: Oct 10, 2023
The power train may be defective. The auto shut off on the vehicle completely shuts off when you stopped at a red light. The entire vehicle restarts, and then 12 lights appear on the dashboard. The car starts shaking sometimes when it's being driven. The vehicle is currently being looked at, at the dealership. I was told that the diagnostics is reading 19 codes and misfires.
Incident date: Oct 10, 2023
The power train may be defective. The auto shut off on the vehicle completely shuts off when you stopped at a red light. The entire vehicle restarts, and then 12 lights appear on the dashboard. The car starts shaking sometimes when it's being driven. The vehicle is currently being looked at, at the dealership. I was told that the diagnostics is reading 19 codes and misfires.
Incident date: Oct 10, 2023
The Passenger rear tire burst automatically today around 8 AM morning. Unsure if this automatic burst is part of any recall or not but it was a scary burst with big noise with no warnings of low air pressure. A lot of time was wasted today and spent money to fix a new tire.
Incident date: Aug 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop immediately. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V162000 (Service Brakes, Hyd... Read more
Incident date: Aug 20, 2023
While waiting at the stop just now my car made noises to wanting to stop on me luckily I made it home when I parked again it gave me shift to park message
Incident date: Aug 20, 2023
While waiting at the stop just now my car made noises to wanting to stop on me luckily I made it home when I parked again it gave me shift to park message
Incident date: Oct 8, 2023
Backup camera remains on while driving. I am unable to use any other features on the screen.
Incident date: Oct 8, 2023
I bought my car, drove it for 2 whole weeks before the engine started knocking. The oil was dry. It had been serviced and oil changed, no prior problems. Until the oil light came on, it was dry, it had a burning smell inside the oil cap. It couldn't pick up speed, thankfully my kids weren't in the car, even though that is supposed to be a family car of 6, 2 adults and 4 kids. This needs to be addr... Read more
Incident date: Oct 8, 2023
The car starts shaking and the stirring wheel at 40 mph or more. 10 /1/23.
Incident date: Oct 8, 2023
Loss of power and then lower engine rod knock. Engine is a total loss and needs to be replaced.
Incident date: Jun 27, 2023
The horn is not working properly. When pressing the left side horn button the horn does not activate. The right side horn button does work properly.
Incident date: Oct 9, 2023
Oil pump failure. Not available for inspection due to a new engine was installed at a cost of $5,278.74. This incident happened on a very busy road in extremely heavy traffic. Oil pump failure was confirmed by an independent service center. Component has been inspected by independent service center. No warning lights came on before failure.
Incident date: Aug 3, 2021
My front doors on the Tucson when first unlocked will not open from the outside, this is a huge safety issue as if there were a crash or fire where anyone in the front seats were unconscious then help would not be able to get them out quickly, this would endanger not just drivers and passengers but also first responders. This needs to be a Hyundai recall as this is one of thousands of reports on ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 6, 2023
Service Trailer Brake System. This has happened in the past 3 Times, in which the local GMC Dealership has made me pay for New Batteries and other Fuel system issues. Dealership stated that this shows up because of a bad battery.
Incident date: Oct 6, 2023
BATTERY DRAIN ISSUE, 3RD BATTERY IN SINCE PURCHASE
Incident date: Oct 6, 2023
transmission lines popping off popped off at 60 miles per hour tensed me up it stared smoking pushed the safety hazzard lights on and was able to limp it off the highway its happened 3 times after i repaired them afraid to even drive it now.no no no
Incident date: Oct 6, 2023
transmission lines popping off popped off at 60 miles per hour tensed me up it stared smoking pushed the safety hazzard lights on and was able to limp it off the highway its happened 3 times after i repaired them afraid to even drive it now.no no no
Incident date: Mar 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at 10 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal noise and noticed that the vehicle was hesitant to accelerate. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was the catalytic converter and it needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not bee... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2023
My 2023 Honda HRV rear winshield imploded all by itself. I reached out immediately to my Honda dealership and they said there is no recall and they have not heard of any issue from other owners. There was nothing they could do for me. I filed a police report and took a lot of pictures. Please advise.
Incident date: Oct 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2010 Nissan Frontier. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V067000 (Air Bags) 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 manufactur... Read more
Incident date: Oct 5, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH the vehicle began jerking. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 79,000.
Incident date: Oct 1, 2023
This is the 3rd time since i have got my truck that the abs pump module has gone out on it and the brake pedal feels Spongy and brake is junk and the dealership has replaced it the last 2 times and now its one month after the 2 year warranty for the part waiting to see if they will still cover it or not
Incident date: Oct 4, 2023
Infotainment system / center console doesn't work properly. Buttons would be pushed at random, changing stations and flipping thru menus. It deteriorated to the point where it would constantly reset itself, flashing a very bright (and not dimmable) Mazda logo over and over. Mazda insisted on charging for repairs so I have instead simply removed the center console instead. otherwise the bright fla... Read more
Incident date: Oct 4, 2023
The car has coolant intrusion problem that is known to Ford. The check engine light came on. Fortunately, I was not far from home. Upon arriving at home, we discovered that the coolant level was suddenly well below the minimum level. If we hadn't been diligent in checking the coolant, the car could have caught on fire. October 4, 2023 this was confirmed by our local Ford dealership. We hav... Read more
Incident date: Sep 6, 2023
The transmission needs replaced at 88,900 miles on a 2019 Ford Transit Connect. I have reached out to Ford and they will NOT do anything except to tell me I should have it repaired/replaced at a Ford authorized dealer so that the parts are under warranty. I use this compact cargo van for my business and am being for to put unnecessary wear and tear and miles on my personal vehicle for work. The ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V842000 (Visibility) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated was informed by the dealer that the vehicle would not receive the recall repair until the vehicle experienced the failure. The contact was informed by the dealer that the recalled parts were like the def... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2023
BACK OVER PREVENTION: DISPLAY FUNCTION. Rear backup camera failed, requiring the replacement of the radio unit. A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash. Specific to 2020 Ram 1500, but potentially similar to the recent recall of newer year 2022-2024 Ram 1500 / 2500 trucks [XXX] ). INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREE... Read more
Incident date: Aug 22, 2023
Four times while driving, the STOP ENGINE light came on causing the vehicle to slow to 5 MPH--twice while I was on the freeway in busy traffic--very hazardous. Two different error codes showed after the check engine light came on and then after I stopped and restarted the engine a few hours later, the check engine lights turned off. I took it to a Freightliner repair dealer and the accelerator p... Read more
Incident date: Aug 22, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact stated when the vehicle was shifted into reverse(R), the image from the rear-view camera was blurry or blank. The contact stated that the failure had been occurring for over 2 years. The contact stated that he researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V059000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the VIN was not included. The cont... Read more