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
HYUNDAI
SANTA FE SPORT
(2013) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Sep 5, 2025
Incident date: Sep 2, 2025
Trunk would not open. Only way to open was to pop open the internal latch access port and switch the latch open with a screw driver. Trunk would not open with key fob, rear handle, or buttons on driver side dashboard.
Incident date: Oct 21, 2022
Check engine light came on at 100,400 mile while on the freeway and car went into limp mode. Mechanic found P1326 code and the engine knocking. Tried to drive it to the dealership and the engine seized up. Towed it to the dealership and waiting to hear if Hyundai will pay for a new engine under their extended warranty campaign.
Incident date: Aug 30, 2025
On 4-5 occasions, the auto shutoff system will shut the vehicle down at a stop light when the brake is depressed. The vehicle did not restart as normal. In order to get the vehicle to restart, the vehicle has to be turned completely off and allowed to sit for 1 minute. The battery was fully charged and less than 1 yr old. The dealer was asked and did not find any problems and could not determi... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2025
The vinyl on the top part of the dash has completely seperated which is causing a major white reflection on my window and rendering the car unsafe to drive. Ford refuses to address the issue. I also suspect if my air bags deployed this could impact how they deploy or cause additional vinyl shrapnel hitting an occupant in the face in the event of a crash.
Incident date: Jul 1, 2025
The vinyl on the top part of the dash has completely seperated which is causing a major white reflection on my window and rendering the car unsafe to drive. Ford refuses to address the issue. I also suspect if my air bags deployed this could impact how they deploy or cause additional vinyl shrapnel hitting an occupant in the face in the event of a crash.
Incident date: Jul 25, 2025
The camshaft position sensor internal rubber plug is faulty and it allows oil to leak into the sensor housing. Ruining the sensor and the brushes and housing. It causes the check engine light to come on the idle races and car takes off on its own. Can’t drive it because it’s to dangerous. Once it takes off then it goes into limp mode and you can’t pull out because of no power. 40000 miles. T... Read more
Incident date: Jul 25, 2025
The camshaft position sensor internal rubber plug is faulty and it allows oil to leak into the sensor housing. Ruining the sensor and the brushes and housing. It causes the check engine light to come on the idle races and car takes off on its own. Can’t drive it because it’s to dangerous. Once it takes off then it goes into limp mode and you can’t pull out because of no power. 40000 miles. T... Read more
Incident date: Jul 25, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while driving on the freeway, the oil and engine lights illuminated. The engine oil pump alert began to produce an abnormal beeping sound. The contact was able to pull over and park safely. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to the local dealer the following day. The vehicle was diagnosed, and the failur... Read more
Incident date: Jul 4, 2025
Went into limp mode on a highway in heavy traffic, car began to break rapidly decreasing in speed and would not accelerate at all. All dashboard lights came on and a CMBS notification came on. I and my family were almost rear ended by several vehicles. I am terrified to drive the vehicle and immediately pulled over to the side of the road and had vehicle towed. Also, while driving vehicle, steerin... Read more
Incident date: Aug 28, 2025
Component or System: Engine – Coolant intrusion into the combustion chamber (cylinder 2). The vehicle and documentation (dealer diagnostic report, photos) are available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: Coolant intrusion causes engine misfires, loss of power, and rapid coolant loss, which can lead to sudden engine stalling or hydrolock at highway speeds. A stall could result in loss of ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 30, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Fiat 124 Spider. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V694000 (Air Bags); however, the part to complete the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was determined that the air bag control module software needed to be updated. The dealer informed the contact that the repair could not be completed becau... Read more
Incident date: Sep 5, 2025
The passenger back door unlocked and slightly open
Incident date: Aug 27, 2025
I hit a deer going 60mph and the side airbags in the pillars attempted to deploy but did not appear to fully inflate, not only that but my steering wheel airbag did not deploy at all/no other airbags deployed.
Crash
Incident date: Oct 5, 2024
horn has stopped working. Seems to be a systemic issue when looking online in Forums etc... I have scheduled the problem to be fixed and it is not a fuse issue. It will be a month before the dealership is able to get me in to assess the problem. This is a safety related issue and this needs to be addressed with the manufacturer.
Incident date: Sep 4, 2025
See attached document for complaint.
