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: Jun 25, 2025
I never had issues with my van when I bought it but On Monday got all the fluids drove to Phoenix and the transmission got hot the TCL light and ABs light turned on as well as the SRS light no check engine the floor on the driver side and passenger side was super hot. The transmission on 1st gear start hitting hard 2nd gear started slipping we pulled over right away let the car cool down but the t... Read more
Incident date: Jun 25, 2025
Car stopped functioning while driving, stopped completely in the middle of the road, a warning "Check electric vehicle system" showed up on screen.
Incident date: Jul 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 12, 2025
This RV was equipped from the factory with an axle on which was a sticker stating that the axle had a "D35 Capacity" of 3500 lbs. The RV also has a sticker stating that the GVWR is 4200 lbs and the "weight of this recreational vehicle trailer as completed at the factory with full propane cylinder(s) and full generator fuel if applicable is 1624 kg OR (3582 Lbs.)" To my understanding, this means ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 12, 2025
This RV was equipped from the factory with an axle on which was a sticker stating that the axle had a "D35 Capacity" of 3500 lbs. The RV also has a sticker stating that the GVWR is 4200 lbs and the "weight of this recreational vehicle trailer as completed at the factory with full propane cylinder(s) and full generator fuel if applicable is 1624 kg OR (3582 Lbs.)" To my understanding, this means ... Read more
Incident date: May 14, 2025
Ford had two recalls on 2018 F-150. My vehicle had both issues and was not part of the recall. They had a cam phaser recall that caused timing chain failure if not addressed and excessive oil consumption recall. My vehicle was regular serviced at Ford and it had a rattling noise which indicated possibly timing chain issue but Ford never mentioned any issues at time of service or any warning lights... Read more
Incident date: May 14, 2025
INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WENT BLANK AND VEHICLE SPEEDOMETER AND TACH AND ALL GUAGES ARE INOP., THE VEHICLE HAS THE 3.5 INCH CLUSTER THAT IS SUBJECT TO RECALL BUT FCA DENIES THAT THIS VEHICLE IS COVERED BY THE RECALL
Incident date: Jun 28, 2025
Radio needed replacement, transmission was replaced under lease contract, Rack & Pinion replaced, Steering & Suspension R/F Axle replacement needs to be done, part is on back order until September 2025-This is very dangerous. There should be recalls on the above is the part is on back order there are many issues with this these parts. This car has too many issues its only a 2020.
Incident date: Jun 10, 2025
Rear differential is faulty. This is the second time it has failed. The first time was in October 2021 the mileage was 44,812 and it was repaired. More recently it was making a noise and I took it back to Mercedes Benz dealership for repair. It was not properly diagnosed over an 8 week period and now it has completely failed. After the fact, I discovered many more Mercedes Benz owners have had the... Read more
Incident date: Nov 20, 2024
Recall SA512 was previously completed on my vehicle. The problem is happening again. Since there are no open recalls, I am unable to get it fixed under the recall.
Incident date: Jul 15, 2025
There was a recall for cam phasers etc under 21N03. My car was fixed in 2021 but the parts they put it in were not the updated parts. I was told it was the same recalled parts that they used to replace. Now I am having the same issue again . I am not currently driving my vehicle until it can be remedied. I contacted the dealership and they are not willing to cooperate or work with me. I will attac... Read more
Incident date: Jul 7, 2025
It started when I purchased it in February 2025 Mileage was 99200 I noticed the seatbelt warning signs didn’t ding if I didn’t have my seatbelt on. And the sunroof not only was leaking but it is coming apart where it is held in place I’m afraid it will suddenly come down and strike me without notice while driving. Theee days ago I noticed the airbag light came on while I had the driver assi... Read more
Incident date: Jul 12, 2025
The key fob and vehicle are not "reading" each other. The Rogue doesn't recognize the key. This has left me unable to start the vehicle on numerous occasions and I have been stranded.
