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 62,191 complaints for KIA
Incident date: Dec 15, 2025
I brought my vehicle to Safford Mazda of Fredericksburg on Monday, December 15, 2025 due to a front-end clunking that occurs during left or right turns. A service representative test-drove the vehicle with me and was able to hear and duplicate the noise. Shortly afterward, I was informed that the front axle has internal damage and that the vehicle would need to be retained by the dealership fo... Read more
Incident date: Dec 10, 2025
The steering in my Accord started to make cloud clicking and clunking noises while parked and during low speed driving. I took it to the dealer in November of 2024 and they replaced the steering rack. Ever since, the car has never driven the same. First the alignment was all off and the car pulled to the left. After taking it to the dealership multiple times, it still is not steering correctly... Read more
Incident date: Dec 10, 2025
While driving at about 55 mph my Wrangler shut down and dash read to put car in park to calibrate battery. I had to bring vehicle to side of road and try to restart. It did restart. I had a recall addressed at Marc Motors Sanford Maine service dept back in April 18, 2025. For recall for high voltage. Not sure why recall is showing incomplete? I am very scared to drive this car. I called the deale... Read more
Incident date: Dec 6, 2025
I am writing to formally file a complaint and request an expansion of recall coverage regarding a starter motor failure on my 2021 BMW X5, which occurred at approximately 38,000 miles. Recently, my vehicle experienced a sudden failure to start. After inspection, the issue was diagnosed as a starter malfunction. I am aware that BMW has issued a recall addressing starter-related defects for certain... Read more
Incident date: Dec 6, 2025
This is a 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe. It currently has 22,700 miles on it. These issues began prior to 20,000 miles. The car stops driving with out warning. This has occurred on three occasions, while driving in traffic. It locks up, but power is still working. A message pops up that says put the vehicle in Drive...which it already is. It comes to an abrupt stop. It will not regain power. You hav... Read more
Incident date: Dec 6, 2025
This is a 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe. It currently has 22,700 miles on it. These issues began prior to 20,000 miles. The car stops driving with out warning. This has occurred on three occasions, while driving in traffic. It locks up, but power is still working. A message pops up that says put the vehicle in Drive...which it already is. It comes to an abrupt stop. It will not regain power. You hav... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND THE CAR STARTED TO LOSE POWER AND DE-CELLERATE, EVENTUALLY STOPPING. AFTER LEAVING IT OVERNIGHT, I RETURNED AND THE CAR STARTED. I SLOWLY DROVE IT TO A DEALERSHIP WITHIN 3 MILES. THE DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE ISSUE. THEY DID FIND A "LABOR DIAG FOUND IN HISTORY CODE P0304" .
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving and turning, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that the vehicle regained power steering functionality upon depressing the accelerator pedal on several occasions. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring intermittently. The dealer was contacted and advised the contac... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2025
My 2023 Ram 1500 TRX has recurring safety-related failures of the infotainment system affecting both Uconnect 5 (12” screen) and earlier Uconnect 4 units. These issues are widespread in 2021–2024 Ram TRX and Ram 1500 models and began for my truck after forced over-the-air updates. The primary defect is black-screen failures while driving. When the screen goes black or freezes, the truck loses... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact was notified of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure) and 25V347000 (Structure); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall re... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2025
After approximately 6 months we leased this vehicle we found out some issues with the vehicle. This vehicle has e Parking(P),Drive(D),Neutral(N),Reverse(R) positions. When you want to maneuver you vehicle you pull the lever at the required position. So what happenes some times: I put the vehicle in drive(D) and when I am in very slow traffic,or stop and go traffic or in stop light/sign vehicle Par... Read more
Incident date: Dec 14, 2025
I was driving my 2018 ram at approx 35 mph going into a turn my power steering went out and I almost went off the road the service power steering light came on.
