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: Nov 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the hazard lights failed to operate. The contact's wife coasted the vehicle to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that the battery had failed.... Read more
Incident date: Nov 12, 2025
At approximately 33,188 miles, an “AWD System Problem” warning appeared on the instrument cluster of my 2019 Honda CR‑V AWD. Darrell Waltrip Honda in Nashville, TN scanned the vehicle and retrieved DTC C1851‑1E, which indicates a rear differential pump motor high‑current fault. The dealer misinterpreted this code and advised that the AWD control unit (Part No. 48310‑5TG‑H52) needed r... Read more
Incident date: May 22, 2025
Three weeks ago the instrument cluster indicated a failure of the front collision avoidance system and said to have the vehicle examined by the dealer. I dropped it off two weeks ago and have been informed that they're having trouble updating the instrument panel and other component software. Other times the instrument panel would go dark for several seconds while driving. There is an open reca... Read more
Incident date: May 22, 2025
Three weeks ago the instrument cluster indicated a failure of the front collision avoidance system and said to have the vehicle examined by the dealer. I dropped it off two weeks ago and have been informed that they're having trouble updating the instrument panel and other component software. Other times the instrument panel would go dark for several seconds while driving. There is an open reca... Read more
Incident date: May 22, 2025
My car was parked in my driveway. After starting it up and closing my driver’s side door, the entire rear windshield spontaneously shattered without warning or any external manipulation/force. There was no way of knowing of whether or not this would happen. I fear that if I had my dogs in the car (or a child) someone could have been seriously hurt. Shards of glass went everywhere - in the trunk,... Read more
Incident date: Mar 13, 2024
Huge delay in the throttle response. You press on the throttle and there is sometimes a hesitation and the vehicle will not move or is jerky.
Incident date: Mar 13, 2024
Huge delay in the throttle response. You press on the throttle and there is sometimes a hesitation and the vehicle will not move or is jerky.
Incident date: Mar 13, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); 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 contact stated that while starting the vehicle and while driving at an undisclosed speed, the... Read more
Incident date: Dec 2, 2025
My vehicle has developed a rapidly worsening battery performance issue. It loses range far faster than expected, shows inconsistent energy usage, and experiences sudden drops in projected mileage even during normal driving. Charging behavior is irregular, and the vehicle’s energy regeneration is inconsistent. There was no crash, fire, or damage. Based on the symptoms, this appears to be a potent... Read more
Incident date: Dec 2, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25E070000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that he lived near a School Zone and was concerned that the failure could occur, causing the vehicle to strike and injure children on the road. The local dealer was not contacted. The contac... Read more
Incident date: Dec 2, 2025
The "Service Airbag - Passenger" warning light suddenly appeared on the console of my 2014 Buick Enclave. Once I arrived home, I Googled what the light indicated and I also sorted through mail I had recently received from Buick that notified me of a recall. Convinced that I needed to resolve the issue promptly, I contacted the dealership we purchased the vehicle from and they informed me to come ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 23, 2025
Fan Assembly - Nissan (21481-6MA0B) failed at 68,000 miles. Can can overheat and car will fail. This fan helps cool the AC and radiator.
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
cam phaser rattle, well known issue in 2017-2020 F-150s. Started around November 8, 2025, at cold start. Maybe 78,000 miles. Spoke to repair shop who id'd the issue and suggested a NHTSA case.
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
I am writing regarding my vehicle, a 2021 Kia Seltos LX - VIN Number [XXX] , which is subject to a recall NHTSA #25V099, Manufacturer Recall Number SC336. I was informed of the recall April 2025 and have since experienced engine stalling while driving on the highway with my young children with me, abnormal engine noise, complete oil loss and eventually complete engine failure. Unfortunately, thi... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
Vehicle: 2025 Kia Sorento (leased) VIN: [XXX] Mileage at failure: 11,345 Incident dates: March 23, April 27, November 28–December 1 Type: Loss of power / electrical failure / safety hazard Complaint Description: I am reporting repeated electrical failures and complete loss of power in my 2025 Kia Sorento that created unsafe situations for myself and my children. The first failure occurred on... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
While driving the vehicle on an uphill stretch of highway with cruise control set at approximately 65 mph, the vehicle suddenly slowed down without warning. A distinct clunk was heard at the same moment. The cruise control system attempted to restore speed, and the engine became noticeably louder, but the vehicle struggled to return to the set speed. The driver tapped the brake to disengage cruise... Read more
Incident date: Nov 26, 2025
Approximately two weeks before the major symptom appeared, the “Service 4WD” warning light illuminated on the dashboard. The vehicle’s performance didn’t seem to be noticeably affected, so I checked for any active recalls or service bulletins but found none that applied to my VIN. I monitored the situation closely in case it was an electrical or sensor-related issue. Shortly after, a loud... Read more
