Consumer Safety Complaints
Search 2,215,138 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA — including 138,663 crashes, 56,255 fires, and 8,561 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 2,215,138 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 929 complaints for CAN-AM
Incident date: Sep 11, 2020
VSS code is triggered with three codes making the Ryker go into limp mode. It started happening when I was going around turns (left) then eventually it locked me out of full performance. YAW/SAS C0063 and/or C0052 and *C006C) I hit a guard rail as it jolted me. Turns out there are many that have had the same problem when noted threw BRP dealers. So this is a known problem with the pitman steerin... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Sep 11, 2020
VSS code is triggered with three codes making the Ryker go into limp mode. It started happening when I was going around turns (left) then eventually it locked me out of full performance. YAW/SAS C0063 and/or C0052 and *C006C) I hit a guard rail as it jolted me. Turns out there are many that have had the same problem when noted threw BRP dealers. So this is a known problem with the pitman steerin... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Sep 4, 2021
While riding the bike with my 9 year old son as a passenger we came up on a slow vehicle. Attempted to pass in a passing lane to the left side of the slow car, we were traveling about 50 mph. The both lanes were flat and straight with no rough pavement. I got into the left land and throttled to accelerate. Once slightly ahead of the car I started to turn to the right to complete the overtake a... Read more
Incident date: Sep 4, 2021
While riding the bike with my 9 year old son as a passenger we came up on a slow vehicle. Attempted to pass in a passing lane to the left side of the slow car, we were traveling about 50 mph. The both lanes were flat and straight with no rough pavement. I got into the left land and throttled to accelerate. Once slightly ahead of the car I started to turn to the right to complete the overtake a... Read more
Incident date: Aug 23, 2021
Three months old 4,500 miles. Back road riding. At 40-45 mph left/right turns at times feels like the rear tire collapsing and skipping. Same turn at 60-80 nada rides fine. Rust leaking from muffler. Brp told dealer it’s bad gas…… I’ve now reported this to Brp and dealer and my bike does not fall within there known issue vins….. Consumer stated manufacture will not warranty engine a... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2021
Vehicle goes into VSS mode when making left hand turnes at speeds of 30 MPH or more. Also cause the vehicle to fishtail. This cause the vehicle to swerve into the lane to the right while making the left turn. Breaking and shaking is automatically applied to the right tire while this is happening.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2021
Vehicle goes into VSS mode when making left hand turnes at speeds of 30 MPH or more. Also cause the vehicle to fishtail. This cause the vehicle to swerve into the lane to the right while making the left turn. Breaking and shaking is automatically applied to the right tire while this is happening.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2021
Vehicle goes into VSS mode when making left hand turnes at speeds of 30 MPH or more. Also cause the vehicle to fishtail. This cause the vehicle to swerve into the lane to the right while making the left turn. Breaking and shaking is automatically applied to the right tire while this is happening.
Incident date: Sep 4, 2021
The VSS Vehicle stability system on the right tire goes on at speeds of 30 MPH or more while making a sweeping left hand turn. Like on a canyon, highway or street. This causes the vehicle to apply brake pressure only to the the right tire and then pulls the vehicle further to the right side while makeing a left turn. This can cause you to drift uncontrollably into the right hand lane, or into a ga... Read more
Incident date: Sep 4, 2021
The VSS Vehicle stability system on the right tire goes on at speeds of 30 MPH or more while making a sweeping left hand turn. Like on a canyon, highway or street. This causes the vehicle to apply brake pressure only to the the right tire and then pulls the vehicle further to the right side while makeing a left turn. This can cause you to drift uncontrollably into the right hand lane, or into a ga... Read more
Incident date: Sep 4, 2021