Incident date: Jun 4, 2025
The front-facing camera responsible for detecting surrounding traffic is malfunctioning, which in turn compromises several critical safety systems. These include adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, and lane departure warning. All of these features depend on the proper functioning of this camera. The vehicle has ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 8, 2025
As I began driving errors popped up engine failure, electrical system and hybrid system errors, the gas pedal would not move beyond 10 miles per hour, the brakes made a weird noise as if were trying to start the car. This happened with no warning.
Incident date: Jul 1, 2025
While driving my brand new 4-day old 2025 Audi Q3 at highway speeds, the vehicle suddenly lost engine power and shut off without warning. At the time of the incident the fuel gauge indicated approximately 1/4 tank remaining and there were no prior warnings. I was forced to pull over in traffic, creating a dangerous situation. The vehicle had to be towed to the dealership. I was initially told th... Read more
Incident date: Dec 5, 2025
While driving my brand new 4-day old 2025 Audi Q3 at highway speeds, the vehicle suddenly lost engine power and shut off without warning. At the time of the incident the fuel gauge indicated approximately 1/4 tank remaining and there were no prior warnings. I was forced to pull over in traffic, creating a dangerous situation. The vehicle had to be towed to the dealership. I was initially told th... Read more
Incident date: Dec 5, 2025
Adaptive Steering Fault warning appeared [XXX] … 34,000 miles… I was told there was a recall for this before I bought it from Jim Click ford in 2019 .. what do I do?? And is this Fords responsibility? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Incident date: Dec 5, 2025
left rear rear trailing arm rusted out. had car checked due to rough ride & was informed said part so rusted it was dangerous to drive. damage so severe repair not feasible. appears this is a problem with elements & some crvs. canada apparently has a recall for this, & US should, too.
Incident date: Nov 25, 2025
Charging hatch door will not open. First noticed the problem when it got very cold here. <-15F Did not try to pry door open. Hatch needs to be reliable iin all weather. Happened December 13, 2025
Incident date: Nov 25, 2025
Charging hatch door will not open. First noticed the problem when it got very cold here. <-15F Did not try to pry door open. Hatch needs to be reliable iin all weather. Happened December 13, 2025
Incident date: Nov 27, 2025
After starting car, car went into Power Failure mode, warning to immediately stop car, car continued driving, but eventually engaged parking mode and wouldn’t go back into drive mode until I turned it off and back on again.
Incident date: Dec 12, 2025
Around 530pm At the corner of Briarcliff Rd NE Atlanta Ga and N Druid Hills Rd NE Atlanta GA As I was about to accelerate after the Red Light turned green, my car experienced a significant loss of power. Several warning lights came on, the engine light came on and a warning that said System Default came on. I was almost rear ended but was able to put on my hazards and coast to the side of the ro... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
No component failures at this time. My dealer stated that the continued on/off of my check engine light is that of a " GM engineering flaw/ issue" without any remedy at this time. I have been advised to continue to drive the vehicle with check engine light on as no remedy is available at this time. The flaw was disclosed by GM in 4/2025, bought my vehicle in 6/25 - No remedy as of 12/12/2025 - Th... Read more
Incident date: Dec 12, 2025
I get throttle lag/hesitation most often when starting to go from a complete stop. This has happened many times.
Incident date: Nov 19, 2025
I was at a complete stop at the red light, vehicle began shaking and shut down. Gears would not work therefore I was not able to put it in neutral to at least push out of the road. The vehicle then began cranking on and off on its own, without me pushing start/stop engine. This was completely unexpected as the truck is one week old, had a full tank of gas and it was especially dangerous to have sh... Read more
Incident date: Nov 19, 2025
I was at a complete stop at the red light, vehicle began shaking and shut down. Gears would not work therefore I was not able to put it in neutral to at least push out of the road. The vehicle then began cranking on and off on its own, without me pushing start/stop engine. This was completely unexpected as the truck is one week old, had a full tank of gas and it was especially dangerous to have sh... Read more
Incident date: Dec 11, 2025
If the jeep is not sagged to park in a garage, how can it be safe to drive on the road? The recalls are not being taken care of soon enough!
