Consumer Safety Complaints
Search 2,215,138 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA — including 138,663 crashes, 56,255 fires, and 8,561 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 2,215,138 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 76,133 complaints for HYUNDAI
HYUNDAI
IONIQ PLUG-IN HYBRID
(2019) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Apr 22, 2026
Incident date: Apr 3, 2026
Supplemental to my complaint filed April 18, 2026 regarding Dick's Hillsboro Hyundai (dealer code OR035). The dealership's Service Manager (Robin Farr) provided me with an HMA training report from Hyundai's internal system. Every staff member is listed at "Certified": the baseline tier. No one is above this level. No EV/HEV-specific certification is indicated for any individual. Despite this, th... Read more
Incident date: Nov 12, 2025
The car goes into limp mode in the middle of driving on the interstate or usually at higher speeds and loses speed quickly. This has put me at high risk for accidents when traveling between cities and has left me stranded on dangerous parts of the interstate at times. I have taken it to my Hyundai dealer I bought the car from and they said there is a knock in the engine and the whole engine would ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 3, 2026
2020 palisades oil was changed ON TIME by my husband and at valvoline but has had extreme oil consumption after hitting around 90,000 and before oil change was due my engine is now ticking and is essentially blown.
Incident date: Jul 29, 2025
Vehicle engine started knocking heavily while driving down the road. Had vehicle inspected for issue and was told vehicle had burned all the oil down to one quart and the engine was destroyed. Vehicle recently serviced with oil change within roughly 3,000 miles.
Incident date: Dec 8, 2025
My wife was driving our Hyundai Tucson on the city street at about 35 mph. She signaled left to get into a turning lane. The turning lane has two lanes and is very long. She got into the turning lane and the traffic in front of her stopped. The car's collision avoidance system activated and slammed on the brakes even though the vehicle was not very close to the cars in front of her. As a resu... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Dec 8, 2025
My wife was driving our Hyundai Tucson on the city street at about 35 mph. She signaled left to get into a turning lane. The turning lane has two lanes and is very long. She got into the turning lane and the traffic in front of her stopped. The car's collision avoidance system activated and slammed on the brakes even though the vehicle was not very close to the cars in front of her. As a resu... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Apr 22, 2026
I own a Hyundai Elantra with approximately 103,000 miles. The vehicle has developed an intermittent issue where the engine will suddenly stall while driving. This most often occurs when I am decelerating and turning, such as when entering or navigating roundabouts. At the time of the stall, multiple warning indicators appear simultaneously, including the check engine light, battery warning light,... Read more
Incident date: Apr 22, 2026
I own a Hyundai Elantra with approximately 103,000 miles. The vehicle has developed an intermittent issue where the engine will suddenly stall while driving. This most often occurs when I am decelerating and turning, such as when entering or navigating roundabouts. At the time of the stall, multiple warning indicators appear simultaneously, including the check engine light, battery warning light,... Read more
Incident date: Apr 22, 2026
I own a Hyundai Elantra with approximately 103,000 miles. The vehicle has developed an intermittent issue where the engine will suddenly stall while driving. This most often occurs when I am decelerating and turning, such as when entering or navigating roundabouts. At the time of the stall, multiple warning indicators appear simultaneously, including the check engine light, battery warning light,... Read more
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
The vehicle has two display panels, molded into a single frame. There is an infotainment panel on the right that handles music, maps, and phone interaction. There is an instrument panel on the left. The infotainment panel has not issues. The instrument panel blanks out for 3 - 5 seconds every few minutes, and then reappears. Occasionally the words "No SIgnal" in big red letters will appear. Occ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
The vehicle has two display panels, molded into a single frame. There is an infotainment panel on the right that handles music, maps, and phone interaction. There is an instrument panel on the left. The infotainment panel has not issues. The instrument panel blanks out for 3 - 5 seconds every few minutes, and then reappears. Occasionally the words "No SIgnal" in big red letters will appear. Occ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 21, 2026
The contact owned a 2013 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. No warning lights were illuminated. A nearby Samaritan attempted to jump-start the vehicle, however the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that 15 minutes later, the contact attempted to start the vehicle, and the vehicle started. The O'Rileys, where it was ... Read more
Fire
1 injured
Incident date: Oct 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Palisade. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V607000 (SEAT BELTS) and 26V034000 (AIR BAGS); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact was informed that parts for the seat belts might be available in June 2026. The contact... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Palisade. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V607000 (SEAT BELTS) and 26V034000 (AIR BAGS); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact was informed that parts for the seat belts might be available in June 2026. The contact... Read more
Incident date: Apr 15, 2026
I own a 2021 Hyundai Palisade and have experienced a complete transmission failure that I believe Hyundai had prior knowledge of and failed to address. Before my warranty expired, I contacted the dealership several times to report transmission symptoms I was experiencing. I was told that because no diagnostic code had been produced at that time, there was nothing they could do. Eventually, my che... Read more
Incident date: Feb 27, 2026
The car lost power while driving and an electrical warning was displayed on the screen. The issue was later diagnosed as a failure of the ICCU and blown fuse that had been previously recalled and replaced. Now it needs to be replaced again.
