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: Oct 20, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V675000 (Power Train); 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 manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 2, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Mini Cooper Clubman. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the left and right turn signals were inoperable. The contact was made aware by another driver that four out of the five rear brake lights were inoperable. The right and left turn signal malfunction and the rear brake light warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the place o... Read more
Incident date: Dec 2, 2024
The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328i. 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 contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet a... Read more
Incident date: Dec 2, 2024
Automatic braking system has came 3 different time with out anything near the vehicle. First two times it happened I thought maybe something ws there I did not see, the third time I had two people witness the event and verified there was nothing behind the vehicle when the automatic braking stopped the vehicle abruptly.
Incident date: Dec 2, 2024
I bought the Bridgestone tires in Sept 2023 from Walmart. On Nov 23, 2024, I went to Walmart auto center to have 4 Bridgestone tires rotated and balanced. The tech discovered severe bead separation in 3 of 4 tires. I had to buy 4 new tires. I have pictures of the tires with bead separation on the wheel rims and also off the rims.
Incident date: Feb 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Accord. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted several times. 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. T... Read more
Incident date: Feb 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, there was an abnormal knocking sound was coming from the engine compartment before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2020
Subaru Forester engine stalls at an intersection due to auto start stop feature of subaru to save fuel, except that this is the second time when engine is idling it lowers the revs and then it stalls when trying to auto start engine; first time the dealer said is battery issue, I replaced the battery at my cost, and this is the second time. It is dangerous because there are oncoming traffic and I ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2020
The rear trailing arm, normally attached to the rear suspension is clearly corroded and came detached when driving under 25 mph up a road. The SAME issue Honda had to do a recall on their 2005 CRV model. Researched Honda Pilots, in our (Midwest) area, EVERY SINGLE 2005 Pilot had the corrosion. Also cause the muffler pipe to detach from the catalytic converter (included in the photos attached).
Incident date: Dec 1, 2020
I purchased it unknown condition Accident History Damage Report - OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - [xxx] Accident or Damage Reported Vehicle Damage Reported Right Side Damage or Repair Reported Damage or Repair to Bumper Reported Damage or Repair to Hood Reported Damage or Repair to Radiator Reported Damage or Repair to Grille Reported Damage or Repair to Fender Reported INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE F... Read more
Incident date: Feb 4, 2024
While driving on street lost power in traffic then a loud knocking noise.pulled over to a mechanic shop and they told me that it was engine pulleys was bad plus 2 transmitters was bad . I only had the vehicle 4months .The dealership that sold me the vehicle I don't believe they had the car inspected tried to contact them but no reply . I believe the dealership ripped me off and I'm making payment... Read more
Incident date: Feb 4, 2024
While driving on street lost power in traffic then a loud knocking noise.pulled over to a mechanic shop and they told me that it was engine pulleys was bad plus 2 transmitters was bad . I only had the vehicle 4months .The dealership that sold me the vehicle I don't believe they had the car inspected tried to contact them but no reply . I believe the dealership ripped me off and I'm making payment... Read more
Incident date: Nov 28, 2024
Rear Windown shattered while car parked for no apparent reason.
Incident date: Nov 28, 2024
2017 Ford Escape with 66,000 miles, garage kept, well maintained. My steering wheel started to shake when shifting from park to drive but after idling for 30 seconds in park it was perfectly fine. Check engine light comes on, take it to a Ford dealer and they tell me the engine has a small coolant leak and the shaking was because the coolant was soaking a spark plug and it was burning it off. They... Read more
Incident date: Nov 28, 2024
My 2016 Nissan Rogue shakes terribly when it goes over 60 mph. This has been happening for over a year. I have twice taken it to garages for repair, most recently this week. They replaced the axels but this did nothing and they told me they have been reviewing Nissan service bulletins. They said they know the year of my car has had numerous transmission issues. So as of now, I can't drive my ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2024
The truck has an issue with 3rd gear. It wants to jolt forward and if it doesn’t catch speed it goes into “limp” mode. It’s a safety feature where it goes as fast as 2nd gear needing service to Electronic throttle body, stop/start system, and electronic stability control.
Incident date: Dec 1, 2024
The truck has an issue with 3rd gear. It wants to jolt forward and if it doesn’t catch speed it goes into “limp” mode. It’s a safety feature where it goes as fast as 2nd gear needing service to Electronic throttle body, stop/start system, and electronic stability control.
