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 1, 2025
Vehicle has an open safety recall with no repair available. I have been waiting over two years for parts with no ETA from the manufacturer or dealership. During this time, the vehicle has experienced loss of power while driving, creating a safety risk. The dealership has acknowledged the recall but cannot complete the repair due to parts unavailability. The vehicle remains unsafe to operate, and t... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2025
Sudden breaking of panoramic glass on sun/moon roof. I believe this is related to the clicking noise that is caused by the improper bolting in this model. There is an active service bulletin for the improper bolting/flexing in the panoramic glass. I called the Acura dealership where this was bought and they didn’t acknowledge that. I had my two children, toddler and infant, in the back. They li... Read more
Incident date: Jan 23, 2026
Brake master cylinder failure.
Incident date: Dec 29, 2025
The car stop working with this message "check electric vehicle system" I towed the car to kia service. They told me nee to replace ICCU unit. They replaced it for free, but still didn't have a car for few days. No loaner car offered.
Incident date: Jun 28, 2025
I am reporting a dealership conduct issue that directly affected vehicle safety and caused financial loss. Valley Ford of Columbus, Ohio told me by phone that a specific safety-related part for my vehicle was in stock and available. Based on that representation, I traveled to the dealership and took time away from work. When I arrived, I was told the part was not available and had not been there.... Read more
Incident date: Jan 23, 2026
ICCU failed during drive. Eventually died in the middle of the road. Took a month to fix
Incident date: Jan 16, 2026
Back window leaks down onto electrical compents and causes mold behind rear seat, plus staining mold on headliner
Incident date: Jan 23, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 BMW X3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V636000 (Electrical System); 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 made aware of the issue. The contact had not exper... Read more
Incident date: Jan 23, 2024
I was informed by the dealership that the engine issue with my 2021 Ford Explorer is the same issue for which a recall was issued. However, because my vehicle’s VIN was not included in the recall, I was required to pay for the engine replacement. I attempted to work with the dealership to have them coordinate with the manufacturer, but they declined to do so. I then contacted the manufacturer di... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Highlander. 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 while driving at various speeds, the instrument panel failed to display critical safety information as intended. No warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was contacted... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2026
cylinder 3 failure while driving, while merging onto highway traffic vehicle was suddenly unable to to accelerate as there was a sudden loss of power and improper shifting of gears. Engine light came on as well. Car was taken to dealer for excessive burning of oil while under warranty before this event. The vehicle has been inspected by Hyundai dealership and by a private auto mechanic. Both parti... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2026
My vehicle experienced a failure of the Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU), which rendered the vehicle inoperable and required towing to the dealer, where the ICCU failure was confirmed and the vehicle remains available for inspection. The failure created a safety risk due to sudden loss of drivability and the potential for the vehicle to stop unexpectedly. The dealer has stated there is no e... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The vehicle experienced a failure of the high-voltage battery control system (Battery ECU / main battery control module), resulting in loss of propulsion. The vehicle is currently at an authorized Toyota dealership and is available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of o... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2025 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH for an unknown reason, a 2008 Honda Odyssey, making a turn, swerved in front of the vehicle, and a crash occurred. There were no warning lights illuminated. The driver struck the steering wheel and sustained a concussion, and had a severe strain, shoulder injuries, and an eye injury. The passenger sustain... Read more
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
After have the engine tested it was determined that my vehicle will receive the 0W/40 oil. After that change I have notices a lot of rattling and the engine not behaving like it should.
Incident date: Jan 1, 2026
On January 15, 2026, at approximately 7:51 a.m., my son was involved in a motor vehicle collision that disabled three vehicles. His vehicle sustained significant damage and was declared a total loss. During the collision, the driver-side airbag did not deploy, and the seat belt failed to engage. As a result of the restraint system failures, my son sustained head trauma and required medical evaluat... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Aug 26, 2024
ICCU failure, vehicle disabled while driving leaving me stranded.
Incident date: Aug 26, 2024
ICCU failure, vehicle disabled while driving leaving me stranded.
Incident date: Jan 21, 2026
While driving on a limited-access highway at 65 mph with cruise control engaged, the vehicle unexpectedly reduced speed to 50 mph without any driver input under steady traffic and road conditions. No braking was applied by the driver, and no warnings or alerts were displayed prior to or during the speed reduction. Separately, the vehicle’s displayed speed-limit information was unstable during h... Read more
Incident date: Jan 21, 2026
While driving on a limited-access highway at 65 mph with cruise control engaged, the vehicle unexpectedly reduced speed to 50 mph without any driver input under steady traffic and road conditions. No braking was applied by the driver, and no warnings or alerts were displayed prior to or during the speed reduction. Separately, the vehicle’s displayed speed-limit information was unstable during h... Read more
Incident date: Jan 22, 2026
The headlights on the vehicle are incredibly dim. I have tried replacing the bulbs; however, it does not fix the problem. When I ask Acura about it, they say, "you're just going to have to live with it." It is incredible dangerous driving when it is dark outside because you cannot see anything unless you utilize your high beams.
