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: Apr 23, 2026
Hello, I was driving on the highway with my family and my engine had a sudden loss of power. I only have 52,000 miles on the engine and it has been serviced the entire time. We almost got in a major accident as we had cars and trucks moving around us at a very high speed as we tried to pull over in the breakdown lane. I brought the car to Daddario GMC in Shelton, CT. They did a diagnostic test ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 12, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia. The contact stated that while at a complete stop on several occasions, the engine abnormally revved to 1,100-1,400 RPMs. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed low speed on a ramp, the vehicle accelerated unintendedly and failed to decelerate while the brake pedal was depressed. Additionally, the contact stated that while at a complete st... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Apr 21, 2026
My wife was driving our 2016 Mazda CX-5, and was getting ready to pull into our daughters' driveway. My wife slowed down to a stop before entering the driveway. She gave the vehicle some gas to move forward. She stated that there was a pause, then the vehicle accelerated forward slamming into the garage door and the corner of the garage/house. There was also a Tesla parked inside the garage that w... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Sep 23, 2025
2022 Ioniq 5 SE. ICCU failed April 2026 with around 29325 miles. Original owner. Purchased June 2022. I had the original Recall 272 software update performed back in February 2025, but the hardware still failed a year later. **Timeline of Failure:** 1. **Phase 1 (The Trigger):** Level 2 charging stopped unexpectedly before reaching the limit. It tripped my house breaker and unfortunately kille... Read more
Incident date: Feb 19, 2026
The recall was issued more than 8 months ago but the remedy is still not yet available, which is very concerning as the problem may cause the event of fire even when the vehicle is parked. Issued SEP 23, 2025 Description of Problem It is possible for water to contact and enter the engine starter. This could lead to corrosion which could cause a short circuit. Safety Risk This could increase ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 19, 2026
The contact owned a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that around 4:00 o'clock in the morning, she was awoken by the sound of her dogs barking; she then discovered that her vehicle had caught fire and had burned to the ground. The fire spread, which caught fire to a nearby mobile home and a 4-wheeler. The authorities were called to the scene, and the fire department managed to extinguish al... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Feb 19, 2026
I purchased a 2015 BMW i8 (salvage title) from Parkline Motors. The vehicle history (Carfax) disclosed prior front/right damage, which I accepted. However, the dealership failed to disclose critical safety-related defects associated with that damage. Shortly after taking possession of the vehicle, I experienced a malfunction in the SRS (Supplemental Restraint System), which controls the airbag sys... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2026
Only 41,000 miles and head gasket is leaking
Incident date: Sep 30, 2025
The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while driving, she observed a loud explosion emanating from the roof of the vehicle. The contact slammed on her brakes and then steered the vehicle to the side of the road, where she observed crackling glass noises also emanating from the sunroof. The contact then exited the vehicle to inspect, where she observed the sunroof had a frisb... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Apr 26, 2026
Clicking sound coming from under the dash. I traced it to the blend door assy. Defrost intermittently will disengage. Vehicle has 29,600 miles on it
Incident date: Apr 17, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 RAM 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at undisclosed speeds, the ABS warning light illuminated, with an audible alert. The message “ABS Unavailable” was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 17, 2026
The infotainment/radio system in my 2021 Nissan Sentra intermittently reboots and produces static. When this happens, the backup camera freezes or shuts off completely. This has occurred while I was actively reversing, causing a sudden loss of rear visibility. The screen either goes black or restarts, making the backup camera unavailable. This is a safety concern because the backup camera is requi... Read more
Incident date: Apr 26, 2026
On 3/15/2026 I was on my way home from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania, and about 35 minutes into my drive I got an alert stating "High Engine Temperature Stop Safely", so I pulled over immediately and turned the car off. After allowing the engine to cool down, I opened the hood and started the car to see if I could identify any issues, the "Engine Fault Service Now" alert came up. This was the firs... Read more
Incident date: Apr 17, 2026
This was an issue included in a prior recall (NHTSA #24V022000). My car received the Mazda repair for this recall but this did not solve the problem. Steering wheel still sticks when turning. I then have to overcorrect in the opposite direction to unstick out of the turn which results in the car suddenly jolting in the opposite direction once the steering wheel becomes unstuck. I see this as dange... Read more
Incident date: May 14, 2025
Noticed problems with steering the vehicle. Initially the was not smooth when driving or turning and the steering would go through a very brief but light indecisive bump This problem started a week ago and has become worse. Plan to take car to dealer for diagnostics. Called Honda corporate and it looks like they may assist me with this
Incident date: Apr 8, 2026
REAR VIEW CAMERA REPLACEMENT IF REQUIRED AFTER DEALER EVALUATION
Incident date: Apr 25, 2026
On cold days the dashboard is showing a foreign language.
Incident date: Apr 25, 2026
The dealer is refusing to remedy the recall campaign No.26V-09 stating that we need to wait for service to be due to address it. NHTSA letter says otherwise.
Incident date: Apr 24, 2026
Vehicle died and will not start. Call on star for tow truck 8 hrs no tow truck ! Vehicle is super dangerous and unreliable. It’s going to get somebody killed.