Incident date: Dec 11, 2025
Since purchasing my vehicle in January of 2023 the front breaks have been squeaking. I brought this to the attention of the dealer where I purchased the vehicle, several times. I even asked them how I will I even supposed to know if I need new brakes because the start of the squeaking is typically a sign to get your brakes checked. Anyway, online auto forums are loaded with this squeaking brak... Read more
Incident date: Dec 10, 2025
On [XXX], my 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL R-Line AWD (VIN: [XXX] ) was damaged in a deer collision, requiring replacement of the right headlight assembly (P/N 5NL941114D/E, adaptive IQ.Light matrix with turning signal). The part was ordered June 9, 2025, via New Motors VW (Erie, PA) but remains on national backorder with no ETA (dealer confirms not even "top 25" priority). The vehicle has been undr... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Nov 23, 2025
Well maintained vehicle I’ve been sole owner of. Driving normally along highway at normal speed. Electrical issue warning alert pops up, immediately goes away. This happened again, car fills with smoke and is immediately on fire. Happened very quickly. Have had zero issues with this vehicle otherwise. No warnings. Car was functioning perfectly leading up to the incident.
Fire
Incident date: Nov 30, 2025
We recently had an engine failure in our 2023 Toyota Tundra ([XXX]). Then on [XXX] the truck caught fire while we were driving in Arkansas. The fire caused the brakes to fail completely, and we wound up jumping from the still moving truck. The truck and contents were a total loss. Since then, Toyota has completed their investigation and stated they are unable to determine the cause of the fire I... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Dec 12, 2025
Sitting at stop light engine began running rough and smoke coming out. CEL came on and began flashing, pulled over and had it towed. Diagnosis was PO300 misfire, dead miss on cylcinder 4, cylinder plug 4 is fuel fouled, cois is fine has good spark- caused by failed lifters. Needs engine replacement. Vehicle always serviced, garage kept and in mint condition with 89K miles.
Incident date: Dec 12, 2025
The steering was hard to turn, and the fully supervised driving mode didn't work. This has happened twice, and both times the issue went away on its own after a few minutes. I performed a soft reset both times, but it did not resolve the issue. The first time, the steering was very heavy, i.e., hard to turn. The second time was less difficult, but in both cases, FSD (Full Self-Driving) did not fun... Read more
Incident date: Dec 2, 2025
The steering was hard to turn, and the fully supervised driving mode didn't work. This has happened twice, and both times the issue went away on its own after a few minutes. I performed a soft reset both times, but it did not resolve the issue. The first time, the steering was very heavy, i.e., hard to turn. The second time was less difficult, but in both cases, FSD (Full Self-Driving) did not fun... Read more
Incident date: Dec 12, 2025
While driving, the vehicle experienced a sudden loss of electrical voltage. Multiple warning messages appeared, and several vehicle systems disabled while the vehicle was in motion. Power and safety features malfunctioned, and the parking brake engaged unexpectedly. The vehicle became unsafe to operate while driving. The failure required towing and a battery replacement to restore drivability. T... Read more
Incident date: Sep 25, 2025
Vehicle periodically fails to accelerate from a stop. Causing a 2-3 second delay in throttle response. This has been happening since new.
