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.
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
Showing 60,583 complaints for KIA
Incident date: Dec 1, 2024
The accelerator pedal is mounted to the floor and the pedal itself is attached to the base with a very thin piece of plastic that over time separates. In my vehicle the pedal has separated and is moving freely which makes the accelerator pedal raise up while your foot is on the brakes and when you go to accelerate the pedal is blocking your foot from returning to the accelerator. The answer to que... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2024
The accelerator pedal is mounted to the floor and the pedal itself is attached to the base with a very thin piece of plastic that over time separates. In my vehicle the pedal has separated and is moving freely which makes the accelerator pedal raise up while your foot is on the brakes and when you go to accelerate the pedal is blocking your foot from returning to the accelerator. The answer to que... Read more
Incident date: Dec 22, 2024
Steering: linkages: knuckle: spindle: arm is cracking. Air bag has had issues and the light stays on.
Crash
Incident date: Dec 22, 2024
Steering: linkages: knuckle: spindle: arm is cracking. Air bag has had issues and the light stays on.
Crash
Incident date: Oct 12, 2024
Accelerating from a stop sign when the vehicle stalled and hesitated to go for approximately 2 seconds. The vehicle eventually accelerated with no issues afterwards. Cross traffic was nearby and had to slow down so my vehicle could clear the highway.
Incident date: Dec 2, 2024
March 5th 2020 I finally recorded a message that had been appearing in my dash board during late night drives. Message read as "Adaptive Cruise Control Problem" "Collision Mitigation System Problem" I notified Honda of North Hollywood service department at the time, and they said they could not do anything to fix the problem unless the message was actively displayed on the dash board during the ti... Read more
Incident date: Jan 4, 2025
As I entered the parking lot I disengaged FSD by taking over the steering wheel. When it can to navigating into the parking spot I gently push the accelerator and the pedal disappeared from under neath my foot as the car accelerated forward hitting the car to my right. My calls to Tesla went unanswered so I could not report the incident. The incident happened May 2nd 2024.
Crash
Incident date: Nov 12, 2024
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? 3rd for left and right seatbelts do not retract or lock. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? I have children and they ride in that row if the seatbelts do not retract or lock they will fail in a crash. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent servic... Read more
Incident date: Jun 15, 2022
This is the second time I am filing a complaint in regard to this issue. I was driving on a very busy road, when my vehicle had come to a complete stop. The dashboard read: “EMERGENCY BRAKE” in red, then the emergency brake had turned on by itself. After trying to turn off the brake, the vehicle completely turned off. I had to restart the vehicle, in which case it turned on in neutral. This wa... Read more
Incident date: Oct 6, 2024
2018 Honda CRV with 47,000 miles bought 12/23/24. Upon driving the car that evening all warning lights on dashboard lit up, and every warning started popping up on the dash - hill start assist error, power steering problem, parking brake problem, vehicle stability assist problem, etc. Car drove without being affected but the warnings continued cycling through on the dashboard. Took it back to the ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 25, 2024
The f16 fuse in the engine bay that connects power to multiple exterior lights as well as the abs brake system melts and melts part of the fuse tray. This is the same thing that happens with the vw Tiguan in campaign am97. Look into am97 as this can ruin your abs brake system. This should be recalled and fixed. This picture is not mine but is exactly what happened.
Incident date: Jan 1, 2023
The contact's son owns a 2013 Ford F-250. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked while working and after returning to the vehicle and attempting to restart the vehicle, the message "Reduced Power" was displayed, and the vehicle was not able to be started. The contact's son had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the high-pressure fuel ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 12, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Corolla. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V024000 (AIR BAGS); 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 manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution discon... Read more
Incident date: Mar 12, 2023
My 2017 Ford Escape has a 1.5L EcoBoost engine that has been leaking fuel into my cylinders. My mechanic says I'm lucky it didn't cause a fire while I was driving it. Due to the damage, I now have to replace my long block engine, quoted at $11.2K. A week after I bought the car in late May 2024, the car began to smell of gasoline whenever I used my A/C, which I rarely do. A constant problem I've ex... Read more
Incident date: Nov 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was 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... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2022
The contact owns a 2023 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, another vehicle was driving on the incorrect side of the road coming towards the contact head-on. While attempting to avoid crashing into the other vehicle, the contact swerved over to the side of the road and drove downhill. The contact then heard a loud thud, and the vehicle became undriveable. The vehic... Read more
Incident date: Oct 31, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Ford F-350. The contact stated while driving or while the vehicle was parked, the doors would freeze in cold weather and failed to latch securely. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 30, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. In addition, the vehicle stalled and jerked. The contact stated that the failure occurred several times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with fuel pump failure. The contact ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 10, 2024
Cylinder 3 keeps failing and head gasket keeps failing. Have had to replace the head gasket 3 times now over the last 6 months. This last time it lasted 6 weeks. Code was P105D.
Incident date: Jan 2, 2025
Shut driver side door and the rear hatch glass shattered.
