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 1,278 complaints for GENESIS
Incident date: Dec 26, 2023
There is a know defect with the chassis used for several Volvo car models. My car is a Volvo C70, year 2012. My car is affected by this defect. The defect wasn't disclosed to me at time of sale. I only learned about it literally 10 years later when Volvo of Gilbert (dealership) advised me to install a costly part on the rear suspension of my car because of "excessive negative camber". According... Read more
Incident date: Jan 3, 2024
I am writing a complaint in reference to Safety Code Recall : 42J5 April 10, 2019. I bought my vehicle at Shearer VW in South Burlington VT on June 1, 2019. When I bought my vehicle I wasn't informed of any Recalls. I took my vehicle to Montpelier Volkswagen to get an oil change on Dec. 22, 2023 and was informed that I had a broken rear axle coil spring and bushings that needed to be replaced ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 22, 2023
Rear windshield exploded while the vehicle was parked in the garage. The glass formed a dome outwards in the center of the windshield approximately 1.5 inches.
Incident date: Dec 30, 2023
Good morning, For the past couple of weeks, I've been getting the run around on whether the issue I'm having with my vehicle is an active recall. I recently took my vehicle to Eurocode Tuning (Torrance, CA), and the mechanic instructed me to take my vehicle to the dealer because the issue I am currently experiencing (fuel leak in the injection system) is listed as a recall. I contacted the ... Read more
GENESIS
GV70 ELECTRIFIED
(2023) — FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Dec 28, 2023
Incident date: Dec 27, 2023
While driving, instrument cluster and infotainment system both went dark. Car was still driveable, but speedometer remained fixed and did not reflect vehicle speed. Indicator stalk did not activate turn signals. Hazard button did not activate emergency flashers. Reset gesture (holding map+setup buttons) had no effect. After driving for a while, instrument cluster and infotainment system restarted,... Read more
GENESIS
GV70 ELECTRIFIED
(2023) — ENGINE
Dec 28, 2023
Incident date: Dec 27, 2023
The dealership told me that I need a new engine and they said that the engine was poorly made but that there was nothing they could do to help with the cost. I only have 103,947 miles on the vehicle and kept up routine maintenance. The dealer said that Ford is likely to recall this engine. I also tried to call Ford corporate customer support for assistance and they said they were unwilling to help... Read more
GENESIS
GV70 ELECTRIFIED
(2023) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Dec 28, 2023
Incident date: Dec 27, 2023
My car has been recalled due to electronic control system fire danger. I am afraid to drive hiway 299 to Redding because my car might catch on fire. All of my services are are in or near Redding. I can't get a response from Kia, other than a pending recall notice. They claim to not know anything.
Incident date: Dec 15, 2023
Engine, transmission/propulsion and or fuel system is impacted. Vehicle loses power and pressing the throttle doesn’t increase the engine rpms and or vehicle speed. It happens randomly at both city and highway driving speeds. It’s almost like the gears aren’t shifting or the vehicle doesn’t increase the speed. Sometimes a it would work fine after a key cycle. I’ve had a few instances o... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2023
I received a power steering reduced notice on the car screen and the power steering failed. Restarting the car resolved the issue. There was a technician present when this occurred and he could not discover why it happened. If I had been driving at high speeds I would have crashed.
Incident date: Dec 15, 2023
Leaking panoramic sunroof only when it rains. I have taken it for the 5th time and you can’t drive it in the morning or when any condensation comes inside because u can’t see out of the windows at all. It smells awful and it’s a lot of water! It has ruined the touchscreen . I have been paying out of pocket trying to get this fixed. There should be a recall!
Incident date: Nov 21, 2023
HARLEY DAVISON trans.in these Milwaukee 8 street glide has a 3rd gear problem. i have had min into Harley dealer now 5 times for same problem. when going on road the and you apply power for me take out he trans. and the topper was warranty dropped me now and refuse to fix the bike let alone cover it. when i bought bike everything done to it was done at dealer and by the book and now i'm left out t... Read more
Incident date: Dec 2, 2023
My Nuna Rava car seat will not secure my child. The straps will not lock, and are coming loose with the slightest tug on the chest clip. Our 2 year old child can pull the straps loose. I hate to think about what would happen if we were in an accident. I contacted Nuna for a refund, and was informed they would be unable to process returns on behalf of a retail partner. I do not feel like Nuna Rav... Read more
Incident date: Nov 10, 2023
I have a 2008 Ford Mustang with a V-6 engine. Recently I had to jump start it twice in a week's time to get it started and decided to take it to my dealer to have the battery checked. On the way there, I had to stop for a line of line of traffic at a red light. The instant I applied the brakes the engine started racing. I stood on the brakes as hard as I could, but could not bring the car to a com... Read more
Incident date: Nov 20, 2023
This is the 3rd incidence of this issue (July, Oct, Dec), but we have been advised that a software update is not yet available from the manufacturer. In all instances, we were travelling at a normal rate of in-city traffic (30-45 mph) and all of sudden the vehicle will not accelerate above 25 mph regardless of the position of the throttle. My dealer, Mercedes Benz of Tampa, advises that the prob... Read more
Incident date: Nov 17, 2023
Due to bad deals, one of our front lights was filled with water. Causing multiple sensors to go off, like our lane departure and camera features. Car had 5 warnings on dash
Incident date: Nov 17, 2023
Vehicle recall has not been resolved in a timely manner. Liftgate does not open, preventing access to spare tire in case of emergency. Also poses a fire risk.
