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: Aug 13, 2024
For the 3rd or 4th time since I have own this car I experienced a loss of acceleration when attempting to make quick acceleration while attempting to merge with traffic. Acceleration is fine around town where quick acceleration is not appropriate. But the first attempt to merge with flowing traffic the car will slowly accelerates to about 30 mph and no more regardless as to position of accelera... Read more
Incident date: Aug 13, 2024
For the 3rd or 4th time since I have own this car I experienced a loss of acceleration when attempting to make quick acceleration while attempting to merge with traffic. Acceleration is fine around town where quick acceleration is not appropriate. But the first attempt to merge with flowing traffic the car will slowly accelerates to about 30 mph and no more regardless as to position of accelera... Read more
Incident date: Dec 29, 2023
Car trys to start, it turns over but doesn't start. When it does start the red lightening bold is illuminated. Motor runs rough and shaky has ZERO POWER to accelerate. On going since 2024
Incident date: Jul 10, 2025
Losing power while driving and acceleration and uneven idle sometimes
Incident date: Oct 24, 2024
Vehicle suddenly loss power while driving and not accelerating properly. Had vehicle to stop stopped while driving and message appear where I had to put car in park before I could move again. I continue to have acceleration issues.
Incident date: May 16, 2025
On [XXX] while traveling on the interstate the car issued a warning engine light and turtle image to pull off the road as the car would shut off, immediately it had no power, maybe could only go 30 mph. Took the car in on 5/10 which was the earliest appt. Said they did a software update, gave the car back. Took the car again on [XXX] when the same warning appeared again on the interstate, same sit... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to switch gears, the transmission slipped. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made awa... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2024
My vehicle as well received an electric fault message shortly before loosing all electrical power. When I say all I mean all as if someone removed the battery from the car. The issue that was described to me from the service department was the low voltage (12v) to high voltage (48v) I think dc to dc converter shorted out. They said this was the first device after the battery and contained all the ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2024
My vehicle as well received an electric fault message shortly before loosing all electrical power. When I say all I mean all as if someone removed the battery from the car. The issue that was described to me from the service department was the low voltage (12v) to high voltage (48v) I think dc to dc converter shorted out. They said this was the first device after the battery and contained all the ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 10, 2025
On July 1, 2025, I was involved in a severe rear-end collision while driving my 2024 Mazda3 manual hatchback. The impact was forceful enough to shatter the rear windshield, leave a deep dent in the tailgate, and bend the trailer hitch mount under the vehicle by several inches. Despite this, none of the airbags deployed, and there were no airbag warning lights before or after the crash. After the ... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Jul 10, 2025
Vehicle stalled while pulling into traffic from apartment driveway.
Incident date: Jul 10, 2025
Spare tire provided with vehicle is incorrect size causing drive train issues which can lead to vehicle locking up and or becoming inoperable.
Incident date: Jul 7, 2025
1. The car started making a rattle noise from inside the engine. Immediately stopped the car and contacted a mechanic , discovered that the bolts holding the cam shafts became loose and were hitting the timing belt cover. Upon further research, the dealer wasn't aware of said problem, however there are numerous VW customers experiencing the same problem. 2. EVAP CODE. EXPERIENCING STRONG G... Read more
Incident date: Jul 7, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from the engine compartment before the vehicle lost automotive power. The vehicle was towed to the local mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure. The contact was advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The ... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle made an abnormal clacking sound. The vehicle was taken to an independent certified mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the catalytic converter had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the mechanic, where... Read more
Incident date: Jun 19, 2025
My lights turn on and off while the vehicle is turned off until I lock the car.
Incident date: Mar 28, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving 35 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated and stalled. The contact was informed by his daughter that the vehicle felt like it was in START/STOP Mode. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be re... Read more
Incident date: Jul 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated while attempting to turn off the vehicle, the vehicle failed to respond as needed while shifted into park(P). The contact manipulated the gear shifter until park(P) was recognized and the vehicle turned off. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that an appointment with the dealer was scheduled to inspect the vehicle. The ve... Read more
Incident date: Jul 10, 2025
At approximately 37,000 miles, the steering wheel developed a sticking issue. After researching the issue, we learned that Honda issued a recall involving the steering rack. Somehow, our VIN is not part of the recall. It falls under the years, and models, of the recall. This is a safety issue, especially at highway speeds. It appears to be the exact same issue as those on the recall. We have not ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair... Read more
Incident date: Jul 6, 2025
The contact owns a 2023 Harley Davidson FLHCS. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V375000 (SUSPENSION); 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 made aware of the issue. The contact had not e... Read more
Incident date: Jun 20, 2025
Four tires purchased June 2022. As of July 2025 with 17,500 miles on the tires there is ozone/weather cracking on the entire tire and the sidewall near the rim is failing with the cord visible on one tire.
Incident date: Jul 1, 2025
I was trapped in my vehicle when my door would not open. I attempted to unlock the door with the key fab, manually, and from reaching through the window and trying from the outside. Despite the lock mechanism showing that the door was unlocked, the door would not open. I attempted to restart the vehicle, but that did not help. I tried several combinations of tactics with no success. I finally... Read more
Incident date: May 28, 2025
2011 GMC Sierra Frame Failed Pennsylvania State Inspection due to Driver Side Frame Rust/hole. The section of the frame must be replaced due to rust(Improper coating... The truck has only 69700 miles on the odometer.
Incident date: May 28, 2025
2011 GMC Sierra Frame Failed Pennsylvania State Inspection due to Driver Side Frame Rust/hole. The section of the frame must be replaced due to rust(Improper coating... The truck has only 69700 miles on the odometer.
