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 71 complaints for IC BUS
Incident date: Jun 5, 2026
Exhaust leaks caused by calapsed exhaust manifold pipes on 34 IC units with PSI engines. they are wrapped with aluminium covering with insulation. This in turn makes high heat tempuraters that split and burn up and disfigure pipes. Which can cause a fire if any oil leakage or fuel occurs. It also has been snapping exhaust manifold bolts away from manifdolds.
Incident date: Mar 21, 2024
1. Component: Bus 15 - Right front outrigger. Yes it is available for inspection 2. Safety: Outrigger cracked creating insufficient support of the school bus body 3. We were told it was not covered under warranty and no recalls have been generated and therefore paid for the first repair through Wolfington Body Co. Inc. Their repair did not hold and it came apart and on 8/7/2024 it was repaired... Read more
Incident date: Jan 20, 2026
Driving along on an empty road and my panoramic sunroof back glass exploded it sounded like a gunshot going off. Could have caused a wreck it was so loud and scary.
Incident date: Nov 21, 2025
Car is suddenly stalling without warning during idling or slow acceleration. No check engine light initially appears. When the stall happens a check engine light comes on. When the car restarts there is not a check engine light. Car will sometimes mar a funny sound like a loud fan and jerking motion before acting “normal” but when idling at a light again will suddenly turn off. Car will start ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 23, 2025
On Sunday 10/19/2025, estimated 11:15 a.m., while traveling on the 215 West in Riverside, California, my 17 year old granddaughter, riding in the passenger front seat of my 2025 Honda Passport, and I, heard an explosion overhead and immediately could hear the sound of wind. I knew immediately something had happened to the sunroof. I looked into the rear view mirror and traffic around me was unaff... Read more
Incident date: Jul 30, 2024
Upon normal highway driving a couple of months ago, began to notice shifting that was not smooth and rpm "surges" on hills despite constant throttle. Upon taking car to dealer, inspection revealed an internal spline failure between transmission and transfer case. Lead mechanic explained it was not the first he had seen of this model and that it was clearly internal and caused by a manufacturing ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 22, 2022
2017: transmission replacement UW 2021: Vehicle stopped/ lost power on I44 at a speed of 70 mph. I immediately pulled over and called Roper on a recorded line per roper Honda. Took it to roper- needs a new motor. 2021: motor replacement Not UW 2024: vehicle was called in about hatch defect . Apparently, Roper reports that it is fixed yet- it IS NOT. I was unaware of the rods recall. That would... Read more
Incident date: May 5, 2025
Sliding door malfunction. Door will not hold its weight and full force closes or opens if operating at an inclined position.
Incident date: May 12, 2025
My wife was driving with my kids when there sounded like an explosion and the sunroof exploded. There was nothing around that hit the glass and we haven't been involved in any accidents that may have compromised the integrity of the glass. The sound sounds like an explosion and luckily when it scared my wife while driving, she didn't jerk the wheel and flip the vehicle. Also, thankfully the sunr... Read more
Incident date: May 12, 2025
My wife was driving with my kids when there sounded like an explosion and the sunroof exploded. There was nothing around that hit the glass and we haven't been involved in any accidents that may have compromised the integrity of the glass. The sound sounds like an explosion and luckily when it scared my wife while driving, she didn't jerk the wheel and flip the vehicle. Also, thankfully the sunr... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Camaro. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V148000 (Power Train); 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 manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms pa... Read more
Incident date: Mar 27, 2025
• What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The harness buckle on the Nuna Rava car seat repeatedly failed to latch securely and would occasionally release with very little force. This issue occurred even when the buckle was free from debris and used according to the manual. The seat is still in my possession and is available for inspectio... Read more
Incident date: Mar 27, 2025
The electronic tailgate randomly opens on it's own/fails and opens when it has not been pushed to open. The vehicle is available for inspection. The tailgate opens randomly and can be unknown that it is open. No warning of it at all. It has happened multiple times, the most recent being today 4/7/2025. I know that a recall has happened with other models for this exact same issue.