Incident date: Nov 17, 2023
Steering at high speeds snaps or almost feels sticky. This probably has to do with lane keep assist. Even when the feature is turned off, the steering still snaps when slightly turning the steering wheel. Definitely an issue that many, many owners complain about. Probably needs a software update to correct the issue.
Incident date: Nov 27, 2023
The vehicle shut off while driving on the feeder of the highway. Vehicle was no longer responsive and had to be towed to Central Cadillac of Houston; where later it was determined that the vehicle needed a new engine. The Vehicle is a 2023 with less than 5,000 miles on it. Currently General Motors/Cadillac is not acknowledging that a buy back is needed for the vehicle, even though it meets require... Read more
Incident date: Nov 29, 2023
Roof molding front end cap loses causing to fly off while driving Hood is loose and lifting while driving
Incident date: Nov 29, 2023
Roof molding front end cap loses causing to fly off while driving Hood is loose and lifting while driving
Incident date: Sep 11, 2023
The hood popped open at 35 mph causing loss of sight. I was in traffic and luckily was able to pull the car off the road. I am taking it to the dealer as soon as I can get an appointment. There were no warning lights or messages prior. I will secure the hood with something before I drive it to the dealer. If I had been driving on the Interstate I am sure the hood would have smashed into windshield... Read more
Incident date: Nov 21, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that while driving at approximately 25 MPH, he observed smoke coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road to cool down. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the cylinder head exh... Read more
Incident date: Nov 20, 2023
The Camera/sensors are defective and are dying. My vehicle is less than 2 years old and all these features are not working. Honda is saying I need to replace the camera out of my own pocket. I'm seeing online that this is a common problem to a lot of Honda owners
Incident date: Nov 17, 2023
Engine keeps losing oil level when no leaks found which causes transmission and engine to act making weird noises when gas pedal hit when driving car. Transmission is making weird noises like it is slipping when driving when gas pedal is pressed down. A settlement with Nissan was reached due to a class action lawsuit as car is having the issue as car pass 120000 mileage limit when issue started.... Read more
Incident date: Jun 25, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V380000 (Engine) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was... Read more
Incident date: Oct 3, 2023
Driving down the road on 10/31/23, all of a sudden the entire vehicle started to shake, then the check engine light came on, then the vehicle started shaking even worse- losing power and sputtering. Pulled over and had it towed to dealer- Buckhannon WV- they checked the compression and found nothing. I am still waiting for someone to look at the vehicle's engine to determine the issue- I have not ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 26, 2023
In 2 instances power steering doesn’t work and brakes go to the floor (it will stop, but very slowly). I believe pretty much every error code displays when this happens. Here’s some error codes: C165C87, C162387, C164286, C168787, U012300, C17024A, C174281. In addition, the back windshield cleaner sprays till it empties.
Incident date: Jul 26, 2023
My electrical system and/or computer brain is not operating properly. About a year and 1/2 ago the low beam passenger light stopped working. I had the bulb replaced at Walmart. 2 months later it went out again. Walmart checked and said the bulb was not the problem so I went to Firestone and was told the wiring was melted. Firestone said my options were to replace the entire harness or pig tail the... Read more
Incident date: Jul 26, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that after entering the vehicle and closing the door, the rear windshield shattered without impact. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who referred the contact to a glass center. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to a glass specialist, who stated that the glass was on backorder. The manufacturer was not c... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
Please see uploaded document for full description.
