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 22, 2025
Component Failed: Water pump (engine cooling system) - Part has been superseded by BMW with upgraded version, indicating manufacturer awareness of defect. Failed component retained and available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: Complete water pump failure at 56,611 miles created immediate risk of catastrophic engine overheating and potential engine seizure while driving. BMW-certified mec... Read more
Incident date: Sep 22, 2025
The contact owns a 2023 Lincoln Aviator. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle in the garage, the garage became extremely hot, and the fans underneath the vehicle activated. The contact opened the garage. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 30, 2025
This car has been under recall at risk of fire, injury, and death, and Nissan has made no attempts to fix the recall for years now. Im not able to use a feature I paid for and I'm worried if someone else uses the vehicle without knowing will start a fire
Incident date: Jul 30, 2025
The contact owns a 2024 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while attempting to open and close the door, there was an abnormal popping sound coming from the rear driver’s side door. No warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was diagnosed with a stripped bolt. The dealer was unable to replace the bolt and referred the contact to an Auto Body Shop for assistance. The... Read more
Incident date: Sep 19, 2025
After applying the latest update to fix the recall, the camera and infotainment system performs worsee than before. The rear camera stops displaying almost 95% of the time, the only time it does work is if you get back in the car before the system goes to sleep .
Incident date: Sep 17, 2025
since new, driver side mirror becomes jiggly at hwy speeds, cannot focus on detail. Hard to focus on cars zooming up from behind
Incident date: Aug 22, 2022
I am unsure. The SUV is not pulling any codes when tested. I had two places run a diagnostic. Intermittently the SUV will stall at start up. The engine light will come on during this time. Once the Durango starts the light goes away. I was told this was a sign of a known recall issue for this vehicle.
Incident date: Aug 22, 2022
I was travelling back home at about 65mph on the highway in my 2018 ford f250 crew cab and my left front wheel hit a small bump in the road. The whole truck started to shake violently and I couldn't hold the steering wheel as it was also shaking uncontrollably. I thought at first that I had had a puncture but the truck wasn't leaning as such. The wheels where simply shaking from side to side very... Read more
Incident date: Aug 22, 2022
I was travelling back home at about 65mph on the highway in my 2018 ford f250 crew cab and my left front wheel hit a small bump in the road. The whole truck started to shake violently and I couldn't hold the steering wheel as it was also shaking uncontrollably. I thought at first that I had had a puncture but the truck wasn't leaning as such. The wheels where simply shaking from side to side very... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2018
While accelerating on freeway, engine suddenly turned off. Fuel pump went out, and I had to coast to safety avoiding traffic. Having to move lanes into the shoulder was incredibly scary once my momentum dropped to 15mph on a freeway alongside cars going 85+. It almost caused 2 separate accidents where others had to slam on their brakes. I noticed other renegades have recalls for this, I’m curio... Read more
Incident date: Jul 31, 2025
- Brake assist system failure -Electronic stability control alert - Brake pedal goes to the floor and car doesn't stop -Potential master cylinder malfunction due to faulty part. (See photo below). Safety of self and others put at risk as car became uncontrollable due to complete loss of braking power while driving. Dealership has not notified yet due to long waiting of other vehicles undergoing... Read more
Incident date: Jul 31, 2025
The "ESL Module" in this model is designed to unlock the steering and ignition when the vehicle key's passcode matches, using a small, mechanical motor with significantly poor durability. The problem is that this motor's failure is unpredictable, and many users of this model have been stranded and unable to start their vehicles due to the motor's lifespan ending. Even when the car is painstakingly... Read more
Incident date: Aug 27, 2024
Humming noise coming out of the powertrain that might be related to gear box or bearing. This mechanical safety issues mught endanger my life and cause a breakdown while driving, thus an accident. Mazada did not find the fix yet and unable to repair. Since September 3rd, my car is in Jim Click repair shop with no solution at sight.
