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
Incident date: Mar 23, 2026
I am writing to report a recurring safety issue with my vehicle’s transmission. When attempting to accelerate into traffic, the engine revs high but fails to deliver power to the wheels, acting as if it is in neutral. This failure to shift into gear has occurred several times and poses a significant safety risk. I have maintained the vehicle regularly, including recent fluid changes. My researc... Read more
Incident date: Mar 26, 2026
It has happened on multiple occasions where I’m driving at 70mph, and my engine cuts out and I can no longer accelerate on the highway. My rpm’s drop to 0. I have to pull over until it comes back on again. It’s putting my safety, my children’s safety at risk, other drivers on the road at risk when all of the sudden my car will not accelerate.. has not been inspected by manufacturer. No ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2026
I respectfully submit the following additional information.In connection with this matter, the dealer in question asserted in writing that I "should have refused to participate" in the manufacturer-authorized "Z05 Service Campaign"—a measure designed to prevent potential damage—and characterized the program as nothing more than "free paint work." Service campaigns administered by manufacturers... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2026
I am submitting this formal complaint regarding an active safety recall affecting the seat belt system of my 2025 Hyundai Palisade XRT. Hyundai has acknowledged the existence of the defect. However, I was informed by a Hyundai customer service representative [XXX] ), under case number XXX, that there is currently no available remedy or repair for this recall. This situation is deeply concerning, ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2026
Onstar keeps running and failed. Nothing works on car without it. Its dead after shutting it off. And no safety features work.
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Mar 20, 2026
Onstar keeps running and failed. Nothing works on car without it. Its dead after shutting it off. And no safety features work.
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Feb 19, 2026
The internal core of the Exhaust Heat Recovery System (EHRS), part of the center muffler/front pipe assembly (#28600-L5210), suffered a catastrophic failure. This allowed approximately 9 gallons of engine coolant to leak directly into the hot exhaust stream. Safety Risk: This failure creates a severe visibility hazard. During acceleration from stop lights and stop signs, the vehicle emits massive,... Read more
Incident date: Feb 19, 2026
The engine stop/start system on my 2016 Honda Accord, VIN [XXX], has stalled and shut off without warning in active Los Angeles traffic dozens of times since September 2025. The vehicle loses all power mid-drive with no warning — no dashboard lights, no warning sounds — leaving me unable to accelerate or respond to surrounding traffic. The condition has progressively worsened and now includes ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 19, 2026
The engine stop/start system on my 2016 Honda Accord, VIN [XXX], has stalled and shut off without warning in active Los Angeles traffic dozens of times since September 2025. The vehicle loses all power mid-drive with no warning — no dashboard lights, no warning sounds — leaving me unable to accelerate or respond to surrounding traffic. The condition has progressively worsened and now includes ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 23, 2026
Seatbeall does not click in
Incident date: Mar 12, 2026
steering gets stuck or requires intense effort to move from center, specially on freeway or slight turns. feels dangerous specially when being on the freeway. took it to get looked at & they want me to pay for a repair that is listed on other cars that were recalled.