Incident date: Apr 24, 2026
On Wednesday night, the battery light initially came on and after a few minutes the van had this burning smell so I pulled over and the alternator was on fire. I put it out with several bottles of water from papa John’s. Today, at Boyd Honda in Oxford said in the diagnosis that there was a sweeping spool valve that had leaked which must have caused the alternator to blaze because this is a manuf... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Dec 31, 2025
The contact owns a 2026 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the rear panoramic sunroof exploded and shattered, causing shards and pieces of glass to fall inside the vehicle, onto the driver's side headrest, armrest, and on the center console. The contact closed the shade cover and continued driving to the residence, where the vehicle was parked. While the contact’s wife was s... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Dec 31, 2025
I purchased a vehicle from Ed morse Cadillac on 12/31/2025. I find out in April that the vehicle was sold with undercarriage damages listed in Carfax. The dealership, never disclosed anything, did not show me the reports, and i did not sign anything to accept the damages. They do not want to take responsibility. The vehicle might be dangerous to drive and is really demeaning in value because of th... Read more
Incident date: Dec 31, 2025
I purchased a vehicle from Ed morse Cadillac on 12/31/2025. I find out in April that the vehicle was sold with undercarriage damages listed in Carfax. The dealership, never disclosed anything, did not show me the reports, and i did not sign anything to accept the damages. They do not want to take responsibility. The vehicle might be dangerous to drive and is really demeaning in value because of th... Read more
Incident date: Jan 30, 2026
On January 30, 2026 BMW was made aware of a problem with their starter motors in their 230 series cars that could result in the mechanism failing or in a worst case scenario, a fire starting. They have been aware of this problem for almost four full months and still have no remedy. This is a blatant safety issue and they have taken no action to correct it.
Incident date: Jan 20, 2026
I am writing to formally report a potential safety-related defect involving BMW vehicles equipped with the B58TU engine, primarily affecting model years 2019 through 2021. My vehicle experienced a sudden loss of engine oil pressure that resulted in catastrophic engine failure. This condition occurred with little to no warning and led to immediate vehicle disablement. The failure created a hazardou... Read more
Incident date: Mar 31, 2026
The vehicle underwent a BMW recall repair involving the blower motor wiring, completed at an authorized BMW dealership. Immediately after the recall repair, the blower motor began operating intermittently. The system turns on and off while driving. The blower motor function can be temporarily restored by physically moving the wiring harness behind the glove box in the area where the recall repair... Read more
Incident date: Apr 23, 2026
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for an unknown recall repair, but the vehicle experienced the failure after the repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost automotive power, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was initially dia... Read more
Incident date: Apr 23, 2026
I just did a software update for my 2025 M3 and all settings were lost. Most of this is a customer inconvenience, but brake auto hold was turned off so imagine my surprise when I took my foot off the brake and my car rolled forward. Thankfully I was paying attention or there could have been an accident. I rely on auto hold to keep my car stopped even when my foot is off the brake.
Incident date: Jan 1, 2025
Subject: Formal Complaint – Safety Issue, Repeated Repair Failure, and Dealer Negligence (BMW X7) To Whom It May Concern, I am filing a formal complaint regarding a serious and ongoing safety issue involving my BMW X7 (VIN: [XXX] ), as well as repeated failure by an authorized BMW dealership (Fields BMW Winter Park, Florida) to properly diagnose and repair the vehicle. Since purchase, the vehicl... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2025
Subject: Formal Complaint – Safety Issue, Repeated Repair Failure, and Dealer Negligence (BMW X7) To Whom It May Concern, I am filing a formal complaint regarding a serious and ongoing safety issue involving my BMW X7 (VIN: [XXX] ), as well as repeated failure by an authorized BMW dealership (Fields BMW Winter Park, Florida) to properly diagnose and repair the vehicle. Since purchase, the vehicl... Read more
Incident date: Apr 14, 2026
My daughter was driving my BMW X5, it went to neutral and not moving, she was panicked and stopped the car and ignition. After restarting the car, it worked for a day, then it happened again, also, I see notifications on dashboard for restraint warning, saying, airbag, and seat belt tension are reduced. I took to Fairfax BMW in VA, BMW quoted $2662, informed that my BMW went out of extended warran... Read more
Incident date: Apr 14, 2026
My daughter was driving my BMW X5, it went to neutral and not moving, she was panicked and stopped the car and ignition. After restarting the car, it worked for a day, then it happened again, also, I see notifications on dashboard for restraint warning, saying, airbag, and seat belt tension are reduced. I took to Fairfax BMW in VA, BMW quoted $2662, informed that my BMW went out of extended warran... Read more
Incident date: Apr 14, 2026
My daughter was driving my BMW X5, it went to neutral and not moving, she was panicked and stopped the car and ignition. After restarting the car, it worked for a day, then it happened again, also, I see notifications on dashboard for restraint warning, saying, airbag, and seat belt tension are reduced. I took to Fairfax BMW in VA, BMW quoted $2662, informed that my BMW went out of extended warran... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2026