Incident date: Mar 29, 2025
Subject: URGENT: Investigation Request – Systemic Loss of Propulsion in Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) Vehicles (2017–2026). 1. Description of Defect I am formally reporting a critical, life-threatening safety defect involving the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) and the Fuel Pump Driver Module (FPDM) in Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) vehicles. These modules suffer from spontaneous software "resets" or ... Read more
Crash
4 injured
2 deaths
Incident date: Mar 29, 2025
Subject: URGENT: Investigation Request – Systemic Loss of Propulsion in Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) Vehicles (2017–2026). 1. Description of Defect I am formally reporting a critical, life-threatening safety defect involving the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) and the Fuel Pump Driver Module (FPDM) in Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) vehicles. These modules suffer from spontaneous software "resets" or ... Read more
Crash
4 injured
2 deaths
Incident date: Sep 4, 2025
Car started shaking in the middle of driving it about 30 mph and all the electrical like door locks were going up and down car wasn’t accelerating and an alert came up for stabilizing wheels i believe. It happened for about a couple seconds and then everything went back to normal and randomly happens while I’m driving.Check engine appeared and went to the mechanic shop i usually go to and foun... Read more
Incident date: Jan 10, 2026
I was parking vehicle & noticed from center console burning smoke coming from heater vents & middle console. I turned it off right away, waited a while & it stopped, driving at 60mph a back & forth forward & back hesitation or vibration. Shifting back & forth, No check engine light, but I feel that this vehicle has the recalls that are listed for this same year model & it has never being corrected... Read more
Incident date: Jan 10, 2026
I was parking vehicle & noticed from center console burning smoke coming from heater vents & middle console. I turned it off right away, waited a while & it stopped, driving at 60mph a back & forth forward & back hesitation or vibration. Shifting back & forth, No check engine light, but I feel that this vehicle has the recalls that are listed for this same year model & it has never being corrected... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
On November 15, I was traveling with my mother and seated in the front passenger seat of a 2023 Kia Sportage while she was driving approximately 65 mph on the interstate when the vehicle struck a deer. The impact caused significant front-end damage, including the bumper, radiator area, and underbody components. I was wearing a seatbelt. Despite the severity of the collision and the high rate of s... Read more
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Jan 22, 2026
I was driving on the interstate and when I went over a little bump my truck started to shake like it was going to loose control. I read up on this and people who own jeeps refer to it as the death waddle is there a recall on this issue.
Incident date: Jan 22, 2026
The backup camera is often times "unavailable" in this car when you put it in reverse, and rear visibility is essentially nonexistent when reversing without the backup camera. I've installed every available software fix for this and the system still does not work reliably, especially when you're in a rush, which is exactly when you need it most. Polestar offers a computer upgrade/replacement as a ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 22, 2026
On the afternoon of 01/20/26, I was merging onto the highway in my 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 when a loud bang was heard from the engine compartment at approximately 60 mph. Immediately after the ban was heard, several indicator lights on the dashboard were illuminated, including the ESC, check engine light, and parking brake light. A power loss was felt when attempting to accelerate and the banging noi... Read more
Incident date: Jan 22, 2026
I am writing to report a serious safety incident involving my 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 and to request a thorough investigation and guidance on next steps. On Jan. 3, 2026, at approximately 6:15 p.m. on a snowy day, we parked our car in the driveway of a weekend rental home near Lake Tahoe, CA. The driveway had a slight slope toward the house, and we backed the car down the driveway with the rear of th... Read more
Incident date: Jan 22, 2026
The fuel tank is structurally compromised due to premature deterioration of the component holding it in place on the vehicle including the tank guard rusting through.
Incident date: Jan 22, 2026
Safety Restraint Warning appeared on a 50k miles Tesla Model 3. We are a used electric vehicle dealer in California. This warning has been appearing on parked vehicles repeatedly. Meaning, many of the Model 3's we have listed for sale (over 30 units for sale at any given time) will suddenly have a "Safety Restraint Warning" appear. Tesla is not taking responsibility for this. They always charg... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2026
Vehicle experienced sudden loss of power and severe hesitation from a stop. Acceleration is extremely weak from approximately 0–20 mph, then returns to normal once moving. Traction control system automatically disables itself and check engine light illuminates. Vehicle feels unsafe when pulling into traffic or intersections due to delayed acceleration. Diagnostic trouble codes retrieved: P0740 ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2026
Rear differential failed, axle fluid leak, causing damage to axle, bearings and brakes. All needed to be replaced.
