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 28,307 complaints for BUICK
Incident date: Dec 10, 2023
My engine light has come on 5 times over last 6 months. Each time My car started hesitating as if it were going to just just stop in the the middle of the street. Each time I had it towed to dealership. The following were replaced: exhaust manifold, intake manifold, engine coil, head gasket. The oil consumption test could not be done because this occurred before it ever reached 1K. The engine is ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 8, 2023
This vehicle came with a YOKE style steering wheel, I did not order it this way, it is how the new car arrived. It is TERRIBLE and I cannot believe TESLAS is allowed to put it in their cars. (This is my second Model S, my first is a 2015 and I love it). It has none of the standard stalks on the side (Directional signal, headlight flash, etc.). I heard that removing the stalks saved the company a p... Read more
Incident date: Dec 8, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Transit Connect. The contact stated that cracks had formed in both taillights which lead to water accumulation inside the taillight housing. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was informed that moisture had leaked into the taillight wiring harness and both taillight sensors and sensor harnesses need to be replaced. In addition, the taillight wiring had b... Read more
Incident date: May 10, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that on three occasions while the vehicle was in park(P), the vehicle failed to shift into the intended gear. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the rear-view sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. On another occasion, while at a car wash the rear hatch opened inadvertently. On ano... Read more
Incident date: Dec 7, 2023
I have been getting my Tundra alignment done every other month since I purchased it brand new and have actually run out of warranty on the alignments and have been coming out of pocket ever since. The vehicle pulls quite aggressively to the right unless extra pressure is applied to the left side of the steering wheel. It has steadily gotten worse after every alignment and I can’t even pull an em... Read more
Incident date: Dec 7, 2023
I am writing to provide you with detailed information regarding the engine failure incident that occurred on November 15, 2023, involving my 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The component that failed was the engine itself, which resulted in a sudden and complete loss of power while I was driving at highway speeds. This incident posed a significant safety risk to both myself and others on the road, a... Read more
Incident date: Dec 7, 2023
The electrical plate for the right daytime running light must have fallen out of the engine compartment, according to the dealer service center, because it was no longer there. A warning light appeared on the dashboard system as a yellow triangle enclosing a yellow exclamation mark. It presented a safety issue by causing the warning light to appear on the dashboard panel while the vehicle was be... Read more
Incident date: May 10, 2023
Stretch belt that run the water pump from the crankshaft failed while driving. Less than 10k miles on the vehicle
Incident date: Jun 1, 2023
Screen blank when I am drving a while without any problem. I saw online and many owner have same problem. I followed company and online instruction. the problem could not be solved.
Incident date: May 10, 2023
The car's hesitation when I try to accelerate from a slow roll or lower gear. Resulting in lurches when I try to speed up. We got this car for my daughter she is a new driver and the hesitating and lurching is a problem.
Incident date: Aug 2, 2023
2018 Ford Focus: Engine had knocking noise and low oil pressure due to failed oil pump belt and turbocharger was failing. Vehicle got towed to Ford Dealership and this information was confirmed by the Ford dealership. This incident happened unexpectedly. Check engine light and oil light came on in vehicle while operating moments before incident occurred. Vehicle had regular oil changes roughly eve... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2007 Cadillac Escalade. The contact stated that after plugging the electric air pump into the cigarette lighter socket, smoke was suddenly present coming from the lighter socket and the engine compartment. After opening the engine hood a small flame, smoke, and burning was present coming from the dashboard wire harness. The contact was able to extinguish the flame. The fire depa... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Dec 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2024 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that there was a clicking sound coming from the steering wheel while driving. The contact stated that while driving straight at highway speeds, the contact had to over-correct the steering wheel. The contact used an excessive amount of force to maneuver the steering wheel. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated upon the depression of the accelerator pedal. The contact also stated that the vehicle would shut off while idling with the check engine warning light illuminated. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failu... Read more
Incident date: Dec 2, 2023
Purchased this car in July of this year. I checked all fluids prior to purchase and after driving it for 30 days the oil light flicked then went off. I decided to check the oil and it was 2 quarts low. I immediately called my extended warranty and they said to take it to the shop. After it being there for 3 months they said it was the rings in the piston and it needed a new motor. They referred to... Read more
Incident date: Dec 2, 2023
Purchased this car in July of this year. I checked all fluids prior to purchase and after driving it for 30 days the oil light flicked then went off. I decided to check the oil and it was 2 quarts low. I immediately called my extended warranty and they said to take it to the shop. After it being there for 3 months they said it was the rings in the piston and it needed a new motor. They referred to... Read more
Incident date: Nov 27, 2023
I have steering issues and it is worse in the colder weather. Like sticky steering. I noticed it soon after I bought the car and then it seemed to go away but now steering is weird all the time and I only have 9,000 miles on the car.
