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 9,875 complaints for INFINITI
Incident date: Jul 15, 2024
The radio randomly changes every 5 seconds, the beeping will drive a person insane, blutooth will hang up or not allow me to answer or call out. The seat warmers turn on randomly as well and i’m unable to lower the temp or turn them off. A/C in the winter and heat the summer. auto start doesn’t work cuz vehicle shuts itself off after 30s - 1 min and navigation is useless cuz of this electrical... Read more
Incident date: Oct 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle hesitated and shifted out of gear independently. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Numbe... Read more
Incident date: Oct 25, 2024
We bought Kia Soul in July of '23 from a dealership. We had no knowledge of a recall on this vehicle from the dealer. Although it was sold to us, and assumed it was in good working order. In December of 2023, the engine/electrical system had an issue. The car was smoking, the battery was changed and it seemed to be mostly solved, although here was smoke coming from the oil area. At no point were... Read more
Incident date: Oct 25, 2024
[XXX] . I was driving with cruise control at 60mph when the speedometer suddenly fell to zero and the truck jerked momentarily into low gear which schreeched the tires due to the sudden and uncontrolled deceleration. Fortunately the road was dry and no vehicles were close behind me. And fortunately I was driving (and not my wife or kids) and I wasn't in busy metro traffic which surely would have c... Read more
Incident date: Aug 28, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Accord. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); 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. Parts distribu... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2024
My car engine starts to smoke and enters through the vents making it difficult to breathe and forces me to lower my windows. The engine smells burnt after driving.
Incident date: Nov 27, 2024
Replaced steering rack 2/12/20 Replaced steering rack 12/07/22 Replaced sway bar links 11/09/23 Inspection found rear Lateral Link Bushings torn and alignment hardware seized in bushings torn and seized/replaced bushings and hardware to complete a proper alignment. 01/23/24 Replaced front sway bar links and strut mounts and performed alignment
Incident date: Nov 25, 2024
My auto idle start/stop has been causing my engine to stall out when I come to a complete stop. I believe it started about a little more than a year ago. It doesn’t happen all the time and never happens when I remember to turn it off. I had it at the dealership multiple times mentioning about this problem and was dismissed every time. They told me they found nothing wrong and all codes were fin... Read more
Incident date: Nov 14, 2024
When driving the vehicle it will lose power and flash service stabilitrack and low engine mode enabled without warning. This has happened many times since 2016. When the conditions cannot be replicated gm/chevrolet has not been concerned but to refer to dealership. The dealership replaced ECM due to warranty conditions. Issue with emissions and electrical modules continued to cause intermittent po... Read more
Incident date: Nov 14, 2024
When driving the vehicle it will lose power and flash service stabilitrack and low engine mode enabled without warning. This has happened many times since 2016. When the conditions cannot be replicated gm/chevrolet has not been concerned but to refer to dealership. The dealership replaced ECM due to warranty conditions. Issue with emissions and electrical modules continued to cause intermittent po... Read more
Incident date: Nov 14, 2024
Only 2 years old and engine blown up. Chevy mechanic said that the cylinder walls could be scared. He said that could be where the metal shavings are coming from
Incident date: Nov 23, 2024
At times when i start my truck in the morning the power steering is not operational. At other times i may be ten to fifteen miles into my drive and there is sudden loss of power steering with no warning. I came very close this morning to driving off an embankment into a swamp because as i was rounding a curve the power steering failed and the steering wheel violently jerked to right its self to ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2024
My truck has 85000 miles on it. I have now experienced the ABS and traction control warning lights. They come on and off intermittently. The cruise control does not work when these lights are on. With all the complaints, its time Ram issues a fix under a recall.
Incident date: Oct 11, 2024
While at a stop sign on a hill the brakes failed. Brake pedal released and sunk to the floor while pressed at a stop sign. I lost control of the car and had to swerve to the opposite side of the road to avoid collision. I then attempted to engage the emergency brake but that failed as well. The car rolled through a red light after which I put the car in park in an effort to stop the vehicle before... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2024
3/24 Fuzion 5th wh annual warranty inspection was completed. 4/24 bedroom slide out frame came loose from slide while in TX. we were able to make temp repairs & returning home contacted manufacturer regarding what we thought was structural issue. Keystone denied coverage, scheduled out of pocket repair with local dealer. Dealer quoted estimate, we delivered unit, they failed to even start repairs ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 8, 2024
The contact owns a 2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle failed to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that he watched a YouTube video and changed the fuel pressure sensor, but the failure recurred. The contact checked the wire harness, which was fine and pristine. There was a perturbing section on the man... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2024
On Saturday, November 8th, 2024, I walked out to my vehicle, rear windshield intact, no damages, start my car, and turned on the rear-defroster. 20 seconds later, I hear cracking, as I am about to pull out, and to my surprise, my entire rear windshield is cracking and making popping noises. I put my car in park, and the entire windshield is crumbling and shattering before my eyes. There was absolu... Read more
Incident date: Nov 5, 2024
My sunroof is broken and in operatable, and the glass will not close all the way keeping the inside of the vehicle open to the elements. The noise is also very loud when traveling on the freeways. Ford quoted me $5000 to repair the system. The service advisor told me the Ford went with a different manufacturer because the parts kept braking from the old manufacturer. The advisor also told me that... Read more
Incident date: Nov 5, 2024
The cylinder 4 misfires. A leak down test was done by a mechanic and it failed. The entire cylinder head will have to be replaced. There are loads of people with this issue, and I know there was a recall at one point for certain years but the year 2014 was not included, neither was cylinder 4. There were warning signs such as shaking in the car when coming to a stop.