Incident date: Feb 27, 2026
The car lost power while driving and an electrical warning was displayed on the screen. The issue was later diagnosed as a failure of the ICCU and blown fuse that had been previously recalled and replaced. Now it needs to be replaced again.
Incident date: Apr 14, 2026
On April 14, 2026, my 2019 Hyundai Sonata was parked at a retail store parking lot. Returning from the store, I attempted to start the car, and it did not start. I attempted to start it again, and I saw smoke coming out from under the hood. I immediately exited the vehicle and opened the hood. I saw open flames coming out of the engine area, about 4” high. I called 911 and waited about 10 minute... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Apr 14, 2026
On April 14, 2026, my 2019 Hyundai Sonata was parked at a retail store parking lot. Returning from the store, I attempted to start the car, and it did not start. I attempted to start it again, and I saw smoke coming out from under the hood. I immediately exited the vehicle and opened the hood. I saw open flames coming out of the engine area, about 4” high. I called 911 and waited about 10 minute... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Apr 14, 2026
On April 14, 2026, my 2019 Hyundai Sonata was parked at a retail store parking lot. Returning from the store, I attempted to start the car, and it did not start. I attempted to start it again, and I saw smoke coming out from under the hood. I immediately exited the vehicle and opened the hood. I saw open flames coming out of the engine area, about 4” high. I called 911 and waited about 10 minute... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Mar 28, 2026
Dear NHTSA, I am the owner of a 2013 Hyundai Tucson. On March 28, 2026, my husband took our vehicle to Keyes Hyundai Van Nuys dealership for a recall repair. However, the repair was not completed because a required part (brake fuse) was not available and had to be ordered. It has now been several weeks, and we have made multiple follow-up calls, but we have not received any update or callback. ... Read more
HYUNDAI
SANTA FE XL
(2019) — ENGINE
Apr 22, 2026
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe XL. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road, and the contact listened for the abnormal sound. The abnormal sound was persistent. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was ill... Read more
Incident date: Apr 17, 2026
I am writing to follow up on an ongoing issue with the seat belts in my Hyundai Palisade. I have previously reached out through multiple channels and have been in contact with a representative who has made efforts to assist, which I sincerely appreciate. However, the issue remains unresolved, and I am growing increasingly concerned. This vehicle is our primary family car. My wife relies on it dai... Read more
Incident date: Apr 21, 2026
Safety Risk: While traveling at approximately 25 MPH on the I-495 (way to work) the vehicle initiated a full-force emergency braking event (Phantom Braking) without any warning. There were absolutely no obstacles, vehicles, or pedestrians in the roadway ahead. This sudden, unprovoked stop nearly caused a rear-end collision with the vehicle following closely behind, putting myself and other car at ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 21, 2026
Safety Risk: While traveling at approximately 25 MPH on the I-495 (way to work) the vehicle initiated a full-force emergency braking event (Phantom Braking) without any warning. There were absolutely no obstacles, vehicles, or pedestrians in the roadway ahead. This sudden, unprovoked stop nearly caused a rear-end collision with the vehicle following closely behind, putting myself and other car at ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 3, 2025
I am reporting a pattern of systemic failures on a 2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid with approximately 131,000 miles. This is my second NHTSA complaint regarding this vehicle and manufacturer. Primary Safety Concern — Engine Wiring Harness: During a recent engine replacement at an authorized Hyundai dealership, technicians identified damage to the engine wiring harness and documented in writing that t... Read more
Incident date: Apr 3, 2026
Front (engine) subframe rusted out in 2026 after recall work was completed in 2023 for the known issue. Here is the service campaign information: "Service Campaign 984 2011-2016MY ELANTRA (MD/UD) UNDERBODY CORROSION PREVENTATIVE SERVICE"
Incident date: Mar 24, 2026
Rod bearing failure while driving, engine made a clanking noise. Engine made a loud bang and shut off. It was difficult for the driver to get control of the vehicle and get it to the side of the road. Engine threw the rod and piston through the oil pan causing catastrophic internal damage. The oil had been changed the day prior. The company that changed the oil sent an inspector to evaluate car... Read more
Incident date: Mar 21, 2026
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal burning odor coming from the vehicle. While depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated and stalled. The contact stated that the rear driver’s side brake light was inoperative. The failure occurred on several occasions. No warning lights were illuminated. The c... Read more