Incident date: Nov 17, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while in reverse(R); the rear-view camera displayed a blank or distorted image. The contact later received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V611000 (Structure) and 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repairs were not yet available. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer have been made aware of ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 17, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure). The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the passenger's side windshield A-pillar trim detached and flew off the vehicle. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and was inspected. The contact observed that the passenger's side A-pillar trim was missing. The vehicle... Read more
Incident date: Nov 17, 2025
I am reporting serious safety concerns with my Mazda CX-90 PHEV (leased, manufactured September 2023). These issues create unacceptable risk to occupants and other road users. Multiple Severe Recalls: My vehicle has had at least four major recalls: • 6323J – Engine & Motor Shutdown: Complete loss of propulsion without warning. • 7024J – ECU Software Failures: Loss of drive power and re... Read more
Incident date: Dec 6, 2025
Three times in the past 4 years, the air bag warning light was triggered when the battery was either disconnected/reconnected or jump started. Each time to re-activate the airbag safety system, I had to send out the air bag control module to have it reset. It is not expensive to do that , but it does mean one has to disassemble the center console, remove airbag control module and send it out to be... Read more
Incident date: Dec 6, 2025
This vehicle Misrecognizes intersections on two lane highways and causes the vehicle to unexpectedly slam on its brakes without warning in anticipation of an intersection that either does not exist or where my vehicle has the entire right way. this behavior has persisted since the date of purchase and has not been corrected at all. Audi has confirmed that the vehicle is operating as designed howe... Read more
Incident date: Dec 6, 2025
This vehicle Misrecognizes intersections on two lane highways and causes the vehicle to unexpectedly slam on its brakes without warning in anticipation of an intersection that either does not exist or where my vehicle has the entire right way. this behavior has persisted since the date of purchase and has not been corrected at all. Audi has confirmed that the vehicle is operating as designed howe... Read more
Incident date: Oct 11, 2025
The contact rented a 2018 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at unknown highway speeds, the lane departure malfunctioned. The vehicle was jumping while driving and became uncontrollable. The steering wheel had unknown damage. The wheel cover was removed, but the failure persisted. The contact stated that there seemed to be a torque sensor issue, the tires had low tread and the tir... Read more
KIA
SORENTO PHEV
(2024) - POWER TRAIN
Dec 11, 2025
Incident date: Dec 10, 2025
Transmission shifted from 10th gear to 1st gear at highway speed. Transmission was rebuilt by ford, and is again exhibiting poor/harsh shifting.
KIA
SORENTO PHEV
(2024) - FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Dec 11, 2025
Incident date: Dec 10, 2025
UNKNOWN- While driving on highway, from 70 mph speed the car suddenly lost acceleration and speed dropped. No response to accelerator. Even with pushing the accelerator high, car will go in high RPM and speed will barely reach 40 mph. I was lucky that there was no other vehicle behind me, especially heavy automobile like semi truck as it would have crashed in me from behind due to sudden propuls... Read more
KIA
SORENTO PHEV
(2024) - ENGINE
Dec 11, 2025
Incident date: Dec 10, 2025
UNKNOWN- While driving on highway, from 70 mph speed the car suddenly lost acceleration and speed dropped. No response to accelerator. Even with pushing the accelerator high, car will go in high RPM and speed will barely reach 40 mph. I was lucky that there was no other vehicle behind me, especially heavy automobile like semi truck as it would have crashed in me from behind due to sudden propuls... Read more
Incident date: Sep 10, 2025
I am filing this complaint regarding the serious safety hazard associated with the fire-risk recall on my 2023 Jeep Wrangler 4xe. The official manufacturer recall letter states: “The high-voltage battery may become damaged under normal operation which could lead to a vehicle fire.” The recall instructions also direct me to: Fully discharge the high-voltage battery Not charge the vehicle P... Read more
Incident date: Sep 10, 2025
I am filing this complaint regarding the serious safety hazard associated with the fire-risk recall on my 2023 Jeep Wrangler 4xe. The official manufacturer recall letter states: “The high-voltage battery may become damaged under normal operation which could lead to a vehicle fire.” The recall instructions also direct me to: Fully discharge the high-voltage battery Not charge the vehicle P... Read more
Incident date: Sep 10, 2025
I am filing this complaint regarding the serious safety hazard associated with the fire-risk recall on my 2023 Jeep Wrangler 4xe. The official manufacturer recall letter states: “The high-voltage battery may become damaged under normal operation which could lead to a vehicle fire.” The recall instructions also direct me to: Fully discharge the high-voltage battery Not charge the vehicle P... Read more
Incident date: Nov 28, 2025
The contact owns a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that the steering wheel and the front wheels were uncontrollable. While driving from Georgia to Memphis, there was an unknown object loose by the wheel. The ball joint suspension was replaced by an independent mechanic. The low tire pressure warning light was illuminated. The contact was unable to control the vehicle and had the vehicle t... Read more