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V513000 (Air Bags), 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), and 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The contact stated that while ac... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2026
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V513000 (Air Bags), 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), and 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The contact stated that while ac... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2026
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V513000 (Air Bags), 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), and 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The contact stated that while ac... Read more
Incident date: Apr 23, 2026
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2010 BMW 328I. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 107,414. The contact stated that, while driving 25 MPH over a pothole, several systems in the vehicle unexpectedly reset; however, the speedometer had not reset. The contact stated that the vehicle had not b... Read more
Incident date: Sep 13, 2025
The vehicle listed has an unfixable defect (water valve/coolant issue) that creates a safety hazard in an electric vehicle, BMW, the manufacturer has failed to provide a remedy within a reasonable timreframe. AC Coolant valve and high voltage battery are part of the same loop which make this vehicle a safety hazard. The No fix as of today. Authorized BMW dealer feedback: ROAD TESTED WITH CUSTOM... Read more
Incident date: Sep 13, 2025
The vehicle listed has an unfixable defect (water valve/coolant issue) that creates a safety hazard in an electric vehicle, BMW, the manufacturer has failed to provide a remedy within a reasonable timreframe. AC Coolant valve and high voltage battery are part of the same loop which make this vehicle a safety hazard. The No fix as of today. Authorized BMW dealer feedback: ROAD TESTED WITH CUSTOM... Read more
Incident date: Apr 22, 2026
Windshield crack around heating elements and rearview mirror mount. There 3 cracks that extend to top of windshield to a horizontal crack. These look like one hook, J and a staightline that forms right angle to the one about a foot long behind readview mirror mount. There are no rocks chips evident. This occurred in a time span of 80 minutes. I actually heard the popping or cracking like when a pl... Read more
Incident date: Feb 6, 2025
NHTSA COMPLAINT (VERY IMPORTANT – SAFETY FOCUSED) Subject: Safety Complaint – BMW X7 Electrical Defect and Fire Risk (VIN: [XXX] ) To the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, I am submitting a formal safety complaint regarding a 2020 BMW X7 xDrive40i affected by Recall No. 24V-576 (Engine Starter Defect). My vehicle has experienced: •Sudden battery failure •Electrical system mal... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Feb 6, 2025
NHTSA COMPLAINT (VERY IMPORTANT – SAFETY FOCUSED) Subject: Safety Complaint – BMW X7 Electrical Defect and Fire Risk (VIN: [XXX] ) To the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, I am submitting a formal safety complaint regarding a 2020 BMW X7 xDrive40i affected by Recall No. 24V-576 (Engine Starter Defect). My vehicle has experienced: •Sudden battery failure •Electrical system mal... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Feb 6, 2025
NHTSA COMPLAINT (VERY IMPORTANT – SAFETY FOCUSED) Subject: Safety Complaint – BMW X7 Electrical Defect and Fire Risk (VIN: [XXX] ) To the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, I am submitting a formal safety complaint regarding a 2020 BMW X7 xDrive40i affected by Recall No. 24V-576 (Engine Starter Defect). My vehicle has experienced: •Sudden battery failure •Electrical system mal... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Apr 21, 2026
EGR system coolant leak and white smoke from exhaust
Incident date: Jan 3, 2026
The contact owns a 2026 BMW X7. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal water shifting around inside the vehicle. The contact stated that the message “Service Immediately” was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the contact was informed that the failure was an unknown failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an inde... Read more
Incident date: Jan 3, 2026
The contact owns a 2026 BMW X7. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal water shifting around inside the vehicle. The contact stated that the message “Service Immediately” was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the contact was informed that the failure was an unknown failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an inde... Read more
Incident date: Apr 4, 2026
I am filing a safety complaint regarding a catastrophic timing chain failure on my 2014 BMW X3 xDrive28i equipped with the N20 engine. While driving, the timing chain and oil pump drive chain failed without warning. This is a well-documented defect on BMW N20/N26 engines that has been the subject of extended warranties and numerous consumer complaints. This failure can cause sudden engine seizur... Read more
Incident date: Apr 4, 2026
I am filing a safety complaint regarding a catastrophic timing chain failure on my 2014 BMW X3 xDrive28i equipped with the N20 engine. While driving, the timing chain and oil pump drive chain failed without warning. This is a well-documented defect on BMW N20/N26 engines that has been the subject of extended warranties and numerous consumer complaints. This failure can cause sudden engine seizur... Read more
Incident date: Apr 4, 2026
I am filing a safety complaint regarding a catastrophic timing chain failure on my 2014 BMW X3 xDrive28i equipped with the N20 engine. While driving, the timing chain and oil pump drive chain failed without warning. This is a well-documented defect on BMW N20/N26 engines that has been the subject of extended warranties and numerous consumer complaints. This failure can cause sudden engine seizur... Read more
Incident date: Jan 10, 2026
It was discovered during a routine check that the alternator for my 2020 BMW 330i with xdrive was dying. The car had around 40,000 miles on it. Alternator was replaced with an aftermarket part.