Incident date: Jun 7, 2024
My Terrain has a light that has been coming on for a couple months. Service Brake Assist. I took it to the dealer after my brakes locked up and about $800 after getting it fixed the light continues to come on. The forward collision light comes on every time I start the car. More the check engine light came on and says engine electrical system. What the heck is going on? I love this car and take... Read more
Incident date: Nov 24, 2024
Car door opened on its own. Sometimes infotainment display goes black and becomes unusable.
Incident date: Nov 24, 2024
Car door opened on its own. Sometimes infotainment display goes black and becomes unusable.
Incident date: Nov 24, 2024
I was driving and my car started beeping and the wheel jerked to the left and my car slowed down from 65mph to 20mph and almost caused me to have an accident. After I replaced the breaking module, my battery started shorting out and my car once again jerked off to the side and then slowed down abruptly from 65 mph to 20mph.
Crash
Incident date: Sep 7, 2024
Car shut down while driving on highway. After 10 Seconds, restarted but engine was sputtering along.
Incident date: Nov 11, 2024
Daytime running lights have failed. Both sides in my ford f150
Incident date: Nov 11, 2024
Ever so often my check engine will pop on and everything will go haywire. The park assist will cut on and off periodically as well as the automatic high beams and also the infotainment system will connect to my phone and randomly make phone calls at any time. I'm usually alerted of this malfunction when I start the vehicle. Also, the auto stop/start will be active but will continue running when br... Read more
Incident date: Nov 27, 2024
The vehicle intermediately has poor throttle response resulting in unsafe driving conditions. The poor throttle response occurs when taking off from a start as well as when accelerating at highway speeds. I nearly got into an accident today changing lanes on a highway as a vehicle was approaching at a rapid speed. The truck failed to accelerate for 3-5 seconds which is unacceptable. When I applied... Read more
Incident date: Nov 11, 2024
When I start the Highlander, there is a loud (hurts your ears) feedback noise through the speakers. It's so loud you instinctively close your eyes and put your hands on your ears, ignoring whatever you were doing before (like maybe putting the car in gear). It lasts a second or two then stops. It doesn't happen every time, more like every 10 starts. I called Toyota and they said take it to th... Read more
Incident date: Jan 11, 2024
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure). The contact stated that while driving the driver’s side A-pillar trim detached and flew off. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the A-pillar trim needed to be replaced. Additionally, the contact stated that while the vehicle was parke... Read more
Incident date: Nov 13, 2024
[XXX] The power steering column locked up while driving down [XXX] causing an incident that caused the car to become a total loss. A police report was generated where II stated the power steering column locked which caused the incident, I informed my insurance company immediately and throughout the dealings with my insurance company and Honda Collision center I kept stating the steering column lo... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Nov 13, 2024
[XXX] The power steering column locked up while driving down [XXX] causing an incident that caused the car to become a total loss. A police report was generated where II stated the power steering column locked which caused the incident, I informed my insurance company immediately and throughout the dealings with my insurance company and Honda Collision center I kept stating the steering column lo... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Nov 5, 2024
When I start the Highlander, there is a loud (hurts your ears) feedback noise through the speakers. It's so loud you instinctively close your eyes and put your hands on your ears, ignoring whatever you were doing before (like maybe putting the car in gear). It lasts a second or two then stops. It doesn't happen every time, more like every 10 starts. I called Toyota and they said take it to th... Read more
Incident date: Nov 26, 2024
Driver's side view mirror constantly shakes making impossible to use while driving. Makes you sick when looking at it. Unsafe to make lane change.
Incident date: Nov 26, 2024
Driver's side view mirror constantly shakes making impossible to use while driving. Makes you sick when looking at it. Unsafe to make lane change.
