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: Sep 30, 2023
Having consistent issues with safety features and infotainment system that locks up with errors. Since new my VW Gti has been experiencing drivers' assistants' issues. At times the backup camera does not work. At times the the whole infotainment system will have various different errors that prevent any of the safety features to be turned on. The errors don't easily go away unless turning off the... Read more
Incident date: Oct 2, 2023
DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT A SPEED OF 65MPH AND MY CAR JUST BEGAN TO IDLE AND SLOWED DOWN TO REDUCING SPEED QUICKLY. I COULD NOT GIVE IT ENOUGH ACCELERATION TO PICK UP SPEED. I PULLED OVER TO SHUT MY ENGINE CAR OFF. TURNED CAR BACK ON AND MY RPMS TO SHIFT TO 2ND GEAR WERE LOW. I HAD TO SHIFT MY GEARS QUICKLY TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE. SINCE THEN, MY ENGINE LIGHT IS BLINKING AND I CANNOT GO FASTER THAN ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2023
1) I believe there is a problem with my transmission shifting gears. I am willing to have it inspected. 2) There is a sudden and violent shift that happens when shifting between 3rd - 5th gear I believe but it's random, only a couple of times a month. I have had people with me and they thought I hit a deep pothole or hit something with my car like a small animal. 3)The issue has not been reprodu... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2023
When driving using adaptive cruise control, it breaks for no reason slamming the car into a stop. Also, with adaptive cruise control regardless of the set speed limit it speeds up to whatever it once, which is a huge safety factor.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2023
When driving using adaptive cruise control, it breaks for no reason slamming the car into a stop. Also, with adaptive cruise control regardless of the set speed limit it speeds up to whatever it once, which is a huge safety factor.
Incident date: Sep 28, 2023
The unsettling incident took place on on Sep 30, 2023 when I returned home and was about to park my prized possession, a sleek HRV Sport, within the safe confines of my garage. As the hum of the engine lulled to a gentle stop, I was ready to ease the car into its resting place when an unexpected and startling sound pierced the air, resembling a gunshot. My eyes darted to the rearview mirror, reve... Read more
Incident date: Jul 21, 2023
While driving my 2023 Kia Forte GT My Driver Side door came unlatched. The door was locked and fully closed when this happened while turning from the 2nd Street bridge to E Main Street in Louisville, KY which is a busy road at times. I was going about 10-15mph at about 11:15ish, temp was around 70 degrees F when this happened and the car started to set off the warnings. I don't know what caused th... Read more
Incident date: Sep 24, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking, and there was white smoke coming from the exhaust tip. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle the following day, she noticed an abnormal odor. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge relayed that the engine was overhea... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2019
Car went in for recall on start/stop issue a few months ago. Recently wife parked the car and turned it off. Several minutes later went to turn it on again and it was dead. Engine would not start and electronics did not work. Could not even put car in neutral to have towed. Had to get new aux. battery and unhook neutral on main battery just to get into neutral to be able to tow. Dealership in Mt. ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 13, 2023
Unknown , it has been taken in for diagnostic testing and each time they stated they weren’t able to find anything wrong with the automobile.
Incident date: Sep 13, 2023
I'm deeply concerned about the safety issues with our 2017 Mazda CX-5's infotainment system, VIN [XXX] . This info system is a risk, especially when driving with our child. I believe that a recall for the info system should extend to our vehicle, as it poses a safety risk for all customers. This issue came to my attention when my husband was in Traverse City, MI, during the pandemic 2019-2020, no ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 13, 2023
I have had my car to the dealership 3 times and scheduled for a4th time for this same issue. It is intermittent which I realize makes it hard to diagnose however the dealership kept it overnight in 2nd visit to try to reproduce it and they did. When driving, the car will randomly start beeping and errors cycle thru in the dash. It tells me that my braking system needs to be checked then lighting ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 22, 2017
The gas tank leaked gas due to corrosion on the top of the tank at the fuel pump. Strong smell of gas fumes evident and puddling of gas under the car after being driven. The problems was diagnosed at McGrath City Mazda in Chicago and also by my local garage JDH Auto repair in Prairie du Sac, WI. The fuel tank was replaced, along with the evaporation cannister. Until their was actual leaking of ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 26, 2023
On July 28th, my touch screen (head unit) in my Subaru Outback suddenly delaminated overnight. From that point foward, all systems connected to the head unit have been either unusable or intermittent--often dangerously so. My backup camera and blind spot indicators are randomly unusable; the GPS system turns itself on and off in use (and half the time, screen itself cycles through "ghost touches"... Read more
Incident date: Sep 26, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that on numerous occasions after he opened and closed the trunk of the vehicle or while shifted into reverse, the rear-view camera image intermittently became distorted or blank. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V487000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. A... Read more
Incident date: Sep 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Buick Enclave. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the message "Service Air Bag" was displayed. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amo... Read more
Incident date: Aug 8, 2023
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35-40 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that cylinder #4 had failed causing the engine to seize. The engine was replaced with a used engine. The engine was replaced at approximately 109,000 miles. The contact stated that while driving... Read more
Incident date: Aug 8, 2023
The contact owns a 2011 Honda CR-Z. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who repaired the front axle. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V256000 (Power Train) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1... Read more
Incident date: Sep 27, 2023
My vehicle stalls a lot when driving. At first i thought it was an issue with the tire alignment but i was told by a mechanic that i had good alignment. My car stalls and shakes a lot while speeding up in the highway. I honestly feel unsafe at this point because its gotten worse in a short amount of time. My seatbelts are lose and useless. I love my car but i may change it for a safer option. It i... Read more
Incident date: Aug 24, 2023
When I make a left turn from a stop and accelerate, there is a popping/hollow tocking sound, usually three pops in succession. I don't know what this noise is or what could be broken on the vehicle. No warming lamps. Unfortunately, the dealership can't look at my car until November 24th. Many other 2024 crosstrek owners on reddit and facebook are reporting this problem.
