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: Nov 12, 2025
The car, with no known or evident driver, stopped the lane awareness, cruise control, etc. All of those just stopped working and per Tesla that's expected which is surprising since it's all part of the safety systems. The car's visual cues stopped identifying lanes and as a byproduct of that, none of the dependent features work.
Incident date: Nov 12, 2025
Engine oil cooler lines leaking from crimp joints. "Oil Pressure Low Turn Vehicle Off" display showed on dashboard. Oil is present all over the bottom of my truck as well as a trail along the road and the parking lot where I parked it. I have not brought it to the dealership yet. There has been a Customer Service Program notice about this issue, I got my truck after the issue was sent out so I did... Read more
Incident date: Nov 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags ) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted.
Incident date: Oct 26, 2025
Upon a low speed curb strike, predominantly striking the rear driver tire and partially the front driver tire, during a slide under 30mph, the curtain airbags deployed in the vehicle. Reading about this online, it appears others driving this type of vehicle have had similar reports of low speed tire strikes and airbags deploying. The airbags were more of a risk than the curb strike itself. With ch... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Oct 26, 2025
My panoramic sunroof shattered with no warning and no apparent impact. It exploded outward, while traveling at a high speed on the highway. It was late and there were no other vehicles on the road at the time. I was not near an overpass.
Incident date: Oct 26, 2025
My panoramic sunroof shattered with no warning and no apparent impact. It exploded outward, while traveling at a high speed on the highway. It was late and there were no other vehicles on the road at the time. I was not near an overpass.
Incident date: Aug 13, 2023
After I put my car in park my daughter and I were still in the vehicle for a few minutes getting our things with the engine still running. I got out to get something from the back seat, my daughter got out the passenger door and made it to the driver side as I was closing the back passenger door. I was about to get back on the car to get the rest of my things and turn the ignition off but before I... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Aug 13, 2023
After I put my car in park my daughter and I were still in the vehicle for a few minutes getting our things with the engine still running. I got out to get something from the back seat, my daughter got out the passenger door and made it to the driver side as I was closing the back passenger door. I was about to get back on the car to get the rest of my things and turn the ignition off but before I... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Nov 30, 2025
The accelerator got stuck and and the engine went full power. It would not shut off and the overheated.
Fire
Incident date: Nov 23, 2025
Driver window rattles at all speeds. Not a big safety issue but if it breaks because of the rattle or it falls down then it could. When I put a crack in the window it stops
Incident date: Nov 30, 2025
The engine lost cylinder 3, piston came loose and broke the spark plug. This happened because the rod bearing came loose which has been a known issue with Kia. There’s already been a class action law suit, and recall with warranty. Now the Kia dealership in Lynchburg has refused to honor this warranty. Stating they can’t do the required rod bearing clearance test because the engine doesn’t h... Read more
Incident date: Nov 28, 2025
I was backing out of my driveway, which is on a busy street. I waited for the traffic to clear. I backed out onto the main road, which I thought was completely clear, but a car came behind me and I smacked right into him. There was no beeping from my car, and the automatic braking system did not engage at all. The rear of my car, particularly the driver's side, was severely damaged. The other... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Nov 28, 2025
I own a 2018 Ford Expedition, and the factory-installed backup camera has progressively failed. Initially, the camera display was intermittent—sometimes showing the rear view and other times freezing or going black. The issue has now worsened to the point that the camera no longer turns on at all when the vehicle is placed in reverse. This failure presents a significant safety hazard, as the re... Read more
Incident date: Nov 24, 2025
My vehicle has an ongoing acceleration problem that feels like the engine and transmission are not communicating correctly. There are times when the vehicle will not accelerate even though the RPMs increase. Instead of picking up speed, it feels like the engine is pulling the vehicle back. This creates hesitation and uncertainty about whether the car will respond when I press the accelerator. Thi... Read more
Incident date: Nov 30, 2025
Turned on the heat and immediately got these messages. “Service High voltage system. Reduced acceleration drive with care”. Car will not charge now.
