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: Oct 27, 2022
My car randomly started throwing an error for a failure with the passenger restraint system. From what I have read it has something to do with the OC3 Mat in the seat that detects if there is an occupant, and if the weight of the occupant is considered to be that of an adult, so the airbag does not deploy in the wrong circumstances, which is potentially dangerous to anyone that may ride in the pas... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2017
2009 BMW R1200RT MOTORCYCLE REAR BEARING FAILURE THAT LED TO A FINAL DRIVE FAILURE. At highway speed, heard clicking noise from rear of bike. While parked on center stand and spinning rear wheel, heard a terrible grinding sound. Who knows what would have happened had I not exited when I did. This left me stranded, requiring a tow; repair took two days and was over $3,000.
Incident date: Feb 5, 2018
The contact owned a 2008 BMW 328xi. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact's son was driving approximately 30 MPH when the son noticed that smoke had begun to issue from the dashboard vents. The son pulled over and stopped the vehicle and exited when the vehicle dashboard burs... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jan 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 328I. The contact stated while driving at an unknown speed, there was an abnormal burning odor coming from the vehicle. There was also smoke entering the cabin of the vehicle through the vents. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, but they were unable to diagnose the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired.... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2022
I received a warning on the dashboard that the tires needed inflating and that I should not drive the car over 80 miles per hour. When this happened the communication system on the car failed. I could not use the telephone or the direction feature. I do not know if other parts of the car also failed. When the tires were re inflated, these other features returned. This has happened twice. (In ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2022
I received a warning on the dashboard that the tires needed inflating and that I should not drive the car over 80 miles per hour. When this happened the communication system on the car failed. I could not use the telephone or the direction feature. I do not know if other parts of the car also failed. When the tires were re inflated, these other features returned. This has happened twice. (In ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 4, 2022
Warning message: "Secure vehicle with parking brake when stationary". Extremely common issue with various BMW's including Mini Cooper vehicles. Error code reads "420106". Vehicle's computer can't read/tell if parking brake is engaged or not while parked. This is a safety hazard that is often quoted as several thousand dollars in repair costs by BMW dealers. A faulty gear box is at play and should ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 4, 2022
Warning message: "Secure vehicle with parking brake when stationary". Extremely common issue with various BMW's including Mini Cooper vehicles. Error code reads "420106". Vehicle's computer can't read/tell if parking brake is engaged or not while parked. This is a safety hazard that is often quoted as several thousand dollars in repair costs by BMW dealers. A faulty gear box is at play and should ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2022
On 7/1/22, my Vehicle Alert came on advising that the front brake pads need replacement and to schedule an appointment within 1,000 miles. I called the same day to schedule an appointment with my local dealer. However, the next available date was on 7/13/22. I specifically requested an earlier date, but that was the only available slot they had. I brought my vehicle in on 7/13/22 (alert now says... Read more
Incident date: Nov 4, 2022
My car randomly stiffens steering in a turn which made me nearly hit a parked car and lit up a warning light stating “Drive Moderately”. The car recently also began to have symptoms of clunking and grinding when turning the wheel at low speeds. While this issue has recently arrises, my forward collision warning, blind spot detection, and lane departure warning safety features turned off comple... Read more
Incident date: Nov 4, 2022
My car randomly stiffens steering in a turn which made me nearly hit a parked car and lit up a warning light stating “Drive Moderately”. The car recently also began to have symptoms of clunking and grinding when turning the wheel at low speeds. While this issue has recently arrises, my forward collision warning, blind spot detection, and lane departure warning safety features turned off comple... Read more
Incident date: Nov 4, 2022
My car randomly stiffens steering in a turn which made me nearly hit a parked car and lit up a warning light stating “Drive Moderately”. The car recently also began to have symptoms of clunking and grinding when turning the wheel at low speeds. While this issue has recently arrises, my forward collision warning, blind spot detection, and lane departure warning safety features turned off comple... Read more
Incident date: Feb 3, 2022
The contact owns a 2008 BMW X3. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the engine was shutting off inadvertently. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled in the middle of the road. The contact was unable to veer to the side of the road. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after several at... Read more
Incident date: Oct 23, 2020
This car has had fuel leaking since the moment I drove it off the lot. I messaged the dealer, and received no response. Living in Arizona without a working AC in the car is also quite a nightmare. At the moment the smell of gasoline is extremely intense and I feel worry about my baby riding in a car. It would be great if, BMW came forward, to do what’s correct, and fix the car’s issues, ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 23, 2020
This car has had fuel leaking since the moment I drove it off the lot. I messaged the dealer, and received no response. Living in Arizona without a working AC in the car is also quite a nightmare. At the moment the smell of gasoline is extremely intense and I feel worry about my baby riding in a car. It would be great if, BMW came forward, to do what’s correct, and fix the car’s issues, ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2022
COOLANT HOSE AND FITTINGS FAILED. OVERHEATED THE ENGINE. CAR SPEED WAS LIMITED AND HAD TO STOP THE CAR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. BMW USES PLASTIC PARTS FOR THE COOLING SYSTEM. THESE PLASTIC PARTS FAILED AFTER 35,000 MILES. THE COST TO REPAIR WAS ~ $1200.00
Incident date: Sep 1, 2022
The dashboard has pulled away from the windshield and is rippling. If it continues it will obstruct my view. I think it would affect the airbags as well. I've seen another 640 with this same problem at the store. I am available for inspection, I also attached BMWs invoice to show it was diagnosed. No warning lamps. I also use the garage and a window shade if not in garage.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2022
The dashboard has pulled away from the windshield and is rippling. If it continues it will obstruct my view. I think it would affect the airbags as well. I've seen another 640 with this same problem at the store. I am available for inspection, I also attached BMWs invoice to show it was diagnosed. No warning lamps. I also use the garage and a window shade if not in garage.