Incident date: Aug 24, 2023
U connect touch screen delaminating screen. Causes several distractions while driving. Moreover, It controls heating and defrost system which controls and severely impacts driver visibility in certain driving conditions. Especially during rain, snow very hot and cold weather conditions. It’s a fact that we can’t control the elements. As well the backup camera is affected by disabling backup ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 26, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power and failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that coolant intrusion had caused a failure with the short block, requiring an engine replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigat... Read more
Incident date: Sep 24, 2023
Back camera failure and shows image with color mixed. This creates an unsafe environment and its hard to recognize anything with this issue. This makes it unsafe for the driver who is backing up and to the people behind the car. Honda will not address it saying its not related to the cable recall NHTSA Recall #: 23V-431. I believe this cable issue actually fails the camera as well and Honda should... Read more
Incident date: Sep 25, 2023
Over the past year, the car has had 4 crank position sensors, new pig tails/connectors on the wire harness, a new throttle body, and a new MCM. The Jeep will randomly shut off without warning either at stoplights/traffic or on the highway at speed. While at speed, the car will "restart" itself, but if it stalls while stagnant a manual restart is necessary. When the stalling occurs, warning lights ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 25, 2023
Over the past year, the car has had 4 crank position sensors, new pig tails/connectors on the wire harness, a new throttle body, and a new MCM. The Jeep will randomly shut off without warning either at stoplights/traffic or on the highway at speed. While at speed, the car will "restart" itself, but if it stalls while stagnant a manual restart is necessary. When the stalling occurs, warning lights ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 23, 2023
When I was driving all a sudden it started having a weird chugging feeling. I was going 40 MPH. Then when I got to a stop sign, my vehicle completely shut off. I have to hit the button to turn back on as it was not the Auto Start and stop feature. I made it home and as I pulled into my driveway it shut off again. When I start it, just it warming up it shuts off. When I come to a stop sign or traf... Read more
Incident date: Sep 25, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 22V406000 (Fuel System, Diesel) and 23V411000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The contact stated that the check engine warning lig... Read more
Incident date: Sep 25, 2023
After changing my oil, engine started knocking and now car has faulty engine that is very expensive to replace.
Incident date: Sep 25, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Ram1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V406000 (Fuel System, Diesel) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. An undisclosed dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that on numerous occasions while driving approximately 65-70 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact was a... Read more
Incident date: Sep 22, 2023
The car was sitting in the driveway and caught fire around 11:29am. The car had not been driven or moved from the driveway for at least 2 days, and is up to date on all maintenance. The fire inspectors hypothesize the fire began from the battery and spread. After Googling, I have learned that Toyota Rav 4s from 2013 to 2018 had a large recall; 1.8 million vehicles taken because of the battery catc... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Sep 11, 2023
While driving on the highway between Nenana and Fairbanks, AK, on August 9, 2023, I attempted to pass a slow moving RV towing a trailer. While in the passing lane, I accelerated and my vehicle suddenly loss power. I was forced to swerve out of the passing lane to avoid a collision with with oncoming traffic and the vehicle being passed. After that event, the vehicle would not exceed 3000rpms or 35... Read more
Incident date: Sep 23, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that after he parked and turned off the vehicle, he pressed the button to the electronic parking brake, but the parking brake failed to engage. A message was displayed on the instrument panel to “Take the vehicle to the dealer”. A dealer was notified of the failure and an appointment was scheduled. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired... Read more
Incident date: Jun 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle lost engine power, reducing the speed to approximately 15 MPH. The oil pressure warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the oil pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,... Read more
Incident date: Jun 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Buick Enclave. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experien... Read more
Incident date: Sep 21, 2023
In August 2022, I started my car and all indicators on the dash were lit. I took the car to the Honda dealership and they explained it was an oil dilution issue which was covered by Honda's extended warranty. Three weeks later after the repair, I started my car and all indicators on the dash were lit again. I took it back to the dealership and they diagnosed a problem with the fuel injectors. The ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2023
Antilock brake and traction control stop working randomly. Alarms pop up on Dash board. Seems to happen more when it is humid out. With these safety devices not working the truck is not safe to drive and since the problem is random dealer can not find the cause.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2023
Frame rusted so badly the the brackets attached to it are coming off
Incident date: Sep 1, 2023
It has been 6 months since NHTSA 23V215 recall notice was issued and VW has not issued a fix. That is too long, since someone sitting in the passenger seat is at increased risk for injury.
