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.

2,245,377 Total Complaints

140,173 Reported Crashes

56,794 Reported Fires

8,580 Reported 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

How to Read NHTSA Consumer Complaints › How NHTSA Investigations Work › Used Car: 7 Recall Checks to Run First › The Takata Airbag Recall: Full Story › OBD-II Codes Explained › All Articles ›

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Showing 252,439 complaints for CHEVROLET

Incident date: Jul 23, 2026

The car just died while going 55mph on the highway. Complete shutdown but luckily both the steering and brakes worked. After stopping it wouldn’t start again. I had my three children in the car aged [XXX], [XXX], and [XXX]. It was a horrific experience. GMC did some repairs to the engine that took over two months and then the car had a few more warnings pop up just a few weeks later. GMC now sa... Read more

Incident date: Jul 21, 2026

Incident date: May 6, 2026

2018 Mercedes C300 - a hole rusted through the rear subframe causing structural safety concerns. This car has been routinely washed weekly and the frame should not have rusted through within only 8 years. This also led to a large repair bill.

Incident date: Jul 20, 2026

2025 Subaru Ascent has a popping noise randomly usually when turning left. Dealership services can not find the source.

Incident date: Jul 20, 2026

First time it happened I was driving on the freeway from [XXX] to [XXX]. The car did an instant jerk stop ON THE FREEWAY!! I thought my granddaughter touched something but then it did it again when I was driving by myself. So I took the car in for the recall that came out for this issue and the day after that as I parked into an In-N-Out parking space my collision light came on warning me that th... Read more

Incident date: Jul 22, 2026

My center screen has a ghost touch; I have brought it to my dealer since the day I bought it I have been having screen and CarPlay issues. never fixed always told its fake phone cable, even though my phone can be disconnected and the screen still goes crazy, either way I left it alone because I can't keep going to the dealer, today while I was backing up this ghost touch keep changing my camera an... Read more

Incident date: Jun 22, 2026

I bought this car used and I've only had it two months and the head gasket has blown. I didn't know the 10th generation had bad gaskets and turbos i found that out after I purchased the car. Literally everyone i know now that had one the gasket or turbo went out. Not only that it was a recall on my fuel pump no one told me about until I added it to my insurance and they told me. Yes Honda dealersh... Read more

Incident date: Jul 1, 2022

2019 BMW X4 with 60,000 miles. On July 23, 2026, BMW dealership found a leaking Transfer case and quoted me $8500 to replace. Along with a defected shark Fin antenna costing $3000. Failed Water pump and 2 major coolant line. All have lawsuit against BMW of America.

Incident date: Jul 1, 2022

I have a K114 CVT internal bearing defect. It is available for inspection upon request. Transmission issues are unsafe because it can cause sudden loss of acceleration, unexpected vehicle stalling in traffic, and delayed shifting or gear slippage. These sudden changes make my car behave unpredictably; risking rear-end collisions or loss of control. This puts myself, my passengers, and others at r... Read more

Incident date: Jun 15, 2026

The contact owns a 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQB350 4MATIC. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V073000 (Electrical System). The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle failed to start for approximately five minutes. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the battery was at 80 percent and then fell to 50 percent extremely quickly. Wh... Read more

Incident date: Jul 23, 2025

The transmission has been serviced regularly. It is starting to jerk at lower speeds. I have had two auto mechanics from different shops and locations inspect the transmission. Both have found shaved metal in the transmission fluid. After a call to two different Ford dealerships, the auto mechanics were informed that it is a problem with these transmissions, but Ford has not issued a recall. If I ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 23, 2025

The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that the fuel filler door failed to open as needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000.

Incident date: Jul 23, 2025

My 2018 Ford Mustang EcoBoost with the 10R80 automatic transmission began experiencing hesitation, delayed engagement, and harsh jerking during low-speed acceleration (15-20 mph), especially when cold. Engine RPM would increase, but the vehicle would hesitate before engaging. The condition worsened over time and eventually the vehicle entered limp mode, causing a significant loss of power and illu... Read more

Incident date: Oct 12, 2022

Subject of Complaint: Severe odometer fraud, mileage tampering, and title misrepresentation by the selling dealership: Phenix Motors, LLC ([XXX]), operated by [XXX]. The Discrepancy: The vehicle was sold to me with a falsely represented odometer reading. Subsequent electronic diagnostics and vehicle history reports reveal that the actual mileage is severely discrepant from the mileage disclosed on... Read more

Incident date: Jul 23, 2026

I am submitting this complaint regarding potential safety issues with my 2018 Ford Expedition Max Platinum. I purchased the vehicle from Sandy Sansing Chevrolet in Pensacola, Florida, and discovered several problems shortly after purchase that I believe may affect the vehicle's safe operation. Within days of purchasing the vehicle, it began displaying an intermittent **low oil pressure warning** ... Read more

Incident date: Apr 22, 2026

I have things wrong with my vehicle that are not currently included in recalls for my specific VIN but they are for the same model year. Yesterday, I paid $6000 to fix a stuck wastegate on the turbo and something to do with the ABS. I was informed that there is a $700 problem with a vacuum pump. I have also paid for 2 costly repairs, one that wouldn't let the car start after refueling and somethin... Read more

