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: Jan 29, 2026
There is a distinct click when the steering wheel is center (car going straight). there is a click and a notch feeling when you turn the wheel back and forth from center. Appears to be a common problem with the Kia Souls from 2010 - 2015. (Flexible rubber steering coupler) Dealer is charging $688 to change this $12 part. Dealer also mentioned it is important to fix because as it gets worse you c... Read more
Incident date: Jan 20, 2025
The vehicle is having issues with power loss while driving and issues with starting at times of cold weather where it cranks very hard for extended periods of time without being able to fully start. I took the vehicle to a local shop to be looked at. They did a diagnostic and physical inspection and identified the issues as a catalytic converter and senor issue. When they looked up the vehicle... Read more
Incident date: Jan 20, 2025
The backup camera continues to not load properly when starting the car, and displays a warning that the backup camera failed to load. There is no image on the inforainment screen, and there is limited visibility when backing up, which creates the risk of accidentally injuring or killing someone or something, especially small children. Polestar has released several software updates to try and addre... Read more
Incident date: Jan 20, 2025
Complete ICCU failure resulting in loss of power on the freeway during rush hour, extremely dangerous for me and everyone around me. Car was towed twice over three years for the same issue, despite having all recalls done. Eventually lemon law eligible, did a buyback.
Incident date: Jan 17, 2026
Serval warning lights come on in my vehicle I’ve have seen this happen in other models of this car and nothing has fixed it. Car drives fine.
Incident date: Jan 17, 2026
Serval warning lights come on in my vehicle I’ve have seen this happen in other models of this car and nothing has fixed it. Car drives fine.
Incident date: Jan 26, 2026
The contact owns a Quadratec Q-Performance Stealth Series winch mounted on a 2006 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while using the winch to pull a vehicle out of a ditch, the winch engaged independently and started to smoke, and the cable was also smoking. The contact was able to stop the winch and discontinued use. The contact researched and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20E... Read more
Incident date: Jan 16, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Sienna. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V668000 (Seats); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact also stated that the trunk failed to open using the fob key remote control or the interior trunk but... Read more
Incident date: Nov 11, 2025
While driving at highway speeds (55–73 mph), the vehicle has repeatedly and unexpectedly applied the brakes on its own and on at least one occasion experienced a loss of power. These events occurred without any vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles present, and without any driver input. Road and weather conditions did not warrant braking. On multiple occasions, the vehicle suddenly decelerated wh... Read more
Incident date: Jan 28, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Dodge Ram 2500. The contact received a recall letter related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that while driving at 20-25, the brakes were applied, but the front wheels locked up and crashed into the rear of a Chevrolet SUV. There were no reported injuries, airbag deployments, or fire. A police report was filed. The steeri... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jan 23, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Sport. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The engine failure was intermittent but was a recurring failure. The contact had taken the vehicle to several dealers. The dealers diagnosed the vehicle and recommended repairs, but the ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 28, 2026
In the middle where the car chargers are – the one in the center isn’t working but the one to the right is. When doing maps, the visual map disappeared and just showed where to turn – happened about 2-3 time. Today the entire screen went black – no radio, phone, maps, nothing. No way to operate it at all. This is unrelated to the current recall that addresses the speedometer / display r... Read more
Incident date: Jan 29, 2026
i got in the car this morning and when i turned the car in it just shattered for no reason at all
Incident date: Aug 15, 2024
Shifter module problems.. the car jerks hard between shifts. The car reversing on it own and wont stop. Warning light in dash "service shifter soon"
Incident date: May 10, 2025
I am submitting a vehicle defect complaint pursuant to 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301 regarding a potential safety related defect involving engine, electrical, and powertrain systems. The vehicle experienced early engine and electrical malfunction at relatively low mileage, requiring replacement of the engine wiring harness and removal and reinstallation of the engine and transaxle assembly. These are majo... Read more
Incident date: May 10, 2025
10:00 am January 28th AFTER A DRIVE OF APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES TO THE GROCERY STORE, we parked the 2023 Kia EV6 Wind,in the parking area, then entered the store to shop. On returning, we placed the groceries in the trunk and proceeded to leave for home. The push button "START" provoked a notice on the dash that the 12 volt battery was "LOW". The drive circuits would not enable. Prior to going in t... Read more
Incident date: Jan 28, 2026
My Ford F-150 is having issues that is known to Ford about the cold rattle start which consists of the cam phasers are defective and can cause serious damage to the engine. At the time Ford had put out some customer program and my vehicle has only got 36,000 miles on it and the problem has now just started. I called ford service center and the service man was surprised that mine started going bad ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 28, 2026
The car turn off while driving it. This creates a serious safety concern. We took the car to a mechanic and he was not able to identify the problem, he suggested we take it to the dealership. We then took it to the kia dealer ( Covina) and they have had it for months and yet are not able to fix it. Yesterday we received a call telling us, the engine failure is related to the oil pressure and it... Read more
Incident date: Jan 28, 2026
