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: Jun 1, 2023
Add a stoplight or stop sign at a full and complete stop…. I pressed down the accelerator and nothing happens for about a second and a half… When it finally does respond, it jumps as if it was struggling to get into gear and popped itself… However, then it goes right back to normal.. But the slow starting happens very often. Definite lag when punching on the gas.
Incident date: Nov 24, 2025
The windshield wipers activate by themselves, even when it is not raining and there is no water.
Incident date: Jan 16, 2026
Piston rings failure, large oil consumption and water pump leaking
Incident date: Dec 4, 2025
Vehicle experienced PCS (Power Conversion System/DC-DC converter) failure, rendering it completely undrivable—no 12V power, cannot charge or start. PCS is physically integrated inside high-voltage battery pack per service manuals. High-voltage battery warranty active (8yr/120k miles). Tesla service denies coverage citing "associated component" in vague emails—provided only general warranty ta... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2025
ICCU failed preventing the vehicle from being charged and killing the 12v battery.
Incident date: Jul 22, 2025
Warning about reduced acceleration and need for immediate servicing. Dealership reports notice about this issue by using diagnostic codes. Needs engine and turbo charger replaced. Vehicle has only 6500 miles on it.
HYUNDAI
SONATA
(2020) - POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:FLUID/LUBRICANT:VALVES/VALVE BODY
Jan 20, 2026
Incident date: Jul 22, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked unexpectedly. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the valve body needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to parts not being available and the VIN not being inclu... Read more
Incident date: Jan 18, 2026
On January 20, around 9:35 am, Phoenix time, I had the car in self-driving mode for a left-hand turn at the intercession of Camino Real and River Road in Tucson, Arizona. A real-time view shows that it’s a tricky and dangerous left-hand turn. For the past 3 weeks, the car navigated it well, waiting until it was perfectly safe to do so. Today, however, the car moved quickly and unexpectedly ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 18, 2026
On January 20, around 9:35 am, Phoenix time, I had the car in self-driving mode for a left-hand turn at the intercession of Camino Real and River Road in Tucson, Arizona. A real-time view shows that it’s a tricky and dangerous left-hand turn. For the past 3 weeks, the car navigated it well, waiting until it was perfectly safe to do so. Today, however, the car moved quickly and unexpectedly ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 19, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, there was sputtering sound coming from the engine compartment, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was running rough. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a cylinder misfire and bu... Read more
Incident date: Jan 19, 2026
the vehicle has developed the exact symptoms described in the recall, including: Loss of power Check Engine Light Excessive oil consumption Electronic throttle control warnings / drivability issues My authorized dealer has confirmed that the recall is open but states parts are not available. This leaves me with an unsafe and unreliable vehicle.
Incident date: Feb 24, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V467000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal cracking sound coming from under the hood, and the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check... Read more
Incident date: Feb 24, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V467000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal cracking sound coming from under the hood, and the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check... Read more
Incident date: Feb 24, 2025
January 18, 2025 Subject: Request for Review – Windshield Crack on 2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid Dear Honda Customer Relations Team, I am writing to respectfully request a review of a windshield issue on my wife’s Subject 2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid, which we purchased new in the summer of 2025. The vehicle currently has approximately 16,000 miles. Recently, a crack developed in the windshield measu... Read more
Incident date: Jan 17, 2026
Transmission light appeared and a loud knocking noise followed by white smoke bellowing out of the exhaust. I took it to a shop and they said it now needs an engine replacement.
Incident date: Jan 17, 2026
Transmission light appeared and a loud knocking noise followed by white smoke bellowing out of the exhaust. I took it to a shop and they said it now needs an engine replacement.
Incident date: Jan 17, 2026
While my husband was taking our daughter to school on 01/05/2026 around 6:00am, a warning message flashed on the radio screen: "EMISSIONS SYSTEM PROBLEM: The engine is not operating properly. Avoid high speeds and visit your dealer as soon as possible. If the indicator is blinking, stop in a safe place where there are no flammable objects. Turn off the engine for 10 minutes or more to let it cool.... Read more
Incident date: Jan 12, 2026
I am reporting a failure related to the Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU) on my Kia EV6 vehicle. The vehicle suddenly became unable to charge using Level 1 or Level 2 AC chargers. Each time the charging cable is connected, charging starts briefly and then stops within seconds with a “charging unsuccessful” warning. The issue occurs consistently across multiple chargers. However, DC fast... Read more
Incident date: Jan 17, 2026
This engine has failed by the head gaskets, literally all 4, cracking/breaking. This caused coolant to leak into the engine, mix with the oil, depleating the coolant, thereby causing the truck to overheat and break down. With repairs this continues to happen. 3 times to be exact! This cannot be normal for this engine especially when this happened with less than 90K miles on the engine.
Crash
Incident date: Dec 31, 1969
Phantom braking when there is no cars or anything on the road. The car would immediately brake out no where. It could cause an accident randomly braking when using cruise control.