Incident date: Jul 23, 2022

The vehicle developed an intermittent but potentially dangerous engine control malfunction. After the engine reached normal operating temperature, the engine speed (RPM) would repeatedly surge while the vehicle was stopped in Park and Neutral, fluctuating from approximately 1,000 RPM to over 3,000 RPM without any throttle input from the driver. The condition occurred with the air conditioning turn... Read more

Incident date: Jul 23, 2026

The contact owns a 2026 Forest River Sabre RV. The contact stated that on several occasions, the main entry door failed to open while attempting to enter or exit the vehicle. During the most recent issue, the contact was trapped inside the camper and was unable to exit through the door. The contact forcefully pushed the door open, causing the tempered glass window to shatter. The contact believed ... Read more

Incident date: Nov 1, 2024

WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN PARK, I GET AN ERROR MESSAGE THAT SAYS SHIFT TO PARK AND IT TAKES PUTTING IN PARK NUMEROUS TIMES TO GET IT TO CLEAR SO I CAN TRUN THE CAR OFF AND LOCK IT. I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN SOME MODELS THAT HAVE BEEN RECALLED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM, HOWEVER MINE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THAT RECALL. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY IT IS NOT INCLUDED AND IF THERE IS ANY HELP AVAILABLE TO CORRECT THIS ISS... Read more

Incident date: Jul 9, 2023

Making turn at approximately 10 mph, and as I applied the throttle to resume acceleration, the vehicle seemed to "stall." Engine was still running, but no response to throttle input for 2-3 seconds. This has happened twice, and my truck only has 30,000 miles

Incident date: Sep 7, 2025

i was involved in a fairly significant accident at 55mph and another vehicle pulled out in front of us. Our Honda pilot had significant front and side damage on passenger side and not air bags deployed at all. This is and was alarming to us. So much so we did not feel safe in keeping the vehicle after the $26,000 repair. I did suffer minor injuries with my neck (surgery required and arm iss... Read more

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Sep 7, 2025

The driver's side headlamp has a significant amount of shadows within the beam. This is in both the low beam and high beam modes. The shadows are highly visible on the road, and create a significant distraction while driving. This distraction is made significantly worse by the vehicles adaptive headlight system, as the shadows move on the road then you turn the steering wheel. The causes the d... Read more

Incident date: Jun 30, 2026

See attached document for complaint.

Incident date: Jun 30, 2026

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the front passenger's side door failed to latch or lock as intended. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under a recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall; how... Read more

Incident date: May 25, 2026

The rear access closes on its own after sitting open for a period of time. I was sitting at grocery pick up with the access open. This caused it to close on worker at grocery pick up. It stayed closed and I had to hit the button to open it back it did not auto go back up when it couldn’t close.

Incident date: Feb 4, 2026

When driving the vehicle suddenly displayed warning and failure lights for the following: Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist, Road Departure, High Beam Support, and Collision Mitigation. The vehicle in the past regularly experiences issues with oncoming traffic (especially on 2 lane roads) when it comes to auto braking and forward crash warnings so I immediately brought the vehicle home as... Read more

Incident date: Feb 4, 2026

Incident date: Jul 22, 2026

I was getting into my car when I noticed that it was full of smoke, I then opened my hood and trunk. My trunk was on fire from a wire that had came down. I was only about to pull it out and put it out. Insurance said it will most likely be deemed a total loss.

Fire

Incident date: Jul 22, 2026

I am filing a safety and defect complaint regarding my 2016 Honda Pilot (3.5L V6 Engine). In Dec 2025, the "EMISSION SYSTEM PROBLEM" warning light ocationally illuminated on the dashboard. On 5/26/26.while driving, the vehicle suddenly began to shake violently and experienced a severe loss of acceleration—when I stepped on the gas pedal, the vehicle hesitated and would not speed up (loss of mot... Read more

Incident date: Jun 29, 2026

Recently my car has had a series lights come on including 4wd fault, pre-colliosion assist not available, service advance trac, hill start assist warning, and something with the brakes when in reverse. I took it to the dealer and they said it's something electrical that will need parts, and further investigation with removing the seats. That will be another day. Today, while driving with my son in... Read more

Incident date: Apr 2, 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed smoke on the interior of the vehicle. The contact stated that the smoke became heavy on the interior of the vehicle. The contact stopped the vehicle and became aware that the heavy smoke was coming from the trunk of the vehicle. The Fire Department arrived on the scene and extin... Read more

Fire

Incident date: Jun 2, 2025

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while vehicle was in reverse(R), the rear-view camera displayed a blank screen with the message "Camera Unavailable". The contact received notification of NTHSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); and associated the failure with the recall. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had e... Read more