HYUNDAI
SONATA HYBRID
(2022) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
Sep 5, 2025
Incident date: Aug 20, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front headlights failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the front headlights were dim. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact referenced an Extended Warranty Program for the failure; however, the Extended Warranty had expired in 2023. The manufacturer was made a... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2025
I was driving my morning commute to work, when I came upon a stop light. I was pressing the brakes and the brakes failed to engage which caused me to hit a car in front of me. I did not have any warnings that the brakes were defective. The warning on the dash did not indicate that there was anything wrong with brakes. I had my set belt, was going the speed limit and my brakes just gave out. I have... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Jul 9, 2025
On [XXX] while driving my 2019 Honda Insight Touring at approximately 35 mph on [XXX] , the vehicle’s automatic emergency braking system suddenly activated without any obstacle present. The car braked very hard, creating a dangerous situation in traffic. This was not the first time it has happened. The same issue occurred on two separate occasions in 2022, also with no vehicles or obstacles nea... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2006
My car is consuming oil. I was two and a half quarts down when I checked it and the oil light never came on! I'm glad I checked it when I did! The car is consuming oil and has to be checked every day to every other day. I called the local KIA dealership and of course, NO RECALLS. What do I do now?
Incident date: Aug 22, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Nissan Rogue. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V437000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the engine was running rough while driving at va... Read more
HYUNDAI
SANTA CRUZ
(2023) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Sep 5, 2025
Incident date: Jul 17, 2025
The radio in this vehicle has a widespread issue where the screen delaminates and starts ghost touching . Options are randomly selected , people are randomly called , emergency services are attempted to be contacted. Basically anything that the radio controls in the car could be changed or activated . This is extremely distracting and could cause someone to take their focus off the road and cause ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 4, 2025
The rearview camera on my 2015 Lincoln MKC stopped working. The screen is either blank or distorted, which makes it unsafe to back up since I cannot see behind the vehicle. I have not yet gone to the dealer about this issue. I see there is an active recall (25V270000) for this problem, but my VIN shows no coverage.
Incident date: Aug 29, 2025
I am getting a “rear seat belt monitor fault” warning on my dash accompanied by an air bag warning light. It is also not allowing the auto start stop function to work as the vehicle states it cannot verify the driver seat belt is fastened. I have read in online forums that this is not an isolated issue.
Incident date: Aug 29, 2025
This vehicle is 3 years old and has 29k miles driven. The forward collision avoidance system stopped working and can no longer be turned on. This installed safety feature is no longer usable and is a risk to passengers in the event of a road Hazzard situation presents itself. The system failed without warning. The vehicle was taken into the dealer for inspection and the dealer confirmed that the D... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V031000 (Structure) and 25V347000 (Structure); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that the driver's side and passenger's side windshield exterior A-pillar trims and door exterior B-pillar trims had detached. The contact used tape to secure the t... Read more
Incident date: Dec 31, 1969
Engine started smoking, burning smell, exhaust smoking, stopped working, won't drive anymore, won't start , if do get it started it idles high then crashes. No warning lights. Coolant isn't leaking but it's using all reserve coolant. No longer drivable.
Incident date: Aug 22, 2025
the vehicle's antitheft system automatically triggers. There are two different events here: 1. Anti theft system triggers when the engine is off. When I attempt to start the car, the engine will not activate. By going through a series of locking and unlocking attempts (via key fob, via door locks, via keyless entry) I can eventually get the engine started. This event happens every other day.... Read more
Incident date: Sep 4, 2025
My 2020 Acura MDX is throwing up multiple dashboard warnings related to the camera sensor—involving systems like Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Assist, Collision Mitigation, and Road Departure Mitigation. These systems rely heavily on the Multipurpose Camera Unit mounted near the rearview mirror. I took it to my Acura Dealership Service and they concluded it's the Multipurpose Camera Uni... Read more
Incident date: Sep 4, 2025
My 2020 Acura MDX is throwing up multiple dashboard warnings related to the camera sensor—involving systems like Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Assist, Collision Mitigation, and Road Departure Mitigation. These systems rely heavily on the Multipurpose Camera Unit mounted near the rearview mirror. I took it to my Acura Dealership Service and they concluded it's the Multipurpose Camera Uni... Read more
Incident date: Jan 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The contact pulled over to the right side of the road and waited for several minutes before the vehicle started working as intended. The check engine warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to a deale... Read more
Incident date: Apr 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal rattling coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while driving at 20 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed... Read more
Incident date: Jul 19, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light unexpectedly illuminated. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 138,718.
Incident date: Jul 19, 2025
The Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software malfunctioned by failing to detect abnormal vibrations or knocking sounds. As a result, there was significant internal engine damage that caused the vehicle to seize unexpectedly in the middle of traffic on 4/10/25. The car started and abnormal noises were noted from the engine though not significant. week later, car stalled several times on inters... Read more
Incident date: Aug 22, 2025
Sun glare is a well-documented driving hazard, yet Tesla’s Y model’s visors are too short to offer sufficient coverage. This compromises driver safety and forces customers to seek aftermarket solutions for a problem rooted in design. A responsible manufacturer should address this defect directly. Driving home as sun was setting, I was completely BLINDED by the sun. It was terrifying as the vis... Read more
Incident date: Sep 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 3500 equipped with Nexen Tires, Tire size: 235/80/R17, Tire Line: Roadian ATX, DOT Numbers: 8EX6CMDL4517, 8EX6CMLL1616, 8EX6CMDR1017, 8EX6CMDL1017 and 8EX6CMCL1017. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, two of the tires exploded into pieces on different occasions. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was taken to a tire sh... Read more
Incident date: Sep 3, 2025
Fuel pump driver control module went out in my car while trying to drive forward in my drive way. My car will not start again.
