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: May 13, 2023
The driver's seat belt would not "buckle up" or latch into the buckle. This issue started a couple of months ago but it just seemed to be stiffer than the other belts. Then suddenly it started to release while driving. Then we were not able to get it to work at all. The dealership was able to get the vehicle in immediately and replaced the seat belt assembly. My safety and the safety of any ... Read more
Incident date: May 13, 2023
Received notice in August 2022 that there is a safety concern with this car's headlamp. There is still no remedy available. I am concerned for my safety while driving because they headlights are very dim and it's hard to see at night putting my safety and the safety of others at risk. 9 months to develop a new headlamp seems extreme for a car manufacturer.
Incident date: May 10, 2023
Feb 2022 while driving horn engaged and would not go off , had to pull over , steering wheel then locked up and car would not start again but horn continued to go off and had weird smell until it died out. Took vehicle to Tesla service center, was told multiple fuses were blown , mother board and several other electrical/computer issues. May 2023 while parked in driveway horn engaged wound not sto... Read more
Fire
Incident date: May 16, 2023
* What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Likely Start/Stop feature (the feature that turns off the engine when stopped to improve fuel efficiency, then automatically restarts when you need to go). * How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? - Car unpowered while in traffic. * Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by... Read more
Incident date: May 12, 2023
I received notification of the 2 seat belt recalls on my 2018 Honda CRV. I promptly made an appointment with my local dealership, Honda of Clear Lake in League City, Texas to take for repair. I made arrangements to work from home for the day since I would not have my vehicle for my lengthy commute to work and made arrangements for my neighbor to follow me to the dealership and bring me home so I... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Expedition. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V648000 (Visibility, Electrical System) 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 made aware of the issue. The conta... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Expedition. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V648000 (Visibility, Electrical System) 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 made aware of the issue. The conta... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2023
The electrical connector vibrated loose at the injector. The mechanic said he has seen this happen before and GM said its because those motors vibrate excessively. It caused my vehicle to run in reduced power mode. In that mode it was lurching forward uncontrollably and it felt like the transmission was banging. What damage will that alone cause in the future? Also, if GM knows there is an issue, ... Read more
Incident date: May 4, 2023
I was at the ford garage and they told me my lug nuts are swollen! Which can be very hazardous!!!
Incident date: Mar 10, 2020
This vehicle has a major design issue nearly resulting in several accidents. The front safety impact system is very flawed design and needs to be removed and reinstalled. Multiple times I exited steep, not obnornallt steep, parking lot and the emergency brakes engage and enable my ability to accelerate when on coming traffic and Causing repeated dangerous situations for the driver and passengers... Read more
Incident date: Mar 10, 2020
This vehicle has a major design issue nearly resulting in several accidents. The front safety impact system is very flawed design and needs to be removed and reinstalled. Multiple times I exited steep, not obnornallt steep, parking lot and the emergency brakes engage and enable my ability to accelerate when on coming traffic and Causing repeated dangerous situations for the driver and passengers... Read more
Incident date: May 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV. The contact stated that while reversing into a parking space, the auto brake engaged sporadically. The contact stated there were no objects nearby to have caused the auto brake system to activate. Additionally, the contact stated the vehicle was turned off and the transmission was inadvertently shifted into neutral (N). The contact stated that after d... Read more
Incident date: Apr 30, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to drive properly or as designed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the clutch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V845000 (P... Read more
Incident date: Apr 30, 2023
The contact's wife owned a 2022 Hyundai Electra. The contact stated that while driving at 68 mph and the accelerator pedal was depressed the vehicle collided with a deer. The contact stated that the air bags deployed upon impact. The vehicle was towed to a salvage lot. A police report was filed. The contact's wife sustained neck, left shoulder, and chest injuries that required medical attention. T... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Apr 28, 2023
Found the metal ring in the top of gas tank rusted a hole through the top of the tank. Inspected by Honda Service Center. Found through emissions warning light. This is a safety risk from a No Good part
Incident date: Feb 1, 2023
A few months after purchase, my hazard lights came on while the vehicle was off and parked in my driveway. I couldn't get them to turn off until I disconnected the battery. I scheduled a diagnostic with the jeep dealership and before I could get it in, it started happening while I was driving it as well. I never know when it's going to happen. At the diagnostics appointment, they told me it's a pr... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2023
The ignition key can not be removed after putting the vehicle in park and shutting it off. Many attempts are required to jiggle the shifter switch/steering column/key before it will release on most occasions. This is a common issue, going back years, to 2015. How can it still not be resolved? The safety issue here is one of having your vehicle stolen because you are forced to leave the key in ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 15, 2023
I took my car to Balise Honda in West Warwick, RI for the recall Tikata air bags. The light went off after repaired. However light then came on for Code 9-3. Seatbelt driver. A part for metal part of belt has been ordered a month ago and can't get answer and I am now due for Inspection and will face suspension of my regestration and will have no use of car.