Incident date: May 28, 2025
I am filing this complaint regarding an ongoing safety issue with my 2021 BMW 740i involving the lane departure warning system, lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise control, all of which have stopped functioning properly. These features are critically tied to the windshield-mounted KAFAS camera, which I’ve now been told needs to be replaced. Initially, the BMW dealership attributed the issue t... Read more
Incident date: Jun 18, 2025
ADAS warning lights often go off while driving - distracting to driver I am still getting errors , even after water pump replaced (recall 24V499000 (Water pump)) as car still gets errors and shuts down, comes to a COMPLETE STOP WHILE DRIVING. incredibly dangerous. Water pump recall replacement cost me $201.20 in labor costs.
Incident date: Jul 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 55 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power and started vibrating abnormally. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact pulled over and was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed and the contact was advised that the ignition coils, ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2024 Tesla Cybertruck. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V170000 (STRUCTURE); 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 manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distributi... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2021
The gear selection is on the steering column and to change from Park to Reverse or Drive takes usually over six attempts to get in the right gear. When your entering traffic and you get delayed trying to put the car into the proper gear this becomes a very dangerous safety issue. General Motors refuses to advise me how to deal with this problem unless I give them the name of an attorney who wil... Read more
Incident date: Aug 13, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz E350. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the SRS Malfunction message was displayed. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 156,094.
Incident date: Aug 13, 2024
Coolant leak into cylinder resulting in a misfiring cylinder and engine overheating. This is a known issue that FoMoCo has a service bulletin for. [XXX] My vehicle falls within the parameters of this, however, there are no active recalls for this problem. Doing some Google searches, it appears this issue is wide-ranging and is affecting a lot of Escape owners whose vehicles fall within the ser... Read more
Incident date: Jul 3, 2025
The contact's wife owns a 2010 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving, the vehicle failed to exceed 80 MPH. The contact stated that the ABS and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where DTC: C1440 (Pressure Transducer Main/Primary Signal Faulted) was retrieved. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact provided the DTC: C1... Read more
Incident date: Jun 15, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated and the vehicle went into IDLE Mode with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The approximate failur... Read more
Incident date: Jul 7, 2025
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. No warning light was illuminated. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering column needed to be replaced. The contact researched and was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V284000... Read more
Incident date: Jul 7, 2025
The contact owns a 2024 Harley-Davidson FXLRS Motorcycle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V375000 (Suspension); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated while driving over a bumpy road surface, the motorcycle swerved to the right or to the left. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contac... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2025
Went into Volkswagen dealership as my low coolant light came on. I called early June, they couldn't get me in until June 17th, when I was then told my warranty was barely a week expired. My head gasket needs replaced and Volkswagen is refusing to cover this, knowing full well this has been an issue on thousands of these vehicles.
Incident date: Jul 4, 2025
The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact coasted to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that there were metal shavings inside the transmission fluid... Read more
Incident date: Jul 6, 2025
PLLEASE PROVIDE ME INFORMATION ABOUT TRANSMISSION RECALL
Incident date: Jul 6, 2025
On [XXX], while driving from Orlando, FL to Atlanta, GA, I experienced one of the most terrifying moments of my life. I was traveling on the freeway at approximately 80 MPH, in lane 3 or 4, when my vehicle suddenly began to hesitate and lose power without any warning. In that moment, fear and panic took over. Cars were flying past me, and I could feel my truck rapidly decelerating. I immediately ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 6, 2025
We were sitting at a traffic light for a few minutes behind another vehicle. Suddenly, our car accelerated very quickly. My foot was on the brake when the car accelerated. I felt the brake pedal depress further as it accelerated. I initially thought a car had hit us from behind and propelled us forward, but there was no car behind us. We were moving as though we had just started a drag race - full... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jul 6, 2025
Lost the high gears on the interstate. Had keep it under 60 to keep RPMs under 4000
Incident date: Jul 6, 2025
Manufacturer recall for fire hazard when level 3 charging was supposed to be addressed by March 2025 and it is now July 2025.
Incident date: Jul 6, 2025
I purchased a used BMW from a local dealership, unaware that the vehicle had unresolved safety and mechanical issues. Over time, I began experiencing repeated problems including: •Power loss and hesitation while driving •Malfunctioning engine and drivetrain components •Electrical system glitches including dashboard warnings that would disappear before I could document them The car has been ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 11, 2025
My vehicle was serviced 05/03/24, after the 60,000 whatever service, The Sewell dealership of N. Austin, literally has a video of them pointing out where there was an oil leak, they needed to fix, so of course, I agreed to them fixing the leak. Fast forward to [XXX], during which, I was driving, had no indication of any issues, then saw white/gray/smoke, pulled over, & then my car wouldn't start. ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 4, 2025
MMI spontaneously reboots numerous times while driving. When the reboots happen, the screen goes black and key systems such as the backup camera, rear obstacle detection, and navigation, become unavailable until the reboot completes and the systems reload. Restoring functionality requires user input to get through the loading screens. The issue started in February/March 2025 and I requested my the... Read more
Incident date: Jul 4, 2025
Lifter stuck in cylinder 3. Cost to repair $13,000 on a 2019 Chevrolet Suburban with 101,000 miles. We have owned vehicle since new. Vehicle routinely maintained.
Incident date: May 6, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle failed to start. The contact removed and replaced the battery terminal and the vehicle started. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer for the recall repair. The local dealer refused to repair the... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2022
I’m driving down the road my engine started knocking like head gasket lifter and rod was knocking