Incident date: Aug 27, 2024
Glass in sunroof exploded, loudly, while driving on interstate, at 65 miles an hour, showering passenger and driver in shards of glass. There was no impact to the sunroof. Just a loud explosion. Heavy traffic at high speed while covered in glass had to make emergency stop. Glass could have easily gotten in our eyes. Thank goodness the two of us were wearing a ball cap and a visor. Would gladly ha... Read more
Incident date: Sep 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds in inclement weather, the ESC warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while making minor steering adjustments or turning to the right or the left, the vehicle skidded. The contact was able to make an adjustment to the steering wheel to regain control of the vehicle. Additionally, th... Read more
Incident date: Sep 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds in inclement weather, the ESC warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while making minor steering adjustments or turning to the right or the left, the vehicle skidded. The contact was able to make an adjustment to the steering wheel to regain control of the vehicle. Additionally, th... Read more
Incident date: Sep 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Thor Motor Coach Pallazo RV built on a 2022 Freightliner XC-S Chassis. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55-60 MPH, the front cap was shuddering, and the contact noticed that the windshield was abnormally moving from side to side. Additionally, a prior crack on the windshield was expanding due to the failure. The contact stated that upon arriving at the r... Read more
Incident date: Sep 18, 2025
Tesla’s software updates have rendered systems useless the vehicle wants to hug and sometimes cross the left double yellow lines. It cannot hold a constant speed and since their implementation of “supervised” full self driving, have made my vehicle unsafe
Incident date: Sep 16, 2025
On 8/20/2025, my 2018 Volvo XC90 T8 suffered catastrophic failure of the Electric Rear Axle Drive (ERAD). The vehicle suddenly developed a loud whining noise from the rear and became undriveable. This ERAD had previously been replaced under warranty at Boston Volvo Cars. On 10/28/2025, Queens Volvo inspected the vehicle and confirmed the failure was caused by improper prior service. Their techn... Read more
Incident date: Sep 16, 2025
Was driving at about 45mph on [XXX] on [XXX] and there was a lower control arm failure on the front passenger side of vehicle. Caused the vehicle to be inoperable. I was able to have someone pull me out of the way to not impeded traffic with the car in neutral but was unable to do much with it. It was late at night so I was unable to really access the damage. My wife had our insurance tow the... Read more
Incident date: Sep 16, 2025
Was driving at about 45mph on [XXX] on [XXX] and there was a lower control arm failure on the front passenger side of vehicle. Caused the vehicle to be inoperable. I was able to have someone pull me out of the way to not impeded traffic with the car in neutral but was unable to do much with it. It was late at night so I was unable to really access the damage. My wife had our insurance tow the... Read more
Incident date: Oct 18, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the engine was misfiring. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the contact was informed that the cylinders were misfiring, and the mechanic recommended that the spark plugs be replaced. The contact replaced the spark plugs with the assistance of a retired mechanic; however,... Read more
Incident date: Oct 18, 2024
engine begin to misfire and felt like it was ready to stall. within a minute of the misfiring the engine light came on. i was in the middle of highway struggling to get my vehicle to the dealership where purchased which thankfully was only 5mins away. tech heard noise coming from fuel pump near the engine and recommended replacing along with spark plug. after replacing tech advised me to take my v... Read more
Incident date: Aug 28, 2025
Air conditioner quit working and dealership said a small rock or bug hit the AC condenser and caused the freon to leak out. After researching this seems to be a very common issue with the Kia Tellurides and there should be a recall issued for the design flaw. Vehicle only has 5,200 miles on it.
Incident date: May 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V576000 (Electrical System); 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 contact stated that while the vehicle was idling in a parking lot, the contact attempted to acce... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse, the rearview camera became inoperable. The contact stated that an image appeared intermittently. The contact stated that occasionally the screen displayed a blank image. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate ... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2025
While my daughter has been driving our 2013 Chevrolet Malibu 2013, the vehicle continues to experience add loss of electric power. The dashboard display and infortainment system went down black. The problem first began -2019-2020 and continues to recur about once or twice a month. The most recent incident occurred on September 18, 2025, with my daughter behind the wheel. An independentc mechanic ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 28, 2025
While my daughter has been driving our 2013 Chevrolet Malibu 2013, the vehicle continues to experience add loss of electric power. The dashboard display and infortainment system went down black. The problem first began -2019-2020 and continues to recur about once or twice a month. The most recent incident occurred on September 18, 2025, with my daughter behind the wheel. An independentc mechanic ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 28, 2025
While my daughter has been driving our 2013 Chevrolet Malibu 2013, the vehicle continues to experience add loss of electric power. The dashboard display and infortainment system went down black. The problem first began -2019-2020 and continues to recur about once or twice a month. The most recent incident occurred on September 18, 2025, with my daughter behind the wheel. An independentc mechanic ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 28, 2025
Transmission-Has always shuddered and hesitates when shifting. Problem seems to get worse. Dealer had no answer except try flushing transmission. I read this is an inherent problem.
