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: Aug 26, 2023
Randomly all sensors will come on, won’t be anything wrong and sensors will stay on. Can’t tell when you have emergency break on during this. Researching and it happens to a lot of Honda CR-V
Incident date: Aug 20, 2023
The problem in my vehicle is that several times when braking the car accelerates suddenly before braking, it doesn't always happen but I saw on the news that hyundai has the same problem in their cars with the software and I don't know if this causes the same in my car
Incident date: Aug 20, 2023
The throttle body will randomly get stuck either shut or open and when this happens the truck goes into a “limp” mode that makes the truck lose all power. There is no warning of when it will happen or to get your vehicle checked. If this were to happen pulling into traffic it could cause a serious wreck since you cannot get the truck to accelerate in any way. This problem has been reproduced n... Read more
Incident date: Aug 25, 2023
The car was being driven on US287 south from Wichita Falls, TX toward Fort Worth, Texas on an open road, in the middle of the afternoon, in clear sunshine, no clouds, no rain. On a stretch of the highway where the road dipped down into a gully, and had a normal rise afterwards, the automatic braking system activated, gave a warning of an impending collision and applied the brakes to stop the car ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 25, 2023
The Active head restraint on the passenger side deployed. The vehicle was brought to the dealer and confirmed the restraint had deployed. If this happened on the driver's side I could have had an accident. As it was it scared me and I swerved. There was no warning! I know there was an extended warranty issued but it has expired and the problem still exists regardless!
Incident date: Aug 24, 2023
The TaKata air bags in my vehicle have been identified as defective yet no recall notice has been sent.I called GM and they told me the part is not available and I will be notified when it is available .How long can this go on?
Incident date: May 10, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the air bag warning light fluctuated on and off. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic, but the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The mechanic suggested that the failure might be with the passenger occupant detection system. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was m... Read more
Incident date: Aug 22, 2023
I had a crash that severely impacted the front end of this vehicle and the airbags did not deploy. I have minor injuries.
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: May 10, 2023
I appears my oil pump has failed and the car has no power and a low oil pressure alert is on the dashboard. This failure happened while my 17 year old daughter was driving on HWY 290 in Austin, TX. This caused her vehicle to stall in the middle of traffic which was very dangerous. She was able to start the care and immediately pull over in traffic, but the care would not go very good at all. Th... Read more
Incident date: Aug 14, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel made clicking sounds while turning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a loosened tie rod. The contact was informed that the steering rack needed to be replaced; however, the replacement part was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manuf... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2022
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that the accelerator pedal was depressed however, the vehicle failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled off the roadway and turned off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle resumed normal operation. The contact stated ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2022
It’s been about 4 months on the forward collision alarm and 4 1/2 weeks on the jerking going when taking off the transmission seems to jerk and when driving down a highway when nothing what so ever is on front of me all the sudden my front collision alarm goes off with a sudden breaks being applied by themselves.I spoke to dealer about it and all they told me it was probably from a shadow of tre... Read more
Incident date: Aug 21, 2023
The ESP and ABS warning lights went on suddenly after what sounded like a thud. The car had not run over anything. There was some initial brief chattering of the break pedal, and that subsided. The car was not near a suitable and available repair shop at the time. It was driven to complete a trip. There were several instances of break pedal chattering that led concern about the controllabilit... Read more
Incident date: Aug 21, 2023
Our 2019 Pilot has experienced intermittent stalling at lights since 2019 and the incidents have occurred more frequently in the past few months (multiple times per week). It has been taken exclusively to the dealer since purchased and for years, they said they were unable to duplicate it. Last service was 08/2023 and Sheehy Honda of Alexandria, VA stated that they duplicated it and fixed it (by r... Read more
Incident date: Jun 23, 2023
Ignition gets very hot, when I put the key in the ignition, it also gets very hot, car will run for a minute or so and then lose power. The car shut off could be very dangerous if going down the road. Warning to check starter system came on.
Incident date: Nov 22, 2022
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) failure due to premature degradation of plastic wiring harness connectors for ABS wheel speed sensors located in each wheel well. ABS warning light illuminated alerting to the disabling of the system. Issue confirmed by independent repair facility. Dealer was engaged, but denied coverage due to vehicle being out of warranty and no recalls initiated.
