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: Mar 15, 2023
The torque converter has failed on a 2017 Ford Explorer 2.3L Ecoboost. There is a Customer Satisfaction Program 20N07 that was issued on October 9, 2020 and expired November 30, 2021 that this issue would have been covered under. The car has been to the dealership and they have confirmed that this is the issue but they are unable to do anything about it using this program because the program is no... Read more
Incident date: Apr 2, 2023
My 4 runner was hit on the passenger side while crossing a intersection. The truck that hit my 4 runner was going at least 40 miles per hr and was a heavy duty pickup truck. On impact the airbags did NOT deploy but the 4 runner went haywire.
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Apr 2, 2023
I have had the ABS hydraulic module replaced several times by Firkins Automotive, now with the same Faulty Hydraulic module failing once again. The dealer had told me after the 2nd time this was replaced it was “junk” parts and there was no permanent repair. When this goes bad you lose all ABS function and traction control causing braking to be unstable and truck to have no traction control. ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 30, 2023
The brake assist malfunctioned causing the brakes to abruptly stop without cause or warning. When the braking system abruptly stopped it caused a jack knife and lost of a trailer on a congested highway with vehicles in all lanes, I was able to finally get control of the tractor with out causing contact or injury with other vehicles and the rear trailer broke free and rolled back and landed in the ... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Mar 29, 2023
8/29/20002, the ABS brakes system and Fuel Injection system 10/31/2022, Battery 11/8/2022, car stalled on the freeway 11/9/2022, Car stalled on the freeway 11/19/2022, Timing Control and camshaft position sensors 12/2/2022, Engine fire, the smell of burning plastic 1/9/12, Grinding noise near the right rear tire. I can provide the invoices under separate cover .
Incident date: Mar 12, 2023
The contact's son owns a 2010 Volkswagen Routan. The contact stated that the vehicle would intermittently fail to start after multiple attempts, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact called the dealer and was informed that they no longer serviced the model vehicle. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause o... Read more
Incident date: Mar 12, 2023
The contact's son owns a 2010 Volkswagen Routan. The contact stated that the vehicle would intermittently fail to start after multiple attempts, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact called the dealer and was informed that they no longer serviced the model vehicle. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause o... Read more
Incident date: Oct 26, 2022
ABS System suddenly failed. Cost of repair exceeds $3,000, largely due to huge cost of the part itself which can only be purchased from Honda.
Incident date: Nov 16, 2022
I have experienced the "Death Wobble" numerous times. I have spent thousands of dollars since owning the truck chasing whatever we thought might be the issue. Ball joints, steering damper, tie rods/end, track bar, stabilizer bar, tires, the list is long. Stops for a time then starts up again. Death wobble consists of speeds over 60 mph and hitting bump and wheels wobble uncontrollably. This... Read more
Incident date: Sep 15, 2022
Transmission, radio is skipping, brakes
Incident date: Mar 23, 2022
The contacts husband owns a 2018 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while driving various mph on multiple occasions the vehicle accelerates without the accelerator pedal being depressed. Additionally, when the vehicle was shut off the engine still sounds like its on. The check engine and powertrain malfunction safety warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was d... Read more
Incident date: Mar 23, 2023
My car burns oil at an insane rate. It uses 1qt of oil every 300 miles. Hyundai has been so unhelpful and wants me to spend nearly $1,000 (oil consumption test and combustion cleaning) to “hopefully” fix this issue. This issue began around 85000 miles.
Incident date: Mar 23, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the brake pedal was spongy whenever depressed. The contact stated that the brake pedal would depress to the floorboard. There was no warning light illuminated. Due to the failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to the dealer on three separate occasions. The brake reservoir and brake reservoir cap were re... Read more
Incident date: Mar 23, 2023
The steering becomes unusually notchy and stiff at mid to high speeds (~ >45 MPH). It is more noticeable when driving in a straight or nearly-straight line. I will try to make a minor adjustment to steering angle, and because it is so stiff, I will sometimes push too hard and over-correct. This can make driving in a straight line difficult for extended periods. This problem also seems to give the ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 12, 2022
I was driving down the freeway in January and my front driver side tire sidewalls separated from the rest of the tire and flew off of the rim causing me to drive on the rim. Zero warning lights or tire pressure lights appeared on my dash until after I installed my spare tire. Very scary this occurred on a freeway at full speed and no indicator light came on. I heard a loud noise when my tire flew ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 12, 2022
Door handle not working and not popping out as expected and driver can’t go inside the car. A few complaints already from the internet and a lawsuit already filed by other owner and this seems to be recall already but nothing was mentioned yet Camera get blinded or get block easily with rain or sun. This is an issue if you’re using the autopilot.
