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: Mar 13, 2026
My 2019 Audi Q5 has 23,300 city-driven odometer miles. The vehicle has been serviced and maintained per the Audi Service Manual, based on months in service, not accumulated mileage. The vehicle has been garaged both at home and at work. The vehicle has never been driven off-road. When driving, an “All-wheel Drive: malfunction! You may continue driving. Please contact Service” warning message s... Read more
Incident date: Apr 16, 2026
While I drive my vehicle down the road the car all of a sudden sounds like you throw it in park, it screeches and grinds in the front and will not let you push the gas pedal down even when on the highway. This causes sever risk to the people around me as well as my children who drive in this car… ford has an open recall for this which my vehicle falls under year and build wise. But does not corr... Read more
Incident date: Oct 21, 2024
Sunroof “exploded” while driving and shattered. Yes, this may be inspected. Risk of glass entering the vehicle. The incident has not been inspected yet. There were not any warning messages or indicators.
Incident date: Apr 14, 2026
When driving on highway, electrical system started beeping and showing various signals, could no longer keep speed or accelerate. Had to put on warning lights and coast to side of road with four small kids in car. Was able to pull off to side and slowly get to safe location by resting vehicle in between events. When fully charged, didn’t seem to have issue so was able to drive to dealer. Thought... Read more
Incident date: Apr 16, 2026
When driving on highway, electrical system started beeping and showing various signals, could no longer keep speed or accelerate. Had to put on warning lights and coast to side of road with four small kids in car. Was able to pull off to side and slowly get to safe location by resting vehicle in between events. When fully charged, didn’t seem to have issue so was able to drive to dealer. Thought... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
I live in a city with many roundabouts for intersections. These do not require a full stop, rather a yield and go. I often encounter throttle lag when I roll into the roundabout and need to accelerate to fit a gap in traffic. This lag results in the inability of a continuous flow of traffic because my vehicle simply does not respond to the accelerator.
Incident date: Apr 16, 2026
Panoramic roof, sunshield, coming off track and drooping which blocks the rear window. This causes a safety issue of not being able to see what is behind you while you’re driving.
Incident date: Apr 16, 2026
I recently purchased a certified pre-owned 2025 Honda Ridgeline with 5000 miles, and within just one week of ownership, The carpet under the rear seat is completely soaked with water, clearly indicating an active leak inside the cabin. After looking into it further, I’ve also seen that water intrusion has been reported as a recurring issue with Ridgelines.
Incident date: Apr 12, 2026
The steering rack makes noise and lots of Honda accord owners are complaining about this. The noise comes when stopped or driving slow it makes cracking noise when steering and when you are driving at highway speeds the steering doesn’t stay aligned. And unfortunately I have been hearing this noise for a long time since I got the car brand new but never took it serious and when I started realizi... Read more
Incident date: Apr 12, 2026
Start blowing black smoke-while idling, over heated, stalled.
Incident date: Apr 16, 2026
report “sticky” or unexpectedly heavy steering, even after a recall repair.the steering wheel feeling jumpy or locking up, with sudden changes in effort.
Incident date: Apr 14, 2026
During major collision/ ACCIDENT, AIRBAGS did NOT deploy..
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Apr 14, 2026
My vehicle has about 92000 miles on it. Recently I am hearing engine knocking noises. I hear the sound mostly when I start the car and drive. When the vehicle warms it the sounds goes away. I also noticed my torque converter is not shifting well. You heard grinding noises when shifting .
Incident date: Apr 16, 2026
While driving down the interstate my 2021 Chevy Trailblazer suddenly flashed "Battery Saver Mode" on the dash and shut off completely. I was able to coast to the side of the road and call for help. This was a MAJOR safety issue as my 4 year old son was riding with me and we could've caused or gotten into a serious accident. There were no previous warnings and no Check Engine Light came on prior to... Read more
Incident date: Apr 15, 2026
Vehicle stuck in park. But will go in gear but just won’t move.
Incident date: Apr 15, 2026
I was attempting to back my vehicle slowly into a parking space. I came to a stop after observing a vehicle in an adjacent space that appeared to be moving. At that point, while my foot was on what I believed was the brake pedal, the vehicle accelerated rearward rapidly and uncontrollably. I attempted to apply the brake but the vehicle continued accelerating backward at high speed. The vehicle str... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Apr 14, 2026
Brakes, rotors, tires and now steering column and starting gear is needing replaced after recall of rear toe link in 2019 ford explorer
Incident date: Apr 9, 2026
Mechanic looked at vehicle couldn’t find a coolant leak from anywhere, could be a cracked head.