Incident date: Oct 19, 2025
The front camera didn't operate properly The brakes have an elongated stopping distance
Crash
Incident date: Apr 16, 2025
To Whom it may concern, In February 2025 I was notified by Ford Motor Co. that there's been a recall on my 2013 Ford Explorer Manufacturer recall #24S02 and NHTSA recall #24V031. It also stated that I would be receiving another letter later in the year advising me to contact my dealer to make an appointment to have the recall problem fixed. I received another letter in September of this year adv... Read more
Incident date: Apr 16, 2025
I bought this vehicle last Thursday, The new Lexus we only drove it three times, but all power down. The first time we were about to go to work, the whole vehicle no power, so I checked the battery, it was 10 Volts, so I used my CRV battery turned on Rx350, it's working, Second time, when I arrived my work place, I turned off the new vehicle, The Whole power down again, After I checked the batter... Read more
Incident date: Apr 16, 2025
I bought this vehicle last Thursday, The new Lexus we only drove it three times, but all power down. The first time we were about to go to work, the whole vehicle no power, so I checked the battery, it was 10 Volts, so I used my CRV battery turned on Rx350, it's working, Second time, when I arrived my work place, I turned off the new vehicle, The Whole power down again, After I checked the batter... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2019
Check engine light on. Rear defrost doesn't work. Auto stop/start not working. Cruise control not working. Vehicle shuts off sometimes at stand still and have to put in neutral or park and push Start button. Engine looses power while driving. Check rear cross traffic, check tire pressure monitoring system, check lane departure warning system, check speed limit system, check lane keeping assist, ch... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2019
Check engine light on. Rear defrost doesn't work. Auto stop/start not working. Cruise control not working. Vehicle shuts off sometimes at stand still and have to put in neutral or park and push Start button. Engine looses power while driving. Check rear cross traffic, check tire pressure monitoring system, check lane departure warning system, check speed limit system, check lane keeping assist, ch... Read more
Incident date: Oct 2, 2024
While driving my 2017 Hyundai Sonata, the engine suddenly began making a loud knocking noise and the vehicle entered "limp mode" The check engine light was blinking, I took the car to a very close autozone and the check engine light came on with code P1326 (pricture upload files), which is directly related to the known KSDS connecting rod bearing defect. This issue is part of Hyundai’s safety re... Read more
Incident date: Jul 21, 2025
I needed an oil pressure sending switch, oil filter housing and intake manifold gaskets replaced. I took it to a garage for the oil leak. Was told not to use it . If the oil leak got worse, the oil could have made the road slippery if it rained or I could have blown the engine. The car sat until I got an appointment.
Incident date: Nov 29, 2025
Monday (11/17/2025) after work: car vibrated <10 seconds then stopped when turning on car. Tuesday (11/18/2025): ALL warning lights came on. Schedule appt at Honda for Saturday when they could see us. Wednesday (11/19/2025) was driving to AutoZone to have battery checked (>3 years ago all lights went on and it was the battery) when car went from 70mph on highway to not exceeding 20mph with my fam... Read more
Incident date: Nov 29, 2025
I experience hesitation when applying the throttle from a stop followed by surging. This is incredibly alarming when trying to pull away from a stop sign or light, especially in residential areas with pedestrian traffic.
Incident date: Nov 20, 2025
Based on what I experienced, the fire appears to have resulted from an internal mechanical or electrical failure that occurred without warning while the vehicle was in motion. No prior issues or dashboard alerts were present at the time, and there was no external impact or damage that could explain the fire.
Fire
Incident date: Nov 22, 2025
-EPAS malfunctioning and is available for inspection. -Steering sticks in turns and requires too much effort to return to center causing me to overcorrect which causes the steering to stick in the opposite direction and so on. This is not consistent or predictable Also The car is constantly drifting left to right and requires constant corrections to maintain center. -I replicated the issue with t... Read more
Incident date: Oct 31, 2025
Dashboard warning "High Voltage System Service Soon" came on while driving. Phoned dealer. Made service appointment. Started car and warning notice had disappeared. Drove car to dealer, who checked and told me there were "multiple error codes relating to various electrical issues" and "the case is going to be elevated to Honda's tech/engineering team." The car will be at the dealership for 7 days ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 31, 2025
I [XXX] ) was driving my Tesla Model Y (2026) with Full-Self-Driving engaged while leaving the parking lot of the Flower Mound Community Activity Center (1200 Gerault Rd., Flower Mound, TX, 75028). After exiting the parking area and entering the roadway, the car came to a stop between two lanes and unexpectedly began reversing, even though there was another vehicle behind me. The system failed to... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Oct 31, 2025
Check engine, tire pressure, battery and every other light on the dashboard
Incident date: Nov 25, 2025
after receiving my car on Friday morning 10/31 from the dealership, I drove to work, where all my dashboard lights popped on, I lost power steering, and I lost my speedometer (which is what it was in the shop for that whole week). I tried to drive it back to Kia and it completely stopped working in the middle of the road, even though it was turned on, it wouldn’t drive or change gears. Leaving m... Read more
Incident date: Nov 28, 2025
The doors lock and sometimes don't lock with the key
Incident date: Nov 27, 2025
The whole radio screen and dashboard have gone completely black and will not come on. Can not see anything. Took it to GMC dealership mechanic. Mechanic did diagnostic and said he didnt know what was wrong with it. Update did not work.