Incident date: Apr 15, 2023
I took my car to Balise Honda in West Warwick, RI for the recall Tikata air bags. The light went off after repaired. However light then came on for Code 9-3. Seatbelt driver. A part for metal part of belt has been ordered a month ago and can't get answer and I am now due for Inspection and will face suspension of my regestration and will have no use of car.
Incident date: Apr 28, 2023
I was sitting in school pick up line with the Jeep off. I started it and everything was normal, until I pulled into the road. The power steering went out and the light on dash said lane management not working needs service. The light for the adaptive lane cruise control came on. I was driving and when I was trying to turn I would have to turn the wheel almost 360°! There was no issues or warn... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 mph, a 2008 Lincoln struck the rear passenger side of her vehicle which caused her vehicle to tail spin and crash into the guardrail. The vehicle continued to tailspin. The air bags did not deploy. All the warning indicator lights were flashing after the crash. The contact sustained a laceration on the n... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Apr 28, 2023
While driving my Tacoma truck it has gone into "limp mode" (looses power and you can get but about 25mph) when I have pulled out into traffic 5 times over the last 3 years. I took it to a Toyota dealership on 4/28/2023 for evaluation but no codes where found to indicate a problem. When the truck goes into limp mode I pull over and cut the engine off. I immediately turn the engine back on and the t... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2023
Part - Control Unit, Smart Power - Acura 38320-TX4-A31 has been diagnosed as defective causing major electrical issues. Dealer says it affects the safety features of the car yet they can't get a replacment part. Afraid to allow my wife to drive not knowing if the safety features we paid for actually work. Air bags? Electrical breakdown during operation? A simple search finds it is a common p... Read more
Incident date: Apr 24, 2023
A crack has spontaneously appeared at the base of my windshield after no apparent damage. The crack is spreading across my windshield and will affect my adaptive cruse control and automatic emergency breaking if it interferes with the Subaru eye-sight system at the top of my windshield. I have not taken the vehicle in for service but I did see this was an issue that lead to recalls on previous ou... Read more
Incident date: Apr 24, 2023
A crack has spontaneously appeared at the base of my windshield after no apparent damage. The crack is spreading across my windshield and will affect my adaptive cruse control and automatic emergency breaking if it interferes with the Subaru eye-sight system at the top of my windshield. I have not taken the vehicle in for service but I did see this was an issue that lead to recalls on previous ou... Read more
Incident date: Apr 24, 2023
A crack has spontaneously appeared at the base of my windshield after no apparent damage. The crack is spreading across my windshield and will affect my adaptive cruse control and automatic emergency breaking if it interferes with the Subaru eye-sight system at the top of my windshield. I have not taken the vehicle in for service but I did see this was an issue that lead to recalls on previous ou... Read more
Incident date: Mar 10, 2023
This is my first luxury car. Ever since I bought the car in 2019, I noticed that sometimes when I press on the gas pedal, it takes a little time for the car to move. I just assumed it was normal. Never owned an Acura before. Two weeks ago and a week ago, I also got into a car accident. The first time was when I was entering the freeway. I see the cars on the freeway coming from my left side. ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 10, 2023
I was driving my car north on I15. Suddenly the car applied full breaks when there was no objects on the road. I could no longer control the car. Even when my foot was on the accelerator the car automatically depressed the break pedal. Luckily there was no vehicle behind me. I was also fortunate that we were going on a straight section of road. If this happened mid turn I would have completely l... Read more
Incident date: Mar 10, 2023
I was driving my car north on I15. Suddenly the car applied full breaks when there was no objects on the road. I could no longer control the car. Even when my foot was on the accelerator the car automatically depressed the break pedal. Luckily there was no vehicle behind me. I was also fortunate that we were going on a straight section of road. If this happened mid turn I would have completely l... Read more
Incident date: Apr 25, 2023
While driving on highway on4/22/23 the vehicle displayed a message stating “stop safely, vehicle will shut off soon”. I lost the ability to accelerate and had to coast to the nearest shoulder. This happened during a high traffic period and I had children in the car. At the time there was no shoulder near by so I had to drive on the busy highway at very slow speeds until I could pull over. This... Read more
Incident date: Apr 25, 2023
While driving on highway on4/22/23 the vehicle displayed a message stating “stop safely, vehicle will shut off soon”. I lost the ability to accelerate and had to coast to the nearest shoulder. This happened during a high traffic period and I had children in the car. At the time there was no shoulder near by so I had to drive on the busy highway at very slow speeds until I could pull over. This... Read more
Incident date: Apr 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and turning the steering wheel to the center position, the steering wheel independently turned to left, causing the vehicle to veer to the left. Additionally, the contact stated while attempting to make a right turn, the failure recurred, causing the vehicle to go to the opposite direction. The contact state... Read more
Incident date: Apr 19, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that he noticed that the driver's side rear door failed to open as needed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the rear latch cable and assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 96,000.