Incident date: Nov 19, 2025
Last week just driving to school, my engine started to knock. So the next day we take it to a local mechanic shop and it exploded while they were test driving it and they diagnosed it with rod bearing failure. So I contact Hyundai and get it towed to the Hyundai dealership for them to inspect it and eventually do an engine swap, but after it got dropped off I was told it’d be $360 to get it diag... Read more
Incident date: Apr 22, 2024
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? - While on highway the vehicle loosed all Power indicating Electrical Malfunction How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? It happened on I-35 Freeway twice putting me in danger of 18 wheelers around me. I am afraid to be in the vehicle even if they return it to me. Based on records ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 3, 2024
In 2024, 2025, and 2026, I have had 2 incidents in each year where the cruise control is set to 60 to 65 mph and the cruise control then accelerates the car past 100 mph. When this occurs, tapping the break does NOT disengage the cruise control. All 6 times I have had to slam the breaks to a full dead stop while the car tries to accelerate anyway. April 4, 2026 and April 14, 2026 are the most... Read more
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2024) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Apr 16, 2026
Incident date: Mar 22, 2026
The fuel tank opener has become increasingly hard to operate. The fuel tank is supposed to unlock when the doors are unlocked. Sometimes it takes 10 or more times of unlocking the doors and checking the fuel door to successfully open the fuel door.
Incident date: Apr 6, 2026
The contact rented a 2024 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30-35 MPH, the hood flew open, struck and cracked the windshield, completely obstructing the driver's visibility. The contact pulled over to the curb and then into a parking lot. The contact stated that he was disabled, and that the failure was significantly frightening. The contact was shaking for 30 ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 26, 2026
After sitting in a parking lot for 6 days the radio receiver assembly (infotainment control module / head unit) in my 2024 Buick Enclave completely failed with a "no power" condition. The screen is blank, there is no audio output, no response to any controls, and the system does not power on even after multiple power cycles or battery disconnects. The dealer diagnosed the need for a full replaceme... Read more
Incident date: Apr 10, 2026
4-14-2026 3:25pm Temp 70 degrees. Dry pavement. I was approaching a red stoplight at 50mph. I pressed on the brake pedal but the brakes didn’t seem to be working well. I was slowing down but not like normal. I pressed harder. I heard the truck getting louder inside the cabin. The truck was not braking well at all. It was slowing down but it was not stopping. Alarmed, I pressed even harder on the... Read more
Incident date: Apr 16, 2026
I purchased a new 26 BMW I7 with the Rear Theater and Executive seating options, for my [XXX] & [XXX] daughter's to enjoy. The screen broke day one, and has spent 10 days in the shop the first 44 days of my ownership. Beyond my reliability, and technical issuws the car has a major safety flaw/concern i asked BMW to address. With the rear screen down and blinds up i have zero rear view mirror v... Read more
Incident date: Apr 16, 2026
I purchased a new 26 BMW I7 with the Rear Theater and Executive seating options, for my [XXX] & [XXX] daughter's to enjoy. The screen broke day one, and has spent 10 days in the shop the first 44 days of my ownership. Beyond my reliability, and technical issuws the car has a major safety flaw/concern i asked BMW to address. With the rear screen down and blinds up i have zero rear view mirror v... Read more
Incident date: Apr 16, 2026
This is truck number two of two trucks with the same issue. I purchased 2, 2024 F350 Super Duty's for our Highway Dept. The camera systems on both trucks failed. This includes the backup camera and forward facing camera. I found a recall notice (24S66) for this exact problem affecting 2024 F350's. I brought mine to the dealership and was informed that my VIN was not included in the recall. The rep... Read more
Incident date: Apr 16, 2026
Engine light came on, no warning. Took to garage to check diagnostic system, went through system, did some work and light went off. Week later, light back on..took back to garage - they documented all they saw within diagnostic system and sent me to dealer. There was no indication of failure, drove fine but dealer made appt. Did some research and found out this year/make/model had complete engine... Read more
Incident date: Oct 22, 2025
I purchased 2, 2024 F350 Super Duty's for our Highway Dept. The camera systems on both trucks failed. This includes the backup camera and forward facing camera. I found a recall notice (24S66) for this exact problem affecting 2024 F350's. I brought mine to the dealership and was informed that my VIN was not included in the recall. The repair would cost $1,200. A check of the second trucks VIN was ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 2, 2026
On Friday, April 11, 2026 I received an alert on my vehicle that there was a possible issue with the driver's side headlamps. After checking my headlamps I discovered that the driver's side headlamps were not on. It was night time when this happened and I was very concerned for my safety and the safety of others while driving without proper lighting. The issue has been confirmed by a Genesis Se... Read more
Incident date: Feb 2, 2026
I am filing a safety complaint regarding repeated engine and drivability issues with my vehicle, which began shortly after purchase and have continued despite service visits. I purchased the vehicle on 03/04/2023. Within approximately one month (03/26/2023), I began experiencing abnormal engine behavior, including ticking noises and instances where the vehicle would shut off and require restartin... Read more
Incident date: Feb 2, 2026
Brake line failure. Front section of the line that feeds the rear wheels leaked while traveling. Warning light came on. Purchased brake fluid and drove to local service provider. The rear section left to right above subframe was found to be rotted, but not leaking yet. Local service provider replaced front and rear brake lines.
