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: Mar 2, 2022
The electrical system per the on-dash guide shows a voltage of 13.8 V or less than the 14.2 V and when it is less than the 14.2 V the car drives choppy, braking causes the car to jolt around even after brake work. The radiator was recently replaced and new hoses were replaced and it still has not been remedied after new brakes and new serpentine belt. The dealer did not clean all remaining radiat... Read more
Incident date: Feb 16, 2023
Summary POSITIVE CRANKCASE VENTILATION (PCV) VALVE HEATER: This recall involves an engine component known as the Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve heater. The PCV valve heater may not have been produced to specifications which could lead to a short circuit. Safety Risk Should a short circuit occur, the PCV valve heater could overheat, lead to smoldering, and possibly start melting. In ext... Read more
Incident date: Feb 17, 2023
We have owned our previously owned Subaru Outback 2017 for 18 months and have replaced the battery 3 times. We are now on our 4th battery. That battery turnover seems rather excessive, doesn't it? My thoughts: 1. Phantom drain 2. Short (harness or wires cut by abrasion) 3. Programming (shut alternator off to increase mpg) 4. Faulty programming - see 3.
Incident date: Feb 17, 2021
The contact owns a 2019 Ram 3500. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the transmission failed to shift as designed. The contact pulled over on the side of the road and turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle started operating normally. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the mechanic stated that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufa... Read more
Incident date: Feb 17, 2021
Driver door of vehicle will unexpectedly and randomly unlatch and open whenever the vehicle is unlocked. While moving, as well as parked and when vehicle is unattended.
Incident date: Jan 2, 2023
Vehicle developed a clicking noise when accelerating/decelerating. Noise also present when switching between drive/reverse. Ford dealer found that driveline was flexing. Closer inspection revealed that the bushing for the single bolt rear subframe mounting to rear differential was broken. Had this not been caught, the bolt would have broken releasing the rear driveline from the structure of the v... Read more
Incident date: Feb 3, 2023
The active and passive safety systems would disable themselves and I would get the following errors from the vehicle. 1. Rear Differential lock 2. Four-wheel drive system 3. Chassis stabilization 4. Drivetrain malfunction 5. Reduced driver assistance 6. Traction control reduced or off 7. Dynamic stability control 8. Dynamic traction control When these errors came up on the multimedia... Read more
Incident date: Feb 3, 2023
Transmission stuck in 1st gear, 3rd gear, or unable to shift and total loss of power after sudden braking to stop. This has happened over 6-8 times in my time of ownership. Starting between early 2021-2022. Vehicle currently has 76000 miles. Temporary resolution was to turn vehicle off and back on again. There have been reports that sometimes that does not work. https://www.youtube.com/wat... Read more
Incident date: Feb 3, 2023
Transmission stuck in 1st gear, 3rd gear, or unable to shift and total loss of power after sudden braking to stop. This has happened over 6-8 times in my time of ownership. Starting between early 2021-2022. Vehicle currently has 76000 miles. Temporary resolution was to turn vehicle off and back on again. There have been reports that sometimes that does not work. https://www.youtube.com/wat... Read more
Incident date: Jan 2, 2023
I have received two emails from two different shop foreman’s. One from Niello BMW and the other BMW Fairfield. They both said the malfunctions I am experiencing- slipping, delay in accelerations- is the way BMW manufacturer made the car. One foreman said all the cars like mine he has driven have the same issue. It is a hybrid that needs the hybrid battery to have charge to not experience these m... Read more
Incident date: Jan 2, 2023
PTU identified under code C14A7-97. This part is a known problem with a large recall already completed but for some reason, this particular VIN doesn’t fall within the recall scope. Called several dealerships to ask about recall work and all indicate this VIN isn’t covered. “Service 4 Wheel Drive” light is intermittent.
Incident date: Jan 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced cold start issues, requiring numerous attempts while starting the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle idled roughly once started. The contact stated that once the vehicle reached approximately 30 MPH there would be a white smoke cloud coming from the exhaust pipe. The contact stated that the check engine ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2022
Vehicle hesitates, vibrates, looses momentum, shutters, almost stalls when ac to touched since the day I bought it at napelton jeep in palm beach fla. I was told it’s a jeep thing. The engine roars to like like it’s fighting to start. A fan sound will go on and off non stop effecting the power and rpm’s. A loss of power happens and then the car goes back to normal after a completely shaking ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 7, 2023
Front left windshield assembly came off while I was driving down the highway.