Incident date: Sep 3, 2025
The Entune 3.0 System governs navigation, calls etc. The system on my car has been replaced 4 times and still does not work. This is a life safety issue as the system grabs phone calls while driving without being able to answer. It also makes it frequently impossible to use hands free on the phone as it grabs calls. In order to avoid it grabbing calls I have to disable bluetooth on my phone which ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 4, 2025
Sticking steering wheel. Does not return to center, stiff steering. If steering wheel is not manually return to center, vehicle will continue to turn.
HYUNDAI
SONATA HYBRID
(2012) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Sep 4, 2025
Incident date: Aug 27, 2025
On August 3rd, while driving on the freeway at 55mph, my vehicle's brakes became extremely stiff, and I could not press them down to engage the braking system. I was about to collide with the vehicle in front of me, so I quickly veered right without looking because I had no time. After moving to the right, the brakes finally slowed the vehicle to around 40mph. Luckily, the traffic light turned gre... Read more
Incident date: Aug 11, 2025
Excessive front end vibration causing strain to maintain lane control.
Incident date: Aug 11, 2025
The driver-side power door mirror on my 2023 Mazda CX-5 vibrates excessively at highway speeds above 75 mph, especially on windy days. The vibration is so severe that it causes a blurred and distorted view, making it difficult to clearly see vehicles in adjacent lanes. This poses a significant safety risk, as it impairs my ability to make safe lane changes and monitor surrounding traffic. I brough... Read more
Incident date: Jul 9, 2025
2017 Ford F150 with 2.7 Ecoboost Since Oct 2024 thru Present Error code P2450 with Check Engine Light Same issue with 2016 models and there are no recalls fore the 2017. WHY??? After vehicle sitting off fore shoot periot check light comes on with same error code Looks like your FIXD Sensor showed Engine Code P2450 on your 2017 Ford F-150 Definition: Evaporative Emission System Switching Valve Pe... Read more
Incident date: Sep 3, 2025
Car will buck/jerk at higher speeds, will also die at low speeds or idle, will fall on its face when trying full throttle, the oil light, check engine light, Limp mode will flash sometimes traction control, esp will flash most the time the 2 lights stay on Problem has been confirmed by 2 dealers. Puts my saftry at risk because engine will js die at 20mph i lose brakes and steering. Problem first a... Read more
HYUNDAI
TUCSON HYBRID
(2025) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Sep 3, 2025
Incident date: Jul 16, 2025
The touch screen in my car has developed a malfunction known as “ghost touch,” where the screen glitches and registers inputs I am not making. This failure involves the infotainment system, and the component is still available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of others were put at risk because the screen can suddenly change settings, including navigation, phone, and climat... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2025
Vehicle has active alerts for powertrain control module, and low boost pressure with the turbocharge along with emissions codes P0299, P0496 and P0456. The vehicle is constantly going into deep sleep mode. While driving the vehicle started to enter safe mode. And displayed an alert that said please turn ignition on. The dash and screen went black like vehicle was off but it was still running. This... Read more
Incident date: Aug 2, 2025
I am submitting a safety concern with my 2016 Chevrolet Colorado truck. This vehicle is experiencing intermittent loss of power steering assist, which poses a significant safety risk. This issue mirrors the defect described in the GM Recall 15595A, which affected 2015 Chevrolet Canyon and GMC Canyon models. The root cause appears to be a poor electrical connection in the torque sensor harness co... Read more
Incident date: Aug 2, 2025
I purchased a 2010 Buick Enclave from a dealer who did not disclose any major issues with the vehicle. After purchase, I began experiencing significant problems while driving, including difficulty shifting, loss of power, and unstable handling. Concerned for my safety, I took the Buick to a mechanic for inspection. The mechanic verified that: •The wrong transmission had been installed in the ve... Read more
Incident date: Nov 4, 2024
I drive a 2017 Honda Pilot Touring 9-speed and I’ve been dealing with some frustrating issues for last 3 years. The car has sudden loss of power, jerking, harsh shifting, and acceleration problems. I’ve done all the dealer-recommended maintenance (timing belt + water pump, spark plugs, valve adjustment, fuel injector cleaning, regular oil and transmission fluid changes), but the problem still... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2025
In heads up display i was driving down at 74 mph in cruise control with nobody around or in front to cause the vehicle to suddenly come to a complete stop by its self, I had to hit the accelerator so we wouldn't get rear ended. Then when we got home I was backing in my driveway and the automatic brakes locked up stopping me from backing up.