Incident date: Nov 1, 2022
When coming to a stop, my trunk continues to open and will not close unless you turn the car off and get out and close it. I tried to replace the battery in my key fob, but it will not work. The trunk button when you hold it down, says “remote battery, change battery.”. The rear hatch continues to open every time you stop your car unless you hold the trunk button down. This is extremely unsafe... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2021
The contact owns a 2021 BMW M340I. The contact stated while driving various speeds, the vehicle independently shifted from reverse(R) to drive(D) to park(P). The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH and attempting to stop the vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard. The contact stated that the brake failed to operate as designed. The vehicle was towed to... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2021
The contact owns a 2021 BMW M340I. The contact stated while driving various speeds, the vehicle independently shifted from reverse(R) to drive(D) to park(P). The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH and attempting to stop the vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard. The contact stated that the brake failed to operate as designed. The vehicle was towed to... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2020
The contact ownd a 2004 BMW X3. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 MPH, she dozed off behind the wheel when the vehicle crashed into the rear of a tow truck. As a result, the front end of the vehicle was damaged. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained an injury to the head and bodily soreness. Medical attention was required. No police report was filed. The vehi... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Oct 30, 2022
vehicle caught on fire while no one was driving and the engine was not on. It was parked for approximately 45 minutes. The fire started at the front under the hood. It destroyed melted the engine parts
Fire
Incident date: Nov 15, 2020
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 528XI. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, there was smoke coming from under the hood and through the A/C vents. The contact stated that the failure had become a recurring issue. The contact state... Read more
Incident date: Oct 2, 2022
The Vanos Cam Tensioners bolts were a known issue (to back out and shear inside of the engine) in my car and a few years prior, and BMW recalled 150,000~ and gave 170,000~ vehicles a 10year unlimited mile warranty on the issue. My car had this issue a month ago and BMW would not help (a year out of the warranty with only 74,000 miles). A BMW dealer diagnosed it and I got it repaired at an independ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 14, 2022
2013 bmw 328ix 82k miles timing chain guide broke blowing the engine. This should not be happening on a bmw. I do not have the money for this!
Incident date: Oct 10, 2022
The contact owns a 2009 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated that the recall was repaired however, while driving approximately 20 MPH, the contact heard a sharp whistling sound coming from the engine. The service engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnose... Read more
Incident date: May 19, 2022
The high-pressure fuel pump on my 2014 BMW 535D failed while driving at 55 MPH, causing a sudden, and dangerous shut down of the vehicle. I was barely able to get the vehicle off the road and had to block one lane of traffic until the vehicle was towed away. The car lost power QUICK and then would not start back up after it shut off. This specific issue is listed for the exact year, make, and mode... Read more
Incident date: May 28, 2022
The contact owns a 2002 BMW R 1150 RT. The contact stated while driving at 15 MPH, the front wheel brake locked causing the contact to flip off the motorcycle. The contact suffered a concussion, laceration, stitches, fractured his left ankle and had problems with his left knee. A police report was filed. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was contacted, and suggested that the motorcycl... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Nov 14, 2021
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, there was white smoke coming through the HVAC vents. The contact pulled over, stopped, and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that after turning t... Read more
Incident date: Oct 19, 2022
We were towing a rental travel trailer (~3500 Ib), going east bound on highway 80 near Martinez, CA. The travel trailer suddenly went into oscillation, the amplitude got larger and larger, and finally both SUV and trailer landed on the sides on the embankment. The SUV was supposedly in "tow" mode, so the feature "Trailer Stabilization Control" should have been activated to reduce the sway/osci... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Apr 16, 2022
The contact owns a 2006 BMW 525I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, she noticed the odor of burning plastic. The contact stated that the check radiator light was illuminated. The contact stated that she drove the vehicle t... Read more
Incident date: Oct 26, 2022
2018 BMW X1. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO DEFECTIVE REPAIR OF A SAFETY RECALL PERFORMED ON VEHICLE.
