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 78,021 complaints for HYUNDAI
Incident date: Jan 30, 2026
I purchased this van from a used car lot in December of 2025. After driving it for a little over 2 weeks the check engine light came on. My mechanic did a computer check on it and it showed that the transmission is bad. Apparently, through much investigation work on my part, the warranty I paid for on the vehicle is “void” because the dealer that I purchased it from was well aware that it nee... Read more
Incident date: Feb 3, 2026
Tire size 205/50R17 Tire belt broke without warning and caused a large bubble in the side of my tire. Tire was out of balance and the cars stability was immediately reduced while on the highway. Had to be replaced with only 8,000 miles on it.
Incident date: Dec 23, 2025
Service Brake Assist message appeared on the dash, brakes got soft , vehicle would not stop. Check engine light came on. Dealership reported no codes were reported but the Power Brake Booster Vacuum Sensor & Hose Assembly needs replaced due to a sensor malfunction. Say it is not covered under any safety/service bulletin so we need to pay for it. Other make and models are covered under 17-NA-314, S... Read more
Incident date: Jun 13, 2025
Vacuumed pump replacement oil leakVacume Brake fluid leaked into power booster Complete brake failure . Complete Brake failure while pulling 6000 lb trailer Family in vehicle . Coolant leaks, water pump,heater hoses, exaust turbos ,and blow off valve.
Incident date: Jan 30, 2026
"Parking Brake Fault - Service Now" warning appeared. Parking brakes locked after stopping vehicle. Dealer diagnosed problem as corroded wiring connector to left rear wheel parking brake motor. Vehicle has 41,000 miles. Vehicle was stuck and could not be moved. If this had occurred in traffic situation a crash could have resulted. Charge to repair was $600 because dealer claimed brake parts are a... Read more
Incident date: Jan 30, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V455000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was 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 e... Read more
Incident date: Jan 30, 2026
When driving the gas pedal will go dead or not work at all. I will be driving along then try to push the gas at a left hand turn and nothing will happen. I push the pedal to the floor many times and after a period of time it starts to work again. The issue never puts out a code or check engine light. This is a safety issue for not only me and my family but others on the road as well. If the gas pe... Read more
Incident date: Feb 5, 2026
The vehicle is experiencing excessive oil consumption between oil changes, requiring frequent oil top-offs well before the manufacturer’s recommended service interval. No external oil leaks were identified when the vehicle had approximately 91,000 miles. At approximately 118,000 miles, the issue was identified during normal operation and routine maintenance, at which time potential engine-relat... Read more
Incident date: Jan 26, 2026
Oil leak at transmission fittings requiring repair.
Incident date: Jan 13, 2026
I have noticed that when the battery is lower than 85% available power sensor effectiveness is greatly reduced. This is noticed with vehicle going into remote battery saver mode and the Auto Start/Stop function ceases to function. This also greatly reduces front collision, rear cross traffic and pedestrian rear cross traffic warning especially. This is apparently due to a battery drain if any US... Read more
Incident date: Jan 13, 2026
I have noticed that when the battery is lower than 85% available power sensor effectiveness is greatly reduced. This is noticed with vehicle going into remote battery saver mode and the Auto Start/Stop function ceases to function. This also greatly reduces front collision, rear cross traffic and pedestrian rear cross traffic warning especially. This is apparently due to a battery drain if any US... Read more
Incident date: Jan 13, 2026
My dealership (Jeep Bayside Annapolis, MD) is refusing to fix the recall. They say they’ve had issues with some of the cars, and it’s taking too long. They said they’ve are capable of fixing the recall, but are refusing to do so.
Incident date: Nov 18, 2025
While driving on the highway, without warning the tire tread separated from the rim causing danger to myself. Luckily I was able to pull to the side of the highway to await assistance. State police was called and the car was eventually towed to the dealership. The entire tire literally separated from the rim. Tire size: 235 /60 R 18.
Incident date: Jan 31, 2026
Power train not functioning properly, jerks and slips. getting to the point where its unsafe to drive.
Incident date: Jan 28, 2026
Transmission shifts hard looses power. I reported it to ford before my warrenty ran out. They said it was fine and just needed an update. It did not fix it took it and got second opinion and the transmission was bad and needed to be replaced. I had to pay out of pocket because they did not take care of the issue while it was under warrenty. Now im out 7000 because of a faulty transmission and Ford... Read more
Incident date: Jan 31, 2026
On June 5th 2025, the radiator fan in my 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport stoped working while my idling in traffic and caused my engine to overheat and smoke. I immediately pulled over and turned off the engine to allow it to cool down. This problem could lead to catastrophic engine failure, warped cylinder heads, blown gaskets, and could even cause a fire, which places my safety and the safety of others ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 24, 2026
Every time that I get into my Jeep there's an issue with the ADAS. Almost immediately once I pull onto the highway 3 warnings will appear on the dashboard display the first is: Blind Spot Temporarily Unavailable, then two orange triangles appear on my mirrors and will not go away. It also happens every time that I make a turn in my car. The next warning that appears is my Automatic Break System is... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2025
When turning on the car the check engine light comes on. Then when accelerating there is a clicking noise and smoke coming from the engine.