Incident date: Nov 26, 2024
Hello, the 2019 Jeep Cherokee that I have has a cracked rear differential and no accident that the vehicle was in could’ve caused. I also know another person personally that has the same year make, and model as me that has the exact same problem of a cracked rear differential. Also, after talking to a mechanic in our local area, who stated he sees cracked rear differentials in Jeep Cherokees A ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Honda CR-V. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (Air Bags); 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 experience... Read more
Incident date: Nov 22, 2024
Issue 1: Driver side front seat airbag connector separated disabling the airbag. (repaired at my cost) Issue 2: Transmission (10 speed auto) developed stutter and skip consistent with complaints resulting in recall of 2020 (next model year truck) due to risk of rear wheel lock up. GM needs to include the 2019 models that were built as 2019 (as 2020) in one of the plants while they continued to ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 26, 2024
2022 kia soul, engine failed on the highway interstate. was traveling on [XXX] at 70mph and I slowed down due to an accident infant of me and went to accelerate again and my car shut down. and thats is when my engine failed. This is not safe at all. Took three weeks to get fixed car was only t 61,000 miles also head gasket was leaking at the time they found. But plenty of oil and jut had an oil ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 26, 2024
Porsche dash material is separating from the substrate of the structure. This material is directly between the airbag and the now loose material on the surface of the dash (leather). Porsche will not repair this and recommends a replacement at an estimated $10,000 USD. There is a significant risk to safety as the now loose upper material will interfere with the deployment of the airbag on the p... Read more
Incident date: Oct 14, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 2500. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the ABS warning light remained illuminated, and the ABS system was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who replaced the ABS control module; however, approximately six months later the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who replaced the brake pads and rotors, but t... Read more
Incident date: Oct 14, 2024
The passenger front airbag does not always activate when my wife (who weighs [XXX][) sits in the seat. Car has been brought to the selling Dealer (Lester Glenn Subaru, Toms River, NJ). They state that the weight sensor under the front seat is calibrated correctly and there is nothing they can do about this issue. When I sit in the front passenger seat (I weigh [XXX] pounds) the airbag indicator... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2024
Over the 10 years I have owned this car, it has failed to start about a dozen times. 1/2 the time I am at home and 1/2 the time I am away from home. Sometimes if you wait a few hours it will then start, often times it has to get towed to the dealer. Upon arrival at the dealership, it usually starts. The Toyota dealership has been unable to correctly diagnose the problem. As such, I spend mon... Read more
Incident date: Feb 14, 2024
While driving vehicle on highway the Ford Focus started down shifting while accelerating. This caused the car to not be able to reach sufficient speeds on the road and could have caused an accident. With my family in the car I exited the highway and drove the vehicle home, with the car continuously down shifting and not being able to accelerate as designed. The transmission has known problems and... Read more
Incident date: Feb 14, 2024
the car suddenly shut off when i was on the red light wit the idle stop.
Incident date: Nov 26, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Audi E-Tron. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V867000 (Electrical System); 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 dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufactur... Read more
Incident date: Nov 26, 2024
Approximately 1.5 years ago my 2015 Ram 1500 Antilock Brake light came on along with the messages service trailer brake system, service antilock brake system, and service electronic brake system. I have taken it to different dealers and auto mechanics to have it fixed only to be told that parts are no longer available. I was told by service department at dealer that I needed an ABS Module. I have ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 26, 2024
There is a serious flaw in the low beam headlight display for this vehicle. There are two large shadows directly in the light of sight. I rarely drive this vehicle at night and with the recent change away from daylight savings time, I drove it in the early evening and discovered the headlights created a huge shadow right in the sightline of the road with oncoming vehicles. It is especially wor... Read more
Incident date: Nov 26, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Edge. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion into the cylinder and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotl... Read more
Incident date: Aug 13, 2024
Engine failure at 38,000 miles. Started with a Loss of proper acceleration. Stalled out at stop lights. Failure to start. Vapors coming out of exhaust. Getting too hot. And overheating. These symptoms lasted 2 days before check engine light came on. Leaving me stopped in heavy traffic a few times. And unable to accelerate when I needed to. Dealership is putting in a new engine. Engine is under war... Read more
Incident date: Oct 22, 2024
The rear seats in the 2024/2025 Ford Raptor Ranger are connected to the rear of the cab via a single latch. The single latch does not always latch. I noticed it had failed to properly latch the next day when I was installing my car seats. I figured it was user error, but than I re-tested it and struggled to properly latch it. The danger is the rear portion of the seat could suddenly fold forward d... Read more
Incident date: Sep 16, 2024
Purchased CPO certified Mercedes-Benz 2021 Sprinter Rv Van that was sold to me by Mercedes-Benz of S. Orlando Florida with illegal window and windshield tint and when I complained they stated it’s buyer’s responsibility to pay for removing once it’s sold. It’s a safety hazard as it was extremely difficult to see at night. Police pulled us over for it, but kindly told us to remove it for o... Read more