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 5,697 complaints for ISUZU

Incident date: Jan 28, 2003

THE TIRE LUG NUTS CAME OF THE TIRES AND CAUSED THE TIRE TO WOBBLE. THE EALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM

Incident date: Oct 15, 2002

WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, AT ABOUT 65,000 MILES, THE GASOLINE INDICATOR DID NOT WORK. I HAD TO HAVE THE SENDING UNIT REPLACED, AT A TOTAL COST OF OVER $500. I DON'T BELIEVE THIS SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED AT THIS STAGE IN THE VEHICLE'S LIFE. I HAD THOUGHT TO JUST USE THE TRIP ODOMETER, UNTIL I RAN OUT OF GAS TWO TIMES - NOT A GOOD SITUATION FOR A WOMAN ALONE. *NLM

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FRONT END VIBRATIONS. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS NORMAL WITH THIS MAKE MODEL. *SCC *NLM

Incident date: Mar 12, 2003

THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD NOISE. *JB AT 10K MILES, THE NOISE WAS NOTICEABLE. THE TECHNICIANS STATED THE PROBLEM WAS NORMAL AND THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. THE NOISE GRADUALLY WORSENED. A BUZZ NOISE WAS HEARD WHEN MAKING THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL WAS USED. THE COMBO SWITCH WAS REPLACED DUE TO A SHORT. ALSO THE HEATER BLOWER MOTOR MADE A NOISE AS WELL. THE ENGINE SMOKED AT TIMES, DIED AND WHEN RESTARTED I... Read more

Incident date: Mar 12, 2003

THE ODOMETER FAILED. THE DEALER R WAS NOTIFIED AND THE PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED BUT IT REOCCURED. *NLM

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *NLM

Incident date: Jul 14, 2002

I HAVE IN FRONT OF ME NHTSA RECALL NOTICE 01T016000 WHICH RECALL FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P235/75R15 TIRES WITH DOT SERIAL NUMBERS ENDING IN "7" (AMONG OTHER NUMBERS). I HAVE THESE TIRES ON MY CAR. I CALLED THE 800 NUMBER IN THE RECALL NOTICE FOR FIRESTONE, BUT THEY DENY THERE IS ANY RECALL. HOW DO I GET FIRESTONE TO FOLLOW THE RECALL? *NLM

Incident date: Aug 10, 2002

IN AUGUST OF 2002 , I WAS DRIVING MY 1999 RODEO THAT I HAD LEASED NEW IN 2002 AND THIS RUNNING NOISE CONTINUED AFTER I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. IT WAS THE ABS MODULE. IT HAD TO BE UNPLUGGED TO KEEP THE BATTERY FROM BEING RUN DOWN. THE REPAIR IS ABOUT $500.00 AND ISUZU WANTS TO IGNORE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS COMPONENT. BEFORE THE NOISE STARTED,THE STOPPING DISTANCE WAS VERY LONG AND THERE W... Read more

Incident date: Mar 11, 2003

VEHICLE IS USING WHAT SOME MECHANICS AND NON-MECHANICS CONSIDER EXCESSIVE OIL USAGE FOR A 2000 ISUZU RODEO. CURRENTLY MY VEHICLE IS USING 1. 80 QUARTS OF OIL BETWEEN OIL CHANGES, WHEN IT GETS CHANGED EVERY 3000 MILES. BOTH ISUZU AND THE DEALERSHIP CONSIDER THIS "NORMAL". *JB

Incident date: Jan 24, 2003

MY 1999 TROOPER THREW A ROD IN THE ENGINE. IT IS NOT DRIVABLE. I HAVE HAD THE TROOPER IN THE SHOP 3 TIMES BEFORE WITH OTHER PROBLEMS, BEFORE THE WARRANTY WAS UP. THE DEALER DID NOT WANT TO DISCUSS THE PROBLEM. IN TRYING TO FIND ANOTHER ENGINE I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT IT WAS VERY HARD TO FIND AN ENGINE. NO NEW ONES WERE MADE, NOR WAS A REPAIR KIT.*JB

Incident date: Feb 20, 2003

AS OF MY LAST TIRE ROTATION, MY TIRE SUPPLIER HAS REFUSED TO WORK ON THE CAR DUE TO THE FAILURE RATE OF THE THREADS ON THE LUGS AND THE RESULTANT FAILURE OF LUG NUTS AND THE LUGS AS WELL. THE SUPPLIER INITIALLY TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAILURES AND---REPLACING SEVERAL LUGS AND LUG NUTS. HOWEVER, I AM NOW BEING DEPRIVED OF MY FREE TIRE ROTATIONS UNDER THE TIRE PURCHASE AGREEMENT DUE TO THE OBVIO... Read more

Incident date: Feb 24, 2003

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING BETWEEN 65-67 MILES PER HOUR IN LIGHT-RAIN CONDITIONS TRYING TO EXIT INTO ANOTHER LANE WHEN THE 2001 ISUZU RODEO BEGAN TO HYDROPLANE AND THE CONSUMER NOTICED IMMEDIATELY THAT THE BRAKING SYSTEM WAS NOT WORKING. THE CONSUMER LOSS ALL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHEN IT THEN SPUN OUT IN A 360 DEGREE RADIUS AND HIT INTO A CEMENT BARRIER. THE REAR END OF THE 2001 ISUZU RODEO WAS THE ... Read more