The VSS Vehicle stability system on the right tire goes on at speeds of 30 MPH or more while making a sweeping left hand turn. Like on a canyon, highway or street. This causes the vehicle to apply brake pressure only to the the right tire and then pulls the vehicle further to the right side while makeing a left turn. This can cause you to drift uncontrollably into the right hand lane, or into a ga... Read more
Incident date: Jul 27, 2021
This is a safety issue with my 2021 CanAm RT Spyder. When riding up a grade in the mountains and the rpm's decrease, the motorcycle starts to buck, misfire and the the speed rapidly decreases. Downshifting to a lower gear does not alleviate the problem. My safety was jeopardized by the rapid reduction of speed in traffic putting me at risk of being hit from behind. I just completed a 3,800 mile j... Read more
Incident date: Jul 27, 2021
This is a safety issue with my 2021 CanAm RT Spyder. When riding up a grade in the mountains and the rpm's decrease, the motorcycle starts to buck, misfire and the the speed rapidly decreases. Downshifting to a lower gear does not alleviate the problem. My safety was jeopardized by the rapid reduction of speed in traffic putting me at risk of being hit from behind. I just completed a 3,800 mile j... Read more
Incident date: Jul 27, 2021
This is a safety issue with my 2021 CanAm RT Spyder. When riding up a grade in the mountains and the rpm's decrease, the motorcycle starts to buck, misfire and the the speed rapidly decreases. Downshifting to a lower gear does not alleviate the problem. My safety was jeopardized by the rapid reduction of speed in traffic putting me at risk of being hit from behind. I just completed a 3,800 mile j... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2021
Brake cylinder get hot and may melt, high engine Compartment Temperature, engine cut off while driving on the highway, THE CONSUMER INQUIRED ABOUT WHETHER OR THE VEHICLE HAS A BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER RECALL.
Incident date: Aug 1, 2021
Brake cylinder get hot and may melt, high engine Compartment Temperature, engine cut off while driving on the highway, THE CONSUMER INQUIRED ABOUT WHETHER OR THE VEHICLE HAS A BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER RECALL.
Incident date: Aug 19, 2021
This is a Can-Am Spyder with a parking brake problem. On-line in the forum, there are many of these problems on the bikes with an automatic transmission. The brake will either not engage which causes the bike to roll which could cause an accident. Can-Am dealers cannot fix the problem and will just throw parts at the problem and charge $90 to $120 an hour just to look at it. No one knows how t... Read more
Incident date: Aug 11, 2021
I heard a loud tapping and rubbing sound coming from the right front wheel at 45 miles per hour. I immediately pulled to the side of the road. I noticed the red locking pin was missing and the wheel lug was loose.
Incident date: Jul 26, 2021
The dealership refuses to perform the safety recall because I did not purchase the vehicle from them
Incident date: May 19, 2021
The motorcycle is not easy to steer when making turns,, difficult to steer when less than 8 mph and impossible to steer when idle. The brake pedal goes almost all the way in when braking after new brake pads installed and nothing else identifiable has been found.
Incident date: May 19, 2021
The motorcycle is not easy to steer when making turns,, difficult to steer when less than 8 mph and impossible to steer when idle. The brake pedal goes almost all the way in when braking after new brake pads installed and nothing else identifiable has been found.
Incident date: May 2, 2021
2016 CAN-AM RT SPYDER: FRONT SPROCKET STRIPPED LEAVING ME WITH NO WAY TO ACCELERATE TO GET OUT OF WAY OF TRAFFIC THIS HAPPENED AT 1642 MILES (BRP REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY). AT 5175 (3 MAY 2021) FRONT SPROCKET AGAIN LEFT ME IN TRAFFIC AND STRANDED AGAIN REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. BOTH TIMES I WAS IN TRAFFIC AND HAS HAPPENED AFTER SLOWING AND TRYING TO ACCELERATE. BOTH TIMES REQUIRED TOWING AND REPAIR ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2021
MOTOR CYCLE WAS STORED IN GARAGE OVER WINTER IN CHICAGO AREA. STARTED IT UP ON FIRST DAY IN 80 DEGREES AND GETTING CODES P0552 AND P0551. THE BIKE DISPLAYS THE HANDEL BARS ON DISPLAY. RESEARCH SHOWS PROBLEM WITH DO'S WHICH IS A STEERING ASSIST UNIT. BRP (MANUFACTURE) OF THE MOTORCYCLE HAD HAD PRIOR RECALLS ON THE SAME UNIT IN PRIOR YEARS. MANY PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET HAVING SAME ISSUE THA... Read more
Incident date: Feb 10, 2021
SMELL FUEL VAPORS.
