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: Feb 20, 2024
Several malfunctions: all cameras including rear cameras were disabled, high beams would flash on and off continuously when in auto mode. Front Passenger safety restraint failure alert message that eventually turned off. The car continuously has a humming noise even after turned off. Navigation system was not operable.
Incident date: Dec 29, 2024
The angle and possibly the material of the windshield catches a glare/reflection of the dash that heavily affects visibility for the driver. When there is a bright light shining on the dash it is almost impossible to see past the glare. This can be a real hazard as this obstructs the drivers view of the road.
Incident date: Dec 29, 2024
Being a new vehicle the 2nd row seats do not easily slide forward and back. My wife was attempting to move the 2nd row seat forward using the mechanism on the outside of the seat. The back of the seat and the seat moved forward suddenly, striking her in the forehead. The mechanism that holds the 2nd row seat belt is made of a very hard plastic. This hard plastic is what made contact with my wif... Read more
Incident date: Dec 29, 2024
I am concerned about a serious safety issue with my CX-90. Both of the rear doors have consistently malfunctioned, failing to latch properly when closed. The door handles get stuck and do not fully return to their original position, preventing the doors from locking securely. As a result, the doors have swung open while the vehicle was in motion, putting passengers, especially children in the back... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2024
I took my xterra to get inspected 12/27/2024. I was informed I have a recall on this vehicle.
Incident date: Oct 15, 2024
The contact owns a 2008 Lexus GS 350. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he became aware that the rearview mirror's reflective surface was fading, reducing rear-view visibility. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for a... Read more
Incident date: Dec 27, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Accord. The contact stated that the backup camera was turning on and off. While reversing, the backup camera turned black over time. The check engine and ACC adaptive cruise control warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who confirmed the vehicle was not covered under NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V629000 (Back Over Prevention, Visibil... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Accord. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the parts were not available. The manufacturer was not made... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2024
Low oil warming reading, physical oil level is fine. Dealer claming software glitch issue affecting oil readings, no fix available.
Incident date: Dec 14, 2024
Car seat is Chicco Fit 360 rotating car seat The lever to secure/relesse the seatbelt is directly inline with my child’s feet while rearfacing. When he rides he is able to kick the lever and release it allowing the seatbelt to be loose while the car is in motion. This happens 9/10 times he rides in this carseat. The latch system uses the same lever to tighten/secure the belt to make it tight t... Read more
Incident date: Dec 14, 2024
Car seat is Chicco Fit 360 rotating car seat The lever to secure/relesse the seatbelt is directly inline with my child’s feet while rearfacing. When he rides he is able to kick the lever and release it allowing the seatbelt to be loose while the car is in motion. This happens 9/10 times he rides in this carseat. The latch system uses the same lever to tighten/secure the belt to make it tight t... Read more
Incident date: Dec 25, 2024
While driving on the highway, the roof antenna assembly flew off our car. Inspection of the area shows that the screws that were supposed to hold the antenna on had all become sheared off. It looks like there is a recall for this exact issue covering 2016 Kia Optimas produced through June 1, 2016 (SA272), but our Optima was produced on June 23, 2016 and is therefore not covered according to Kia.
Incident date: Dec 25, 2024
•I’m not sure what component was responsble for either the braking issue or the fire. It is available for inspection. •When driving the brake pedal had a frightening delay that almost caused 2 accidents and unfortunately my car was charging on the 24th of October which could have something to do with arching that led to my garage catching fire rendering the car unable to move or turn on aft... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Dec 23, 2024
Very strong smell of gas in my car , affecting me badly , got sick and threw up and took car in , and ford changed my catalyst convertor among other things , no lights lit up for anything , the smell that was there is why I took it in and they kept the car until fixed and picked up , now I don’t feel safe , I have a 2022 ford escape 34000 miles and have had multiple serious recalls and very unsu... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2024
The rear LED license plate lights are corroded and need replacing. One does not work.
Incident date: Nov 1, 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 the vehicle was at the dealer for routine maintenance, and the ABS and tr... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the transmission overheated. There was no warning light illuminated. There was smoke inside the cabin and bed cover. There was an abnormally high-pitched sound detected while driving. While reversing, there was an abnormal sound detected. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was tra... Read more
Incident date: Dec 27, 2024
I have had this vehicle at the garage for the 4th time in 2 months for the same issues. It would not start. the fuse box keeps blowing. The starter was replaced and the Alternator was replaced and the fuse box 3 times so far. It is in the auto repair shop now for the same issues. the mechanic has done an inspection and diagnostics and cant find what is wrong. There were no warning lights to warn m... Read more
Incident date: Dec 27, 2024
Vehicle dash won't activate beyond the welcome screen thereby preventing me from seeing the speedometer, fuel gage, lane sensors, navigation, etc. I had to drive it on side streets to the closest dealer without aid of any standard dash meters.