Incident date: Jan 2, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while driving on the freeway at approximately 35 MPH, another vehicle approaching from the opposite direction attempted to make a left turn and collided with the contact's vehicle. The point of impact was the front driver's side wheel well and side bumper area, with additional damage noted on the front passenger side bumper. No warning l... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Mar 25, 2026
I am reporting a recurring safety issue involving sudden loss of power while driving in my 2023 Ford Escape. The vehicle has experienced multiple incidents where, while accelerating or pulling into traffic, it suddenly loses power, hesitates, or fails to respond to the accelerator. In some cases, the RPM drops unexpectedly, and the vehicle will not move or respond for several seconds. After this ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 22, 2026
After purchasing this car used, I signed up for MyBMW remote services. My account portal stated Emergency SOS call button and crash detection services were active on my car. I decided to test, and it turns out it's not, due to the issue in SIB 84 09 22. The car will just receive a call failed message, since it's trying to do voice calls in 3G, due to the improperly programmed 4G telematics unit.... Read more
Incident date: Mar 22, 2026
Coolent intrusion, coolent leaking into cylinder number 2 causing a misfire and excessive white smoke every time I start the vehicle, seems this is a manufacturing flaw from the research I've done with so many other people having the same complaints because the engine block is the cause of the problem the way they designed it ford acknowledged the problem saying it's the engine block because of a ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 19, 2022
car transmission issue not getting enough power while putting foot on gas pedal rpm goes upto 5k for getting speed not shifting gear properly
HYUNDAI
SANTA CRUZ
(2022) — POWER TRAIN
Mar 26, 2026
Incident date: Mar 19, 2026
"The 8-speed Dual Clutch Transmission and engine (Cylinder 4) failed on my 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz SEL Premium AWD with 37,780 miles. Both components are available for inspection upon request. While merging onto the highway in Sport Mode, the vehicle experienced violent shuddering and noise so severe I believed I had multiple flat tires simultaneously — specifically both front and rear passenger... Read more
HYUNDAI
SANTA CRUZ
(2022) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Mar 26, 2026
Incident date: Mar 19, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled in the middle of the road. The vehicle was successfully restarted and moved over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a blown head gasket, a misfire in the engine, and coolant mixing with the engine oil; however, the ... Read more
HYUNDAI
SANTA CRUZ
(2022) — ENGINE
Mar 26, 2026
Incident date: Mar 19, 2026
Safety Risk: The vehicle suffered a sudden loss of power while driving. Without any warning light or prior symptoms, the car began "pulling". I was advised by mechanics that the vehicle was unsafe to drive due to the severity of the misfire. After two expensive spark plug repairs in six months, the engine light finally triggered during a trip, revealing that the internal defect was significantly w... Read more
Incident date: Mar 12, 2026
For several months I have been having problems off and on with my vehicle not shifting into drive, neutral, or reverse. It runs fine but becomes undrivable. Until this last time, I was always able to keep trying, let it sit overnight, etc... and it would eventually shift into gear. Currently it does not, I had to have it towed to a shop to be repaired. This is a problem, the vehicle has left m... Read more
Incident date: Mar 23, 2026
The vehicle experienced significant vibration at highway speeds and during braking within the first 6 months of ownership. The issue was confirmed by a dealership, and the rotors were resurfaced as a corrective action. The problem has now returned, and the rear brakes have worn down to metal-on-metal at approximately 35,000 miles. The rear brake pads are also unevenly worn, while the front brake ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 23, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and turning the steering wheel, the vehicle stalled. The failure also occurred while making a turn from a complete stop. The vehicle was restarted. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions; however, the dealer informed the contact that no failure was ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 23, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the windshield wiper compartment inadvertently opened. There was a failure with the seat belts. The contact stated that the driver’s side seat belt was excessively loose, and the front passenger’s side seat belt was overly tight. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed an... Read more
Incident date: Mar 24, 2026
The contact's husband owns a 2022 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving at 20 MPH, the vehicle shut off with the message "Press Brake Pedal to Start" displayed on the instrument panel. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle several times and added fuel to the fuel tank jug; however, the vehicle failed to restart. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechan... Read more
Incident date: Oct 20, 2022
Engine warning lamp illuminated as the engine lost some power. Code was diagnosed as the knock sensor issue. Unit taken to mechanic to evaluate and diagnose. Repair shop notified us that based on the sensor, the engine could succumb to a failure at any time. Engine oil was flushed, cleaned, and replaced. Code was addressed currently. This is similar to the failures observed by other engines ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
I was driving and white smoke started coming out of my exhaust. The vehicle was idling erratically. I pulled over and took it to the side of the road. Ended up taking it to the dealership, they confirmed it needs a new engine because of coolant intrusion. This is a known issue to the dealership and public knowledge that the 2019 Ford Edge 2.0 ecoboost engines have this defect . They quoted me $15,... Read more
Incident date: Mar 26, 2026
The wiring for the air bag system under the driver's seat is exposed and unprotected which has led to disconnection and or damage to the wiring harness which then results in a disabled air bag system. This is a manufacturer design flaw and a serious safety issue. Other owners who have experienced damage to their wiring harness here have had disabled air bag systems for prolonged periods and costly... Read more
Incident date: Mar 26, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V586000 (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 h... Read more
Incident date: Mar 26, 2026
I have taken my car to service in January, and it has had all the recalls fixes done, supposedly. Just the last two weeks I have been feeling a notchy sensation when steering, it resists and then jumps to the next notch when turning. Not a smooth feeling as it did during the first year of usage.