Incident date: Sep 7, 2024
The engine is losing oil at a much higher rate, causing a knocking sound. Not accelerating at it should without the sound getting louder and hesitating. This vehicle has been inspected by a licensing mechanic ( Goodyear). The check engine lights and multiple codes have appeared while driving for about the last 4-5 months.
Incident date: Oct 31, 2024
I started to break saw a major traffic jam . And my steering started shaking and my breaks did not Stop like they're supposed to.almost was i huge crash w I th my [XXX] and [XXX] old INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Incident date: Oct 1, 2024
Open 95B recall. High voltage battery safety issue, can cause fire. Advised not to charge, not to park indoors, and away from structures. There is no root cause, no parts, no firm timeline and I the manufacturer has been unresponsive. Initial contact was 10/31, and I have not yet received any follow-up from them (though I have contacted them proactively 3+ times). This is a leased vehicle with 13K... Read more
Incident date: Nov 3, 2024
Vehicle began intermittently turning lights on and off while parked and driving. Upon dealer inspection, sunroof frame failed causing water to leak and corrode the VDP module which controls items like the headlights and suspension. Dealer did confirm, vehicle is being repaired at this moment. There were no warning lights about the headlight malfunction, noticed it while driving and while parked. T... Read more
Incident date: Mar 18, 2024
Two week old 2024 RAV4 hybrid with less than 300 miles. In my driveway I put car in drive and it suddenly and aggressively accelerated. It would not stop or slow despite my attempts to brake, trying to avoid collision all I could do was steer to avoid impact. Finally grazed a tree trunk, car then rolled onto passenger side and came to rest against the bush by my front door. Spouse and I requir... Read more
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Apr 3, 2024
Front dash of car has severe reflection of light onto windshield. This reflection from the dashboard cowl cover interferes with driver's vision and impairs safe driving. We have created a make-do dashboard cowl cover from non-reflective felt to temporarily solve issue, but feel a recall that would install a new dashboard cowl cover is warranted.
Incident date: Oct 17, 2024
While driving on the freeway at 75 mph transfer case went into neutral. No power to wheels. I managed to coast off the freeway and then towed to dealership. Dodge 5500 trucks are used for heavy hauling such as fire trucks, ambulances and in the west ranchers. If a rancher is going down a steep grade with a heavy load (cattle/horses) they would not be able to STOP due to weight. Transfer case has ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 17, 2024
A 2020 Ford Escape that was purchased in new condition in September of 2020. The vehicle has had numerous issues with transmission failure as well as the failure of other engine/transmission components causing drivability and safety issues such as hard shifting, not shifting, and not accelerating properly. I was not informed of Ford's buyback program until August 28, 2024, when a friend who had ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 17, 2024
A 2020 Ford Escape that was purchased in new condition in September of 2020. The vehicle has had numerous issues with transmission failure as well as the failure of other engine/transmission components causing drivability and safety issues such as hard shifting, not shifting, and not accelerating properly. I was not informed of Ford's buyback program until August 28, 2024, when a friend who had ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The appro... Read more
Incident date: Oct 7, 2024
I am experiencing sharp edge on the Driver Side window up button. The Nicle plating is wearing off and causing safety concern. I have images of the concern. Will send upon request. Mazda is suggesting that I take the vehicle in for diagnostics and service. Their diagnostic cost is extremely high, and I am trying to avoid paying the diagnostic fee. Copy of the contents of my email sent to Mazda. ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while stopped, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating. On another occasion, the contact stated that while his wife was driving, the message "Stop Driving when Safe - Transmission Failure - See Owner’s Manual" was displayed. The contact stated that his wife pulled over to the shoulder of the ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 3, 2024
The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen ID.4. The contact stated that the vehicle was hard to charge. The vehicle failed to charge after placing on the charger. There was an abnormal burning smell detected. While driving 60-70 MPH, the screen became inoperable. While driving, the screen went blank but then illuminated as designed. The contact rebooted the computer and the computer reset. There were no ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 4, 2015
Reference service bulletin 20V-343 / W47 Recall Summary (Differential unit) 2 Speed Power Transfer Unit failed (Transfer Case) PTU My wife was driving down the freeway at 65 MPH when the until failed. This was during heavy rains and while the car was hydroplaning. The four wheel drive system kicked in and then the unit failed. She heard a loud clunk and then unit the unit forced itself into neut... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2024
Brand New EV9 Land AWD has wheel shake and vibration at 65MPH+. Center console vibrates and shakes substantially. Performed multiple wheel balances without and real change. Multiple other people reporting same issues. Not sure if this is tire, wheel, or driveshaft related. Kia America seems to not be interested in investigating this. This car drives rougher than a heavy class diesel truck.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2024
Brand New EV9 Land AWD has wheel shake and vibration at 65MPH+. Center console vibrates and shakes substantially. Performed multiple wheel balances without and real change. Multiple other people reporting same issues. Not sure if this is tire, wheel, or driveshaft related. Kia America seems to not be interested in investigating this. This car drives rougher than a heavy class diesel truck.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2024
Brand New EV9 Land AWD has wheel shake and vibration at 65MPH+. Center console vibrates and shakes substantially. Performed multiple wheel balances without and real change. Multiple other people reporting same issues. Not sure if this is tire, wheel, or driveshaft related. Kia America seems to not be interested in investigating this. This car drives rougher than a heavy class diesel truck.