Incident date: Jul 24, 2023
The red dashboard light remains on all the time indicating a problem with the air bag. I'm not sure what is causing the light to remain on but it is concerning as I don't know whether airbag will deploy properly if needed. I recently visited the dealership for an appointment to install anti theft software due to recall. Two and a half hours later they presented me with an unsolicited appraisal of ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the spark plugs were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where it was discovered that coolant had leaked into cylinder #2. The dealer... Read more
Incident date: Jul 9, 2023
This event happens intermittently, and has occurred approximately 4 times. When the issue occurs it happens as follows: 1. Vehicle comes to a complete stop, and driver's foot has depressed brake pedal 2. Vehicle automatic start/stop feature turns off engine. 3. Driver lifts foot off pedal, begins to apply pressure to gas pedal. 4. Vehicle automatically re-starts engine 5. Vehicle starts to move fo... Read more
Incident date: May 10, 2023
WATER PUMP FAILURE. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. BY THE TIME I COULD PULL OFF THE FREEWAY (1 MINUTE) THE ENGINE HAD STALLED AND THE CAR WOULDN'T START. TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP AND LEARNED THE PUMP FAILURE HAD ALLOWED WATER AND OIL TO MIX THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE. METAL SHAVINGS WERE FOUND IN THE ENGINE. ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. TOTAL COST BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS READY: OVER $11,000
Incident date: Aug 17, 2023
High voltage charging system.. changed out the coolant sensor and the bypass coolant value and still getting high charging error.. machanics can’t figure out the issue and now we can use it as an electric car.. light returns after sitting for an hour and a half in the off position.. something is clearly wrong with the design of the electric side of the car
Incident date: Aug 14, 2023
at 45.000 miles all of my fuel injectors was replaced due to emission system problem appear on my dash board for free. At 97,000 miles we were on vacation in Houston TX, when the same emission system problem pop up on my dash board. I went to Honda dealership for engine diagnosis-"faulty fuel injectors". Sad thing the replacement fuel injectors are back ordered. So we left the vehicle behind in Ho... Read more
Incident date: Aug 14, 2023
The Positive Crankcase Ventillation harness fails and check engine light goes on. Through my research I found that many C class and GLC class with same engine have had similar issues and there was a recall and covered. My particular VIN was not included in the recall but had this check engine warning sign before 50K miles warranty expires. The light always went away but now it has come back on for... Read more
Incident date: Aug 14, 2023
The Positive Crankcase Ventillation harness fails and check engine light goes on. Through my research I found that many C class and GLC class with same engine have had similar issues and there was a recall and covered. My particular VIN was not included in the recall but had this check engine warning sign before 50K miles warranty expires. The light always went away but now it has come back on for... Read more
Incident date: Jun 14, 2023
Purchased as a CPO directly from a local dealership. Vehicle has experienced multiple (10+), seemingly random failures of the Electronic Stability Control, Blind Spot Assist, Lane Keeping Assist and Active Break Assist under varied driving and weather conditions. On two separate occasions (one at 15+ mph and the other at 65+), these system failures were accompanied by a brief "limp mode" and immed... Read more
Incident date: Jun 13, 2023
2017 Jeep Wrangler, approx 46k miles, driven gently (only highway and city), well-maintained. Problems with Brake Calipers seizing. Back Driver calipers/lines/pad/etc replaced. ABS and brakes jammed last week. Front and Back Passenger calipers, rotors, brake fluid lines and brake pads advised by mechanic. Brakes temping 550 - unreadable (temp gun wouldn't register) Mechanic recommends unsafe t... Read more
Incident date: Jun 13, 2023
2017 Jeep Wrangler, approx 46k miles, driven gently (only highway and city), well-maintained. Problems with Brake Calipers seizing. Back Driver calipers/lines/pad/etc replaced. ABS and brakes jammed last week. Front and Back Passenger calipers, rotors, brake fluid lines and brake pads advised by mechanic. Brakes temping 550 - unreadable (temp gun wouldn't register) Mechanic recommends unsafe t... Read more
Incident date: Jun 13, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The engine consumed 5 quarts of oil for every 5,000 to 7,000 miles driven. Additionally, the contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle accelerated quickly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for an oil change, and... Read more
Incident date: Aug 9, 2023
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Edge. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started to jerk, and the contact became aware of a burning odor. The contact pulled over off the roadway. The check engine warning light intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the water pump had failed. The wat... Read more
Incident date: Aug 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle in front of the contact made a sudden stop, causing the contact to desperately press on the brake pedal and the vehicle came to a complete stop. The front driver’s side seat belt tensioner cable separated causing the contact to launch forward. The dealer was contact and stated that the vehicle ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 15, 2023
The windshield has spontaneously cracked on 4 separate occasions. Subaru denies this is a defect and claims all have been caused by rock chips. This is not true. The cracked windshield has caused the vehicle on numerous occasions to slam on its breaks while traveling at 55 mph or greater as it “senses” a collision. This has nearly caused 3 accidents so far.