Incident date: Jul 12, 2025
At roughly 9:55pm on Thursday, July 11th while traveling northbound at 70mph on the Dallas North Tollway, my 2020 Ford F-150 Shelby Baja Raptor had an instant catastrophic engine failure. All power to the truck was lost. A red solid battery light came on the a yellow engine light began flashing. I was EXTREMELY fortunate, in that I was able to guide and control the vehicle off of the freeway,... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2025
NHTSA Recall notice 25V280. Polestar is trying to charge $800 to tow the vehicle to get this recall because their OTA update never came to the car. I contacted support and they never mentioned this until I tried to set up the tow to get it taken to the service center. Now customer support is not responding to messages and failed to call me back twice. So my car is officially stuck in violation of ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Flex. The contact state that while driving on two occasions at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle lost power steering functionality and the steering wheel became very stiff. The "Power Steering Assist Fault" message was displayed. During the first failure, the contact pulled over to the side of the road and the vehicle was towed to a dealer; however, failure was no dupli... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2002 Chrysler 300M. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the front driver's seat back fractured. The contact stated that upon sitting in the front driver's seat, the seat back collapsed and landed on the rear seat. The contact attempted to adjust the seat however, the front driver's seat failed to adjust. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independe... Read more
Incident date: Jul 13, 2025
This recall happened in March. Honda did not notify me until May. As of today, 7/14, they are saying it will be August before they can fix the scooter. In the meantime, I can't ride it for safety reasons, so it is useless to me. Paying insurance and storing it but not able to use it. Even had a buyer and the sale did not go through due to the recall. Honda is not fixing it in a reasonable time fra... Read more
Incident date: Jul 13, 2025
This recall happened in March. Honda did not notify me until May. As of today, 7/14, they are saying it will be August before they can fix the scooter. In the meantime, I can't ride it for safety reasons, so it is useless to me. Paying insurance and storing it but not able to use it. Even had a buyer and the sale did not go through due to the recall. Honda is not fixing it in a reasonable time fra... Read more
Incident date: Jul 13, 2025
At freeway speeds, truck suddenly started shifting into random gears. It was cruising in 10th gear at about 65-70mph, with trailer in tow, driving normally and fine. Truck started shifted randomly, slipping gears, and going out of gear completely causing power loss. Transmission would then attempt to shift back into gear, all on its own. It would go into 5th through 10 all while slipping back out ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 10, 2025
The contact owned a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving at approximately 55 MPH, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the vehicle was losing motive power. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over and turned off the vehicle; however, when the vehicle was restarted, the vehicle... Read more
Incident date: Jun 23, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the unknown warning lights indicated powertrain failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact stated that the vehicle had been scheduled for an upcoming diagnostic test. The ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 7, 2025
There is a design flaw regarding the dashboard reflecting into the windshield. This is probably due to at least one of the following factors: a) the material and reflectivity of the dashboard b) the low angle of the windshield itself. The sun causes a reflection in the windshield that renders the driver functionally blind when driving into the sun at certain angles, and in particular moving from ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 8, 2024
After a dealer-installed software update on my 2024 Hyundai Sonata sel awd, the car began jerking during acceleration and shifting. This happens at low and moderate speeds and creates an unsafe hesitation, especially in traffic. This issue did not exist before the update. I believe the software update affected the transmission or engine control calibration. The dealership has not resolved the iss... Read more
Incident date: Jun 9, 2025
Truck went into limp mode wile driving on highway had to have trailer towed 980 miles egr cooler rubbing on wire harness on firewall staffing wires ro short out fuel injection this is a manufacturer defect.why would egr cooler and electrical wire harness be placed so close is a big safety and fire hazard ....cost of repairs at ford dealer in Columbia Tennessee $800 for repairs
Incident date: Jun 9, 2025
Truck went into limp mode wile driving on highway had to have trailer towed 980 miles egr cooler rubbing on wire harness on firewall staffing wires ro short out fuel injection this is a manufacturer defect.why would egr cooler and electrical wire harness be placed so close is a big safety and fire hazard ....cost of repairs at ford dealer in Columbia Tennessee $800 for repairs
Incident date: Jul 13, 2025
The vehicle stopped playing interior sounds, including indicator “clicks”; alerts like collision avoidance, parking collision warning, etc; as well as radio. A hard reset of the infotainment system was required to restore functionality. The issue continued through multiple times “turning the vehicle off” and starting again. Malfunctioning Component: Infotainment system. Available for insp... Read more
Incident date: Jun 2, 2025
July 2023: Vehicle brought in for first ICCU recall/ICCU SW Upgrade May 2024: Vehicla brought in for second ICCU recall June 2024: repeated 12 volt battery failure, 12 volt battery replaced, Car was stuck in a parking lot and needed to be jumped. July 2024: ICCU Failure, resulting in ICCU replacement. This took place after 2 recalls. ICCU failure luckily happened in a safe location. December 20... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2025
Fabric for sunroof shade sags making the rearview mirror un usable due to the fabric sag obstruction.