Incident date: Nov 29, 2023
As I was driving on a busy highway my eco sport started reducing speed then it cut out in the center of 696 causing a great safety concern. The tow truck driver was called and forced to have to stop traffic in order to get me to safety for my car to be towed . After contacting Ford they said it was nothing they could do for me far as covering any expenses due to my warranty being up .
Incident date: Jun 1, 2023
The car set on fire causing by airbags explosion and electrical issues and I got myself burned trying to stop the fire
Fire
1 injured
Incident date: Nov 27, 2023
Exhaust fumes in cabin from back presure valve welds
Incident date: Nov 27, 2023
Less than 3 months ago I reported 11543521. Now, the very first rock to hit this new OEM replacement windshield caused a 7-8 inch crack to form in the middle and start to propagate. There are still less than 8000 miles on the car.
Incident date: Nov 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Impreza. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V624000 (Exterior Lighting) 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 manufact... Read more
Incident date: Nov 2, 2023
Car tends to jerk and almost jump when first pulling out of almost anywhere. Seems to have happened with other people with the same car. When you turn after pulling out sometimes, the car will jump and the suspension sounds like it’s jumping. The particular issue makes it hard to steer and can easily make the car lose control for anyone not experienced.
Incident date: Nov 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (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 while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ABS warning light illuminated. Th... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
The contact's mother owns a 2017 Jeep Renegade. The contact stated that on several occasions when the vehicle was started, the gear shifter failed to shift into drive(D). The contact stated that numerous unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer however, the failure could not be duplicated. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notifie... Read more
Incident date: Oct 4, 2023
Ford Edge coolant leak causing engine failure
Incident date: Oct 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that a popping noise was present when opening and closing the front driver's door, and the door was difficult to close securely. In addition, the front driver's window failed to roll down completely. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the door check arm bracket welding was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicl... Read more
Incident date: Feb 15, 2023
New 2023 Hyundai Tucson purchased 9/9/2023 from Curry Hyundai in Cortland NY. On several instances of highway driving during the first 1,000 miles, on highways and at highway speeds, the forward collision avoidance system activated without any reason and applied the brakes at highway speed. This happened 6 or more times in only 6 or 7 highway trips during the 1,000 break-in period, and happened a... Read more
Incident date: Feb 15, 2023
New 2023 Hyundai Tucson purchased 9/9/2023 from Curry Hyundai in Cortland NY. On several instances of highway driving during the first 1,000 miles, on highways and at highway speeds, the forward collision avoidance system activated without any reason and applied the brakes at highway speed. This happened 6 or more times in only 6 or 7 highway trips during the 1,000 break-in period, and happened a... Read more
Incident date: Feb 15, 2023
New 2023 Hyundai Tucson purchased 9/9/2023 from Curry Hyundai in Cortland NY. On several instances of highway driving during the first 1,000 miles, on highways and at highway speeds, the forward collision avoidance system activated without any reason and applied the brakes at highway speed. This happened 6 or more times in only 6 or 7 highway trips during the 1,000 break-in period, and happened a... Read more
Incident date: Nov 25, 2023
I was driving and I was making a right turn and my steering wheel locked on me and I almost got into a accident most scariest experience ever and my steering coupler is not the problem!!
Incident date: Nov 22, 2023
Unable to drive our family car due to the ongoing passenger airbag recall. VW has yet to come up with a resolution, but it is not safe for us to drive it with someone in the passenger seat. This problem is very frustrating and the delay in a solution should be unacceptable.