Incident date: Mar 21, 2026
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal burning odor coming from the vehicle. While depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated and stalled. The contact stated that the rear driver’s side brake light was inoperative. The failure occurred on several occasions. No warning lights were illuminated. The c... Read more
HYUNDAI
SANTA FE SPORT
(2017) — SEATS
Apr 21, 2026
Incident date: Apr 6, 2026
My ABS Lights the triangle with the ! In the middle goes in and off the down hill control light and the sweet control light all go on when the ABS light goes on my oil was completely dry had to add two quarts while the engine was ticking when started and when accelerating it was making a clicking noise I still had 3000 miles before needed an oil change but like I said it was bone dry and then the ... Read more
HYUNDAI
SANTA FE SPORT
(2017) — ENGINE
Apr 21, 2026
Incident date: Apr 6, 2026
My ABS Lights the triangle with the ! In the middle goes in and off the down hill control light and the sweet control light all go on when the ABS light goes on my oil was completely dry had to add two quarts while the engine was ticking when started and when accelerating it was making a clicking noise I still had 3000 miles before needed an oil change but like I said it was bone dry and then the ... Read more
HYUNDAI
SANTA FE SPORT
(2017) — SERVICE BRAKES
Apr 21, 2026
Incident date: Apr 6, 2026
My ABS Lights the triangle with the ! In the middle goes in and off the down hill control light and the sweet control light all go on when the ABS light goes on my oil was completely dry had to add two quarts while the engine was ticking when started and when accelerating it was making a clicking noise I still had 3000 miles before needed an oil change but like I said it was bone dry and then the ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 28, 2018
Throttle response intermittent problem no acceleration since new. No codes available. When entering traffic engine stall factor flat spot. Been to dealer many times (Bud Clary) and just recently (04/26) confirmed the fuel pump is the problem. Unable to confirm because of no "codes". Will not replace or register for recall without proper codes. No check engine lamp. No inspection by police or insur... Read more
Incident date: Apr 21, 2026
Oil pressure switch in engine fails to accurately read oil pressure due to a lack of voltage, needing replacement. Causes driver to be unable to read proper oil pressure, leading to a possibility of fire through extreme overheating and friction-induced mechanical failure if the oil pressure is too low and unable to be read. The part has not been inspected by the manufacturer in any capacity, but i... Read more
Incident date: Mar 28, 2026
We purchased a used 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe with approximately 105,000 miles. The vehicle has had regular routine maintenance and oil changes. Around 107,000 miles, the check engine light came on and the vehicle simultaneously started running rough. It was diagnosed with a failed valve on the #3 cylinder and now needs a total engine replacement. This issue also coincided with excess oil consumption.... Read more
Incident date: Dec 31, 2024
I own a 2011 Hyundai Tucson (VIN: [XXX] ). The vehicle had an engine replacement performed by Hyundai service. Immediately after picking up the car, I noticed a loud abnormal noise coming from underneath the vehicle. I reported the issue right away, but was told nothing was heard and it was dismissed. The noise has continued and worsened over time. I am concerned there may be damage or improper ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 13, 2025
Engine continuously burns oil excessively and the dealership is falsifying the oil consumption test. At my local oil change shop, there is no oil left on dipstick at 3,000 mile interval. When I took it to dealer for consumption test, they checked dipstick after 1,000 miles and it was OVER THE FULL LEVEL. How can the oil be over the full level? This indicates they overfilled it to begin with and in... Read more
Incident date: Mar 6, 2026
My 2020 Hyundai Palisade has an excessive and dangerous oil consumption defect. The vehicle consumes approximately 3/4 of a quart of oil every 1,000 miles. At a standard 8,000-mile oil change interval, the engine loses more oil than it holds between services. At approximately 185,000 miles, my vehicle stalled on the interstate with my family inside the vehicle. Upon inspection, the engine was cri... Read more
Incident date: Mar 6, 2026
My 2020 Hyundai Palisade has an excessive and dangerous oil consumption defect. The vehicle consumes approximately 3/4 of a quart of oil every 1,000 miles. At a standard 8,000-mile oil change interval, the engine loses more oil than it holds between services. At approximately 185,000 miles, my vehicle stalled on the interstate with my family inside the vehicle. Upon inspection, the engine was cri... Read more
Incident date: Apr 14, 2026
The glass in the sun roof imploded. It it available for inspection. The glass would have been propelled into the vehicle if the sun roof was open. The problem has been reported to the dealer and acknowledged. There was no warning prior to the implosion.