Incident date: Feb 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that after an independent mechanic performed an oil change, the vehicle made abnormal sounds while driving. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the subframe was corroded and the fuel line bracket had fractured due to corrosion. The dealer was made aware of the failure and scheduled an upcoming app... Read more
Incident date: Feb 11, 2023
Metal corrosion on the back liftgate is allowing water to leech into the electrical connections to the back camera, causing it to intermittently not work leading to complete failure eventually. The service techs at the ford dealership have described this common problem with this year model expeditions and is due to a chemical problem either with the metal or factory paint or both. Corrosion is no... Read more
Incident date: Jan 31, 2023
Battery died prematurely and failed to hold a charge had to be replaced 4 DEC 22, for 194.63 from Advance Auto parts, Battery had failed to hold a charge in the past and Subaru roadside assistance had to be called on a previous occasion to issue a jump start.
Incident date: Feb 14, 2023
Rear tail light malfunction due to defective ground, melting connectors to rear break lights and indicators. Lack of break lights and indicators is a risk to motorist safety as a whole.
Incident date: Feb 14, 2023
Rear tail light malfunction due to defective ground, melting connectors to rear break lights and indicators. Lack of break lights and indicators is a risk to motorist safety as a whole.
Incident date: Feb 13, 2023
RT REAR BRAKE LIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 11V438000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING); HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,120. VEHICLE IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION UPON REQUEST.
Incident date: Feb 4, 2023
Driver side headlight has an extreme condensation issue. Especially after it rains or using a car wash. The condensation leaks into the control light module , which makes the turn signal, parking lamp and the adaptive light to all fail.
Incident date: Feb 4, 2023
Driver side headlight has an extreme condensation issue. Especially after it rains or using a car wash. The condensation leaks into the control light module , which makes the turn signal, parking lamp and the adaptive light to all fail.
Incident date: Feb 9, 2023
The vehicle constantly stalls out when we driving on the freeway. The vehicle loss of the power on the freeway put me and my family's life in very dangerous situation when we drove the vehicle. Brough my vehicle to the dealership, and it verified the problem with engine light error code P0A43-00. The dealer stated that they are not able to fix it due to the issue was related to a active recall ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.
Incident date: Jan 2, 2023
Driver side rear window shattered with no impact. Vehicle had been remote started with rear defroster on. Approximately 30 seconds after driving, I heard a loud pop and stopped vehicle. After inspecting, the driver side rear glass of the vehicle had “spider webbed” and shattered.
Incident date: Feb 10, 2023
My 2020 Acura MDX shuts down and shifts to Neutral while stopped with the auto shut off feature engaged. This happens intermittently and the only remedy is to shut the car off and restart. It only seems to occur when the auto shutoff feature is engaged.
Incident date: Feb 10, 2023
My 2020 Acura MDX shuts down and shifts to Neutral while stopped with the auto shut off feature engaged. This happens intermittently and the only remedy is to shut the car off and restart. It only seems to occur when the auto shutoff feature is engaged.
Incident date: Apr 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V650000 (Electrical System) and 22V930000 (Structure, Seat Belts) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were 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... Read more
Incident date: Jan 21, 2023
Vehicle Check Engine Light turned on a Vehicle Lost power. Vehicle often hesitates upon acceleration. Convertible Top does not close as well intermittently.
Crash
Fire
1 injured
Incident date: Aug 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would suddenly lose motive power and stall. Eventually, the vehicle could not be restarted and was towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was made aware of water intrusion into the trunk space of the vehicle which caused the fuel pump and other parts of the vehicle to becom... Read more
Incident date: Feb 10, 2023
High pressure fuel pump broke off while driving on highway causing truck to stall. Stabilitrack warning was activated and Engine Power Reduced message came on dash. Speed was rapidly reduced to 15 mph on the highway and started knocking hard. Mechanic found the pump physically broke and a bolt was sheered off inside of head.