Incident date: Apr 1, 2025
When turning on the car the check engine light comes on. Then when accelerating there is a clicking noise and smoke coming from the engine.
Incident date: Feb 3, 2026
I had both the left front and right front CV axles fail. My car only has 11.5k miles on. I first heard the clunking noise at 11k miles, went right to the dealer and had them watch me recreate the noise and they determined the axles needed to be replaced. This is incredible dangerous as the CV axle could have been completely disconnected from the wheel assembly leaving my car useless and uncontro... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2025
This model Civic Si was build by Honda with a defective clutch. Mine began to fail at less than 60K miles. It started in the higher RPM 5K to 6K in the taller overdrive gears. This clutch design was unable to support the torque of the motor, which led to its premature failure. It's well documented in Honda forums that the clutch is weak and prone to early failure. It usually starts to fail in... Read more
Incident date: Feb 4, 2026
The instrument panel displays symbol for exterior lights malfunction and the vehicle status screen reports “1 serious issue detected – Headlight fault – Book a service”. The high and low beams appear to function normally on both sides of the car. The daytime running lights (white) around the headlight are only illuminated on the drivers side; the passenger side running lights are not worki... Read more
Incident date: Jan 2, 2026
On [XXX] I was in a car accident. When it happened the airbags did not deploy and the seatbelt not locking. This resulted in me hitting my head in on the dash and chest on the steering wheel multiple times and having to go to the er to receive care and be put out of work. This is a major safety risk INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Jan 2, 2026
Windshield wipers stopped working while driving. Once engine turned off, the wires began working again. Additionally, later in the day while driving home the wipers stopped working again. The wipers have not worked since.
Incident date: Jan 2, 2025
While driving, multiple safety systems suddenly failed at the same time including Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Assist, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Road Departure Mitigation, and Auto High Beam. All warning lights appeared simultaneously. The vehicle became unsafe to drive relying only on manual control. This appears to be related to the front-facing camera or sensor malfunction. ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 25, 2026
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the instrument cluster failed to operate as designed. The contact stated that the instrument cluster was black at start-up, preventing the gauges or safety features information from being displayed. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 22, 2026
2018 Kia Sorento 2.4 GDI. In late 2024 a Kia dealer performed an oil-consumption test and confirmed the engine was burning excessive oil. In Feb 2025 the engine long block was replaced. Within about 4,000 miles the vehicle began setting P1326 warnings, misfiring, losing power, and struggling to climb hills. On a highway trip from South Carolina back to Indiana, the vehicle could barely maintain 3... Read more
Incident date: Jan 22, 2026
The steering wheel sticks especially when making long turns. It jutters and scares the driver. Some times it holds in place and you have to jerk it back to straight.
Incident date: Jan 22, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V031000 (Structure) and 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were 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 repairs. The manufacturer was not made... Read more
Incident date: Jan 28, 2026
I'm driving down the road and unexpectedly the power steering completely goes out and the car is almost impossible to steer. When I shut the car off it usually resets sometimes for only a couple seconds, sometimes longer before the power steering fails again. It has happened in the middle of multiple turns, highways driving, city driving and is very dangerous. If you look online it is a very commo... Read more
Incident date: Dec 30, 2025
The A/C evaporator core in my 2020 Dodge Charger Hellcat has failed twice within a short period of ownership. The first failure occurred at approximately 20K miles in 2022, when the air conditioning suddenly stopped blowing cold air. The dealership diagnosed a leaking evaporator core and replaced it under warranty. On [XXX] at approximately 50k, the exact same failure occurred again — loss of r... Read more
Incident date: Dec 30, 2025
My vehicle will not go in reverse.