The car turn off while driving it. This creates a serious safety concern. We took the car to a mechanic and he was not able to identify the problem, he suggested we take it to the dealership. We then took it to the kia dealer ( Covina) and they have had it for months and yet are not able to fix it. Yesterday we received a call telling us, the engine failure is related to the oil pressure and it... Read more
Incident date: Jan 20, 2026
Front suspension makes knocking and rattling noise - Tesla's solution was to remove structural braces from the car that transmit the noise - the car has not been recertified with the braces removed, I am concerned about adverse safety, especially in small frontal overlap collision.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2025
Around curves truck will down shift too many gears. The problem was when it did it recently with the icey roads the tires locked up for a second and I got sideways. I got it straight but if a car was coming I would crashed. My speed was around 50 but I let off the gas to slow down for the curver never applied brakes yet. It does it usually when slowing down its done it since ive owned it and its... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
Around curves truck will down shift too many gears. The problem was when it did it recently with the icey roads the tires locked up for a second and I got sideways. I got it straight but if a car was coming I would crashed. My speed was around 50 but I let off the gas to slow down for the curver never applied brakes yet. It does it usually when slowing down its done it since ive owned it and its... Read more
Incident date: Jan 28, 2026
Horns (high and low) have been replaced 5 times under a warranty. This is a serious safety hazard. Vehicle: Kia Carnival (Model Years 2022–2024) Issue: Repeated horn failure / electrical malfunction Owners of 2022–2024 Kia Carnival vehicles are experiencing repeated horn failures that present a safety concern. Reported symptoms include complete loss of horn function, intermittent operation,... Read more
Incident date: Jan 28, 2026
I was driving in the high way and the vehicle started having issues and then it completely shut off and wouldn’t drive or anything in the middle of the highway and the dash said it was reducing power.
Incident date: Jan 7, 2026
Loss of power steering while driving
Incident date: Jan 28, 2026
Component/System Involved: Engine / Powertrain and Vehicle Electronic Control Systems, including Serial Data Gateway Module Description of Failure: While driving at highway speed (approximately 60 mph), the vehicle experienced a sudden and complete loss of propulsion without warning. Engine power was lost while traveling on an interstate, forcing me to pull onto the shoulder without propulsion. T... Read more
Incident date: Jan 22, 2026
While driving my 2025 Nissan Armada Platinum Reserve during morning rush hour traffic and moving with the speed of traffic, the accelerator (gas) pedal assembly physically broke off, causing an immediate loss of throttle control. The failure occurred in active traffic at a busy intersection located at the top of a hill, leaving the vehicle stranded partially in a turn lane and straight-through la... Read more
Incident date: Jan 28, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle vibrated and failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. Additionally, the vehicle failed to exceed 40 MPH. The contact was able to pull over into a rest area. The power tailgate and power windows failed to function as intended, and the vehicle failed to resta... Read more
Incident date: Jan 28, 2026
I’ve been having persistent issues with my transmission for some time now. It occasionally would have a hard shift or a lagged shift where it would rev high and not go into the next gear for a few second. This has been accompanied by an odd “clown honk” type sound whenever shifting from 3rd gear into 4th gear after the truck is warm. Sometimes it would get stuck in one gear or another or una... Read more
Incident date: Dec 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Rav4 Prime. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V595000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the instrument panel was inoperable, preventing the contact from seeing the speed, fuel, safety features, or warning lights. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated t... Read more
Incident date: Dec 12, 2025
Complaint Description: While driving my 2025 Honda Odyssey, the Auto Idle‑Stop system engaged in the middle of an intersection at a traffic light, shutting the engine off as designed. When I released the brake pedal, the engine failed to restart, leaving the vehicle stalled in traffic. The dashboard displayed warning indicators including the battery light, and the only way to move the vehicle wa... Read more
Incident date: Nov 12, 2025
Was driving 45 mph when a “ Conditions Not Correct for Shift” warning pops up on the screen and puts me into neutral, but came to a stop in a neighborhood entrance and have not been able to start or put the vehicle into gear
Incident date: Sep 28, 2024
My 2018 Hyundai Tucson experienced repeated no-start conditions. The vehicle was initially diagnosed by Randy Wise Hyundai in Flint, Michigan, and I paid approximately $776 for tune-up services that did not resolve the issue. Shortly afterward, the vehicle continued to fail to start. The dealership later determined the starter had failed and provided an estimate of approximately $985 for replacem... Read more
Incident date: Jan 18, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Civic. The contact stated that the white paint was peeling off the vehicle. Large white pieces from the rear hood started to peel off first. Then, the white paint from the rear and later both rear sides, the paint was peeling off, stemming from manufacturing defects in the application of its three-stage finish, leading to peeling and flaking that can impact resale val... Read more
Incident date: Jan 23, 2026
LED Headlight and DRL burned out and bulbs cannot be replaced, the entire headlight assembly needs to be replaced costing upwards of $1500. Commonly known problem with VW Atlas, occurring right after the car falls out of manufacturer warranty. Dealership refuse to replace at their expense.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2025
On Jan 5, 2026 I was driving locally at about 40-45 mph. All of a sudden 3 indicator lights came on ABS, Brake, and Brake System Warning Light. There were no noises, but the brakes felt different. They did stop when needed. I left space between myself and others just in case, did not want an accident. Called my regular mechanic. They advised to not drive the car, but to bring it into the shop at 8... Read more
Incident date: Jan 27, 2026
Rear windshield shattered into pieces when the vehicle was started.