Incident date: Jan 9, 2026
On 8/22/25 was brought to my local GMC dealer for the L87 engine propulsion recall. The dealership tested and said the vehicle passed the test. On 12/3/25 while driving on a multi lane highway the vehicle engine stopped abruptly. The message restart engine appeared on the dashboard. I had to negotiate other vehicle travelling at highway speeds to get to coast off to a side street. The transmission... Read more
HYUNDAI
SANTA CRUZ
(2024) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jan 20, 2026
Incident date: Dec 29, 2025
Estimados, Mi nombre es [XXX] , residente de Toa Baja, Puerto Rico. Soy propietario de un Lexus IS250 2010, VIN [XXX] . Recientemente acudí a un concesionario Lexus para solicitar evaluación del deterioro del tablero y paneles interiores (superficies pegajosas y agrietadas). El concesionario negó la asistencia indicando que la lectura actual del odómetro no coincide con la última registrada... Read more
Incident date: Jan 19, 2026
While driving on a major highway at approximately 60 to 65 mph the vehicle shut down loss of power and steering without any warning lights. I was able to safely maneuver the vehicle to the emergency lane and contacted AAA to have it towed to nearest dealership. A fuel pump module was replaced- I have been following gmc recent recall of 600k which gives same scenario for their larger engine fail... Read more
Incident date: Jan 19, 2026
Very strong fuel smell coming from parked vehicle after filling the Gas Tank. After driving 40 miles to remove approximately 1/4 of a the Tank, fumes are gone. 1/06/2026: Took Truck to closest Dealership. Burlington Hyundai Nj and they had it for 3 days. (The Tank was not Full) and they didn't find anything wrong. They still have not given me any documents on what the checked. They said I would ge... Read more
Incident date: Jan 19, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V595000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. An unknown dealer was 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 contact had no... Read more
HYUNDAI
SONATA HYBRID
(2022) - ENGINE
Jan 20, 2026
Incident date: Jan 20, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH on the highway and attempting to accelerate around a possible drunk driver traveling on the roadway, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The driver was able to pull over safely. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called 911 and called for Roadside Assistance, and the vehicle was towed to ... Read more
HYUNDAI
SONATA HYBRID
(2022) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jan 20, 2026
Incident date: Jan 20, 2026
While driving on the highway on 1/19/2026, the electric power steering system abruptly stopped working. It took all my strength to steer the vehicle to take the first available exit. The failure made controlling the vehicle very difficult, putting my safety, my family's safety and the safety of others around me at risk. As soon as the vehicle slowed to approximately 20mph, the power steering ... Read more
HYUNDAI
SONATA HYBRID
(2022) - STEERING
Jan 20, 2026
Incident date: Jan 20, 2026
While driving on the highway on 1/19/2026, the electric power steering system abruptly stopped working. It took all my strength to steer the vehicle to take the first available exit. The failure made controlling the vehicle very difficult, putting my safety, my family's safety and the safety of others around me at risk. As soon as the vehicle slowed to approximately 20mph, the power steering ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 10, 2025
Power steering has failed. There are numerous complaints for these model and year cars. There has also been recalls for certain VIN numbers but not all. Very unsafe!
Incident date: Apr 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. While driving at various speeds, there was a misfire coming from the engine while attempting to accelerate. The failure occurred while attempting to accelerate from a stop. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic, who diagnose... Read more
Incident date: Jan 4, 2026
Driving at 78 mph and "Check hybrid system" came on, engine and all throttle/electrical shut off and did not regain power. Had to sit for 5-10mins and vehicle eventually regained power after resetting battery and had no issues.
HYUNDAI
SANTA FE SPORT
(2017) - VISIBILITY/WIPER
Jan 20, 2026
Incident date: Jan 16, 2026
windshield cracks very easily with very minimal impact. There are countless threads and reports of this chassis having this problem and unfortunately VW put many sensors into the windshield causing the replacement to require calibration to use the some of the safety features. Second time this has happened.
Incident date: Nov 5, 2025
6.2L lifter failure camshaft destroyed. Complete top end rebuild cost me $8500. Same problem as the previous recall.
Incident date: Nov 5, 2025
All dashboard lights came on while cherokee shut off on the parkway yet allowing me to steer to the side shoulder. Is this a symptom of total integrated power module TIPM.
