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 125,830 complaints for HONDA
Incident date: Mar 9, 2026
Vehicle battery drains while vehicle not in use. Have replaced the battery twice, and replaced alternator. Problem persists. When this began, it coincided with the car's door lock feature unlocking the vehicle upon approach, within about five feet, without pressing the fob. Also, if locking the vehicle if not about five feet away, it will lock and immediately unlock itself. I've seen many owners ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 9, 2026
My front passenger side seat belt does not buckle sometimes.
Incident date: Mar 9, 2026
EcoFlow unit wires crimped, may be inadequate on size of wire from alternator to EcoFlow unit . Leading to overheating and potential fire danger .
Incident date: Dec 9, 2023
Going home from work, At highway traffic light intersection and car began to shake, sputter.. Engine and Oil light briefly came on before car stalled and shut off. In panic put gear into park, turned ignition button, car started and was able to put into drive and proceed. Not long after, on a main road, waiting for turn light, stalled, lost power again. Did not have any acceleration or power. Car... Read more
Incident date: Dec 9, 2023
Going home from work, At highway traffic light intersection and car began to shake, sputter.. Engine and Oil light briefly came on before car stalled and shut off. In panic put gear into park, turned ignition button, car started and was able to put into drive and proceed. Not long after, on a main road, waiting for turn light, stalled, lost power again. Did not have any acceleration or power. Car... Read more
Incident date: Dec 9, 2023
Engine has been making a knocking sound and shaking and vibrating very loud loudly. The engine light has been on as well as the traction light and it is acts like it’s going to stall every time I turn on the engine. Because of safety concerns, especially on the very busy highway, where I do a lot of driving, I have been afraid to drive the car. Sewell Cadillac is aware of the engine problem ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 16, 2025
2019 GMC Youkon with 94,659 miles. I am the second owner of this vehicle. I purchased it used in February 2025. Check engine light came on in route to work on March 5, 2026. Immediately took vehicle to Auto Zone to scan for codes. Multiple codes were returned. I drove it directly to a repair shop for further diagnostics. Return Results were massive lifter failure and cam shaft damage. Why wo... Read more
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
The engine seems to be failing/affected. The vehicle is currently available for inspection at Huffines Kia in [XXX] where it has been since Saturday, March 14, 2026 and they have yet to perform the SC336 Safety Recall while trying to charge a diagnostic fee for a multipoint inspection that I did not ask for. The vehicle would not start which now I know is due to total oil consumption, which app... Read more
Incident date: Jan 16, 2026
On 7 March 2026 our Kia Sportage PHEV died its first time on the highway with less than 1000 miles on it. There were no warning lamps or messages before the issue happened. The car's acceleration pedal stopped working and it slammed us from 70mph to less than 20mph. It had a loud grinding noise and the check engine light came on. My family was almost hit by a semi truck because of this. The car w... Read more
Incident date: Jan 16, 2026
Please add me to the compliant pool. My transfer case/transmission went out - 2022, 80,000 miles. March 6, 2026 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: DP26001 OPEN INVESTIGATION All wheel drive allegation NHTSA Action Number: DP26001 Components: POWER TRAIN Opened From: March 6, 2026 – Present Summary The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a Petition dated January 9, 2026, requesting an investi... Read more
Incident date: Aug 4, 2025
I am submitting a complaint regarding a 2019 Honda CB300R with approximately 1,225 miles. This vehicle is subject to an open recall (NHTSA Recall 19V-412) involving a transmission mainshaft circlip that can detach and cause gear misalignment and shifting issues. Prior to service, the motorcycle exhibited a symptom where it would not shift or operate properly beyond 4th gear. The motorcycle was ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2026
I am reporting a serious safety concern involving a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport with approximately 132K miles. While driving at highway speed, the vehicle suddenly lost power/velocity and the engine light flashed. This created an immediate safety hazard, as maintaining speed is critical in highway traffic. Within seconds, the vehicle regained power and the warning light turned off, giving the impr... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2026
I am reporting a safety concern involving BMW vehicles equipped with the B58 Technical Update (B58TU) engine, commonly found in model years 2019–2021. These vehicles utilize a variable-displacement engine oil pump containing an internal thermoplastic adjusting component responsible for regulating oil pressure. Field failures are increasingly being reported in which this internal component fract... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2026
Transmission went out at 101k miles - transmission needed to be rebuilt which I had done at a large cost. There was no warning, the trans went out while driving. Purge valve for gas (EVAP) also went out without any warning and when I would put gas in the car, the car would not start.