Incident date: Sep 13, 2025
To whom it may concern, I have own my vehicle since Jan 2018, which was purchased from the dealership's owner w/less than 10k miles. Maintenance has been performed iaw Hyundai's recommended schedule. However, yesterday, I was informed that my vehicle needed a new engine and other replacements totaling $13,934.89. This is OUTRAGEOUS. How can a well kept vehicle w/106445 miles, need such replacement... Read more
Incident date: Sep 14, 2025
The computer(s) responsible for many of the safety systems have faulty software. The computer vision system incorrectly assess condition of the roadway and issues warnings that obscure the instrument cluster. The computer vision system also incorrectly determines that a collision is imminent (despite no obstacles being present) and activates the braking system. Hyundai has been aware of this issu... Read more
Incident date: Sep 14, 2025
The computer(s) responsible for many of the safety systems have faulty software. The computer vision system incorrectly assess condition of the roadway and issues warnings that obscure the instrument cluster. The computer vision system also incorrectly determines that a collision is imminent (despite no obstacles being present) and activates the braking system. Hyundai has been aware of this issu... Read more
Incident date: Aug 16, 2025
The hybrid battery and hybrid system malfunctioned. The vehicle emitted a strong rotten-egg odor (consistent with hydrogen sulfide gas) inside the cabin from [XXX] to [XXX]. The hybrid system warning light first appeared on [XXX]. On [XXX], the air conditioner did not work while driving, and on other occasions it failed to turn on until the engine was restarted. On August 5, 2025, the vehicle was ... Read more
BMW
K 1600 GTL
(2012) - FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Sep 16, 2025
Incident date: Sep 8, 2025
I was recently involved in an accident with my 2020 Palisade that I believe may have been caused by a brake failure. I was simply moving the vehicle from one part of a driveway to another when, as I drove over a drainage ditch, the brakes did not respond and the car suddenly accelerated into a tree. I sustained facial injuries and was transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital. The vehicle is c... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Sep 1, 2025
I was stopped at a red light on a busy road. When it turned green and i accelerated the car would not move. It jerked and the dash lit up lioke a Christmas tree. A big red turtle came up on the dash and I was able to move but only 5-7 miles per hour. I drove the 8 -9 mile home at only 7 miles an hour while being honked at and near misses from the heavy trraffic. The vehiocle was towed to the deale... Read more
Incident date: Sep 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2025 Buick Envista. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. While driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle jerked abnormally before coming to a complete stop. The failure also occurred while attempting to accelerate after stopping at a stop light or a stop sign. The were abnormal grinding sounds intermittently co... Read more
Incident date: Sep 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2025 Buick Envista. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. While driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle jerked abnormally before coming to a complete stop. The failure also occurred while attempting to accelerate after stopping at a stop light or a stop sign. The were abnormal grinding sounds intermittently co... Read more
Incident date: Aug 23, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V467000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The contact stated that while turning and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle was slow to respond. There was a lag before the vehicle accelerated. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to du... Read more
Incident date: Aug 23, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V467000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The contact stated that while turning and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle was slow to respond. There was a lag before the vehicle accelerated. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to du... Read more
Incident date: Jul 31, 2025
GMC Consumer Relations Subject: Structural Undercarriage Safety Defect – 2012 GMC Terrain SLE Vehicle Information: Year/Make/Model: 2012 GMC Terrain SLE VIN: [XXX] Mileage at Purchase: 148,305 Date of Purchase: [XXX] Location: Rochester, New York I am filing a complaint regarding a severe undercarriage safety defect in my 2012 GMC Terrain SLE. The rear undercarriage of this vehicle shows heav... Read more
Incident date: Jul 31, 2025
Hello, I own a 2015 Lexus NX200T. On 9/13/2025 I was pulling into a spot to park, going slow at maybe 4-5 mph, my vehicle suddenly violently accelerates on its own. I had to slam multiple times on the brakes to avoid killing two pedestrians right in front of my vehicle. I was in seconds of killing them and pinning them between the vehicle that was in front of me. I did everything in my power to ke... Read more
Incident date: Jul 31, 2025
Hello, I own a 2015 Lexus NX200T. On 9/13/2025 I was pulling into a spot to park, going slow at maybe 4-5 mph, my vehicle suddenly violently accelerates on its own. I had to slam multiple times on the brakes to avoid killing two pedestrians right in front of my vehicle. I was in seconds of killing them and pinning them between the vehicle that was in front of me. I did everything in my power to ke... Read more
Incident date: Aug 15, 2025
EVERY TIME I TRIED TO PUT GAS IN THE CAR IT WILL NOT START AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS
Incident date: Aug 15, 2025
The contact owned a 2021 Ford F-450 Super Duty. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH on an 8 percent decline and pulling a trailer, the vehicle slightly responded upon depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, the transmission failed to downshift and was stuck in 10th gear. The contact pumped the brakes; however, the failure persisted. The contact drove into the shoulder of the roadway, an... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Sep 15, 2025
24 hour after taking delivery, operating on Full Self Driving on a residential street at 25-30 mph, the car struck a landscaping trailer parked on the right.The tailgate of the trailer was down and the car struck the left rear upright post of the trailer causing significant damage to my car. No automatic breaking occurred: the car struck the trailer at full speed. The collision alarm sounded ju... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jun 16, 2025
I started my vehicle, everything seemed fine, but once I reached my destination, the vehicles auto start/off activated which was normal. I was in a school line to pick up my child, once picked up my child and the auto start reactivated, that's when the problems be can. Once I exceeded 40 mph the car began to jerk violently, and as I tried to move over to the side of the road I couldn't fast enough... Read more
Incident date: Jun 16, 2025
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that upon leaving the keys in the ignition overnight, the battery was drained. The contact stated that the jumper cables were in a compartment located inside the trunk. The contact stated that due to the battery failure, the contact was unable to unlock the vehicle. In addition, there was no keyhole for the trunk of the vehicle. The contact e... Read more
Incident date: Jun 16, 2025
The vehicle inspection to see if our vehicle qualified for the recall to replace the A-Pillar trim was done well over a year ago. The inventory has been on backorder for over a year as well. The windshield desperately needs replaced for safety reasons and the windshield cannot be replaced without replacing these recalled pieces. We are having to pay $200 extra out of pocket to replace these defect... Read more
Incident date: Sep 14, 2025
Unknown im having a fuel leak from fuel tank on/off valve (petcock) on my 2007 Honda shadow aero 750.