Incident date: Feb 14, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 BMW 228I. The contact stated that intermittently, while driving at undisclosed speeds and depressing the brake pedal, there was an abnormal odor of smoke. The braking lamp malfunction light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined the failure was related to the engine, engine cooling, and electrical system. The contact received notifi... Read more
Incident date: Feb 14, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 BMW 228I. The contact stated that intermittently, while driving at undisclosed speeds and depressing the brake pedal, there was an abnormal odor of smoke. The braking lamp malfunction light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined the failure was related to the engine, engine cooling, and electrical system. The contact received notifi... Read more
Incident date: Dec 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 BMW 428i. 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 not 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 iss... Read more
Incident date: Dec 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 BMW 428i. 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 not 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 iss... Read more
Incident date: Aug 14, 2024
Randomly, the power steering, ABS, and traction control went out on my car. There are thousands of others with this issue and previous years of this car have already had a recall relating to this issue.
Incident date: Dec 26, 2024
When the lights are set on Auto mode the high beams feature will not work. You push the steering column cluster switch forward to turn on high beams and it kicks it back immediately and will not turn on high beams. This is a huge safety issue. We've had to drive through wooded areas at night with elk and deer on the roads and almost been hit. Jeep needs to recall this and modify to allow h... Read more
Incident date: Dec 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2023 Honda HR-V. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V744000(Steering); 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 not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced... Read more
Incident date: Aug 13, 2024
The vehicle's dash states the following are malfunctioning: Road Departure Mitigation System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Auto High Beam, Collision Mitigation System, and Lane Keeping Assist. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. A few days prior to this message appearing on the dash, the car flashed and beeped that I needed to BRAKE when there wasn't anything in front of me while dr... Read more
Incident date: Aug 13, 2024
I was coming to a stop at a red light and the car shut off . It flashed a transmission issue and emissions issue on the dash. I tried to restart and it would start but not move or let me shift into gear leaving me stranded in the middle of a busy road. It took for an officer to remove my battery cable and then reconnect for me to be able to move the vehicle out of the road and into a parking lot. ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 13, 2024
I was coming to a stop at a red light and the car shut off . It flashed a transmission issue and emissions issue on the dash. I tried to restart and it would start but not move or let me shift into gear leaving me stranded in the middle of a busy road. It took for an officer to remove my battery cable and then reconnect for me to be able to move the vehicle out of the road and into a parking lot. ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 26, 2024
Mazda’s CX-5 engines, particularly in earlier models, have been known to experience issues with Hydraulic Lash Adjusters (HLAs), which are responsible for maintaining proper valve clearance. Many owners have reported a persistent tapping or ticking noise, especially during cold starts. This issue is often caused by air bubbles or insufficient oil supply to the HLAs, and cold weather exacerbates ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 26, 2024
Mazda’s CX-5 engines, particularly in earlier models, have been known to experience issues with Hydraulic Lash Adjusters (HLAs), which are responsible for maintaining proper valve clearance. Many owners have reported a persistent tapping or ticking noise, especially during cold starts. This issue is often caused by air bubbles or insufficient oil supply to the HLAs, and cold weather exacerbates ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 19, 2024
The light up display for the odometer, fuel gauge, and speedometer does not always light up. When it is not lit, the cruise control and any warning and informative alarms/lights also do not work. This is a well-known issue among owners of these cars, related to the capacitors on the circuit board for the display being defective, and there is extensive documentation of it online. It may also have h... Read more
Incident date: Dec 19, 2024
The light up display for the odometer, fuel gauge, and speedometer does not always light up. When it is not lit, the cruise control and any warning and informative alarms/lights also do not work. This is a well-known issue among owners of these cars, related to the capacitors on the circuit board for the display being defective, and there is extensive documentation of it online. It may also have h... Read more
Incident date: Dec 5, 2024
Uncontrollable shaking wobble in steering known as death wobble.
Incident date: Dec 5, 2024
Uncontrollable shaking wobble in steering known as death wobble.
