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 384,293 complaints for FORD
Incident date: Apr 21, 2026
In the middle of driving car stuttered, engine light went on, and car stalled. Unable to restart, Engine cranks but would not turn over. Had car towed for repair. Diagnostic shows engine coil short causing blown fuse. Subaru has an active recall for this identical issue for my same year and model 2019 Crosstrek but the recall does not cover my VIN.
Incident date: Apr 3, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that on several occasions at various speeds, when the vehicle went over bumps in the road, it shook more than usual. Additionally, when the vehicle was slowed down and the brake pedal was depressed, it took more effort to depress the pedal. The vehicle was taken for inspection, where it was determined that there was a steering suspension ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 21, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that on several occasions at various speeds, when the vehicle went over bumps in the road, it shook more than usual. Additionally, when the vehicle was slowed down and the brake pedal was depressed, it took more effort to depress the pedal. The vehicle was taken for inspection, where it was determined that there was a steering suspension ... Read more
Incident date: May 11, 2026
I am filing a safety complaint regarding Safety Recall 01C (NHTSA 25V-011) and the handling of my vehicle by both the dealership and Stellantis. My vehicle exhibited fault codes and conditions consistent with the defect described in Recall 01C, including: DTC C1477-4B (Transfer Case Clutch Over Temperature) DTC C1440-64 (Transfer Case Clutch Pressure Sensor) Documented drivetrain control module ... Read more
Incident date: May 11, 2026
I was driving down the road and when i tried to hit the throttle to speed up a little suddenly the car just started misfiring randomly with zero warning beforehand. I tried to hit the throttle a couple more times but it kept misfiring and then the engine light, tpms light, traction control light and a couple other lights all lit up and i immediately had to pull over to the side of the road because... Read more
Incident date: May 11, 2026
This car has tail lights that are in operable, and do not work, it has almost caused a quite a few near accidents, would like to see this resolved soon.
Incident date: Aug 27, 2025
2018 Camry XSE, Vacuum pump went on my car less then a year ago. I had my car towed to the dealership for the recall to be fixed. Since that incident my car hasn’t been the same. While stopped at a light my dash board lite up with every issue the car could possibly have. Lane departure assist, secondary breaking system failure, engine coolant too hot, emergency brake failure and then the check... Read more
Incident date: May 11, 2026
I am reporting a serious safety issue involving my 2019 Subaru Forester related to failure of the Electric Power Steering (EPS) system. Since April 21, 2026, I have been in communication with Subaru of America regarding whether this issue is related to an existing safety recall (WUC-88). During this time, I provided detailed information about multiple occurrences of EPS warning light activation a... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2025
Hyundai recently had a service campaign that was issued to address an emissions related issue in CA. The service campaign was 9C2 and the TSB was 25-01-087H. After this software update was applied to my vehicle the engine is now sluggish on a cold start and the transmission is shifting differently at low speeds and low gears. It appears that the performance of my vehicle has been compromised. T... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2025
The car thinks the key fob is inside the vehicle when it is not. If you get out of the vehicle it will not self lock even if you have that feature set up. It will also beep consistently for about 10 seconds when you press the lock button on the key fob when your outside of the car, indicating that there is a key fob in the car....but there is not. The most concerning thing is you can get into the... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2025
The car thinks the key fob is inside the vehicle when it is not. If you get out of the vehicle it will not self lock even if you have that feature set up. It will also beep consistently for about 10 seconds when you press the lock button on the key fob when your outside of the car, indicating that there is a key fob in the car....but there is not. The most concerning thing is you can get into the... Read more
Incident date: Apr 30, 2026
While driving the "power steering failure" light came on, and then went off. I checked my VIN and it says there's no recalls needed for the vehicle, but I have read that there's a lot of this happening. It happened twice in less than 2 months of ownership.