Incident date: Mar 18, 2026
On February 3, 2026, while driving approximately 80 mph on Interstate 10, the manual transmission shifter bypassed the 6th gear detent entirely and moved toward the reverse gear position, creating an immediate and severe safety hazard. I prevented full reverse engagement only through physical intervention. Had the transmission engaged reverse at 80 mph, catastrophic drivetrain damage and loss of v... Read more
Incident date: Sep 18, 2025
Ram is refusing to repair and item on my truck egr cooler is cracked, leaking and burning coolant. They have recalled every year model but mine. All have same issue, all have same part and part number. Dealership suggested I contact NTSB to see if I could get it recalled. It is said to cause ifres in some trucks
Incident date: Feb 16, 2026
I own a 2019 Acura RDX Advance with a head-up display (HUD). The HUD projection surface suddenly became warped and cracked after sun exposure. This was not gradual deterioration or normal wear and tear—it happened abruptly. The resulting distortion directly affects the clarity of the HUD and creates visual interference in my forward line of sight. This impacts my ability to clearly see the road... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2026
I drove the car (2021 Volvo XC 90) without incident on Sunday March 8, 2026 and at the end of the day parked the car in my garage. Monday morning, I came out to use the car and found that the seat back on the driver’s side had folded all the way forward and was immovable in a position that was unsafe to drive. Had the seat spontaneously folded all the way forward while I was driving, it would h... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Sienna Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V668000 (Seats); however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had enough time to manufacture the parts. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. In addition, the contact requested a buyback. The contact had not experienced... Read more
Incident date: Feb 17, 2026
Vehicle steering wheel was off-center and the vehicle wandered whenever the road changed camber or had rough sections. The vehicle was purchased used from Carvana,. I took it in for 4-wheel alignment and the tech reported that "All adjustment hardware at rear were pretty loose", and stated that it probably left the factory this way as he saw no evidence of prior adjustments. The left rear tire is ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 16, 2026
The contact owns a 2020 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle bucked, and several warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with CVT failure. The contact was informed that the CVT needed to... Read more
Incident date: Mar 16, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH, the message "Service EV" was displayed. The local dealer was contacted, and a service appointment was scheduled for the following day. The contact stated that while driving into the dealer parking lot, the audible warning "Caution Fire" activated. The contact immediately parked the vehicle. The cause of... Read more
Incident date: Mar 16, 2026
I took my car is for service at the Cadillac dealership and they stated there was an oil leak from the camshaft carrier. When I asked more questions they stated it was a fairly common problem with the XT4 and a few other models where there was a faulty seal at the "T-joint" (cam carrier T-joint). My car is no longer under warranty, but had under 26000 miles at the time. There were no warnings or s... Read more
Incident date: Mar 16, 2026
Crash avoidance Collision system randomly goes off with no cars in front or behind it. This is extremely dangerous as it will make the car stop on its own. Lane departure does not activate until completely over center line. Another big safety issue. This is a loaner car from Carter Subaru in Shoreline WA. My car is in their shop for exact same reasons and more issues. Obviously this is a sys... Read more
Incident date: Mar 16, 2026
2021 Toyota Highlander xse all-wheel drive model. Transmission failure: unusual sounds started just after 60,000 miles. Transmission began to whine mid-70,000 miles. Repair costs $8,000. Transmission business recommends rebuilding the Transmissions due to poor design and known issues.