Incident date: Oct 27, 2020
I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON MY VEHICLE IN OCTOBER. THE EMAIL SAYS MY VEHICLE IS UNUSABLE UNTIL THE REPAIRS ARE PERFORMED AND I SHOULD NOT DRIVE IT. SINCE THEN, I HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE MANUFACTURER THROUGH PHONE AND EMAIL 4 TIMES. I HAVE TRIED TO ACCOMMODATE THE REPAIR TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY BUT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY REQUIRED TO HAVE THE REPAIRS PERFORMED IS BEYOND MY MEANS. ACCORDING TO THE E... Read more
Incident date: Nov 25, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 CAN-AM RYKER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, HE HEARD AN ABNORMAL CLUNKING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE WHEEL. UPON INSPECTION, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THE LUG NUT HOLDING THE WHEEL WAS BARELY TIGHTENED AND COULD BE LOOSENED BY HAND. DESPITE THE NUT BEING TIGHTENED AFTER THE INITIAL FAILURE, THE FAILURE PERSISTED SHORTLY AFTER. DUE TO THE F... Read more
Incident date: Oct 11, 2020
DRIVING MY SPYDER ON THE INTERSTATE IT WOULD SHOW A CODE DPS ON MY DISPLAY AND AS LONG AS IT DISPLAYED YOU COULD NOT STEER MOTORCYCLE. THIS HAPPENED AT LEAST SIX TIMES IN ONE WEEK. YOU COULD STOP AND SHUT UNIT OFF THEN RESTART AND GO 50 TO 100 MILES THEN FLASH CODE DPS AGAIN. THE FAULT CODE P0550 WAS STORED AS LONG AS BIKE WAS RUNNING.
Incident date: Oct 17, 2020
THE REAR AIRBACK SUSPENSION HAS BEEN BROKEN SINCE I PURCHASED THE MOTORCYCLE IN AUGUST 2020. A NEW SYSTEM HAS BEEN PUT IN BUT IT HAS ALSO FAILED. THIS MAKES THE MOTORCYCLE DANGEROUS TO RIDE. THE RIDE IS VERY HARD AND WHEN HITTING A BUMP, THE PASSENGER CAN FALL OFF.
1 injured
Incident date: Oct 12, 2020
2013 CAN-AM SPYDER RT WITH 793 MILES, DROVE YESTERDAY 10-12-2020 IN THE EVENING, WENT ABOUT 1/2 MILE AND DARK BLACK SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE DUAL TOP PORTS I BELIEVE ARE AIR INTAKES. STOPPED AS IT WAS THICK SMOKE. RODE IT HOME SMOKING. TEMP RANGE WAS IN NORMAL RANGE. THESE BIKES ON WEB RESEARCH, HAVE A HISTORY OF CATCHING FIRE. PUT AWAY IN GARAGE, CHECKED GAS, BRAKE, OIL LEVELS APPEARED NOR... Read more
Incident date: Oct 12, 2020
2013 CAN-AM SPYDER RT WITH 793 MILES, DROVE YESTERDAY 10-12-2020 IN THE EVENING, WENT ABOUT 1/2 MILE AND DARK BLACK SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE DUAL TOP PORTS I BELIEVE ARE AIR INTAKES. STOPPED AS IT WAS THICK SMOKE. RODE IT HOME SMOKING. TEMP RANGE WAS IN NORMAL RANGE. THESE BIKES ON WEB RESEARCH, HAVE A HISTORY OF CATCHING FIRE. PUT AWAY IN GARAGE, CHECKED GAS, BRAKE, OIL LEVELS APPEARED NOR... Read more
Incident date: Oct 12, 2020
2013 CAN-AM SPYDER RT WITH 793 MILES, DROVE YESTERDAY 10-12-2020 IN THE EVENING, WENT ABOUT 1/2 MILE AND DARK BLACK SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE DUAL TOP PORTS I BELIEVE ARE AIR INTAKES. STOPPED AS IT WAS THICK SMOKE. RODE IT HOME SMOKING. TEMP RANGE WAS IN NORMAL RANGE. THESE BIKES ON WEB RESEARCH, HAVE A HISTORY OF CATCHING FIRE. PUT AWAY IN GARAGE, CHECKED GAS, BRAKE, OIL LEVELS APPEARED NOR... Read more
Incident date: Sep 26, 2020
PARKING BRAKE FAILED TO DISENGAGE AFTER BEING PARKED IN A PARKING LOT. RESET AND DISENGAGED AFTER A THREE HOUR PERIOD. THIS THE SECOND TIME THIS OCCURS. MODULE HAS BEEN REPLACED ONE YEAR AGO AND NOW THE SECOND MODULE IS FAILING.