Incident date: Jan 14, 2026
Had the whole ECM replaced as well as all wire harnesses inspected. Fuse box inspection and retighned. All fuses and relays checked. Ignition switch replacement as well. The code for P1682 went away months but has now returned. Also have replaced battery and few other minor items. The car will go into limp mode randomly on freeway or roads. Almost caused an accident since the power steering stops ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2026
Had the whole ECM replaced as well as all wire harnesses inspected. Fuse box inspection and retighned. All fuses and relays checked. Ignition switch replacement as well. The code for P1682 went away months but has now returned. Also have replaced battery and few other minor items. The car will go into limp mode randomly on freeway or roads. Almost caused an accident since the power steering stops ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 22, 2026
While driving, the vehicle experienced an unintended side airbag deployment without any collision or impact. At the same time, the seatbelt locked, the vehicle came to a sudden stop, and a hybrid system malfunction warning appeared. The vehicle immediately became undrivable and was towed. The vehicle remains available for inspection and is currently under the manufacturer’s control. This sudde... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Jan 20, 2026
The contact called to file a complaint on a 2021 Ford F-250. The contact was a Crash Investigator. The contact stated that the vehicle owner was involved in a crash. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed in the opposite lane, the vehicle was involved in a head-on collision. No other information was available. The contact stated that while inspecting the Air Bag Control Modu... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jan 20, 2026
When are the parts available for back up camera and block heater I don’t want my car to start on fire so I want it fixed
Incident date: Jan 20, 2026
When are the parts available for back up camera and block heater I don’t want my car to start on fire so I want it fixed
Incident date: Jan 21, 2026
Honda emblem & sensor stollen very easily from vehicle, took the thief seconds to take off. All features disabled! Something this important & vital to the vehicle should not be that easily accessible to a thief! In researching, this issue has been reported on models in previous years! This is an extreme safety issue & should have been fixed & rectified with the new 2026 models. Will be reporting t... Read more
Incident date: Jan 21, 2026
Honda emblem & sensor stollen very easily from vehicle, took the thief seconds to take off. All features disabled! Something this important & vital to the vehicle should not be that easily accessible to a thief! In researching, this issue has been reported on models in previous years! This is an extreme safety issue & should have been fixed & rectified with the new 2026 models. Will be reporting t... Read more
Incident date: Jan 21, 2026
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2010 Ford Explorer. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after purchasing the vehicle. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was approximately 150,000. Most recently, the contact downloaded the Ford App, and when the maintenance history was checked, it was later discovered that the mileage on the Title was approximately ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 26, 2025
My car shut off on the road. I tried to accelerate but all my lights on the dashboard came on. I wasn’t able to accelerate more than 20mph. I was about to make it back home. Today I tried to take it out on a test drive, it’s drivable but I was not able to accelerate. Every time I pressed the gas, my car would stall. This is the 4th time it happened.
Incident date: Nov 26, 2025
My toyota tundra is having issues with the fuel pump. It is saying I am using e85 fuel when that is not the case. As a result I am having issues with cold start. There are recalls however I am being told that my truck is listed among them despite having the same issue.
Incident date: Nov 26, 2025
Toyota has a manufacturing defect going on with their v6 in Gen 3Tacoma's. I have a 2020 Limited with 48,200 miles that needs a new cylinder head. It threw a check engine light on me, and luckily enough I took it to the dealership within about 30 miles, otherwise my engine could have exploded. I have videos from the dealership inspection that I cannot attach here. I have since found via the error ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 8, 2026
I AM REPORTING A SEVERE AND RECURRING SAFETY DEFECT WHERE MY VEHICLE SUFFERS A COMPLETE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL AND ENGINE POWER WHILE IN MOTION. THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND DURING VARIOUS MANEUVERS, INCLUDING MAKING TURNS AND DRIVING STRAIGHT. THIS HAS HAPPENED OVER 500 TIMES SINCE THE 3 YEARS I HAVE HAD IT. I HAVE NOT FELT SAFE IN THE VEHICLE FOR A LONG TIME AND WHEN I HAVE TAK... Read more
Incident date: Jan 8, 2026
I AM REPORTING A SEVERE AND RECURRING SAFETY DEFECT WHERE MY VEHICLE SUFFERS A COMPLETE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL AND ENGINE POWER WHILE IN MOTION. THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND DURING VARIOUS MANEUVERS, INCLUDING MAKING TURNS AND DRIVING STRAIGHT. THIS HAS HAPPENED OVER 500 TIMES SINCE THE 3 YEARS I HAVE HAD IT. I HAVE NOT FELT SAFE IN THE VEHICLE FOR A LONG TIME AND WHEN I HAVE TAK... Read more
Incident date: Jan 8, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Wrangler. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V741000 (Electrical System). The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the repair could not be performed because there were no loaner vehicles available, if the repair failed. The appointment was rescheduled for two weeks later. The dealer was contacted prior to the sche... Read more