Incident date: Oct 25, 2022
My vehicle caught on fire while parked and unoccupied. Fire started in the engine compartment.
Fire
Incident date: Oct 25, 2022
My vehicle caught on fire while parked and unoccupied. Fire started in the engine compartment.
Fire
Incident date: Oct 25, 2022
My vehicle caught on fire while parked and unoccupied. Fire started in the engine compartment.
Fire
Incident date: Jun 26, 2022
The contact owns a 2008 BMW X3. The contact stated while driving 25-30 MPH, he smelled a burning odor and saw smoke coming out from underneath the hood. The contact veered to the side of the road and allowed the vehicle to cool down. The contact was able to continue driving. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring. The vehicle was taken to several independent mechanics who informe... Read more
Incident date: Aug 26, 2022
The contact owns a 2006 BMW X3. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the front passenger's side air bag warning light illuminated. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V605000 (Air Bags) however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately... Read more
BMW
R 1200 GS ADVENTURE
(2017) — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:BRAKE FLUID LOW WARNING:SWITCH/SENSOR/FLOAT
Oct 26, 2022
Incident date: Jan 1, 2020
The contact owns a 2017 BMW R 1200 GS Adventure motorcycle. The contact stated while riding 65 MPH, while attempting to stop the motorcycle, the brakes failed to operate properly causing a delay in stopping the motorcycle. The motorcycle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that they aware of the failure. The mechanic bled the brake lines and the motorcycle remained at the dealer ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2022
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. 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 experienced a failure. VIN tool co... Read more
Incident date: Jul 16, 2022
This incident happened twice while I was driving. After driving for about 20 minutes my 2013 BMW 335i (Sedan) shifted into neutral as I was making a turn. I was shown a drivetrain malfunction error along with an error that my car was not in Park position and my car's motor suddenly shut off while it was in neutral. I pulled over to the side of the road and I managed to start my car again without a... Read more
Incident date: Oct 14, 2022
The throttle body has plastic pulleys for the throttle flapper cam. These plastic parts fail. My motorcycle lost power in freeway traffic and I nearly was ran over by traffic when this part failed.
Incident date: Oct 22, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked he noticed that there was a crack on the windshield.
Incident date: Oct 1, 2022
The bolts for my VANOS adjuster unit failed at approximately 143,000 miles on my 2011 328i xDrive Wagon (chassis code E91). In 2014, BMW issued a recall (campaign No. 14V-176) for this exact issue. On the first page under the "Model" section, it is stated that the E91 chassis is affected. However, on the second page, the E91 chassis is not listed under "Affected Vehicles". When checking the VIN n... Read more
Incident date: Oct 24, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X5. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V907000 (Fuel System, Diesel) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 22, 2022
The car started to make a popping noise and then the collision warning light, Steering Light and Pedestrian warning lights came on and the steering became very tight. The electric steering became manual. Yes problem has been reported to Braman BMW Jupiter as well as BMW USA.
Incident date: Apr 22, 2022
The car started to make a popping noise and then the collision warning light, Steering Light and Pedestrian warning lights came on and the steering became very tight. The electric steering became manual. Yes problem has been reported to Braman BMW Jupiter as well as BMW USA.
Incident date: Apr 22, 2022
The car started to make a popping noise and then the collision warning light, Steering Light and Pedestrian warning lights came on and the steering became very tight. The electric steering became manual. Yes problem has been reported to Braman BMW Jupiter as well as BMW USA.
Incident date: Oct 7, 2022
The contact owns a 2021 BMW 540I. The contact stated that on multiple occasions, the front and rear passenger’s and driver’s side seat belts failed to detach after being connected. The contact stated that he forced the rear passenger’s side seat belt to detach with a screwdriver. No warning lights was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the dealer stated that candy was lod... Read more
Incident date: Oct 21, 2022
The contact owns a 2007 BMW 328XI. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not 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 and confirmed th... Read more