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2020 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while at a stop, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 10... Read more
Incident date: Apr 14, 2026
Lifter failure cylinder #8, this is a 2019 GMC Sierra Denali 4x4. It has a 6.2L engine. With 92823 miles on it. It would be nice if GM would do a recall on this year motor as well.
Incident date: Apr 14, 2026
Check Engine light came on & Auto shop says when they checked under dash, computer says “Emissions” problem. They have to do a “smoke test” to see where there is a leak!!!
Incident date: Mar 10, 2026
On my way home from a trip on Tuesday 4-14-26 at about 60 mph with cruise control on the truck downshifted and turned cruise control off and a small wrench came on display. I made my way to next town at reduced speed, wouldn't get out of 5th gear, found a ford dealer had them scan and check out. They found 2 codes P061B:00-24- pcm and P0722:00-68 They cleared codes and drove truck with no return ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 31, 1969
The contact owns a 2024 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the contact received third-degree burns to the buttocks from the driver’s side seat warmer. The contact was in a wheelchair due to the burns, and medical attention was required. A dealer was contacted and requested to open the vehicle seats. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer to be... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Mar 9, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that while driving or while stopped at a stop light, the Auto Idle Stop system activated, and the vehicle hesitated to respond. The message "Auto Idle Stop Temporarily Unavailable" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failur... Read more
Incident date: Apr 9, 2026
See attached document for complaint.
Incident date: Apr 12, 2026
On April 15, 2026 at approximately 1:30 PM PT, I entered my 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV 500 4MATIC (approximately 20,000 miles) in my garage. The vehicle was not plugged in or charging prior to entry. I opened the car, sat in the driver's seat, and authenticated via the fingerprint scanner. The seat began adjusting to my stored profile position. While the seat was adjusting, I tapped the center con... Read more
Incident date: Apr 11, 2026
The rear subframe wiring harness on my Tesla contains a significant design flaw that creates an unreasonable safety risk. The factory-installed corrugated protective tubing (wire loom) terminates prematurely, leaving approximately 1 inch of critical wiring completely exposed at the connector. This specific harness uses soy-based insulation, which is a known attractant to rodents. Because of the 1-... Read more
Incident date: May 23, 2025
See attached document for complaint.
Incident date: May 23, 2025
See attached document for complaint.
Incident date: Aug 25, 2025
It has come to my attention that liquid from the Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) system may leak onto the water pump electrical connector. This condition can lead to an electrical short circuit and, in rare cases, may increase the risk of a vehicle fire. This issue presents a serious safety concern for vehicle owners and others on the road. A failure of this nature, especially one that carrie... Read more
Incident date: Aug 25, 2025
The failure involves the drivetrain system, specifically the Power Transfer Unit (PTU) and rear differential. The PTU is under Safety Recall 01C. The differential damage is present and the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This issue creates a safety risk due to potential loss of drive power and malfunction within the 4WD system, which could affect vehicle control, especially durin... Read more
Incident date: Apr 11, 2026
Catastrophic Engine Failure. Reported to NHTSA on 10.11.24 for Recall 23.097. Investigation (RQ24013) which no issues were allegedly determined. Now a new investigation has opened PE25008: We had our engine replaced for a used one and are concerned that this engine still has the issues realated to Recall 23.097. Called Honda to ask if they can confirm whether or not this used/salvaged engine ... Read more
Incident date: May 5, 2023
Driving 70 mph on a cloudy 73° day around 6:30 pm no cars immediately around me on I45. I heard a loud gunshot to the point I ducked in my car. Immediately pulled over walked around the car. My Sunroof exploded upwards. Took to Longo Toyota on Monday at 7am. Upon arrival they thought it would be covered under warranty. They brought in a specialist to evaluate and they can’t prove it but so... Read more
Incident date: Jan 19, 2024
The contact owns a 2026 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that there was an abnormal clunking sound coming from the front driver’s side suspension while driving over bumps in the roadway, and while braking and turning the steering wheel. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where a test drive was performed; however, the dealer was unable to determine the cau... Read more