Incident date: Mar 21, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, or while stopped at a traffic light the vehicle would suddenly shut off. The failure had occurred while driving 70 MPH, and while stationary at a traffic light. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer several times, but the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The... Read more
Incident date: Mar 21, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the check engine warning light would illuminate intermittently whether the vehicle was idling or while driving at various speeds. The contact stated there was an abnormal sound of liquid moving around in the dashboard and underneath the hood while driving, especially while accelerating. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who... Read more
Incident date: Mar 21, 2022
The contact stated that his daughter owns a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while his daughter was attempting to drive out of a parking spot the steering wheel was hard to maneuver. The power steering wheel warning light illuminated. The contact was unaware if the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic or a dealer for diagnosis. The contact stated that his daughter informed hi... Read more
Incident date: Mar 20, 2023
I was attempting to trade in my Id.4 for a Tesla and found out that my car had a major safety recall from Tesla. The recall has been out since Feb and I was never notified from VW. I called the dealership and the manager said he never heard of the problem and offered no solution except there is nothing they can do. Now I have to drive myself and my family around in a car that could crash. There is... Read more
Incident date: Oct 12, 2022
The infotainment unit on the 2018 Honda Accord does not properly sync up with a music player (such as any given phone) over Bluetooth. This is manifested by the information from the previous track being shown while another track is playing. Honda has been unwilling to properly address the issue via a recall or a software update. Their typical response (to just about every issue) is to take it t... Read more
Incident date: Nov 5, 2022
On my 2009 Toyota Sienna XLE V6 FWD. The anti-slip indicator light improperly turns-on on dry roads at safe speeds. This causes a distraction to the driver.
Incident date: Mar 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2007 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while his wife was driving 10 MPH, the brakes failed with the brake pedal depressed to the floorboard. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that his wife was able to coast the vehicle off the roadway. The contact arrived at the scene and drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic. The mechanic discovered that both... Read more
Incident date: Mar 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2011 Jeep Patriot. The contact stated that while her vehicle was being repaired by an independent mechanic, she was informed that the subframe was corroded. The vehicle was not repaired by the independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,524.
Incident date: Mar 16, 2023
Emissions System Problem is an ongoing issue. I have used cataclean, only used premium gasoline, and had it reset multiple times. I feel there is an issue with acceleration from a stop.
Incident date: Mar 14, 2023
Service Air Bag warning light is on for passenger seat. Had the PPM replaced and still does not work. Dealer said I need to replace the Front Impact Sensor. Is this covered on a recall? The cost is almost $500.
Incident date: Mar 14, 2023
Hello dear….I suffer from a problem when I’m driving my truck and it’s as follows: when the gear is on D and my truck stopped ,and I stomp the gas pedal with a little force my truck keep going I can’t stopped for 40 seconds after which return to the normal driving state,this situation happened to me 5 times,I don’t know if the speed control cable can interfere with the speed control serv... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Feb 24, 2023
The rear toe bar had a recall on it that was replaced. The replacement part is not adjustable. The back wheels are pointed out because of the rear tow bar not being able to be adjusted. This causes the car to pull side to side while driving on snow and ice. I can't go over 30 mph or the car loses control.
Incident date: Feb 24, 2023
Vehicle had a sudden loss of engine power while at speed traveling on the highway. We were able to safely pull over, and after a few minutes restart the vehicle. After additional driving we encountered the issue again, at speed on the hoghway, however the vehicle did not shut down properly and would not start after repeated attempts. The vehicle would show the ignition was on 'run' however would e... Read more
Incident date: Feb 24, 2023
Vehicle had a sudden loss of engine power while at speed traveling on the highway. We were able to safely pull over, and after a few minutes restart the vehicle. After additional driving we encountered the issue again, at speed on the hoghway, however the vehicle did not shut down properly and would not start after repeated attempts. The vehicle would show the ignition was on 'run' however would e... Read more
Incident date: Mar 13, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model 3 equipped with Pirelli Tires, Tire line: P Zero, Tire Size: 235/35/R20, DOT Number: (Not available). The contact stated while driving 65 MPH an hour after purchasing the vehicle brand new, the rear passenger's side tire experienced a blowout, and the rim was severely damaged. The vehicle was towed to a Tesla Service Center, where the rear passenger's side wheel... Read more
Incident date: Mar 13, 2023
Explained to Tesla service center immediately upon purchasing vehicle while it was still under warranty that the vehicle range was unacceptable using TESLA's warranty guideline for requirements for a battery replacement while under warranty. TELSA refused to changed the battery even though I took the vehicle to TESLA several times while the Battery was still under warranty. A month after the wa... Read more
Incident date: Mar 10, 2023
I was driving on the highway and my car started to jerk when I accelerated and hit the brakes. I pulled over to see what was wrong with the car. It hesitated to start back up and when it did it stalled. My ESC light came on and my engine light came on before I pulled over. I was stuck on the side of a busy highway with a car that almost caused an accident when it jerked. Took the car to AutoZone f... Read more
Incident date: Mar 10, 2023
I was driving on the highway and my car started to jerk when I accelerated and hit the brakes. I pulled over to see what was wrong with the car. It hesitated to start back up and when it did it stalled. My ESC light came on and my engine light came on before I pulled over. I was stuck on the side of a busy highway with a car that almost caused an accident when it jerked. Took the car to AutoZone f... Read more
Incident date: Mar 10, 2023
I was driving on the highway and my car started to jerk when I accelerated and hit the brakes. I pulled over to see what was wrong with the car. It hesitated to start back up and when it did it stalled. My ESC light came on and my engine light came on before I pulled over. I was stuck on the side of a busy highway with a car that almost caused an accident when it jerked. Took the car to AutoZone f... Read more
Incident date: Mar 6, 2023
I went out to drive the car one morning and the brake pedal went to the floor. I had the car towed to my mechanic, and the brake lines had failed.