Incident date: Aug 15, 2023
While slowing down to make a left hand turn at an intersection, my vehicle suddenly lost power steering and the entire system completely shut down. There was no electronic function during that time. I had to put the vehicle in park, turn the key to the off position and then start it back up. It has happened multiple times, both at low speeds in drive and reverse. This would have caused a collisio... Read more
Incident date: Aug 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving out of the driveway, the vehicle was running rough. The message stating that the engine was overheating was displayed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with engine failure, caused by a misfire in cylinder #3. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and c... Read more
Incident date: Aug 4, 2023
The contact owns 2015 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the brake pedal was almost depressed to the floorboard with the T/M (Transmission-Transaxle) warning light illuminated. The contact called the dealer but was unable to speak with a service tech. The contact was then scheduled an appointment. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V119... Read more
Incident date: Aug 14, 2023
I was driving up an incline when I overheated, causing smoke to come out of the transmission case. The vehicle suddenly stopped in the middle of the road, which could have caused an accident or fire. Regarding the transmission, I opened the hood to let the vehicle cool down for an hour.
Incident date: Aug 11, 2023
About two months ago, my car began using excessive amounts of oil. Each time, I replaced the oil, the oil check light would come on after two weeks. I had the gasket replaced in the month of June, 2023. On July 2, 2023, on my way home from work, my vehicle began losing power. When I pulled over and turned the car off, it would not restart. When it did, it did not have power and it began to shake. ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 11, 2023
The car randomly brakes dangerously hard at overpasses while at highway speed for zero reason while in cruise control mode. This has occurred four times during our brief ownership. I have to imagine these events WILL lead to an accident as the braking is so hard (as if you applied brakes in an emergency) that a driver caught off guard could easily loose control of the vehicle. We have attempted... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate. The contact stated that the vehicle was shuddering and vibrating. The contact stated that the engine was consuming an excessive amount of coolant. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer who diagnosed that there was coolant in cylinder #2, causing the engine block to ... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop and while making turns, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle hesitated to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V406000 (Fuel System, Diesel) however, th... Read more
Incident date: Aug 11, 2023
I drove through 3 inches of water at about 20mph, Nothing else in the car got wet, it cause the car to go into shutdown mode with a high voltage error. We had hell getting it to neutral as the computer kept shutting down. I am still under warranty but they claim the seal fail because of high water yet nothing else got wet and is not under warranty, only the drive unit and the motors are. Well with... Read more
Incident date: Aug 11, 2023
Once again, my vehicle exhibited immediate and sudden power loss while at highway speeds. Ironically, I was in transit to my dealer for the third time for this issue within my vehicle's 3,000 miles. This is incredibly unsafe at any speed, especially at highway speeds without warning. An uncommanded slowdown without any response from the accelerator pedal, and a warning on the gauge cluster statin... Read more
Incident date: Jan 2, 2019
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the message "Pull Over. Stop the Vehicle" was displayed, and the vehicle failed to respond upon depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact veered to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle became drivable after waiting 30 minutes to an hour. The contact... Read more
BUICK
PARK AVENUE
(2004) - STEERING
Aug 11, 2023
Incident date: Aug 11, 2004
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while reversing, the steering wheel was significantly loose. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure persisted while driving. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist b... Read more
Incident date: Jul 15, 2023
[XXX], oil light came on, and engine fault light, That day I made a appt at the dewey ford dealership, in ankeny iowa, for monday, august 8..., I had no car problems before this date ( the 5th) august 9th, dewey texts me to let me know, the oil pump failed, and there is metal contamination in the engine and the turbo , I need a new engine and turbo charger.. to the tune of 6249.71 dollars my... Read more
Incident date: Aug 9, 2023
I believe it is related to the mild-Hybrid (eTorque) setup as this appears to only occur on those models of pickup trucks. Steps to reproduce: - Car sits all day outside my office in Virginia summer heat - Turn on car without A/C so the Start/Stop can engage. - Approach stop light and Start/Stop engages for the duration of the stop - After waiting ~4 minutes for the light to turn, when I release ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 10, 2023
As soon as I stopped at a light, the entire car shut off on its own. No lights, no engine. It took about 45 seconds for lights to come back on. I was able to restart the car. When restarted, the electronic throttle indicator light was on and the car was jerky to drive. I cut the car back off and on and it drove normally. The engine has cut off 3 other times stopped at red lights, but those... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2023
Roof molding comes loose and flies off while car is in motion on roads. Imposing risk to other drivers on roads. Once removed area is exposed which can result in increase in deterioration of vehicle.
Incident date: May 30, 2022
In Jan 2019, we bought this certified pre-owned car. Recently, we received a recall noticed that involved the timing system. We took it in and was told that the system was resolved and there was no further issues. Two days after leaving the dealer, the check engine light came on. The car began having the same issues that where present before taking it in for the recall timing issues. When I c... Read more
Incident date: Aug 9, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ram 2500 equipped with Cooper Tires, Tire Line: Discover AT3, Tire Size: 285/75/R17, DOT Number: (N/A). The contact became aware that the sidewalls on all four tires were cracked. The vehicle was taken to a tire center, and the contact was informed that the tires needed to be replaced. The tires were not replaced. The manufacturer was not contacted. The tire mileage was 36,... Read more
Incident date: Aug 9, 2023
While driving, my dash went out completely. I can’t see how fast I’m going, or any information concerning my car.