INFINITI
Q50 HYBRID
(2014) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Oct 30, 2024
Incident date: Oct 30, 2024
As of today all 4 of my power windows have failed. The first was in Feb, 2 in AUG (50K miles) and the last one today. Looking at the failed parts it matches Kia TSB#300.
Incident date: Oct 28, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible. The contact stated that after his wife had driven the vehicle, upon restarting the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated. Additionally, the traction control and ABS warning lights were illuminated. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the warning lights were illuminated due to an unknown sensor failure. The vehicl... Read more
Incident date: Dec 11, 2023
I was pulled over by the state police. He said I had a few lights out including a brake light out. I got out to check. This was correct. I had just had my vehicle inspected so i was surprised. I went to leave I couldn't put it in gear at all. I had to over ride the shifter and use a pen to push in the tow button everytime I want to use my vehicle. I have to check my lights and make sure no bulbs a... Read more
Incident date: Dec 11, 2023
I was pulled over by the state police. He said I had a few lights out including a brake light out. I got out to check. This was correct. I had just had my vehicle inspected so i was surprised. I went to leave I couldn't put it in gear at all. I had to over ride the shifter and use a pen to push in the tow button everytime I want to use my vehicle. I have to check my lights and make sure no bulbs a... Read more
Incident date: Oct 28, 2024
About a month ago, started hearing a whining noise from the automatic transaxle when driving at different speeds. The more speed, the more noise you hear inside the vehicle. It occurs with all types of driving, acceleration, deceleration and steady speed. Took my Mazda CX-5 into auto experts and found there is a Service Bulletin regarding this issue in 2013-2016 Mazda CX-5's. There is a damage... Read more
Incident date: Oct 8, 2024
The contact owns a 2008 Jeep Wrangler equipped with Powerstop Brake Hoses, Part Number: (N/A). The contact stated that after installing the brake hoses to the rear driver’s and passenger’s side brake assemblies, there was smoke coming from the rear driver's side brake rotors while operating the vehicle due to brake fluid leaking from the hose. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of... Read more
Incident date: Oct 8, 2024
The contact owns a 2008 Jeep Wrangler equipped with Powerstop Brake Hoses, Part Number: (N/A). The contact stated that after installing the brake hoses to the rear driver’s and passenger’s side brake assemblies, there was smoke coming from the rear driver's side brake rotors while operating the vehicle due to brake fluid leaking from the hose. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of... Read more
Incident date: Oct 23, 2024
- Passenger side rear tire failed - Tire is at dealer and available for inspection - Extremely dangerous situation, tire failed on a section of interstate highway under construction. Only 2 lanes available and they were narrower than normal width. Part of the shoulder was converted to driving lane so almost no shoulder to pull off on. The incident happened on a Sunday afternoon and interstate was ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 11, 2024
The left front drive axel cracked while we were driving on an overpass connecting two highways. We didn’t hit or bump anything. The car just stopped, like the brakes were slammed on, except the brakes didn’t work. As we were on an incline, the car started rolling backwards, but fortunately the emergency brake worked. It happened so abruptly, I wasn’t able to fully pull off the road and my ch... Read more
Incident date: Sep 11, 2024
The left front drive axel cracked while we were driving on an overpass connecting two highways. We didn’t hit or bump anything. The car just stopped, like the brakes were slammed on, except the brakes didn’t work. As we were on an incline, the car started rolling backwards, but fortunately the emergency brake worked. It happened so abruptly, I wasn’t able to fully pull off the road and my ch... Read more
Incident date: Jul 17, 2024
The clutch system on my car is prematurely failing. I understand that it is a wear and tear item. This is not my first manual transmission car. I have been driving vehicles with manual transmissions for over 20 years. The issue I am having now is not normal behavior for a for a brand new car, let alone for a performance oriented vehicle. I first noticed it when the car was brand new with a disti... Read more
Incident date: Oct 16, 2024
There is a recall on the breaks and parts will not be available until January.