Incident date: Jan 10, 2026
Sun roof fabric/covering came off tracks and is now sagging. Many forums on this issue. When driving if windows are down, the fabric flaps in the wind and sounds like it will fly off. I no longer drive with the windows down. If it continues to sag, could obstruct rear view.
HONDA
CLARITY PLUG-IN HYBRID
(2018) - FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
Jan 28, 2026
Incident date: Jan 27, 2026
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, there was a strong fuel-like odor entering the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 153,000.
HONDA
CLARITY PLUG-IN HYBRID
(2018) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jan 28, 2026
Incident date: Jan 27, 2026
The contact's daughter owns a 2018 Ford Escape. While her daughter was driving at a slow speed, the engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that coolant was leaking into cylinders #1 and #2, and the engine needed to be replaced. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, an... Read more
Incident date: Jan 28, 2026
Vehicle keeps going into "Battery Saver Mode" and having 12-volt battery not maintaining charge. When the battery gets low, the vehicle beings having various electrical system glitches and drivability issues. This is a well-known issue with Ford Maverick Hybrid trucks and Ford is not fixing the problem. Ford changed the 12 volt battery in the 2025 and 2026 Maverick Hybrids to an AGM design due to ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 13, 2025
Wiper blades are going very slow/failing like other model years/recalls.
Incident date: Jan 9, 2026
2nd time rear window shattered for no reason 1/27/26 1st time 11/7/2023 Fortunately no one is car when happened PARKED CAR
Incident date: Jan 9, 2026
We purchased the vehicle in 2020 with appx 33,000 miles. In fall 2023- winter 2024 it began having electrical glitches when the weather was cold. The car will start, but will not shift into gear. It throws alarms such as service Parking Brake, Shifter, Engine, Traction Control and that you must put it in Park. Although it obviously is in park or it wouldn't have started. The dealership kept it ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 3, 2025
The vehicle is experiencing a severe power train failure involving erratic and violent gear selection. The transmission unexpectedly jumps from 2nd, 3rd, or 4th gear directly up to 7th or 8th gear, resulting in a total loss of acceleration. This is immediately followed by the transmission "slamming" down into lower gears, usually 1st or 2nd gear without driver input. This behavior is accompanied b... Read more
Incident date: Jan 21, 2026
Hello, I have already submitted a steering complaint for this 2016 Chev Colorado. It has intermittently have had this issue for some time. I have checked to see how many complaints there were with this same issue, and it was 422 complaints. I am just wondering how long it takes to get a recall. I am not feeling very safe and hope this gets taken care of soon. I have also checked and found that th... Read more
Incident date: Jan 27, 2026
Lower front control arms are bad. Was told by tire company they need replaced. Quote about 2k
Incident date: Oct 14, 2025
Not even a year old and brakes squeaking/ gurgling sounds coming from the front wheels. As time goes on seems to get worse to the point where I am braking and slips a little. I've taken by car to the dealership twice and made several calls they keep sayings it is a known issued and a flaw for VW not a safety issue. The gurling sound is not normal and not safe especially for a new vehicle. I have a... Read more
Incident date: Jan 19, 2026
My key fob doesn’t register even while in car, my battery drains daily has to recieve jump off every Otha day if not daily, door open indicator shows open on all doors even when closed, car locks won’t disengage automatically but your system shows no recalls something’s wrong with it
Incident date: Jun 10, 2022
THE TRANSMISSION "SHUDDERS". It does not happen with any regularity and with no advance warning. It may be electronic or mechanical or both.