Incident date: Mar 5, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 BMW 428I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was not made aware of... Read more
Incident date: May 11, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Edge. The contact stated while the vehicle was in for an oil change, the independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and informed the contact that there was a coolant leak into the spark plug which could damage the engine and the engine might need to be replaced, if the vehicle was not repaired. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact researched online and b... Read more
Incident date: May 11, 2022
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V050000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufa... Read more
Incident date: Feb 9, 2024
While driving, heard a LOUD noise like a large rock hit the top of my 2018 kia sorento SXL, which I just purchased four days ago with 44,441 miles on it~ when I stopped to inspect the panorama sunroof, front panel was shattered could see no impact point of a rock or anything hitting it- researching online seems this happens a lot to Kia vehicles with a panorama sunroof. Also Hyundai and BMW ~see... Read more
Incident date: Sep 20, 2023
My grandson used the safety restraint in the middle second row seat. He pulled the belt out to put it on and it would not retract. I have taken it to the dealership to have it fixed but there is a fee of $515 to fix it. I do not feel I should have to pay the since it seems to be an ongoing problem with the Acadia model. I purchased a 2018 model before this one and the same thing happened with... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2022
K Neal International delivered an unsafe school bus to me. The bus leaks when it rains; onto the seats and students. The stop arm malfunctioned; staying in the open/on position, causing confusion for other drivers. This turned out to be an electrical relay problem. The driver side window has a gap in it large enough for a small animal to get through. When it's windy out, the entry door opens o... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2022
K Neal International delivered an unsafe school bus to me. The bus leaks when it rains; onto the seats and students. The stop arm malfunctioned; staying in the open/on position, causing confusion for other drivers. This turned out to be an electrical relay problem. The driver side window has a gap in it large enough for a small animal to get through. When it's windy out, the entry door opens o... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle would not properly accelerate. While attempting the accelerate from being stationary, the vehicle would not immediately accelerate. The cause of the failure was not yet available. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2022
K Neal International delivered an unsafe school bus to me. The bus leaks when it rains; onto the seats and students. This is a brand new 2023 school bus. Also, my suspension has already begun to leak. NHTSA doesn't have any recall information listed for my VIN, but I've received recall paperwork from IC Bus, LLC/Navistar about a recall on the hex flange lock nut. Why do you, NHTSA, not have t... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH and coming to a green light with no vehicles nearby, the Eyesight Driver Assist camera malfunctioned and the vehicle came to an abrupt stop. The Collision Prevention braking system activated with the warning light displayed on the instrument panel. The contact immediately deactivated the fuel saving button and depresse... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2022
New car with less than 1800 miles. Multiple times where The car will frequently and unexpectedly slam on the brakes while in autopilot on the highway. Almost caused an accident twice and I was terrified. Did not know about this problem but this can cause an accident.
Incident date: Nov 1, 2021
The contact's school district owns a 2020 International 3000 school bus. The contact stated that the seat belt buckles were broken. The vehicle was repaired by the dealer on 5/17/2021, when 15 seat belt buckles in the first 3 rows were broken and replaced, and on 1/6/2021, when 16 seat belt buckles in the first 3 rows were broken and replaced. However, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not rep... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2021
The contact's school district owns a 2021 International 3000 school bus. The contact stated that the seat belt buckles were broken. The vehicle was repaired by the dealer on 10/20/2020, when 18 seat belt buckles in the first 3 rows were broken and replaced. However, the failure recurred with 40 broken seat belt buckles. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2021
The contact's school district owns a 2019 International 3000 school bus. The contact stated that the seat belt buckles were broken. The vehicle was repaired by the dealer on two separate occasions, on 11/202020, when 18 seat belt buckles in the first 3 rows were broken and replaced and on 12/17/2020, when 15 seat belt buckles in the first 3 rows were broken and replaced. The failure recurred. The ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 16, 2021
THE BUS WAS ON THE HIGHWAY GETTING UP TO SPEED WHEN THE TRANSMISSION HAD AN ELECTRIC COMPONENT FAIL AND THAT CAUSED THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WITH NO THROTTLE RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE COASTED TO A STOP AND HAD NO WAY TO MOVE THE VEHICLE AT ALL. WE HAVE SISTER BUSES THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ALSO BUT IT HAS BEEN AT A PARKING LOT OR IN OUR LOT WE HAVE 5 MORE OF THESE BUSES. IF THIS HAPPENS IN AN INTERSE... Read more
Incident date: Apr 16, 2021
THE BUS WAS ON THE HIGHWAY GETTING UP TO SPEED WHEN THE TRANSMISSION HAD AN ELECTRIC COMPONENT FAIL AND THAT CAUSED THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WITH NO THROTTLE RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE COASTED TO A STOP AND HAD NO WAY TO MOVE THE VEHICLE AT ALL. WE HAVE SISTER BUSES THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ALSO BUT IT HAS BEEN AT A PARKING LOT OR IN OUR LOT WE HAVE 5 MORE OF THESE BUSES. IF THIS HAPPENS IN AN INTERSE... Read more
Incident date: Oct 2, 2019
ENGINE FAILED DUE TO LOST COMPRESSION DURING A SCHOOL ROUTE.
Incident date: Mar 12, 2019
ENGINE FAILED DUE TO LOST COMPRESSION DURING A SCHOOL ROUTE.
Incident date: May 3, 2019
ENGINE FAILED DUE TO LOST COMPRESSION DURING A SCHOOL ROUTE.
Incident date: Apr 3, 2019
ENGINE FAILED DUE TO LOST COMPRESSION DURING A SCHOOL ROUTE.
Incident date: Sep 4, 2019
ENGINE FAILED DUE TO LOST COMPRESSION DURING A SCHOOL ROUTE.
Incident date: Nov 5, 2018
ENGINE FAILED DUE TO LOST COMPRESSION DURING A SCHOOL ROUTE.
Incident date: Nov 14, 2019
ENGINE FAILED DUE TO LOST COMPRESSION DURING A SCHOOL ROUTE.