Incident date: May 3, 2026
while i was driving my vehicle put the parking brake on and then i was unable to get it deactivated at first, after a few seconds i got it and moved forward in traffic. after a few feet the vehicle put the parking brake on and i was unable to move once again. this was in the middle of traffic and i ended up blocking the single lane road. I called a family member who was near by and they came and s... Read more
Incident date: May 11, 2026
SUBJECT: URGENT COMPLAINT: Deceptive Practices/Misrepresentation & Services Not Rendered (Woodhouse Ford of Omaha) I. Actionable Safety Issue Summary This complaint concerns fraudulent billing and dangerous misrepresentation by Woodhouse Ford of Omaha, which claimed a vehicle's 3rd rack and pinion system was "safe" on 2/19/2026 after a known safety issue, following a previous failure. They further... Read more
3 injured
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2025) - FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
May 11, 2026
Incident date: Jan 26, 2026
The vehicle drove normally earlier in the day with no major drivability concerns. Later, reverse gear suddenly stopped functioning and the engine would rev abnormally without the vehicle moving properly while in reverse. Shortly afterward, while driving, the vehicle displayed the warning message “Reduce Acceleration – Drive with Care” and began losing acceleration and propulsion. The vehicle... Read more
Incident date: May 10, 2026
On April 8th my car was taken to the dealership for repair on a hose. When the dealership did a diagnostic on the vehicle it had 4 safety recalls. And my car had a major recall the fuel pump on my car expanded and it was very dangerous for me and my kids to drive the vehicle per Kia they say it could have blown up. My car can not be released to me and I’m without a vehicle. On the night of April... Read more
Incident date: Mar 5, 2026
I am submitting this complaint regarding a 2019 Kia Sorento that has experienced recurring oil loss/oil starvation and engine-related issues that I believe may present a safety concern. I purchased the vehicle used with approximately 45,000 miles. Since ownership, the vehicle has experienced repeated incidents involving low or nearly empty oil levels despite regular maintenance and monitoring. Th... Read more
Incident date: Mar 5, 2026
While operating our vehicle on traveling at approx. 45 mph during mid-day traffic, the engine on our vehicle died and would not restart. we had no power steering and had to wrestle the vehicle off the road The check engine light was on and we tried repeatedly to restart the engine without any luck. We had the vehicle towed to the dealership for diagnosis and repair, it was determined that a Fue... Read more
Incident date: Mar 5, 2026
While operating our vehicle on traveling at approx. 45 mph during mid-day traffic, the engine on our vehicle died and would not restart. we had no power steering and had to wrestle the vehicle off the road The check engine light was on and we tried repeatedly to restart the engine without any luck. We had the vehicle towed to the dealership for diagnosis and repair, it was determined that a Fue... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2026
The tailgate intermittently opens while driving or parked
Incident date: May 6, 2026
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while getting maintenance work performed on the vehicle , her mechanic discovered a mileage discrepancy through a Carfax report. The contact stated that she was given a Carfax report upon purchase of the vehicle; however, the report she was given did not match her mechanic's Carfax report. The vehicle was a dealer sa... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2026
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front driver's side A-pillar trim detached. The failure distracted the contact while driving, nearly causing a collision. The contact drove over gravel on the road, causing damage to the front windshield. The contact stated that Safelite AutoGlass repaired the front windshield. The contact lat... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2026
My 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe (VIN [XXX] ) is experiencing severe engine instability, including rough idling, hesitation upon acceleration, and intermittent stalling. These symptoms align with TSB 26-FL-001H regarding defective GDI fuel injectors. The vehicle has stalled in traffic, creating an immediate risk of a rear-end collision. Despite being within the 100,000-mile Powertrain Warranty, the manufa... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2023
Charging System Fault. Caused multiple error messages like Forward camera not available, collision avoidance not available. Then Radio goes black and reboots. Several cycles later the dash board goes DARK. No speed or RPM anything visible for 5-10 secs, and on some reboots this Dark dash lasted 30 seconds. Thankfully while traveling at midnight the head lights and tail lights remain on, jus... Read more
Incident date: Apr 20, 2026
As per the Audi dealership inspection: Driver's-side rear coil spring is broken (also noted that the passenger-side spring is "swollen" and will need to be replaced). Appears to be a known issue; many complaints can be found online for the exact same issue (google 2017 Audi Q7 rear broken spring). The NHTSA issued a recall for a similar issue within the VW/Audi group for the VW Atlas (a similar ve... Read more
Incident date: Apr 20, 2026
My husband was driving on a highway going 70 MPH and the drivers headrest exploded and lunged him forward
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2020) - ENGINE