Incident date: Jul 13, 2024
The contact owns a 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4XE. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the high-voltage coolant heater had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact later received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V7410... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
The rear view camera is intermittent. The camera listed for replacement is F2GZ19G490C. That was a recall item listed for the problem that we are having . It is intermittent and is a safety hazard as indicated in the LINCOLN MKX 2015 THRU 2019. WHY IS IT INDICATED AS NOT HAVING A RECALL TO MY 2018 LINCOLN MKX VIN [XXX] . IT IS THE SAME PROBLEM. THE CAMERA F2GZ19G490C IS THE CAMERA LISTED AS THE RE... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
The transmission failed abruptly, without any notice or warnings. I had to have it towed to a service shop. When I first tried to drive the vehicle, I was too nervous because the vehicle would not shift so I chose not to drive it for safety reasons. I first towed the vehicle to a shop near my house that concluded I needed a new transmission but they did not repair transmissions. I then had it towe... Read more
Incident date: Aug 7, 2025
23 Volkswagen ID.4 Pro S AWD (82 kWh LG battery, <25k miles). Vehicle has permanently lost ~25% of usable battery capacity in less than 2 years. At 80% state-of-charge the Guess-O-Meter consistently shows only 200–205 miles (full-range estimate 250–255 miles instead of EPA 275 / real-world 280–300 miles in similar conditions). Multiple dealer-recommended BMS recalibrations (discharge below 1... Read more
Incident date: Nov 28, 2025
The vehicle makes a noticeable clicking sound when making routine left and right turns. This noise is not coming from the cabin of the vehicle, but sounds like it's coming from the wheels/axles. I have observed some level of clicking sound during turns since I purchased the vehicle in May 2025, but with each passing month, the volume and frequency of the clicking has increased. I now feel unsafe m... Read more
Incident date: Sep 25, 2025
I have had a service 4wd light on for months. The Power Transfer Case part has been on backorder from jeep for over 4 months and I have been left with out a vehicle this entire time with no updates or information about when the parts will be available.
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
I have been waiting for months for my recall to be completed. My dealership has been waiting for the parts from GM and they still haven’t received them. I’m not sure when the recall was initially issued but I contacted the dealership about it as soon as I was aware of it. That’s how long I’ve been waiting. 1 Unrepaired Recalls associated with this VIN Jun 25,2025 Manufacturer Recall ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 28, 2025
On several occasions I have a dead pedal situation on acceleration from a brief stop. When you press the accelerator, the truck does not accelerate immediately. Instead there is a second or two pause before truck responds to accelerator input. When crossing traffic, this hesitation has caused several situations in which i have almost been t-boned.
Incident date: Nov 22, 2025
My jeep initially shutoff while driving on the interstate at 70 mph last December. I took it the dealership and they kept it for 2 months and replaced several parts. I got it back and it shutoff the next day, but started after l let it sit for an hour. Then it went for weeks with no issues, then it started happening again, so I took it to a different dealership. They also repaired different issues... Read more
Incident date: Nov 22, 2025
The vehicle has had repeated issues related to the fuel system, including strong fuel odor inside the cabin, a gurgling sound coming from the fuel tank area, and recurring check engine lights shortly after a previous recall repair was completed. The most recent diagnostic from the dealer indicated a faulty fuel tank pressure sensor (G400), but I was initially told the vehicle needed a fuel pressur... Read more
Incident date: Nov 17, 2025
I was at a tea intersection and I needed to pull into traffic. This is the second time it’s happened by the way. And the traffic was pretty heavy, but if I really put on the grass, I’d be able to get into my lane no problem and as I was going to get into the lane and merge in the traffic, the gas shut off the brake warning went on because cars were coming at me to my left. I believe it’s the... Read more
Incident date: Nov 26, 2025
While I was driving at approximately 55mph, a loud clank happened and the car stalled, and smoke started pouring out of the hood and through the vents into the cabin, and I was leaving burning pieces behind on the road. I pulled over, ran to the back to get my dogs out of their crash tested kennels in the backseat, and both rear doors & passenger front door were locked. I ran up front to unlock th... Read more
Fire
Incident date: May 1, 2025
Center display for backup camera locks up and no longer shows live view causing a near miss on people walking behind vehicle. Possibly related: Center display also sometimes goes blank or audio fails. Need video to show sequence of events, but that can not be uploaded. Also, when center display sometimes stays blank (although, backup camera might still work, without guide lines), fuse #19 unde... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2025
Unknown: EBS comes on as well as the break system problem lights and many more. Vehicle loses power and goes into limp mode. As of now it wont shift from PArking
Incident date: May 1, 2025
Unknown: EBS comes on as well as the break system problem lights and many more. Vehicle loses power and goes into limp mode. As of now it wont shift from PArking
Incident date: Jun 19, 2024