Incident date: Jan 23, 2019
ENGINE FAILED DUE TO LOST COMPRESSION DURING A SCHOOL ROUTE.
Incident date: Nov 5, 2018
ENGINE FAILED DUE TO LOST COMPRESSION DURING A SCHOOL ROUTE.
Incident date: Aug 22, 2019
ENGINE FAILED DUE TO LOST COMPRESSION DURING A SCHOOL ROUTE.
Incident date: Oct 2, 2019
ENGINE FAILED DUE TO LOST COMPRESSION DURING A SCHOOL ROUTE.
Incident date: Jan 8, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 IC BUS CE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SECURE THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT THE CLIP FRACTURED. THE LOCAL DEALER RUSH INTERNATIONAL (537 IRLEN DR GEROME ID) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INDICATED THAT THE ENTIRE SEAT BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT SIMILAR FAILURES WERE ALSO EXPERIENCED ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 24, 2010
ROAD CALL TECHNICIAN WAS PICKING UP BUS, COMPLAINT: ABS INDICATOR LIGHT ON DASHBOARD MALFUNCTION. PARKING BRAKE PRESSURE INDICATOR ON AND WARNING, MECHANIC REPORTED FLAME AND SMOKE FROM THE EHCU COMING FROM HYDRAULIC UNIT AT CONNECTOR TO ECU BRAKE MODULE. MECHANIC DISCONNECTED BATTERY CABLES. NO INJURY REPORTED. BUS WAS TOWED TO THE LANCASTER (NH) SHOP. THERE WAS NO FIRE EXTENSION TO THE BODY ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Mar 24, 2011
THIS VEHICLE HAS AN INTERNATIONAL DT466 EGR MOTOR. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD DURING THE MORNING ROUTE AT 55 MPH, THE DRIVER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STARTED SMOKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AND IT IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN ON HER. THIS LEFT THE BUS FULL OF KIDS STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AS FAR ONTO THE SHOULDER AS THE DRIVER COULD COAST. THE CAUSE WAS A BLOWN HIGH PRESSURE OIL LIN... Read more
Incident date: Nov 12, 2010
ON NOVEMBER 12, 2010 BUS 05-14 WAS TRAVELING SOUTH ON US-23 JUST PAST THE YPSILANTI EXIT. ALL OF A SUDDEN A WARNING BUZZER WENT OFF. WHEN THE DRIVER LOOKED DOWN AT THE DASH EVERYTHING ON THE BUS SHUT DOWN. SHE PULLED OFF THE INTERSTATE NEXT TO THE GUARD RAIL. IT WAS A VERY TIGHT SHOULDER AND THEY HAD TO EXIT THE BUS FROM THE REAR EMERGENCY DOOR. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOWED UP AND HAD TO ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 IC CE300 INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BUS. WHILE TRAVELING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY THE CONTACT WHERE HE OBSERVED THAT THE OIL LINE WAS SPLIT, CAUSING HOT ENGINE OIL TO SPRAY ONTO THE ENGINE. THE OIL LINES WERE REPLACED BY THE CONTACT. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 56,690. AN ADDITIONAL FAILURE ON A SISTER ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 27, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 INTERNATIONAL MAX 47 SCHOOL BUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DUE TO A FAULTY ENGINE, FUEL WOULD LEAK INTO THE CRANK CASE WHICH COULD CAUSE A FIRE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE BUS WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Incident date: Jan 27, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 INTERNATIONAL MAX 47 SCHOOL BUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DUE TO A FAULTY ENGINE, FUEL WOULD LEAK INTO THE CRANK CASE WHICH COULD CAUSE A FIRE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE BUS WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Incident date: Oct 3, 2011
AS YOU ARE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE MIL LAMP (ENGINE EMISSIONS CONTROL MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP) COMES ON AND THE BUS WILL GO TO IDLE AND YOU CAN NOT ACCELERATE. YOU MUST STOP SHUT THE ENGINE KEY OFF AND RESTART AND THE LIGHT GOES OFF AND THE BUS RUNS FINE UNTIL THE MIL LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN. THIS IS INTERMITTENT. SOME TIMES IT DOESN'T DO IT AT ALL AND SOME TIMES IT WILL COME ON ONE TO FOUR... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2010
OWNER OPERATOR OF SCHOOL BUS STATES THAT FOUR (UPPER-LOWER-RIGHT-LEFT) DUAL PANE DOOR WINDOWS HAVE FOGGED DUE TO WATER ENTRY BETWEEN THE PANES. OWNER HAS REMOVED THE PANES IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT AND FOUND THAT (AT LEAST ONE OF) THE PANES HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE PANE "SANDWICH." OWNER WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE COATING FROM THE GLASS WITH SOLVENTS, ETC. THIS OWNER IS PART OF A GROUP OF EIG... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2010
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 INTERNATIONAL IC CE 300 BUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EGR COOLER HOSE WAS DEFECTIVE AND FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,000. UPDATED 09/27/11*LJ UPDATED 2/9/12 *CN