Incident date: Aug 7, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 CAN-AM SPYDER RT MOTORCYCLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHUTOFF WHILE RIDING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CC POWERSPORTS ? LOUISVILLE DEALER LOCATED AT 327 CENTRE DR, SHEPHERDSVILLE, KY 40165, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BATTERY CABLE WAS LOOSE. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE SAME DEALER WHO DIA... Read more
Incident date: Sep 7, 2020
FRONT RIGHT WHEEL (TIRE AND HUB) CAME OFF AT ABOUT 50MPH. THEN STRUCK ANOTHER MOTORCYCLE RIDER
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Jun 6, 2020
SPITS GASOLINE AND CONTINUE TO READ FUEL FAULT! MY RIGHT WHEEL HAS BEEN MAKING A RATTLE NOISE SINCE THE RECALL INSTALL. BRAKES HAVE MADE NOISE SINCE PURCHASE
Incident date: Jun 6, 2020
SPITS GASOLINE AND CONTINUE TO READ FUEL FAULT! MY RIGHT WHEEL HAS BEEN MAKING A RATTLE NOISE SINCE THE RECALL INSTALL. BRAKES HAVE MADE NOISE SINCE PURCHASE
Incident date: Jun 6, 2020
SPITS GASOLINE AND CONTINUE TO READ FUEL FAULT! MY RIGHT WHEEL HAS BEEN MAKING A RATTLE NOISE SINCE THE RECALL INSTALL. BRAKES HAVE MADE NOISE SINCE PURCHASE
Incident date: Jun 24, 2020
BACK REST BROKE FALL OFF ALL MOST LOST PASSENGER
Incident date: Aug 4, 2020
EMERGENCY BRAKE SOMETIMES DOES NOT RELEASE AND YOU HAVE TO DISASSEMBLE IT AT THE REAR HUB TO RELEASE IT.THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES TO ME, I KNOW OF SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE ALSO, DIFFERENT MODELS AND YEARS
Incident date: Jul 2, 2020
THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE MALFUNCTIONS AND FAILED TO EITHER ENGAGE OR DISENGAGE. FAILURE TO ENGAGE PREVENTS THE VEHICLE FROM ROLLING AFTER STARTING AND IN GEAR. FAILURE TO ENGAGE ALLOWS THE VEHICLE TO ROLL AFTER STOPPING, TURNING THE ENGINE OFF, AND RELEASING THE MANUAL FOOT BRAKE. IN ORDER TO STABILIZE THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING IF THE EBRAKE WILL NOT ENGAGE, THE RIDER MUST RELEASE THE MANUAL FOO... Read more
Incident date: Jul 2, 2020
THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE MALFUNCTIONS AND FAILED TO EITHER ENGAGE OR DISENGAGE. FAILURE TO ENGAGE PREVENTS THE VEHICLE FROM ROLLING AFTER STARTING AND IN GEAR. FAILURE TO ENGAGE ALLOWS THE VEHICLE TO ROLL AFTER STOPPING, TURNING THE ENGINE OFF, AND RELEASING THE MANUAL FOOT BRAKE. IN ORDER TO STABILIZE THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING IF THE EBRAKE WILL NOT ENGAGE, THE RIDER MUST RELEASE THE MANUAL FOO... Read more