Incident date: Nov 7, 2025
Timing cover leak, replaced by dealer once covered under warranty. Few months later same leak occurred in the same park after dealer replacement. Back to the dealer to have checked, dealer found that the head gasket during manufacture/casting has defect causing the head gasket to protrude into the mounting surface for the timing cover gasket/seal causing improper seal and securement. Dealer got Je... Read more
Incident date: Nov 7, 2025
Throttle lag/hesitstaion , from a dead stop at stop sign I attempted to accelerate , my truck went a few inches forward and no pedal response after a 3 second delay my vehicle started accelerating again
Incident date: Nov 28, 2025
8/25/25: Seat Heater came on by itself on a hot day this Summer, it got so hot it burned my Right thigh. Seat Heaters are burning people. I drove directly to Subaru Dealership Service and the Service person, Dave confirmed the Seat heater was off and felt that the seat was hot and getting hotter as the heat began going up into the back of the seat. The service personnel inspected my car and could... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
The contact's mother owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the owner received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V512000 (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 contact stated that there was an abnormal squealing sound coming from underneath... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while attempting to clean the front windshield, the contact noticed that the windshield washer fluid only sprayed approximately 2-3 inches from the lower section of the front windshield, which prevented the contact from cleaning the windshield adequately and created a visibility hazard for the driver. The local dealer was contacted ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
I am writing regarding a serious incident involving negligent automotive service performed by Jiffy Lube Store #687. On October 24, 2025, I took my 2017 Hyundai Tucson to this location for a standard oil change. I trusted that the service would be completed properly and safely. However, on November 21, my vehicle’s oil lamp unexpectedly illuminated. Concerned, I returned to Jiffy Lube on Novemb... Read more
Incident date: Nov 27, 2025
My 2023 Kia Sportage AWD has several ongoing safety issues that have been happening for over a year. The car stalls or hesitates at low speeds and during acceleration. I hear grinding or whining noises from the front end and drivetrain. My brakes wore out very early and still feel inconsistent, and the automatic braking acts unpredictable. The AWD system sometimes feels unstable when I try to acce... Read more
Incident date: Nov 27, 2025
My 2023 Kia Sportage AWD has several ongoing safety issues that have been happening for over a year. The car stalls or hesitates at low speeds and during acceleration. I hear grinding or whining noises from the front end and drivetrain. My brakes wore out very early and still feel inconsistent, and the automatic braking acts unpredictable. The AWD system sometimes feels unstable when I try to acce... Read more
Incident date: Nov 27, 2025
The driver front wheel developed a crack in it on the inside of the wheel. It was detected due to the tire leaking air. It was not immediately detected in the dunk tank at discount tire and I continued to fill air and drive on the rim until the leak accelerated, and discount tire was finally able to detect the leak. With the wheel compromised, if I hit something wrong, or even just driving, the cr... Read more
Incident date: Aug 15, 2025
Having issues with the windshield wipers clearing rain when driving and multiple camera malfunctions that I have an appointment to have both checked on 12/2. Wiper stops more than 4 inches from the edge of the window which I could probably just deal with, but when driving it pulls water anywhere from 3-8 inches further across the windshield making it very hard to see when it rains harder or you dr... Read more
Incident date: Aug 15, 2025
The front passenger-side 6-piston Brembo caliper's (Part No. 20.A989.63) external steel crossover tube failed due to corrosion, specifically where the tubing was covered by a protective rubber sleeve, which trapped moisture and road salt. This led to a catastrophic loss of brake fluid and braking capability. This appears to be a systemic corrosion defect.
Incident date: Nov 22, 2025
Over time the transmission cooling line to the radiator was rubbing against another part in the engine compartment resulting in a hole in the line and eventually catastrophic failure of the line. This caused transmission fluid to be sprayed around the engine compartment and the roadway creating an environmental issue. This could cause loss of power, fire and damage to the environment. Online other... Read more
Incident date: Nov 22, 2025
Over time the transmission cooling line to the radiator was rubbing against another part in the engine compartment resulting in a hole in the line and eventually catastrophic failure of the line. This caused transmission fluid to be sprayed around the engine compartment and the roadway creating an environmental issue. This could cause loss of power, fire and damage to the environment. Online other... Read more
Incident date: Sep 27, 2025
The low beam headlights and high beam headlights do not function properly. I thought that when one of the low beam lights went out that I needed a new bulb. Before I got to changing the bulb out, the other one went out while driving at night. I tried to make it home with my high beams on, but only one was working at the time. While driving, one of the low beams that I thought needed a bulb came ba... Read more
Incident date: Nov 26, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. While the contact’s daughter was driving 65 MPH, the driver's side rear control arm fractured and detached. The contact stated that the failure occurred when the vehicle drove over a mild bump on the road, causing the entire driver's side rear wheel to detach from the vehicle. In addition, the contact stated that his 1-year-old grandchild was an occupant of t... Read more
Incident date: Nov 23, 2025
Wife was traveling from work to home when vehicle shut down in the middle of the roadway. Vehicle locked transmission into park. Tow truck driver nor Ford representatives via customer care could provide a means to release the parked truck. Fortunately wife suffered no injuries nor was she rear ended when truck decided to stop running and park. Dealership stated they could see error messages not sh... Read more
Incident date: Nov 26, 2025
Car seemed to have no power steering when I tried to leave this morning, brand new car less than 5000 miles and it’s glitching.