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.

2,215,138 Total Complaints

138,663 Reported Crashes

56,255 Reported Fires

8,561 Reported 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

How to Read NHTSA Consumer Complaints › How NHTSA Investigations Work › Used Car: 7 Recall Checks to Run First › The Takata Airbag Recall: Full Story › OBD-II Codes Explained › All Articles ›

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Showing 9,743 complaints for INFINITI

Incident date: Feb 25, 2003

CAN NOT HEAR TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR.*JB

Incident date: Jan 20, 2003

VEHICLE ROTORS HAVE WARPED FOUR TIMES NEEDING RESURFACING EACH TIME. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS EVERY FIFTEEN THOUSAND MILES. THIS IS NOT NORMAL. THE FIRST TIME THEY WARPED WAS AT 15,281 MILES,THEN AT 32,555,49,767 NOW THE PROBLEM HAS SURFACED AGAIN AT 61,434 MILES. DOES THE RESURFACING OF THE ROTORS COMPROMISE THE STRENGTH OF THE ROTORS? HOW MANY TIMES CAN THIS BE DONE?

Incident date: Oct 1, 2002

VEHICLE HAS NO SHOCK ABSORBENCY POWER. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM BUT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. PH

Incident date: Oct 1, 2002

VEHICLE HAS NO SHOCK ABSORBENCY POWER. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM BUT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. PH

Incident date: Nov 22, 2002

BOUGHT NEW CAR,NEVER IN AN ACCIDENT.EXCLT COND EXPT TOP COAT PAINT IS PEELING FROM HOOD ROOF TRUNK.WAS SENT TO A SPECIALIST AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT COULDN'T BE CHEMICALS BECAUSE IF CHEMS HAD FALLEN ON THE CAR IT WOULD HAVE EATEN THRU ALL COATS.11/22/02 TOOK THE CAR TO JOE VALENTI LYNNE'S INFINITI HE TOOK DIG PICS, SUBMITTED THEM TO INFINITI.12/3 CLAIMED THAT IT WAS BIRD DROPPINGS OR CHEMS HAD... Read more

Incident date: Feb 24, 2002

FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF BOTH AIRBAGS CAUSING INJURIES TO CONSUMER AND DAMAGE TO VEHICLE.

1 injured

Incident date: Jan 28, 2003

WHEN HIT AT 65MPH IN THE FRONT CENTER OF THE VEHICLE THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING MINOR INJURIES TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Jan 19, 2003

SEAT BELT RETRACTER ON DRIVER SEAT IS VERY WEEK AND MUST BE ASSITED TO RETACT

Incident date: Nov 10, 2002

CONTINOUS RATTLING NOISE FROM THE DASHBOARD IN EVERY BUMP OF THE ROAD REGARDLESS OF SPEED. THIS HAPPENS ONLY WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE LESS THAN 30 DEGREE FARENHEIT. TOOK TO THE DEALER TWICE WITH NO FIX.

Incident date: Jan 15, 2003

WHILE ACCELERATING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING THE THROTTLE WOULD STICK IN THE IDLE POSITION CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. PH

Incident date: Jan 14, 2003

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON PANEL CONTINUALLY FLASHING. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED AND WILL $1,000 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS *TR

Incident date: Jan 10, 2003

CONSUMER STATED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DOESN'T SHIFT PROPERLY FROM FIRST GEAR. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB

Incident date: Apr 15, 2002

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND NO WARNING THERE IS A TERRIBLE GLARE COMING FROM THE FRONT WINDSHIELD AND IT IS DISTRACTING THE CONSUMERS VIEW OF SEEING. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS VISION IS ALSO DISTORTED IN RAINY WEATHER AND WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT THE GLARE FROM ONCOMING VEHICLES IS SO STRONG IT EFFECTS THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD. *TT

Incident date: Dec 13, 2001

I HAVE AN INFINITI I35 THAT HAS A VIBRATION PROBLEM. INFINITI HAS ATTEMPTED TO FIX THIS 5 TIMES OVER THE LAST YEAR. I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM IN AN I30 THAT I RECEIVED AS A LOANER CAR FROM MY DELAERSHIP. I'VE ALSO BEEN TOLD BY A FRIEND THAT HE HEARD OF A PERSON WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. DURING A CONVERSATION WITH INFINITI CONSUMER AFFAIRS I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE AND THAT IT IS DEALT WITH ... Read more

IN COLD WEATHER (30F) OR BELOW THE MIDDLE AND LOWER PORTION OF THE WINDSHIELD MAKES A RATTELING NOISE IN EVERY BUMP REGARDLESS OF THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE OR THE DEGREE OF ROAD BUMP I.E. MINOR AS WELL AS MAJOR ROAD BUMPS. FIRST TIME WHEN I TOOK TO THE DEALER HE WAS UNABLE TO REPRODUCE IT. NOW I HAVE TO TAKE IT FOR THE SECOND TIME AND THE DEALER IS WORKING ON IT FOR THE LAST 3 DAYS WITHOUT ANY CLE... Read more

Incident date: Nov 16, 2002

WE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, IT SEEMED AS THOUGH THE ABS SYSTEM KICKED IN, BUT DID NOT PROPERLY SLOW THE VEHICLE. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS. THE SAME FAILURE OCCURS TWICE MORE OVER THE NEXT MONTH. SO WE TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. THE SAME FAILURE H... Read more

Crash

CONSUMER HAVING PROBLEMS GETTING VEHICLE STARTED. DEALER SAID THAT IT MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL INJECTORS.