Incident date: Apr 19, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Veloster. The contact stated that there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the vehicle. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled, and the RPMs failed to exceed 200 RPM. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The oil warning light was illuminated after the failure. The vehicle was towed to the lo... Read more
Incident date: Aug 15, 2022
Vehicle of Issue ID-4 2023 Vin # [XXX] As Reported to VW Customer Support 04/18/2023 The vehicle has a very dangerous problem, being the driver's seat Sensor. The Sensor triggers the Vehicle into park with a slight shift of body weight. This situation was not explained to me by the Dealership Sales Team. This has happened several times. Twice while backing up, as I went to look along side o... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Aug 15, 2022
Car begins to shudder intermetiently if driven over 50 MP due to faulty factor installed transmission fluid, can cause panic when unaware of what is happening. Also can marginally effect handling.
Incident date: Oct 8, 2020
Engine randomly stalls. This happens while driving.
Incident date: Apr 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and failed to respond. The "Stop Car, Check Brakes" message was displayed. The ABS and traction control warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled over and turned off the vehicle, and stated that after restarting the vehicle, the warning lights were n... Read more
Incident date: Mar 30, 2023
My power steering somehow had a slow leak which caused steering wheel to lock on while driving. Also, when I turn it sounds like a clucking sound like something is wrong with my power train. When I drive my accelerator seems like it be taking its time to catch up to speed. I've done did so much mechanical work to this car and it seems like nothing is working.
Incident date: Mar 13, 2023
The steering in this BMW Z4 gets "sticky" in warm or hot weather. It drives fine in cold weather. The steering has to be constantly corrected as it pulls to the left. It will not track in a straight line and needs constant corrections from side to side to compensate for the problem. If you do not pay close attention and correct the steering input, you will go off the road. On a warmer day after d... Read more
Incident date: Nov 17, 2021
The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Taos. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the radiator and the engine was leaking coolant and that the head gasket and hose needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 8, 2022
2019 Nissan Altima is experiencing judder when switching between gears at low speeds. Also automatic breaking system (ABS) activates when I attempt to park.
Incident date: Apr 6, 2023
both of my side sliding door won't open, unlock or lock. This puts family in me at risk in case of a accident or something we wouldn't be able to get. Out of nowhere they just stop working first one door gave out and now the other and I been searching not the only one with this issue.
Incident date: Apr 4, 2023
Passenger side sliding door, erratic actuator which eventually fails and door will not open.
Incident date: Apr 1, 2023
Front wipers spray only on one side, the working side changes, sometimes it only squirts on one side, sometimes it sprays over top the roof of the car, sometimes it doesn't work at all. Reservoir is full, rear window spray nozzles always work properly. I'm unable to wash away debris, in winter with snowy roads it can leave salty/muddy windows. Sap from the trees & pollen create poor visibility. ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 11, 2023
DRIVER AIR BAG-BAD FUCTION - Unit has the Air Bag light alert on. Was claim the guarantee and the dealer is unable to repair the component. As the diagnostic report as follow: Historic DTC B0021-13 LEFT CURTAIN DEPLOYMENT CONTROL 1- CIRCUIT OPEN, at the moment of inspection vehicle did not have airbag MIL on. Historic fault code for side curtain airbag connector loose or disconnected. Upon furth... Read more
Incident date: Mar 26, 2023
Steering lock module failure. Same issue as in 2016 (NHTSA tracking number 10929922). Car would not start. In city park and waited 4 hours for tow truck. By myself - 74 year old female. Getting dark and dealership closed. Had the exact part malfunction in 2016 and had to have it towed. Cost $1000 to fix back then. Nissan has had issues with this but has refused to recall it except for one m... Read more
BUICK
ENCLAVE
(2015) - EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY:WHEELCHAIR LIFT/RAMP:CONTROLS/CONTROL WIRING
Apr 4, 2023
Incident date: Mar 26, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Ram Promaster 2500 equipped with a Mobility Network I-Class Model, S/N: 75864-2020. The contact stated while lowering the wheelchair lifter with 600 pounds on the lift, the lift rubbed against the rear tires. The contact lifted the wheelchair lifter and noticed that the lift also rubbed against the rear tires. The contact checked the manual of the wheelchair lift and notice... Read more
Incident date: Sep 3, 2022
It happened to me at least 3 times. The first one happened Oct, 2021, when I did not realize it is a big serious problem. The other two happened in Aug 2022 and Oct 2022, respectively. All the three incidences took place after I charged my vehicle in a hot environment exposed to scathing sun shine. The drive assistance and sensor were not working, the cruise function did not work, and the road sig... Read more