Incident date: Dec 21, 2020
Since I have owned this vehicle (bought used with 68,000 miles) it has had an issue that over 10 mechanics have not yet solved. It has slowly escalated to the point it is now unable to be driven at 250,000 miles. It is an idle issue, the car started revving up to around 3,000 rpm’s (on hot days it seemed but it also started to happen in the winter ) whenever I would put the car into park after d... Read more
Incident date: Nov 21, 2023
The transfer case system failed, and it is available for inspection upon request. My safety and others safety was put at risk because my vehicle malfunctioned. It is difficult to go uphill and it has turned off on multiple occasions. The car is making a rattle/grinding sound. The vehicle has less than 35,000 miles. The problem has been confirmed by mossy Nissan. The vehicle has been inspected by N... Read more
Incident date: Jun 8, 2023
This started in July/August. I went in to get into my car and noticed that although my car was making the sound of unlocking, it wasn’t unlocking. Neither the key fob or pressing the button on the door handle would unlock my car. I manually used the key to get in. Once I got in, I had a rear collision warning on my dash and was unable to shift from park. I overrode the shift mechanism and to... Read more
Incident date: May 10, 2023
THE AUTO DIM FEATURE DOES NOT WORK, THE DISPLAY AND DASH LIGHTS STAY BRIGHT EVEN AT NIGHT WHEN ITS SET TO AUTO MODE. MAKING IT VERY DESTRACTING AND BLINDING AT NIGHT. A RECALL UPDATE HAS BEEN PERFORMED ON 11/17 BUT IT DID NOT FIX THE ISSUE.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2023
On hot days the Forward Collision will show as unavailable, but there is no notification saying when it will be available again. This is dangerous in that a safety feature on the vehicle is unavailable when it is hot outside and has been sitting in the sun. Outer door panel skins are becoming unattached from the door frame, which could cause an issue if the skin fails elsewhere that it would be t... Read more
Incident date: Nov 5, 2023
Brake Lights, constantly on. The vehicle, while driving, the brake lights come on and do not turn off. you must force the pedal all the way down, to, sometimes, turn them off. while driving, the lights being on, disables the ECS system, and Cruise Control. while the vehicle is parked and off the lights stay on, unless you depress the pedal, this causes power drains and dead batteries. if the light... Read more
Incident date: Nov 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2008 BMW R 1200. The contact stated that while the motorcycle was parked, the contact smelled fuel on several occasions. No warning light was illuminated. The motorcycle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and determined that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign number: 20V471000 (Fuel system, Gasoline). The failure mileage wa... Read more
Incident date: Nov 17, 2023
I have been having issues with coolant loss for over a year now. After doing research online I'm seeing this is a really common problem for Escapes and other models built around the same time frame. I believe this issue is with Ford and they should be responsible to fix it, considering all the evidence supporting how common of an issue this is.
Incident date: Nov 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Infiniti Q50. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle failed to accelerate and stalled. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of fuel even when the vehicle was driven a short distance. The contact stated that the rear driver’s and passenger’s side door latches were inoperable and faile... Read more
Incident date: Nov 2, 2023
The error occurred on [XXX]. The car got me to my destination. Error occurred past the 1/2 way point. The next day was busy w/ personal issues. Later in the afternoon, I was by the vehicle, I called the Nissan Roadside Assistance number. It was at this point that I was informed that no one was available or that my location was out of network. I was then instructed to find my own tow & arranged eve... Read more
Incident date: Mar 6, 2023
Vehicle goes into "limp" mode while on highway losing the ability to control the acceleration. The van has to coast to a stop, turn off the engine, then restart. The throttle body was replaced twice (3/2/21 and 11/21/22). This causes a major safety risk for the driver, passenger and all other drivers on the road. Losing control of the vehicle mechanically without warning and in such a sporadic fas... Read more
Incident date: Oct 5, 2023
Brakes are not stopping in time they are continuously scrubbing I have changed brakes and rotors and they are continuously scrubbing and not allowing me to stop in time nearly almost ran off the road I have got my brakes inspected but mechanic say there was nothing wrong the place I took it to but there is something wrong with the brakes. There is a electrical problem when it rains things stopped ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 6, 2023
Vehicle goes into "limp" mode while on highway losing the ability to control the acceleration. The van has to coast to a stop, turn off the engine, then restart. The throttle body was replaced twice (3/2/21 and 11/21/22). This causes a major safety risk for the driver, passenger and all other drivers on the road. Losing control of the vehicle mechanically without warning and in such a sporadic fas... Read more
Incident date: Mar 6, 2023
Vehicle goes into "limp" mode while on highway losing the ability to control the acceleration. The van has to coast to a stop, turn off the engine, then restart. The throttle body was replaced twice (3/2/21 and 11/21/22). This causes a major safety risk for the driver, passenger and all other drivers on the road. Losing control of the vehicle mechanically without warning and in such a sporadic fas... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
In 2 instances power steering doesn’t work and brakes go to the floor (it will stop, but very slowly). I believe pretty much every error code displays when this happens. Here’s some error codes: C165C87, C162387, C164286, C168787, U012300, C17024A, C174281. In addition, the back windshield cleaner sprays till it empties.
Incident date: Oct 5, 2023
Per Subaru there is something wrong with the Cockpit Control Module (CCM) that is causing a constant / parasitic draw on the battery. This results in the battery being dead within 4 hours, leaving us constantly stranded. Because the CCM also controls the electrical system, many of the safety features (auto breaking, lane departure, etc) turn off randomly. This is the diagnosis from our local... Read more
Incident date: May 10, 2023
Electric Power Steering Fault. Could not turn steering wheel. Service Technician stated the Power Steering module failed.
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
While driving on the freeway, I thought I heard a rattling from the sunroof, and so I cracked the sunroof to 12% open, and then closed it again. The moment the sunroof closed, smoke with an electrical burn smell began billowing in through the air vents in the front of the car. We immediately opened the car windows to allow fresh air and exited the highway. Smoke continued to pour into the cabin... Read more
Fire