Incident date: Jan 19, 2026
On January 19, 2026, the vehicle lost power while driving and required a tow to the local dealership. After inspection, the dealership determined that the ICCU was at fault and needed to be replaced. The ICCU part was backordered. The vehicle was inoperable for 6 weeks as we waited for the part to be available and installed.
Incident date: Jan 19, 2026
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine). The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact observed a leak underneath the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was determined that the master seal was leaking and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The repairs were den... Read more
Incident date: Jan 19, 2026
Radio has zero sound - the issue is the radio sound also has the blinker sound, hands free safety/navigation guidance along with the On Star safety function. None of that is functional. The dealer states it's a known issue and parts are not available. How can this be when they keep building new units. GM has been contacted with zero help and no response around my safety concerns. While it seems l... Read more
Incident date: Mar 14, 2026
There's a very common issue with these vehicles where the steering rack breaks and causes a number of issues including a clunking noise when driving over bumps and a rattle in steering wheel when turning left and right. However the most important and dangerous issue is that the steering wheel stops returning to center after making a turn. The steering wheel will move about 1/2 of the way back to c... Read more
Incident date: Mar 14, 2026
6.2L Engine has well documneted problem with the valvetrane, I have had to fix it 2 times in 3 months. I have pictures and documents from servicing dealerships. Since my ownership, it has always been dealer-serviced. Unexpected catastrophic engine failure, which happened on a major interstate. GM service technicians know there is a valvetrane issue. This instance, the warning light came on under a... Read more
Incident date: Mar 7, 2026
I see there was a P0420 error code related to catalytic converter oil consumption recall, but when I put in my VIN it said no recalls. This is for a 2020 Hyundai Elantra 2020. The problem comes and goes and was able to be reproduced or confirmed by a dealer Hyundai. The warning lamps, messages comes on frequently and was reportedly fixed charges $2000 for a sensor. I the code and it is all over th... Read more
Incident date: Mar 7, 2026
I see there was a P0420 error code related to catalytic converter oil consumption recall, but when I put in my VIN it said no recalls. This is for a 2020 Hyundai Elantra 2020. The problem comes and goes and was able to be reproduced or confirmed by a dealer Hyundai. The warning lamps, messages comes on frequently and was reportedly fixed charges $2000 for a sensor. I the code and it is all over th... Read more
Incident date: Mar 7, 2026
This vehicle is subject to Safety Recall 24V-700 (Manufacturer Recall R24B2) due to a defect in the lithium-ion battery that can cause a fire during Level 3 DC Fast Charging. Since the initial notice, I have received four separate recall communications from the manufacturer, yet as of March 2026, no permanent remedy has been provided. The manufacturer’s only "interim" solution is an instruction... Read more
Incident date: Oct 4, 2024
I am reporting a persistent and unresolved excessive oil consumption issue that I began to notice at approximately 61,000 miles. I follow all routine maintenance and oil change schedules, but my car has returned to the dealership I purchased from (only owner), three times for this specific problem. - First Visit (64,074 miles): I shared my observations of excessive oil consumption to the dealershi... Read more
Incident date: Oct 4, 2024
Head gasket failure diagnosed by Wittmeier Honda in February of 2026 Chico Ca. Car was initially throwing misfire codes, battery, fuel pump, then fuel injectors were replaced. Took it back to the dealer because car would sputter, dash is blacking out and I'm unable to indicate the speed at which I'm traveling, white smoke from exhaust, misfire, poor gas mileage, car nearly stalling in intersection... Read more