Incident date: Oct 9, 2009
The tucks are high so a backup camera is now more important than ever. During the day the image very grainy but useful. At night or in a dark garage it completely useless. I took my truck in to be checked and they agreed it was terrible but nothing could be dome until a recall was issued. I've done research and this seems to be a huge problem with the 2020 Silverado. I reached out to Chevy and the... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2009 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger's side front wheel was seized due to a malfunctioning yaw sensor. The ESC warning light was illuminated. The contact deactivated the traction control to prevent the failure from recurring. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufactur... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2023
Car burns oil before oil changes, no warning light comes on. Technician at jiffy lube stated that this model vehicle has issues burning the oil with no warning light coming on. Have taken the car several times to get oil change services and they warn me of the same issue every time. no oil leaks coming from the engine itself. Car engine burns the oil which can cause issues with the engine if left ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500. The contact stated that the SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) warning light would intermittently appear on the instrument panel. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where a diagnostic test showed that the wires in the front driver’s side seat belt buckle were defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2023
After exiting the highway onto a side road, the vehicle began to shake violently (like we were on a very bumpy road). I pulled into a parking lot thinking we had a flat tire. Then the vehicle suddenly came to a stop and would not move forward and would not move backwards. There was no flat tire, but I noticed that the front left tire was turned inward in the direction that the steering wheel was ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2023
When coming to a stop the vehicle suddenly and unexpectedly accelerated making it very difficult to stop. I had to put the vehicle in neutral and turn off the engine. When I restarted the vehicle, the problem no longer existed and has not happened since but this problem could easily cause an accident, resulting in one or more injuries. Have not had the vehicle inspected and likely won't, unless... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2023
I had the F150 in for service on 1/26/23 for a unrelated repair to the driver seat, upon leaving the dealership and pulling on a 5-lane road the engine/tranny would not climb in rpm and the tranny started to go up and down its 10 speeds erratically and thumping into different gears. I quickly pulled off the road. I noticed the "check engine light" came on. I shutdown the F150 for a few minutes ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 29, 2023
Car stalls occasionally while stopped in traffic, at a signal, stop sign, and in heavy street or highway traffic. I have read about this, and it is problematic for this make and model, posing a significant safety hazard.
Incident date: Jan 29, 2023
Car stalls occasionally while stopped in traffic, at a signal, stop sign, and in heavy street or highway traffic. I have read about this, and it is problematic for this make and model, posing a significant safety hazard.
Incident date: Feb 5, 2023
The doors of the vehicle fail to latch closed when the temperatures get below freezing. There has been a recall previously repaired in 2016 per vehicle records, however this seems to be an issue now.
Incident date: Feb 5, 2023
My 2021 Ram 1500 eco diesel had roughly 20,500 miles on it. On January 17th I was driving in my neighborhood and the car completely stalled and all electrical systems shut down. I was able to drift to the side of the road, called roadside service and had it towed to the dealership. After inspecting the vehicle it was confirmed the problem stemmed from the unresolved recall issue. They repaired... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2023
In below-freezing weather, the driver's side door latch of our 2018 Ford Expedition cannot be operated from the inside or outside of the vehicle, greatly limiting the occupant's ability to enter or exit the vehicle. A Ford technician advised today that the latch would need to be replaced. There were no indicators of a malfunction. Similar year Ford F-150s are covered for this issue by Ford's Cu... Read more
Incident date: Feb 6, 2023
I've had my ford for almost a year and found that coolant was getting into my engine and causing it to overheat and went to get it checked out at a Ford dealership only for them to tell me I would have to buy a new engine I can't afford. I've been looking online at all the problems that could arise if I don't switch the engine like the car starting on fire in hot summer days and can't afford to bu... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2019
Wiring harness and a fuse on the harness for the auxiliary Balmar alternator installed by Winnebago partially melted due to proximity to turbocharger. Very concerning due to other owners reporting Balmar alternator fires and alternator regulator failures.
Incident date: Feb 1, 2023
I parked my vehicle in front of my house for the night after driving for only about 15-20 minutes. Maybe less. Roughly 3-4 hours later, I was alerted to my car being completely up in flames by the sounds of fire trucks / police sirens. Flames were 20-30 feet in the air coming from the engine compartment area. Fire department / police worked to extinguish the flames, but the vehicle is totally dest... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Feb 1, 2023
Check engine light came on after replacing spark plugs and coil packs. Code reads cylinder 03 misfire. Engine has a ticking noise. Cam and lifters are what's causing the check engine light. If not replaced with the upgraded cam and lifters, engine will be no good. Would be very unsafe if my engine were to blow up while driving on the freeway or around town with my children. Dodge knows these cams ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2023
Brakes keeps getting harder to stop , more pressure is needed to stop. Must press pedal really hard.
Incident date: Jan 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while in park and releasing the brake pedal, the vehicle rolled forward three to four feet and then stopped. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, but the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact called another local dealer, Middleton Ford (... Read more