Incident date: Dec 8, 2002

WHILE DRIVING ON AN ENTRANCE RAMP TO HIGHWAY THE REAR WINDOW SHATTERED. THERE WAS NO OVERPASS WHERE AN OBJECT COULD HAVE BEEN DROPPED. THE ENTRANCE RAMP AT THE POINT OF IS LONG WAY FROM ANY OTHER TRAFFIC. I FAIL TO SEE HOW A SMALL PEBBLE COULD CAUSE THE REAR WINDOW TO SHATTER INTO SO MANY PIECES (THIS IS WHAT DEALER CLAIMS) DT

AIR BAG DEPLOYED ON MODERATE IMPACT COLLISION. RIGHT EYE SERIOUSLY INJURED BY AIR BAG. SURGERY WAS REQUIRED FOR INJURY TO RIGHT EYE. INJURY CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO NERVES IN THE EYE. DOCTOR SAID I CAN NO LONGER HAVE CORRECTIVE EYE SURGERY IN THE FUTURE AND I WILL DEVELOP CATARACT BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT EYE. DT

Incident date: Nov 24, 2002

I HAVE BEEN IN TWO CAR ACCIDENTS WITH MY I 30 IN BOTH OF THE ACCIDENTS. DT

Crash

Incident date: Nov 7, 2002

NO SUMMARY. DT

Incident date: Oct 15, 2002

THIS ISN'T REALLY A COMPLAINT BUT A NOTIFICATION: WHILE DRIVING ON I-10E IN BATON ROUGE THE WINDOW SIMPLY EXPLODED INWARD, (WITH A LOUD BOOM) SHOWERING MY LEFT SHOULDER AND LAP WITH TINY BITS OF GLASS. THE WINDOW WAS NOT STRUCK WITH A ROCK OR OBJECT AND TEMPERATURES WERE IN UPPER 70'S. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF ONTO THE SHOULDER AND LOOKED FOR A BULLET EXIT-HOLE THINKING THE LOUD BANG WAS A GUNSHOT. ... Read more

Incident date: Oct 17, 2002

CONSUMER STATES WHEN PUSH THE BRAKE THE CAR SURGE FORWARD CAUSING A ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION. TS

Incident date: Oct 1, 2002

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE'S CLOCK IS POORLY ILLUMINATED, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO VIEW WHEN DARK. CONSUMER STATES HAS TO TAKE EYES OFF OF ROAD WHEN ATTEMPTING TO VIEW CLOCK BECAUSE OF IT'S UNSAFE DESIGN. MR

Incident date: Aug 15, 2001

CONSUMER STATES WHILE SHE WAS AT THE POST OFFICE DEPOSTING A LETTER , SHE GOT OUT OF THE AUTOMOBILE AND WHEN SHE GOT BACK INTO THE AUTO SHE SMELLED SMOKED. AFTER THAT SHE BEGUN TO LOOK AROUND AND ACTUALLY SAW THE SMOKE, SHE STOPPED THE CAR. LATER SHE FOUND OUT THAT IS APPEARED TO BE ONE OF THE ELECTRICALLY BOXES IN THE TRUCK OF THE AUTO. NO INJURIES. MR

Fire

Incident date: Aug 1, 2001

ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. MR *TC

Incident date: Jul 13, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THE VEHICLE AT A STAND STILL AND WAS STRUCK BY A STREETCAR. THE DRIVER DOOR WAS HIT AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED IN THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. MR

Crash

Incident date: Mar 1, 2001

WHILE TURNING THE VEHICLE LEFT OR RIGHT THERE IS HESITATION AND STALLING. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. NLM

Incident date: Sep 5, 2002

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING 30MPH THE CAR START SMOKING FROM THE TRUNK AREA AND 3 MINUTES LATER A FIRE STARTED IN THE TRUNK AREA.

Incident date: Feb 23, 2001

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DRIVERS SEAT WILL NOT LOCK PROPERLY.DEALER WAS CONTACTED.

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE GAS PEDAL WOULD NOT ENGAGE READILY, WHEN PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL FROM A STOPPED POSITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE, THEN MORE FORCE WOULD BE USED ON THE GAS PEDAL AND VEHICLE WOULD LURCH FORWARD, THE DEALER CLEANED THE THROTTLE CHAMBER. *SLC

Incident date: Apr 29, 2002