Incident date: Sep 19, 2023
I own a 2016 Ford Edge Titanium eco-boost. Needless to say I paid a pretty penny for it. I have had it to the Ford Dealer 3 times for recalls. There is only 68,500 miles on it. Took it in to a quick lube to get an oil change they checked the transmission fluid and said it was black and needed to be changed. (no extended warranty, it was way to expensive). I called my local mechanic to make s... Read more
Incident date: Sep 22, 2023
The vehicles panoramic sunroof does not close fully. There is a recall for certain Mercedes-Benz 2015 - 2020 C300 vehicles, my car is a 2017 C300, but for some reason my vehicle is not part of the recall. The recall number is 21V197000.
Incident date: Sep 22, 2023
Seem to be experiencing sticky steering while vehicle is in motion. The problem really becomes noticeable at about 35 mph. Steering wheel wants to stick in place when making minor adjustments in steering.
Incident date: Jun 6, 2023
Wheels are significantly misaligned causing tire wear and vibration while driving. Rear struts need to be replaced and are not functioning properly. Rear control arm needs to be replaced with adjustable control arm to achieve proper alignment. Wheel alignment is more that 2 degrees off with normal vehicle usage.
Incident date: Feb 19, 2023
On 5/10/2023, at around 2 PM, when trying to start my truck after turning off in parking for about 2 hours. The truck won't be able to start with the "Stop Safely Now" warning. Tried all sorts of methods, jumping cable, jump pack, etc, it won't start. After calling Ford Road Side Assisstant, the mechenic was able to jump start it. On 5/24/2023, the truck won't start with the "Stop Safely Now" w... Read more
Incident date: Sep 5, 2023
The vehicle engine stalled while driving in motion at approximately 65 miles per hour, and occasionally would stall without warning while waiting at a traffic light stop. The vehicle occasionally would not allow for the key to turn its ignition and would remain locked unpredictably and would require extended amounts of time to lock/unlock via security key fob repeatedly to allow for the key to tur... Read more
Incident date: Sep 17, 2023
For the 2nd time, the latches that secure the soft top have failed to keep the soft top secured to the vehicle. Once in 2020 and now in 2023. MPH in 2023 was 65 and with 21000 miles on it.
Incident date: Sep 17, 2023
Back Over Prevention ( backup camera), started acting up in Feb 2023, shows black screen, flips image, does not come on, (radio is displayed) when it does come on its granny and has black vertical lines, warning beeps stop working when this happens or don't sound off untill your on top of the person or object behing you. Contacted 2 Ford dealerships and they tell me other Escapes are on recall... Read more
Incident date: Sep 17, 2023
Back Over Prevention ( backup camera), started acting up in Feb 2023, shows black screen, flips image, does not come on, (radio is displayed) when it does come on its granny and has black vertical lines, warning beeps stop working when this happens or don't sound off untill your on top of the person or object behing you. Contacted 2 Ford dealerships and they tell me other Escapes are on recall... Read more
Incident date: Sep 17, 2023
This GMC Yukon underwent an over the air update in remote Wyoming and was almost undriveable due to steering problems and brake malfunction. Also engine and transmission problems. It has been awaiting repair, but I have been informed that no fix is available because of transmission defect. No parts available We were nearly stranded.
Incident date: Sep 17, 2023
Both the right and left constant velocity axels are making noise. The dealer tells us it is under warranty and will be repaired. However, there are no repair parts available and on national back order. The dealer parts department indicates that there have been problems with the 2019 Highlander cv axels, and all replacement parts have been used. My question is how many highlanders have bad cv axel... Read more
Incident date: Sep 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Edge. The contact stated while driving 4 5MPH, the brake pedal was squishy. The brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard but failed to stop the vehicle in a reasonable amount of time. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic. The contact was informed that the brake booster had failed and needed to be replaced. The ... Read more