Incident date: Jul 17, 2022
The check engine light indicated a "gas cap" code, and the "side airbag off" light was illuminated. Upon diagnosis, the technician identified significant rust and cracked transmission components, resulting in fluid leakage. The service department assessed the vehicle as unsafe for operation, waived the diagnostic fees, and replenished the transmission fluid to prevent the risk of being stranded du... Read more
Incident date: Jul 17, 2022
Subject: Complaint Regarding Illegal Practices by Lemberg Group My name is [XXX] , and I am currently employed as a driver for Lemberg Group. I operate a white Freightliner Cascadia truck, unit number [XXX]. I am writing to formally report illegal practices being conducted by Lemberg Group that violate environmental regulations and federal transportation safety laws. These practices not only jeo... Read more
Incident date: Sep 28, 2022
Last week, my wife was turning left at a busy intersection and her 2019 Jeep Cherokee suddenly wouldn't accelerate, and she had to coast across 4 lanes of traffic during evening rush hour. After placing in park and shutting off to refuel, she restarted and upon putting in drive, 4WD Srv light was still on, yet this time the vehicle was able to move again. So luckily she was able to get home. Next ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 24, 2024
Vehicle Safety and Functionality Concerns: 1.Steering Issues: Steering remains uncentered and unresponsive despite new tires and alignment at the dealership. Excessive steering margin, particularly dangerous in rainy conditions, leading to steering errors. 2.As the new generation Range Rover Sport in 2020, it has dual exhaust pipes, but only one side works. The dealer just said it was normal, b... Read more
5 injured
Incident date: Dec 24, 2024
Vehicle Safety and Functionality Concerns: 1.Steering Issues: Steering remains uncentered and unresponsive despite new tires and alignment at the dealership. Excessive steering margin, particularly dangerous in rainy conditions, leading to steering errors. 2.As the new generation Range Rover Sport in 2020, it has dual exhaust pipes, but only one side works. The dealer just said it was normal, b... Read more
5 injured
Incident date: Oct 5, 2022
had brake issues a year into getting vehicle went back multiple times and blackstone toyota couldn’t fix issue still can’t and still there at dealer and now there’s airbag safety recall car has been at dealership for 4 months no resolution
Incident date: Oct 5, 2022
had brake issues a year into getting vehicle went back multiple times and blackstone toyota couldn’t fix issue still can’t and still there at dealer and now there’s airbag safety recall car has been at dealership for 4 months no resolution
Incident date: Oct 5, 2022
The Maxi Cosi Luxe Mico is poorly designed and defective. The first car seat I received was falling apart, the Styrofoam by the head was separating from the seat, and there was a step off in the mid to lower back of the center of the seat where the baby's back would be positioned. I did not notice the step-off until after I received the replacement seat. This infant seat has very little back suppo... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Dec 9, 2024
When I drive this vehicle, sometimes it will lose all power even at 55 miles an hour. It comes up ...power reduced brake applied. I can't give it gas or anything. It lasts about 10 seconds.
Incident date: Dec 16, 2024
2017 Audi Q7 , issue is Left marker light not working according to the dash computer, called Audi , inspected and they said it works but is dimmer than the other side, so needs replaced. $6000.... not doing that, called Audi customer service and they would do a good will for less but still $4000.. I chose to just put up with it since it works and the dash light stays on all the time. Then months g... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2021
Seems struts, shocks, cadallytic converter are bad
Incident date: Nov 27, 2024
The engine in my 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, specifically the 2.4L Theta II engine, failed and is available for inspection upon request. This failure caused the vehicle to stall unexpectedly while driving, creating a serious safety hazard due to the sudden loss of power and control. The issue has been diagnosed by a Hyundai dealership, which confirmed the engine requires replacement due to intern... Read more
Incident date: Nov 27, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle lost power and became inoperable. The contact pulled over to the side of the road for one to two minutes and returned independently. The contact stated that during the second failure, while depressing the accelerator pedal the vehicle failed to respond and slowed down independently and the vehicle lost power... Read more
Incident date: Nov 27, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle lost power and became inoperable. The contact pulled over to the side of the road for one to two minutes and returned independently. The contact stated that during the second failure, while depressing the accelerator pedal the vehicle failed to respond and slowed down independently and the vehicle lost power... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Edge. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing rough starts. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that there was a misfire in cylinder #4, and there was coolant intrusion in the cylinder head. The mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced and r... Read more