When my son got a car last December, we bought him a 2024 Volvo s60, primarily for the safety features. Since we have had the vehicle, Volvo has had a lot of issues with their infotainment system. He has contacted them many times and I had started to keep a record of how often it would glitch. If it was just music not working, no big deal. But sometimes it was the backup camera too and once the he... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jun 19, 2024
When my son got a car last December, we bought him a 2024 Volvo s60, primarily for the safety features. Since we have had the vehicle, Volvo has had a lot of issues with their infotainment system. He has contacted them many times and I had started to keep a record of how often it would glitch. If it was just music not working, no big deal. But sometimes it was the backup camera too and once the he... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jun 19, 2024
The vehicle’s sunroof just flew off the car at 31 miles per hour (the whole part), Hyundai had a safety recall for that and it was done in the past, the problem is that happened exactly what the recall were suppose to prevent, it was my wife and 2 kids on my car and I’m glad it was before she enter the highway, it would cause a major wreck with multiple vehicles. The car behind her had a dash... Read more
Incident date: Sep 23, 2025
Vehicle displayed ABS warning light and message to service electronic braking system. Took to Ram dealer August 2025 and vehicle was diagnosed with faulty ABS module. Service advised that the part was unavailable due to a national shortage for a known ABS module failure problem. Was told to continue driving vehicle because it was safe to operate. Subsequent, related problems presented over followi... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2025
The front trunk (frunk) on my 2026 Tesla Model Y Juniper lacks both internal lighting and an emergency safety release mechanism. This design flaw creates an unnecessary and severe safety risk, as a small adult or child could easily become trapped in the frunk with no way to signal for help or escape. In low-light conditions—such as at night or in a garage without adequate illumination—the abse... Read more
Incident date: Nov 25, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving 45-50 MPH, the check engine warning light and the brake warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine, and the vehicle decelerated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that all the engine lifters and the camshaft needed to be replace... Read more
Incident date: Nov 25, 2025
The contact's wife owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his wife was driving 40-45 MPH, the vehicle shuddered and stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who determined that the head gasket was blown. Upon further research, the contact related the failure to an undisclosed recall; however, the model year was not in... Read more
Incident date: Nov 14, 2025
Since I bought the vehicle in February 2025 I have reported the infotainment screen failure/ going black while driving. I immediately reported it to my salesman and had it assessed by my local dealership as well about it. They told me it was up to date and they could not find any codes and sent me on my way. Shortly after I realized the auto start/stop wouldn't engage and I also encountered a rand... Read more
Incident date: Feb 14, 2024
The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer. The contact stated that after entering the vehicle, it was discovered that the front passenger's side seat lumbar section had erroneously bulged outward making the front passenger’s seat extremely uncomfortable. Additionally, the contact stated while seated, the front passenger's head did not comfortably reach the headrest. The vehicle was taken to th... Read more
Incident date: Nov 23, 2025
The transmission blew, despite only having 90,000 miles
Incident date: Jun 27, 2025
My 2025 F-150 Tremor (5.0 V8, 402A package with modular front bumper) has a large open area in the front bumper. Through this opening you can clearly see the front of the engine and related components. This appears to be a design issue rather than a one-off build problem. Other 2025 Tremor owners with the same 402A modular bumper are reporting the same concern and asking whether a cover is missin... Read more
Incident date: Jan 31, 2022
After stopping the vehicle to run an errand, the vehicle locked up. The steering wheel would not turn. The vehicle would not shift into any gear. The vehicle was inoperable and I found myself stranded 25 miles from home. The vehicle was towed to our local Ford dealership where it has been for the past two weeks. This failure could just as occurred on the road causing a dangerous situation.
Incident date: Jan 31, 2022
After stopping the vehicle to run an errand, the vehicle locked up. The steering wheel would not turn. The vehicle would not shift into any gear. The vehicle was inoperable and I found myself stranded 25 miles from home. The vehicle was towed to our local Ford dealership where it has been for the past two weeks. This failure could just as occurred on the road causing a dangerous situation.
Incident date: Jun 24, 2024
Sun roof, moon roof collapse while driving . making rattling noise.
Incident date: Jun 24, 2024
The contact's grandson owns a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that after the vehicle was purchased from a private seller and driven 258 miles, while his grandson was merging off the exit ramp, the engine seized. The low oil pressure warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated prior to the failure. The vehicle was towed to the conta... Read more
Incident date: Oct 13, 2025
Twice the engine oil consumption was bone dry. No warning lights or oil leaks on the driveway were seen. The engine without oil was subject to destruction . We replaced the oil twice - with documentation . Oil changes were made within 6 months since we purchased the car ( documentation was given ). It is known that specific models were affected by a bad engine that was installed ! Hyundai has ... Read more