Crash 1 injured

CONSUMER LOSS CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, HIT AN EMBANKMENT HEAD ON, FLIPPED OVER TWICE AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *JB

Crash

Incident date: Feb 5, 2003

EVERY TIME I TOOK MY RODEO FOR AN OIL CHANGE, I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO OIL SHOWING ON THE STICK (EVEN THOUGH IT WAS USUALLY CHANGED EVERY 3,000 MILES). TWO WEEKS AGO THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING NOISE AND I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE!! ($9,000) I THINK THESE MOTORS ARE DEFECTIVE. THE MANAGER AT MY DEALERSHIP CALLED THE FACTORY (TO SEE IF THEY MIGHT ASSUME SOME RE... Read more

Incident date: Feb 24, 2003

THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING ANTI-FREEZE. SERVICE CENTER (NON-DEALER) REPORTS AFTER ANALYSIS THAT ANTI-FREEZE IS LEAKING FROM SPARK PLUGS AS A RESULT OF A CRACKED ENGINE HEAD. PARTS FOR REPAIR ON BACK ORDER, PERHAPS INDICATING A WIDE-SPREAD PROBLEM.*JB

Incident date: Jan 30, 2003

WHEN THE HIGH BEAMS WERE NOT ON, THE CONSUMER WAS ONLY ABLE TO SEE TWO CAR LENGTHS AHEAD. *JB *TS. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE HEADLAMPS WERE PRE-SET AND COULD NOT BE READJUSTED. *JB

Incident date: Jan 30, 2003

THE DOOR ON THE VEHICLE WAS VERY LARGE, AND CAUSED A HUGE BLIND SPOT. *JB *TS *JB

THE 3RD ROLL BENCH SEAT COULD NOT BE REMOVED, THE HEADREST BLOCKED THE DRIVERS VISION. *JB THE 3RD ROW WAS ALSO RAISED HIGHER THAN THE FRONT AND SECOND ROW SEATS. ONE THIRD OF THE WINDOW WAS BLOCKED. *SCC *JB

Incident date: Mar 3, 2003

THE HORN OPERATED INTERMITTENTLY. *JB

Incident date: Mar 4, 2003

WHEN I TRY TO STOP MY 99 RODEO ABOUT 1 OUT OF 5 TIMES THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL PULSATE VERY FAST ACCOMPANIED BY A SOUND (LIKE A QUIET MACHINE GUN) COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THIS IS THE ABS KICKING IN. DEALER SAYS I'M NOT COVERED. HAVE CONTACTED ISUZU BUT ONLY GET ANSWERING MACHINE. READING ON AN ISUZU FORUM (NOT SPONSORED BY ISUZU), THIS SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN AND COMMON PROBLEM WITH RODEO'... Read more

Incident date: Sep 2, 2002

THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *NLM

Incident date: Feb 24, 2003

THE VEHICLE BURNED OIL FAST.*JB

Incident date: Feb 24, 2003

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE ABS DID NOT HOLD, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SKID.*JB

Incident date: Jul 17, 2002

BOTH REAR DOORS STOPPED WORKING WITHOUT WARNING. THEY DO NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. *JB

Incident date: Oct 10, 1998

I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE BRAKES ON MY CAR HAVE WORKED CORRECTLY SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. I HAVE HAD IT INTO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THEY SAID THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. DURING THE SUMMER I GOT A NOTICE THAT ISUZU WOULD BE "FIXING" BRAKES ON VARIOUS CARS - IT WAS NOT A RECALL, BUT THEY WERE GOING TO BE DOING IT FOR SAFETY REASONS. THE CARS WERE, I BELIEVE, 98 AND 99 AMIGOS AND RODEOS... Read more

Incident date: Feb 17, 2003

THE VEHICLE JUMPED OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING.*JB

Incident date: Feb 24, 2003

THE FRAME RUSTED ON THE VEHICLE.*JB

Incident date: Feb 21, 2003

NHTSA# 02-I-002-000: THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, THERE WAS A RECALL REGARDING THE ISSUE.*JB

THE VEHICLE WENT AIRBORNE AND LANDED ON THE FRONT END AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY.*JB

Incident date: Feb 20, 2003

I CALLED ISUZU CONCERNING RECALL NUMBER 02I002000 CONCERNING THE ABS ON THE 1998 ISUZU RODEO. I WAS INFORMED THAT ISUZU CANNOT SEND LETTERS CONCERNING RECALL BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT ALLOW IT YET. I CALLED NHTSA AND WAS GIVEN A NUMBER(1-800-959-3993) THIS NUMBER HAD BEEN CHANGED TO 1-800-726-2700. I WAS TOLD BY THIS ISUZU DEPARTMENT THAT I NEEDED TO CALL CUSTOMER RELATIONS AT 1-800-255... Read more

Incident date: Jan 11, 2003

VEHICLE HAS HAD LARGE NUMBER OF PROBLEMS WHICH LOCAL DEALER AND FACTORY REP. CANNOT IDENTIFY/FIX. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (AND SLOWER) CAR WILL SUDDENLY AND VIOLENTLY "SHUDDER" AS IF DYING, ONLY TO THEN RESUME SPEED AS IF NOTHING HAD HAPPENED. ALSO DIES OFTEN AT LIGHTS AND SLOW SPEEDS. DEALER/ISUZU NO HELP. LOOKS LIKE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE '99 TROOPER, BASED ON OTHER COMPLAINTS...IF YOU'VE ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 8, 2000