May 11, 2026
Incident date: Feb 20, 2024
The vehicle experienced a sudden and repeated malfunction of the hybrid/electrical system and powertrain, resulting in the vehicle becoming inoperable. The vehicle is currently at the dealership and is available for inspection upon request. While driving in traffic, multiple warning messages appeared, including "Hybrid System Malfunction," "Charging System Malfunction," "Engine Malfunction," "Bra... Read more
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2020) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
May 11, 2026
Incident date: Feb 20, 2024
The vehicle experienced a sudden and repeated malfunction of the hybrid/electrical system and powertrain, resulting in the vehicle becoming inoperable. The vehicle is currently at the dealership and is available for inspection upon request. While driving in traffic, multiple warning messages appeared, including "Hybrid System Malfunction," "Charging System Malfunction," "Engine Malfunction," "Bra... Read more
Incident date: May 10, 2026
am writing to report an incident involving my vehicle. While entering my driveway, the vehicle unexpectedly accelerated and did not recognize that the garage door was closed. As a result, the vehicle collided with the closed garage door and subsequently struck the structural beam on the wall near the garage entrance. The impact was significant, and all six airbags deployed. At the time of the inci... Read more
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: May 10, 2026
Compounded Electrical Failures In addition to the battery defect, this specific vehicle has exhibited recurring electrical malfunctions, including: Total failure of the backup cameras and parking sensors. Intermittent failure of the HVAC system (Air Conditioning), critical in the Florida climate. Erratic Autonomous Braking: The vehicle has repeatedly engaged emergency braking while reversing witho... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
Chrysler performed the 73B recall and n my van in August of 2025. Ever since performing this recall the van has a continuous stream of check engine lights and error codes. The van has been at the dealership at least 6 times for well over 100 days. The check engine lights and error codes always return. The hybrid battery recently had a failure code, and was replaced. I didn't even make it home befo... Read more
Incident date: May 11, 2026
My car is having issues with the head gasket. My car check engine lights came on like a lit Christmas tree with many warnings (Emission System, Brake System, Departure, Uphill and many other more). I took my car into Capital Honda for a diagnostic on 5/4/26 and they informed that it was the head gasket that needs to be replaced. They are charging me $6000 to repair and do not have the funds to fix... Read more
Incident date: Jan 24, 2026
While driving down the highway 5/10/26, the vehicle completely shut down at 75 MPH. The dash went black, everything shut down, and the steering wheel locked. No warning lights came on. I immediately hit the brakes and tried to veer to the right. Luckily, I was in the right lane and was able to get to the edge of the shoulder. My son and I sat there in shock. A few seconds later, I hit the ignitio... Read more
Incident date: Jan 24, 2026
While driving down the highway 5/10/26, the vehicle completely shut down at 75 MPH. The dash went black, everything shut down, and the steering wheel locked. No warning lights came on. I immediately hit the brakes and tried to veer to the right. Luckily, I was in the right lane and was able to get to the edge of the shoulder. My son and I sat there in shock. A few seconds later, I hit the ignitio... Read more
Incident date: Jan 24, 2026
While driving down the highway 5/10/26, the vehicle completely shut down at 75 MPH. The dash went black, everything shut down, and the steering wheel locked. No warning lights came on. I immediately hit the brakes and tried to veer to the right. Luckily, I was in the right lane and was able to get to the edge of the shoulder. My son and I sat there in shock. A few seconds later, I hit the ignitio... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 BMW R 1300 GS Adventure. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 65 MPH on the highway in congestive traffic with the adaptive cruise control activated. The contact then stated that the motorcycle abruptly slow down as an unknown warning message appeared on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the edge of a vehicle may have possibly entered his lane ... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sedona. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the contact the oil light illuminated, and the vehicle decelerated independently. The contact mention he pulled over to the right side of the road, exited the vehicle and when he lifted the hood of the vehicle, he noticed flames coming from the engine. No injuries were sustained. No medical attention. There was no... Read more
Fire
Incident date: May 6, 2026
For the past year anytime I drive my vehicle above 40mph I notice the steering feels “sticky” and often you have to use additional effort to turn the wheel which cause the wheel to jerk to whatever side you attempting to turn the wheel. Apparently this is common on the same year civic but the dealership stated my vehicle VIN is not included on the list of vehicles that need the repair. The veh... Read more
Incident date: May 11, 2026
The front gas tank stap bracket on the frame rusted through while driving. The gas tank was just inches from the road and the strap was rubbing against the driveshaft.