Incident date: Jun 20, 2025
This same incident has happened twice, June of 2025 and more recently March of 2026. My vehicle will essentially have no oil left causing my car to shake while breaking and eventually the car stalls out. The first time this occurred, my vehicle stalled out in the highway and again at a 4 way stop sign. I took it to the Hyundai dealership where an oil change, oil plug and oil filter was replaced. I... Read more
Incident date: Jun 20, 2025
This same incident has happened twice, June of 2025 and more recently March of 2026. My vehicle will essentially have no oil left causing my car to shake while breaking and eventually the car stalls out. The first time this occurred, my vehicle stalled out in the highway and again at a 4 way stop sign. I took it to the Hyundai dealership where an oil change, oil plug and oil filter was replaced. I... Read more
Incident date: Apr 20, 2026
My Hundai Tuscon 2017 was making a whurring sound on the highway, at which time my RPM's were not going over 3. As I was looking for places to pull over on the highway, I heard a loud 'pop' and then my engine started smoking and an intense rattling ensued to where I could hear a series of parts drop out of the bottom of my car. My car began smoking and the engine completely stalled just in time fo... Read more
Incident date: Apr 6, 2026
My 2024 Hyundai Palisade has been grounded and rendered completely undrivable for 15 cumulative days as of April 21, 2026, due to an open safety recall for which Hyundai has stated no remedy currently exists and no timeline for a fix has been provided. The vehicle was taken out of service on April 6,2026. due to the open recall 292. Hyundai issued interim notification letters in March 2026 advis... Read more
Incident date: Feb 16, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that the vehicle was stopped at a traffic light, while attempting to accelerate, the brakes engaged unexpectedly. On another occasion, while driving approximately 60 MPH, the brakes unexpectedly engaged without driver input and failed to properly respond for approximately 5 to 10 seconds. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle... Read more
Incident date: Jan 26, 2026
Vehicle is a 2025 Hyundai Palisade subject to Hyundai Recall 292, concerning improper deployment of the third-row side curtain air bags in a crash, in noncompliance with FMVSS 226 (Ejection Mitigation). Per Hyundai's recall notice, the remedy is still under development and no repair is currently available. The manufacturer has advised owners to continue driving while awaiting the remedy. The safe... Read more
Incident date: Jan 26, 2026
Vehicle is a 2025 Hyundai Palisade subject to Hyundai Recall 292, concerning improper deployment of the third-row side curtain air bags in a crash, in noncompliance with FMVSS 226 (Ejection Mitigation). Per Hyundai's recall notice, the remedy is still under development and no repair is currently available. The manufacturer has advised owners to continue driving while awaiting the remedy. The safe... Read more
Incident date: Jan 26, 2026
Vehicle is a 2025 Hyundai Palisade subject to Hyundai Recall 292, concerning improper deployment of the third-row side curtain air bags in a crash, in noncompliance with FMVSS 226 (Ejection Mitigation). Per Hyundai's recall notice, the remedy is still under development and no repair is currently available. The manufacturer has advised owners to continue driving while awaiting the remedy. The safe... Read more
Incident date: Apr 16, 2026
4/16/2026 at 1:35pm I was traveling north on Hwy 69 traveling +-45mph. Vehicle on my right in his lane and one vehicle in from of me about 50yrds. My vehicle auto applied the brakes and alarm indicating emergency collision to happen. A new minutes later (5 minutes) traveling in same direction same speed but NO cars on either side but one care approximately 100 yds in from and again the emergency ... Read more