Incident date: Dec 30, 2025
The Air conditioning mixing flap failed. The is a technical bulletin out for this SIM 64 02 21. The mixing flap separated from the heater housing which is located under the dash board. In turn Cold air only coming out of the drivers side vent and not the passenger or rear vents. This is unsafe in Arizona where there is extreme heat for babies and pets. In addition one cannot see out the windshield... Read more
Incident date: Jan 13, 2026
Vehicle overheated, due to collant entering #1 cylinder. This coolant intrusion is apparently a well documented issue, from an acknowledged engine defect. (TSB 19-2346, TSB 22-2133) Ford dealership recommended an $11,000 + tax engine replacement, with no relief, as car is past its warranty. The vehicle has 58540 miles. Lincoln customer service also declined any goodwill repair. Independent Service... Read more
Incident date: Aug 19, 2025
I was driving on an overpass and suddenly loss propulsion in my vehicle. My vehicle stopped all of a sudden and while driving, leaving me stranded in the middle of the roadway blocking traffic. Numerous motorists stopped to give a hand but the vehicle would not switch gears from PARK, to neutral to even give me a hand moving the vehicle out of the roadway to the side/shoulder. Due to this issue, a... Read more
Incident date: Jan 13, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V011000 (Power Train). The contact stated that while driving over bumps on the roadway, the transmission shifted out of gear. There was an abnormal banging sound while shifting gears. The transmission disengaged while in the park(P). There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was co... Read more
Incident date: Jan 13, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH, the vehicle stalled, and the vehicle decelerated unintendedly. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the in-law's residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V305000 (Engine); howev... Read more
Incident date: Jan 22, 2026
1) Component/System & Availability for Inspection Transmission control system. When shifting into reverse, the CHECK ENGINE lamp flashed and a “Transmission Service” warning appeared. Dealer retrieved DTC P07B4 and documented: “DIAGNOSIS OF ENGINE/CHECK ENGINE LAMP - CUSTOMER STATES WHEN SHIFTING IN REVERSE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON FLASHING AND WARNING MESSAGE ON FOR TRANSMISSION SERVICE. ... Read more
HYUNDAI
SANTA FE SPORT
(2018) - POWER TRAIN
Feb 4, 2026
Incident date: Feb 1, 2026
The vehicle experienced a transmission control malfunction related to a transmission solenoid (diagnostic code P0776). The transmission exhibited abnormal shifting behavior and drivability issues, prompting a warning indicator and dealer inspection. The condition affects the powertrain and could impair safe operation of the vehicle, particularly if shifting becomes unpredictable or the transmissio... Read more
Incident date: Feb 4, 2026
The contact called for the owner of the 2021 BMW 430I. The owner 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 ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 30, 2025
Was driving my truck to work and all of a sudden it down shifted from gear 6 to gear 4. Then through up the wrench icon on dash. Would not come out of 4th gear. Code was p0720. Output shaft speed sensor. Once code was cleared, it was ok again for about 20 miles then did it again.
Incident date: Oct 30, 2025
The vehicle has developed a serious transmission defect involving harsh shifting, delayed engagement, and repeated slipping into neutral while driving. Since picking the vehicle up from Key Acura after an inspection, the condition has worsened significantly. The “Check Engine” light, the flashing “D” indicator, and the transmission warning light are now consistently illuminated. Prior to t... Read more
Incident date: Dec 24, 2025
electrical failure of dc to dc converter, confirmed by manufacturer while driving on the highway i got an error message and immediately afterward the entire car shut down. no power steering, no brakes, no lights or hazards, no airbag. i was able to stop the car by gliding into an embankment in the left hand lane of the highway. was towed to the dealership. only by luck was my car not hit from beh... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Dec 24, 2025
electrical failure of dc to dc converter, confirmed by manufacturer while driving on the highway i got an error message and immediately afterward the entire car shut down. no power steering, no brakes, no lights or hazards, no airbag. i was able to stop the car by gliding into an embankment in the left hand lane of the highway. was towed to the dealership. only by luck was my car not hit from beh... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Dec 24, 2025
My vehicle has experienced multiple dangerous incidents where it shuts down or shifts into neutral while driving. This has happened on highways, tunnels, busy on-ramps and main streets. The car loses power and requires restarting, which takes about 30 seconds. On a busy highway or street, this is enough time for a serious accident to occur if other vehicles cannot switch lanes on time. This has h... Read more
Incident date: Feb 3, 2026
DEC 24, 2025 I STARTED MY AND WENT A VERY SHORT DISTANCE DOWN THE ROAD, MY ENTIRE DASH DISPLAY WENT COMPLETELY BLACK. IT STAYED THIS WAY FOR ABOUT 5 TO 10 MINUTES AND I PULLED OVER AND TURND THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON, PRETTY SCARY
Incident date: Feb 3, 2026
DEC 24, 2025 I STARTED MY AND WENT A VERY SHORT DISTANCE DOWN THE ROAD, MY ENTIRE DASH DISPLAY WENT COMPLETELY BLACK. IT STAYED THIS WAY FOR ABOUT 5 TO 10 MINUTES AND I PULLED OVER AND TURND THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON, PRETTY SCARY
Incident date: Dec 19, 2025
DEC 24, 2025 I STARTED MY AND WENT A VERY SHORT DISTANCE DOWN THE ROAD, MY ENTIRE DASH DISPLAY WENT COMPLETELY BLACK. IT STAYED THIS WAY FOR ABOUT 5 TO 10 MINUTES AND I PULLED OVER AND TURND THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON, PRETTY SCARY
Incident date: Dec 19, 2025
I hit my brakes to avoid an accident in multiple -5 degree weather and my trucks transmission shuttered and failed to work. This truck was running very strong before this unexpected event. Chevy owners should not have to pay for this out of pocket. Thank you