Incident date: Mar 21, 2026
Hyundai Tucson Sport 2016 GDI engine. I am the original owner of this truck I have taken care of this truck so much it being my first brand new purchase. No oil leaks NOTHING! When I first purchased the vehicle I noticed that it would stall when I would accelerate but did not think too much of it since it was brand new. A few years passed started to notice frequent oil changes were supposed to be ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 21, 2026
Hyundai Tucson Sport 2016 GDI engine. I am the original owner of this truck I have taken care of this truck so much it being my first brand new purchase. No oil leaks NOTHING! When I first purchased the vehicle I noticed that it would stall when I would accelerate but did not think too much of it since it was brand new. A few years passed started to notice frequent oil changes were supposed to be ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 21, 2026
When driving home on the evening of 3/24, I was on the interstate (70mph) when my 2021 Nissan Rogue started to decelerate and would not gain speed. I got off at the next frontage road exit and when at the stop sign my check engine light came on and shortly after my car started sputtering when stopped and would barely gain speed. There was no prior warning lights or signs to indicate an issue. The ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 8, 2026
RE: Failed Radar Braking on a 2024 Hyundai Palisade What component or system failed or malfunctioned .. . . On Feb 8th, 2026 I was driving in to Lakeland FL on I-75 N, in the right hand lane, near a green stoplight following a car 2 lengths ahead. The radar cruise control was slowing me down, keeping up with the car in front. Another driver suddenly cut in front of me from the far left lane. T... Read more
Crash
3 injured
Incident date: Feb 8, 2026
RE: Failed Radar Braking on a 2024 Hyundai Palisade What component or system failed or malfunctioned .. . . On Feb 8th, 2026 I was driving in to Lakeland FL on I-75 N, in the right hand lane, near a green stoplight following a car 2 lengths ahead. The radar cruise control was slowing me down, keeping up with the car in front. Another driver suddenly cut in front of me from the far left lane. T... Read more
Crash
3 injured
Incident date: Feb 8, 2026
The airbag SRS sensor on the passenger side cuts on even if someone is sitting in the passenger seat. Then it will randomly cut off when no one is in the passenger seat. I’m concerned that if I was to have a wreck then someone could die. I called the Subaru dealership when I first noticed it 2 years ago. They told me to bring it up there. They checked it out and said that no codes were showing. ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 24, 2026
My check engine light came on stating my engine coolant was low. I took it to a shop and was told I needed to replace my filter/coolant housing assembly.
Incident date: Mar 13, 2026
The vehicle has had an open recall for over 12 months with no remedy. The open recall represents a serious and dangerous fault that makes the vehicle unfit for purpose. Nissans lack of resolution to the problem has serious and severe consequences.
Incident date: Mar 25, 2026
Subject: Safety Concern – Excessive Automatic Braking (2025 Hyundai Tucson) I am reporting a safety concern regarding the automatic braking system (Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist and Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist) in my 2025 Hyundai Tucson. The vehicle frequently applies sudden and aggressive braking in situations where there is no immediate collision risk. This occurs during normal d... Read more
Incident date: Mar 25, 2026
Subject: Safety Concern – Excessive Automatic Braking (2025 Hyundai Tucson) I am reporting a safety concern regarding the automatic braking system (Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist and Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist) in my 2025 Hyundai Tucson. The vehicle frequently applies sudden and aggressive braking in situations where there is no immediate collision risk. This occurs during normal d... Read more