Incident date: Mar 16, 2026
Automatic braking engages when there is no actual hazard present and brings vehicle to a full stop. This causes a serious whiplash hazard to me and my passengers as our heads are thrown forward unnecessarily. It also significantly increases the risk of being rear ended by the vehicle behind me. This has happened on several occasions. Today it occurred because the car hit a small bump in the ro... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2025
Twice-- most recently in March 2026, the back up camera and the 360 camera failed. The screen went blank. Putting the transmission in Reverse did not engage the backup camera and pushing the "Camera" button on the dash did not engage the front or 360 camera. The interface screen was blank. After shutting off the car for a couple hours and then restarting it, the cameras worked again. Brought th... Read more
Incident date: Mar 18, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse, the rear-view camera became inoperable. The rear-view camera image was blank, with the message “Camera not Available” displayed. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V572000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was not c... Read more
Incident date: Mar 18, 2026
On December 24, 2025, while driving in traffic, my Kia Sportage experienced severe lurching, bucking, and jerking, causing the engine to shut down. All dashboard warning lights illuminated, including a message prompting me to "turn engine back on." The vehicle would not restart, necessitating a tow to Horne Kia. After several days of diagnostics, it was determined that a blown ignition fuse and a ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 11, 2026
Dear NHTSA Team, My car was in a minor accident Last. After that, the repair shop replaced my bumper and front camera. Don Franklin Somerset Hyundai performed a calibration on my new radar. They calibrated it six times, but there are still many issues with the HDA driving system. 1. False Dual-Side Warning When a vehicle is present only on the right side, the vehicle camera system incorrectly d... Read more
Incident date: Mar 18, 2026
Dear NHTSA Team, My car was in a minor accident Last. After that, the repair shop replaced my bumper and front camera. Don Franklin Somerset Hyundai performed a calibration on my new radar. They calibrated it six times, but there are still many issues with the HDA driving system. 1. False Dual-Side Warning When a vehicle is present only on the right side, the vehicle camera system incorrectly d... Read more
Incident date: Mar 9, 2026
Have had the truck for 11 months (since new) I have never had the issue. The display (for radio, navigation etc.) just started switching to a different screen. I was using the navigation and the screen switched to display radio information without being touched. When I switched to Google Maps from car play. The map just froze up and would not unfreeze until I turned off the truck and restarted. Ha... Read more
Incident date: Mar 9, 2026
To the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, I am filing this formal safety complaint regarding a dangerous engine failure incident involving my 2017 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid. Description of Incident: While traveling on CA-85 near Mountain View, California, at approximately 65 miles per hour, the engine suddenly and without warning lost all power. The vehicle began to slow down i... Read more
Incident date: Mar 9, 2026
To the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, I am filing this formal safety complaint regarding a dangerous engine failure incident involving my 2017 Hyundai Sonata Plug-in Hybrid. Description of Incident: While traveling on CA-85 near Mountain View, California, at approximately 65 miles per hour, the engine suddenly and without warning lost all power. The vehicle began to slow down i... Read more
Incident date: Jul 9, 2025
Vehicle experienced a sudden and total loss of propulsion while driving due to an internal failure of the rear electric motor. The dealer diagnosed it as 'coolant intrusion' into the motor unit. This is a known manufacturing defect in the 2019 e-tron (TSB 2073858/2) where internal seals fail, allowing coolant to destroy the motor. This created a high safety risk on the highway. Audi is refusing to... Read more
Incident date: Jul 9, 2025
Wiper blades transmission plastic parts keep popping or breaking this is the THIRD time this has happened at a cost of $350. Why would you use plastic parts for this knowing that it will break easily? Who can afford to keep replacing this? 12
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Taurus. 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 local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The rearview ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 16, 2026
This 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC 63 AMG has experienced repeated and escalating warranty defects involving engine performance, loss of acceleration, air suspension failure, and now inoperative advanced safety systems including blind spot and active brake assist. Despite numerous repair attempts at authorized dealerships, including extensive engine teardown and cylinder head replacement, the manufacture... Read more
HONDA
CR-V
(2020) - POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
Mar 18, 2026
Incident date: Mar 14, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the gear shift indicator failed to display on the instrument panel. The transmission unexpectedly downshifted from 4th gear to 1st gear. A maintenance warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a transmission range sensor circuit (TRS) failure. The vehi... Read more
Incident date: Nov 30, 2025
My suspension didn't work. It was riding on the frame. The power steering is very difficult to turn. The front control screen is not turning on.