Incident date: Mar 6, 2023
transmission failed at 70 500 miles
Incident date: Feb 21, 2023
This issue has occurred at least twice. The two major incidents were about a year apart and happened pretty much on the same stretch of interstate. The first time, I was traveling at around 70 mph on the interstate on a bright sunny day in late winter. I feel like the roads may have been fairly white and bright from salt, which could possibly have affected how well sensors were working. Without an... Read more
Incident date: Mar 4, 2023
When driving at highway speeds for more than 10 minutes the steering becomes increasingly stiff until it starts locking the wheel in position. It takes quite a bit of force to get it to unlock and then whatever new position it's in it will lock that new position. It will lock in a straight line or in a turn so I could let go of the wheel and it will keep turning. This leads to a potentially danger... Read more
Incident date: Mar 4, 2023
Friday 03/03/2023 Off hwy 34 was on i25 for about 5 minutes going 75 I accelerated to 80, to get in my right lane and out of the fast lane got over and a pop up came on my dash board, said press start. I then realized my car lost power on the interstate with cars going 75-80+ mph and I had no way of starting or pulling off the side of the road, as there was construction and temporary road w/ bar... Read more
Incident date: Mar 4, 2023
Friday 03/03/2023 Off hwy 34 was on i25 for about 5 minutes going 75 I accelerated to 80, to get in my right lane and out of the fast lane got over and a pop up came on my dash board, said press start. I then realized my car lost power on the interstate with cars going 75-80+ mph and I had no way of starting or pulling off the side of the road, as there was construction and temporary road w/ bar... Read more
Incident date: Mar 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Avalon. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop immediately and made an abnormal sound. Additionally, the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The fa... Read more
Incident date: Mar 6, 2023
Engine failed, left us on the road. This engine is under class action lawsuit and recall. Took the car to the Hyundai dealer, they said it failed due to sludge that it wasn't serviced regularly, I produced proof of regular service then the claim was denied due to the lack of a knock sensor recall being performed. I never got a letter regarding the knock sensor recall and the previous owner had mov... Read more
Incident date: Feb 4, 2023
I just bought the Toyota I was told that he had brought this Toyota to a dealership and it was sent to har some sealant sprayed on frame to prevent anymore rust. The whole frame and the spare tire holder thing is total rusting out and the motor mounts are even rusting out is there a recall on his veichle if not there should be
Incident date: Feb 27, 2023
The hood/frunk open by itself. I was driving at around 25 MPH when hood/frunk suddenly opened. This is a serious saftey issue luckily I was able to avoid an accident as I could not see with the hood obstructing view. Vehicle will be taken to Tesla for inspection. No warning lamps or indications Also seems as if there is no secondary latch.
Incident date: Feb 27, 2023
The vehicle has a very strong raw gasoline smell after driving. The smell is very noticeable both outside and inside of the cabin. This condition is becoming more frequent the more it’s driven. The odor is strong enough to make the driver lightheaded and nauseous.The vehicle was purchased new. Dealership is unable to diagnose and Nissan corporate continuously refers this issue back to the dealer... Read more
Incident date: Feb 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the engine started making an abnormally loud knocking sound. The contact stated the check engine light had started flashing. The vehicle started losing motive power and was pulled off the roadway. The vehicle was turned off but failed after several attempts to restart. The contact had the vehicle towed t... Read more
Incident date: Feb 21, 2023
Wife was driving our 2018 Ford Escape out of a parking lot. Steering wheel locked up and vehicle displayed a “Steering Assist Fault” warning light. She was unable to steer vehicle, which nearly caused accident before she was able to stop vehicle.
BUICK
REGAL TOURX
(2020) - AIR BAGS
Feb 25, 2023
Incident date: Dec 17, 2022
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer series 1,had 22000 miles and engine locked up with number 4 piston seizing up. New starter put on and also new Cadillac converters. A new motor was installed but will not idle because of timing issues. 64 days later engineer can still not figure out how to help the mechanic to get it running. Prior to this driving home from dealer lot airbag light came on SOS. Would s... Read more
Incident date: Feb 24, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, a rattling noise was heard underneath the vehicle. Additionally, water was entering the vehicle from the roof rack. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V675000 (Suspension), 21V537000 (Suspension), and 21V316000 (Structure). The contact state... Read more