Incident date: Jul 2, 2025
There are known recalls on 2018 Dodge Journeys. For some reason my VIN [XXX] doesn't show on the list. 1) back up camera shows a black screen or a blurry dark picture (on going issue for over a year) 2) electrical system sometimes refuses to acknowledge the key fob and or won't start due to it thinking it has a dead battery. (on going issue for almost two years) 3) when braking in an emergency s... Read more
Incident date: Apr 13, 2025
Unknown. In a span of 15 minutes, I encountered 3 events in traffic where accidents could've occurred. I was in the middle turning lane, completely stopped. I tried to accelerate and start left turn when the car shut down, all lights on dashboard lit up. There's an alert saying push P (park) and restart engine. It took 2 or 3 times of trying to get the car to start. Once started the engine and oil... Read more
Incident date: Jul 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated while responding, shuddered, and made an abnormal sound. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with torque converter clutch shudder and failure. The dealer determined that the torque converter clutch needed to be replaced. The... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2024
2/24/2025 Safety Recall work performed at Honda Marin; change Fuel Pump per recall. 4/28/2025 I reported vehicle stalling/misfiring, decelerating on its own and all lights keep coming on as a result of Fuel Pump change. Marin Honda performed cleaning of battery cables; technician claims nothing is wrong with the car. [XXX] car stalled at intersection, I went back to Honda Marin and reported vehi... Read more
Incident date: Jul 13, 2025
The drivers seat is 3-6 inches to the right of the steering wheel causing hard steering/handling at times (curves). No accidents involved. Our first long drive with this vehicle. The issue does not sound like a big deal but the drivability is definitely a problem. In my opinion.
Incident date: Mar 5, 2025
My car constantly turns off mid drive and then turns back on , also all the lights on my dash pop up eveytime I start the car so I’m pretty sure it’s an electric issue sometimes it’s doesn’t start I have to play with the battery little bit and I’ve had it tested even bought a new one so ik it’s not the battery it’s electric, it frequently turns off for like 5 seconds while I’m dri... Read more
Incident date: Jul 5, 2025
Front window trim/ A pillar detached while driving on October 18,2024. Contacted dealership for replacement at the end of October 2024, and each month following, they brought vehicle in for inspection but have never replaced the trim piece. It has now been 9 months, I have called the dealer every month to follow up and have been told every time they still do not have the part to fix it. I am conce... Read more
Incident date: Jun 10, 2025
The paint started peeling on my 2019 Kia Sportage
Incident date: Jun 10, 2025
Doesn’t run as it should,all lights and warnings show on the dash
Incident date: Jun 10, 2025
Doesn’t run as it should,all lights and warnings show on the dash
Incident date: Jul 6, 2025
The electrical power steering went out while driving. When searching for a replacement, we were told they weren't even taking orders for the part because of how many failed. Clearly there is a MAJOR issue with the power steering part. It should be recalled so more people can get them fixed without potentially causing an accident at time of FAILURE
Incident date: Jul 5, 2025
Backup camera continues to have issues even after the previous update which was supposed to fix it. It has improved with the new update but has given the "camera is unavailable" message twice now, July 6, 2025 and july 12, 2025.
Incident date: Jul 5, 2025
The brake pedal went down far and there was poor braking. The brake fluid was found to be leaking from the left front brake jounce hose. This was unsafe due to extended braking stop time and less braking ability. I am an ASE certified master technician and I work in a private vehicle fleet repair facility. I did not interview the driver if the BRAKE warning light came on but most likely it ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 12, 2025
From 3,000 miles to now 8,300 miles, it started occasionally when you put it in reverse a loud squeal, like the brakes are going bad, now it’s literally every time you put it in reverse. Dealership said “most all of new Toyota suv and full size truck are doing it, and there’s nothing they can do
Incident date: Jul 12, 2025
Rear view camera does not work for about 6 months. I tried all suggestions but nothing worked.
Incident date: Jul 3, 2025
I'm still seeing a "Camera is temporarily unavailable" when reversing or driving forward using the 360 camera. I have downloaded the supposed fix of version "3.6.4" but it did absolutely nothing to alleviate this issue. Please make Polestar fix this issue, it's getting ridiculous how they keep failing to fix this.
Incident date: Jan 1, 2023
When I get into my car and reverse, 3 times out of 10, the back up camera says unavailable. Very dangerous as the back window doesn't offer the greatest visibility
Incident date: Feb 15, 2015
Reverse camera does not come on sometimes. When it does come on it can take anywhere from 5- 30 seconds to finally come on. When lane keep assist is activated the car will randomly yank the steering wheel to the right and pull me out of my lane, even with my hands on the wheel. It’s incredibly dangerous.
Incident date: Feb 15, 2015
My brake fluid line ruptured and the dealer refused repair and told me that even if they did repair it I would take 2 days and wouldn’t provide a loaner/rental so I had took to a different shop that I had to pay out of pocket for and was done in an hour.and also this is a recall for my year make and model and isn’t on my vin