Incident date: May 17, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 CAN-AM RYKER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR BRAKE LIGHT WAS INOPERABLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE REAR TAILLIGHTS AND BOTH FRONT HEADLIGHTS HAD WATER INSIDE OF THE HOUSING. THE CONTACT CONTACTED POWER MOTORSPORTS LOCATED AT 333 SW SUBLIMITY BLVD, SUBLIMITY, OR 97385, (503) 769-8888) WHERE A PENDING APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGN... Read more
Incident date: May 30, 2020
I PURCHASED A NEW CAN AM DEFENDER ON MAY 30 WITH NO TEST RIDE. UPON RETURNING HOME I DROVE THE UNIT TO MY NEIGHBOR'S HOME, NOTICING A VERY LOUD RATTLE. MY NEIGHBOR AND I DID A SUPERFICIAL INSPECTION AND DISCOVERED THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BOLT THAT ATTACHES THE SEAT BELT TO THE FRAME WAS NOT EVEN FINGER TIGHT, DESPITE THE DESIGN INCLUDING A BOLT WITH A NYLON WASHER LOCK ON THE BOLT. WE ALSO N... Read more
Incident date: May 30, 2020
I PURCHASED A NEW CAN AM DEFENDER ON MAY 30 WITH NO TEST RIDE. UPON RETURNING HOME I DROVE THE UNIT TO MY NEIGHBOR'S HOME, NOTICING A VERY LOUD RATTLE. MY NEIGHBOR AND I DID A SUPERFICIAL INSPECTION AND DISCOVERED THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BOLT THAT ATTACHES THE SEAT BELT TO THE FRAME WAS NOT EVEN FINGER TIGHT, DESPITE THE DESIGN INCLUDING A BOLT WITH A NYLON WASHER LOCK ON THE BOLT. WE ALSO N... Read more
Incident date: May 30, 2020
I PURCHASED A NEW CAN AM DEFENDER ON MAY 30 WITH NO TEST RIDE. UPON RETURNING HOME I DROVE THE UNIT TO MY NEIGHBOR'S HOME, NOTICING A VERY LOUD RATTLE. MY NEIGHBOR AND I DID A SUPERFICIAL INSPECTION AND DISCOVERED THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BOLT THAT ATTACHES THE SEAT BELT TO THE FRAME WAS NOT EVEN FINGER TIGHT, DESPITE THE DESIGN INCLUDING A BOLT WITH A NYLON WASHER LOCK ON THE BOLT. WE ALSO N... Read more
Incident date: May 23, 2020
HEATED SEAT CEASES TO OPERATE AFTER 40 MINS. PARKING BRAKE WILL NOT RELEASE.
Incident date: May 23, 2020
HEATED SEAT CEASES TO OPERATE AFTER 40 MINS. PARKING BRAKE WILL NOT RELEASE.
Incident date: May 22, 2020
THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE WILL NOT RELEASE INTERMITTENTLY. THIS HAPPENS 3-5 TIMES A WEEK.
Incident date: Jul 14, 2017
I HAVE A 2012 CAN AM SPYDER RT LIMITED WITH EXTREME HEAT ON MY RIGHT FOOT AND AROUND THE SEAT. ALSO HAVE OVERWHELMING GASOLINE FUMES AFTER PARKING THE BIKE. MAKING IT UNUSABLE AND NO FUN AND DANGEROUS TO RIDE. PURCHASED JULY 14 2017. 7,200 MILES. HAD CONTACT SEVERAL TIMES WITH LOCAL DEALER ABSOLUTELY NO HELP!
Incident date: Jul 14, 2017
I HAVE A 2012 CAN AM SPYDER RT LIMITED WITH EXTREME HEAT ON MY RIGHT FOOT AND AROUND THE SEAT. ALSO HAVE OVERWHELMING GASOLINE FUMES AFTER PARKING THE BIKE. MAKING IT UNUSABLE AND NO FUN AND DANGEROUS TO RIDE. PURCHASED JULY 14 2017. 7,200 MILES. HAD CONTACT SEVERAL TIMES WITH LOCAL DEALER ABSOLUTELY NO HELP!