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the parking brake independently activated with the brake warning light and "Parking Brake Engaged," and "Collision Alert" messages displayed. The vehicle had been taken to the dealer on several occasions where they vehicle was serviced under warranty; however, the failure returned soon after repair. Additi... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the parking brake independently activated with the brake warning light and "Parking Brake Engaged," and "Collision Alert" messages displayed. The vehicle had been taken to the dealer on several occasions where they vehicle was serviced under warranty; however, the failure returned soon after repair. Additi... Read more
Incident date: Oct 12, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Camry Solara. The contact stated that the dashboard was melting. Additionally, the dashboard was sticky and cracking. The contact was unable to clean or wipe the dashboard. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and the contact was informed about a recall and referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The vehicle was not diagnosed or ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 17, 2023
Engine shut down at speed. Power totally went off. No power steering. Service engine light came on. I was able to restart vehicle but it kept shutting off. Vehicle starts with engine warning light but cannot be derived without shutting down. this has happened twice. Once with about 200 miles and the second time with 3,500 miles
Incident date: Oct 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at 75 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V524000 (Electri... Read more
Incident date: Jul 10, 2023
My Genesis is going to get me killed! The dealership has informed me that since it doesn't give them a code, they can't fix the issue. Here is a brief summary of my issue. On 8/2/23, while in the process of a lane change, my vehicle goes into limp mode, and I am almost rear-ended by a large Ford truck! I immediately look at the dash and see it is displaying "Park" and I switch it to "Drive". My ve... Read more
Incident date: Jul 10, 2023
The recent recall on the 2020-2023 Toyota Highlander’s for the front fender/bumper clips is the same issue I am currently having with my 2021 Toyota Camry. There is potential risk of the bumper or fender falling off in traffic causing a traffic hazard. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. I took my vehicle in a few months ago for a different issue(major railroad rust) and had th... Read more
Incident date: Jul 10, 2023
I started getting the error Electric Vehicle System error in my month old Ioniq 5. After driving a few miles, the air conditioning stopped working completely. And after a few more miles, the vehicle started to throttle down the speed to 20-25mph that too on the I95 with a 65mph speed limit. Had to turn on the emergency lights and drive slowly till I reached my destination. After googling for a whi... Read more
Incident date: Oct 21, 2023
I purchased 4 new tires and wanted a front end alignment. There was an issue with drag link so the fox was Chrysler to weld draglink now that has been done before I purchased truck I can’t do alignment. Dealership said should be covered but have to wait until they hear from Chrysler. Going in 5 weeks still haven’t heard back I have called numerous times!
Incident date: Oct 19, 2023
Headrest saftey mechanism deployed due to the tension pin breaking internally while sitting in a driveway. Nothing caused deployment other than random device faliure
Incident date: Oct 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle began to overheat, prompting him to pull the shoulder of the roadway. After a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact observed that the coolant reservoir was empty. Upon refilling the coolant reservoir, the vehicle briefly returned to normal functionality but the failure... Read more
Incident date: Oct 18, 2023
My vehicle is a 2021 Kia K5 GT (2.5L-T), mechanically identical to Hyundai Sonata N-Line (2.5L-T). My car has 24000 miles on it and I have replaced the rotors on my car five times now due to premature warping. KIA OEM rotors, R1 Concepts, Brakenetic Rotors, all have warped. This issue is discussed amongst GT and N-Line owners heavily in the forums stating how the OEM Brake system has some sort of ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 16, 2023
Head gasket failure which leads to coolant leak. Engine failure possible. After doing some research I found that the 2022 VW Taos' all have this in common around 13,000 miles. My vehicle will be going to the shop tomorrow morning but through my research I found that people are waiting weeks for head gasket replacements because they're on backorder due to the volume of replacements. Check engine li... Read more
Incident date: Oct 17, 2023
My vehicle is just over two years old and this has happened three times. Every light and warning message on the dash comes on all at once and the vehicle is put into limp mode. Going from 50 miles per hour to a little over 5 miles per hour in just a few seconds. Genesis also doesn't seem to think its an issue considering their dealers have had the car for two months and the only explanation I h... Read more
Incident date: Oct 17, 2023
One month after the 3 year warranty ran out the truck issued a "Service ABS System" alert on the instrument panel. Had to replace the ABS Hydraulic Module at the dealer. 2 Years and 2 months, just after the additional warranty ran out, the same part failed again. Same warning on the instrument panel. Again took it to Ram Service at dealer and had it replaced again. This is a faulty part and the... Read more
Incident date: Oct 17, 2023
To the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), I am writing to formally file a complaint regarding a recent experience with my 2021 Tesla Model Y, which is still under warranty. While using the vehicle, I observed an abnormal sound when reversing. After seeking Tesla’s service, I was informed that the rotors on my car needed replacement. What greatly concerns me is that, despit... Read more
Incident date: Oct 14, 2023
Took my truck in for engine light. Was told unfixable recall and they can’t give me vehicle back. That vehicle is my life. Without it I am unable to do what I need to do.
Incident date: Sep 23, 2023
"What component or system failed or malfunctioned? Is it available for inspection upon request? Vehicle turned off in the middle of the road, warning it was hot How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The vehicle was driving on the highway and suddenly turned off without warning Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by an independent dealer or service center? Yeah H... Read more
Incident date: Sep 23, 2023
For the last few months, my audio system has been making static and crackling noises. It is intermittent. I would estimate the noise to occur around 25% of the time I am driving. At times, it is extremely loud and nerve wracking. When that noise amplifies, hearing surrounding traffic or other community sounds, sirens, train horns, etc is not possible. This occurs with the audio system turned eith... Read more