Incident date: Jan 9, 2026
Driver side Headrest Airbag Yes vehicle is available for inspection. No accident Yes injury The driver side headrest airbag deployed while driving without an accident happening. I suffered whiplash and headaches after the incident that happened on January 18th, 2026. The headrest airbag deploying could have caused an accident but lucky for me I was able to pull my vehicle over safely. There is... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Jan 2, 2026
Warranty Alignment: This failure occurred at 47.7k miles, well under the 60,000-mile threshold of the Supplemental Restraint System Limited Warranty. Known Defect: This repair is the subject of a specific Service Bulletin (RCM_a078), confirming it is a known manufacturing issue and not standard wear-and-tear. Safety Criticality: The SRS is a primary safety system. Forcing a customer to pay for a... Read more
Incident date: Jan 19, 2026
ICCU failure while driving. Car completely stopped. I was driving up an incline feeder street in a shopping mall with several other cars also trying to use the feeder street which led to a main street. Because everything failed and I was on an incline, I had to keep my foot on the brake at all times. My emergency flashers didn't work. I had no way to alert the cars behind me to go around. I couldn... Read more
Incident date: Jan 4, 2026
In mid-trip as we were going down the highway went to change lanes and the turn signals were no longer functioning. No errors, no alerts, no warnings they just stopped working. After pulling over and turning off the vehicle and turning back on they work for a time then stop working again. After researching with other owners of these and similar model Mercedes Benz vehicles this is a prevalent and ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 4, 2026
In mid-trip as we were going down the highway went to change lanes and the turn signals were no longer functioning. No errors, no alerts, no warnings they just stopped working. After pulling over and turning off the vehicle and turning back on they work for a time then stop working again. After researching with other owners of these and similar model Mercedes Benz vehicles this is a prevalent and ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 15, 2026
Vehicle: 2016 Hyundai Sonata VIN: [XXX] While stopped in traffic with my foot firmly on the brake, my vehicle begins to accelerate before I release the brake pedal. This is not normal “creep” — the engine increases RPM and the vehicle moves forward as if the accelerator is being applied, even though it is not. This condition has occurred multiple times and creates a serious safety risk. T... Read more
Incident date: Jan 15, 2026
SEAT SIDE PANELS (WHICH ARE PLASTIC) HAVE BEEN REPLACED 2 TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR AND NOW THE HAVE BROKEN AGAIN!!! I WOULD LIKE INFORMATION ON HOW TO GET THEM REPLACED AGAIN WITH STRONGER MATERIAL THAT WILL LAST AS IT SHOULD!!!!!
Incident date: Jan 15, 2026
2017 2.7L F150 6 speed transmission. After an hour of drive time transmission vehicle got stuck between 3rd and 5th. If continued to drive it would go into “limp mode” stuck in 3rd gear and unable to accelerate. On my way home this occurred at 70mph on the highway and the truck downshifted and caused tires to lock up. Dealership diagnosed this as lead frame failure
Incident date: Dec 31, 1969
Engine started knocking so took to the GMC dealer they said the engine needs to be replaced.
Incident date: Dec 1, 2023
Truck bucked twice in high-speed lane of the highway, gas pedal went soft and we luckily were able to coast the truck to the side of the highway without getting hit. The truck put itself in neutral when we lost the engine and the truck would not restart. It had to be towed, while me and my two kids stood on the side of a dangerous highway for 45 minutes in the snow. The truck has 52,000 miles, Eng... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2023
Truck bucked twice in high-speed lane of the highway, gas pedal went soft and we luckily were able to coast the truck to the side of the highway without getting hit. The truck put itself in neutral when we lost the engine and the truck would not restart. It had to be towed, while me and my two kids stood on the side of a dangerous highway for 45 minutes in the snow. The truck has 52,000 miles, Eng... Read more
Incident date: Jan 19, 2026
The rear backup camera system on my 2016 Ford Fusion S has failed and no longer displays an image when the vehicle is placed in reverse. The screen remains completely black and does not activate. The backup camera previously worked normally before this failure. The issue appears to be related to the backup camera or associated electrical/display system, and the component should be available for in... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2026
We have a 2016 Acura MDX. The connecting rod bearing caused the engine to be damaged, resulting in a knocking noise, and decreased engine output. This resulted in the engine needing to be replaced. The reason for the engine failures was the exact issue in NHTSA Recall 23V-751. While our vehicle is the same year, make and model of the recall, we are being told that because our manufactured dat... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2026
After having recall 22v-406 completed on November 24,2024 I am nearing time to complete a fuel filter change which after having this recall completed specifies a particular part number requirement and this fuel filter pn 68632011AA is not available anywhere, so now I am at risk for my filter getting clogged and my vehicle stalling and if a gas station gets gasoline put in the diesel tank and it g... Read more
Incident date: Dec 18, 2025
I went to pull seat belt across me and the whole belt including the box that is attached by a wire cable came with it. It's no longer attached to the floor. I didn't have any signs that it was lose or anything it just broke when I got into my seat getting ready to leave my home.
Incident date: Feb 6, 2025
Improper seal on the seam (?) above let water leak into my power tailgate control module. It caused all the dash lights to sporadically rapidly flash, told me I have a transmission problem and my blind spot warning didn’t work right. Pulled out the tailgate module to find water in the module with a failed circuit board. Also wires leading into the module were wet