Incident date: Nov 30, 2025
I need antilock breaking module part number 68194693AF. The manufacturer has put it on a back order with around 1000 orders waiting. Please check why they are not issuing a recall when so many people are waiting for the same issue.
Incident date: Aug 1, 2025
I contact the Hyundai dealer about my 2016 Hyundai sonata. for all I know those vehicles have recalls with engine failure/stalling due to premature rod bearing wear, fire risks from malfunctioning electric oil pumps. My car is having those exact problems with the abs lights being on and is also have problems with the VVT sprocket. And the oil I called Hyundai and they said my vehicle only has a re... Read more
Incident date: Mar 13, 2026
Vehicle was parked in driveway, got into vehicle and rear window exploded, vehicle wasn’t in motion.
Incident date: Jul 20, 2025
I own a 2017 mercedes benz e-class. I'm starting to smell gasoline in the cabin and also outside of my vehicle. I tried entering my VIN number to see if any recalls. There is something listed for the smell of gas. Can someone help me regarding this matter.
Incident date: Jan 20, 2026
While driving at normal speed, the vehicle’s engine compartment caught fire without any collision or external impact. I pulled over immediately, and the fire originated from under the hood. The vehicle had approximately 25,000 miles and no prior mechanical issues. This incident occurred without warning and posed a serious safety risk.
Fire
Incident date: Jan 20, 2026
While driving at normal speed, the vehicle’s engine compartment caught fire without any collision or external impact. I pulled over immediately, and the fire originated from under the hood. The vehicle had approximately 25,000 miles and no prior mechanical issues. This incident occurred without warning and posed a serious safety risk.
Fire
Incident date: Mar 12, 2026
While driving on the road the vehicle started sputtering and stalled! We pulled to the side of the road and tried to start the car but it rolled and would not start. We called a a mechanic who had it towed and found out that the fuel pump and the fuel control board had failed. Both have been replaced and the truck seems to be working again. Heard several other persons had this issue with their GCM... Read more
Incident date: Mar 14, 2026
On February 18, 2026, while driving approximately 30 mph, the vehicle’s automatic emergency braking system activated unexpectedly. There were no vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles present. The vehicle came to an abrupt stop, causing the tires to squeal and creating a hazardous situation. A second incident occurred on March 14, 2026, while traveling approximately 55 mph. Under normal driving co... Read more
Incident date: Feb 28, 2026
This is related to the recent issue with a '26 Palisade Calligraphy and the stop sale due to the 2nd row seat killing a [XXX] . I just went out and tried this on my ’24 Santa Fe Calligraphy with the 2nd row captains chairs and the electric button on the top of the seat. First off, if the seatbelt is secured, the button is disabled. Our rear facing car seat is a Britax click tight which uses the... Read more
Incident date: Feb 28, 2026
This is related to the recent issue with a '26 Palisade Calligraphy and the stop sale due to the 2nd row seat killing a [XXX] . I just went out and tried this on my ’24 Santa Fe Calligraphy with the 2nd row captains chairs and the electric button on the top of the seat. First off, if the seatbelt is secured, the button is disabled. Our rear facing car seat is a Britax click tight which uses the... Read more