Incident date: Apr 22, 2026
Water pump failure. From my research this is a major problem with the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport
Incident date: Apr 14, 2026
The back window shattered in my driveway after Getting in car to go to work. Happened when shut the door.
Incident date: Apr 9, 2026
The ICCU failed just before the vehicle had 20k miles on it. It failed on a warm afternoon with about 77% SOC after not being charged for more than 24 hours. Immediately after starting the car with the push button ignition, I heard an audible "pop" come from the back of the passenger cabin followed up by a "Check Vehicle Electrical System" message on the dashboard. There was no warning prior to th... Read more
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2021) - FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
May 11, 2026
Incident date: May 10, 2026
The fuel tank shield has rusted completely through exposing the tank to damage, puncture, etc. The reason this problem occurs is because of a process called galvanic corrosion. The fuel tank shield is bolted onto an aluminum heat shield, and the pairing of these two different metals accelerates the corrosion. Land Rover has acknowledged this problem and it’s given priority due to the fact tha... Read more
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2021) - POWER TRAIN
May 11, 2026
Incident date: Apr 15, 2026
I purchased a 2023 Toyota Corolla LE as a Toyota Gold Certified Pre-Owned vehicle on March 8, 2026 at 61,387 miles. Within 30 days of purchase I began experiencing the following safety concerns: •Vehicle revs to 5,000-6,000 RPM unexpectedly •Violent jerking while driving •Vehicle stalls On April 7, 2026 I brought the vehicle to the selling dealership. The technician confirmed experiencing th... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2026
Driving home from church this morning, the vehicle experiences a sudden loss of power and the car went into “limp mode”. Even the pedal floored and the engine rpms high, the car would barely go about 25 or 30 mph. A message from the dash board told me to pull over and leave the engine running to charge the EV batteries. The batteries would charge enough for what I thought would get me home but... Read more
Incident date: May 4, 2026
Driving home from church this morning, the vehicle experiences a sudden loss of power and the car went into “limp mode”. Even the pedal floored and the engine rpms high, the car would barely go about 25 or 30 mph. A message from the dash board told me to pull over and leave the engine running to charge the EV batteries. The batteries would charge enough for what I thought would get me home but... Read more
Incident date: May 4, 2026
I have recently purchased a 2018 Honda Civic LX at 39k miles and now at 42k miles and only six months of owning the vehicle I am experiencing the sticky steering at 35mph or faster due to the worm gear in the EPS Gearbox assembly in 18V-663, NHTSA Recall 18V-663, however my VIN was not listed as eligible. I was able to have the fuel pump recall replaced immediately after I purchased it in Septembe... Read more
Incident date: May 4, 2026
The sliding doors have a rubber piece that over time, gets stuck and causes the door to not latch and close, leaving the door to come open as you are driving. This has been a known issue with these sliding doors on my Kia Sedona. This is highly unsafe due to the ability of the door to come open as you are driving and potentially causing harm for someone to fall out and or be injured.
Incident date: Apr 27, 2026
Incident 1- on several occasions the screen went blank on my dashboard where I could not see the odometer and important information. This has happened on several occasions and sometimes happen to wait until the next day in order for it to come back on Incident 2- car is now in the dealer for engine issues and rattling sound once started. Needs to restart before sound stops
Incident date: May 2, 2026
I turned my car on one day and warning lights for all of my safety sensing features came up. Intermittently they work for a little bit. I brought it to the dealer, and they said that there was damage to the sensor, but there has been no damage to the front end of the car. Their reply was perhaps a pebble came up from the road while I was driving. It seems to me that that is a fault in the manufact... Read more