Incident date: Jun 2, 2025

My 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 Pro S AWD (approximately 40,000 miles) has a persistent GPS navigation system failure where the vehicle displays an incorrect location. This is a safety concern as the navigation system cannot be relied upon for accurate directions or location awareness. The following repair attempts have been made at the dealership: - TSB 91-24-05 was performed and was unsuccessful - The ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 22, 2026

Incident date: Oct 30, 2024

While turning right at a red light my vehicle started making knocking noises, loss of acceleration then the ECM (limp mode) and ESC code happened. Protecting the vehicle from damage due to transmission fluid loss. Looked under the car and Transmission fluid was pouring out between the transmission and drive shaft. Car will no longer start due to codes being present from the computer shutting the c... Read more

Incident date: Jul 9, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V685000 (Equipment), 26V117000 (Visibility), and 26V402000 (Power Train); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact was concerned that the incomplete recalls presented significant safety risks, specifically because the contact resided in Alaska, where it rain... Read more

Incident date: Jul 16, 2026

Incident date: Jul 2, 2025

2019 Ford Fusion Hybrid SE. Vehicle experienced a “Stop Safely Now” warning with hybrid system shutdown, occurring both while driving and while parked/idling, causing jerking symptoms. This puts driver and other roadway users at risk, as loss of power/propulsion can occur without warning while in motion. Vehicle also set a P0073 (ambient air temperature sensor circuit high) fault code. The amb... Read more

Incident date: Jul 2, 2025

Incident date: Nov 24, 2025

I was stopped at a drive thru window and as I reached out to get my food, the window rose up by itself. As I drove home over the next ten minutes, the locks locked and unlocked by themselves and the windows rolled down and up by themselves. Warning lights came on and then went off, including "Fault: Electronic parking brake," and "Error:Airbag." The dash screen went off for a few seconds and then ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 1, 2026

When driving in rainy, snowy/icy, or wet conditions, water/slush impacts the front sensors/MAF sensor, causing the engine to shudder, stall, and shut off completely while in drive. The ABS, battery, and oil lights instantly flash on the dashboard, and the Automatic Emergency Braking system triggers/faults, creating a severe stall and safety hazard on active roads.

Incident date: Jul 22, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while shifted in reverse(R), the rear-view camera failed to display a clear view image. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reas... Read more

Incident date: Jul 22, 2025

The vehicle has experienced a pattern of recurring electrical failures beginning shortly after purchase, involving driver door controls (window, lock, mirror, and interior lighting functions), which have required four separate repair attempts over approximately three years, including replacement of a door module, a wiring harness, and a door switch assembly. Despite these repairs, the same driver ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 22, 2025

The drivers door handle inside the truck has failed leaving me unable to open the drivers door unless I roll the window down and open the door from the outside. I took the truck to a local dealer and they let me know this is a very common problem on the truck and the parts to fix it are on nationwide back order. Was sent home with the vehicle knowing the door is inoperable unless opened from the o... Read more

Incident date: Jul 22, 2025

Passenger side 2nd row Seat belt indicates unbuckled when passenger is buckled in and seated. Started as an intermittent indication, now the warning lamp continuously indicates the passenger is unbuckled when seated with seat belt buckled. Dealer has confirmed the concern, aligns with OEM service bulletin, OEM has redesigned service parts but will not service under warranty due to mileage on vehi... Read more

Incident date: Feb 15, 2026

CRITICAL FINANCIAL NON-COMPLIANCE REPORT regarding NHTSA Campaign 25V586 / Alfa Romeo Recall 93C. On July 16, 2026, my vehicle suffered a catastrophic loss of motive power and stalled on the highway due to the exact fuel pump module defect described in Campaign 25V586 (Bristow's Auto Repair Invoice #33733 confirmed code P008A and low fuel pressure at 349mBar). Because the vehicle was entirely inop... Read more

Incident date: Jul 14, 2026

Transmission is failing in car. Has started whining, consistent with other complaints I have seen regarding the transmissions in these vehicles.

Incident date: Jun 15, 2025

My primary safety complaint is that the automatic emergency-call function failed during an actual airbag-deployment collision even though the SOS indicator was green and appeared to show that the system was operational. The vehicle is a 2023 Volkswagen ID.4, VIN [XXX]. On XXX, at approximately 8:04 a.m., while traveling southbound on Columbia Pike near Trader Joe’s, the vehicle was involved in ... Read more

Crash 3 injured

Incident date: Jul 22, 2026

Pulling into a gas station, a turtle warning light (limp mode) came on in the dash, and the car started moving very slowly. Moments later the engine was on fire. Basically the entire front end of the car melted away before the fire department in New Buffalo, Mich., could put it out.

Fire

Incident date: Jul 22, 2026

While driving my vehicle straight approaching an intersection, I lost complete steering capability and feedback from the steering wheel. The lower intermediate shaft on the steering column complete separated from the splines on the rack and pinion. If I wasn't already preparing to stop at the stop sign this could have happened while driving on a curve in the road or at high speeds on a highway. Th... Read more

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Vehicle Safety

Consumer Safety

Infrastructure

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Consumer Safety Complaints

What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?

How to interpret what you read

If you've experienced a defect

Read more from our blog