Incident date: Aug 15, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the hood was flapping up and down. The contact was concerned that the hood might release and crash into the front windshield. The brake pedal was depressed but was slow to respond. The TPMS warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the interior lights were inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the local dea... Read more
Incident date: Dec 18, 2024
1) System Failure: Back window shade. It is available for inspection at any time. 2) Safety of me and others put at risk: When the shade is down I can not see out the back window posing a significant risk to those behind me particularly pedestrians 3) Has problem been reproduced: Yes 4) Has the component been inspected: No the motor operating the shade has not been inspected 5) Warnings prior to s... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that on several occasions while making left or right turns, there was a loud clanking noise emanating from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the lower control arm bushings had deteriorated and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken t... Read more
Incident date: Jan 2, 2025
incident I would like to report involves the crash of a 2018 Nissan Sentra (VIN: [XXX] ) that occurred on the morning of [XXX], coinciding with [XXX] on [XXX] at the [XXX] location. It is very concerning and puzzling how, in rainy conditions, after the vehicle collided with the highway barrier, the airbag of the Sentra failed to deploy, resulting in the driver’s head hitting the steering whe... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Sep 3, 2024
I was driving and my truck went into a limp mode. I pulled to the side of the road to try and figure out the problem but I had no clue. I shut off my truck and started it back up and everything was normal. When I started driving back on the road again about a mile from where I pulled over at I was going about 40mph and all of a sudden my truck rear tires locked up and I noticed my gear shifted to ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 29, 2024
Safety was at risk when the gears switched to neutral while I was driving in car with my children. A recall was completed when bought car was not aware of fuel pumps recall issue. Says completed repair but the car is still having issues and was sold to me without telling me about the recall. First appeared about a week ago. Making a ticking noise, losing power when accelerating.
Incident date: Dec 31, 2024
Horns stopped working. Consider this to be a safety issue for obvious reasons. Checked horn fuse and it was not blown. Contacted local dealer to have it repaired. Awaiting an appointment
Incident date: Dec 31, 2024
I was driving and my vehicle started to give me warnings to pull over due to low oil. When I safely pulled over and check. the engine oil cooling line was detached from crimp joint and leaked all the oil. Called the tow truck and took the truck to the dealer (Charles hardy chevrolet in Dallas GA) And they telling me that the engine is locked and it need to be replaced. There is a recall for the p... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Volvo S60. The contact stated that while at a stop light, the vehicle erroneously drove forward and crashed into a second vehicle. The contact indicate that during the crash the collision avoidance feature did not activate. No injuries were reported. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manuf... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Oct 2, 2024
Vehicle with 34,000 miles has started to have surging of rotors when applying brakes at 33,000. Vehicle has had brake disc kit replaced due to warping at 13,058 miles. Vehicle had brake disc kits and front and rear brake rotors replaced due to high spots for pad engagement at 22,996 miles. The vehicle has a continuous problem with brake/rotor system!
KIA
SPORTAGE PHEV
(2023) — STEERING
Jan 1, 2025
Incident date: Sep 3, 2024
I brought my car in to the local dealer in Olympia WA for a routine oil change and inquired about a wobble when driving on the freeway. I was told that my 5 year tires (purchased less than 1 year ago$800 full set) needed replaced on the drivers side ($224) and that my car maybe out of alignment ($119). I inquired about the Sentra recalls and was told there aren’t any. This is concerning to me a... Read more
KIA
SPORTAGE PHEV
(2023) — WHEELS
Jan 1, 2025
Incident date: Sep 3, 2024
I brought my car in to the local dealer in Olympia WA for a routine oil change and inquired about a wobble when driving on the freeway. I was told that my 5 year tires (purchased less than 1 year ago$800 full set) needed replaced on the drivers side ($224) and that my car maybe out of alignment ($119). I inquired about the Sentra recalls and was told there aren’t any. This is concerning to me a... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2024
About 7 months ago, "Refill Inverter Coolant" warning came up. Since then, I've scheduled service appoitment wtih Van Nuys Kia dealership 5 times to resolve this issue, but even after recent appoitment 2 weeks ago, this warning is still came up on my dashboard. Every time I start the car, the persistent refill inverter coolant light comes on. I believe I am experiencing this issue because KIA and ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2024
While driving at highway speeds, the A-pillar trim on the passenger side of my Acura TSX Wagon's windshield flew off the car today as a gust of wind hit the vehicle. I had just cleaned the windshield that morning in preparation for my road trip and nothing appeared loose. While driving for over two hours, nothing had rattled or sounded strange. And then all of a sudden, a crack noise and someth... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2024
On numerous times when you start the truck there is a delay from when you engage drive and the drivetrain gets power. To the point that 1 time the truck rolled back into another destroying their bumper.
Crash
Incident date: Dec 31, 2024
I was due for an inspection sticker and my vehicle did not pass due to it initially during and not having driven enough miles to reset the code. I had drove enough miles and was going to get it reinspected but the battery died again. I had jumped my vehicle and drove it to reset the code again however upon stop at a red light the car turned over and wouldn’t start up again. I had three of my ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 14, 2024
There is an auto start/stop feature on my 2018 Honda Pilot. I’ve owned it new since July 2018. My wife and I have experienced the same issue both together and separately. The auto stop feature will engage with the break depressed, but the auto start function will not always engage when the break is released. This has left us stranded in the middle of intersections in the middle of left turns wit... Read more
Incident date: Nov 25, 2022
Have been using 2-3 quarts of oil a week also lost power could not get it to run took it to the mechanic again he informed me the catalytic is going bad and as much oil as it is going through it might blow at any time
Incident date: Nov 25, 2022
The horn on the steering wheel stopped working recently. Horns are important safety features on any vehicle, and electric vehicles are especially quiet so the horn is essential. The other buttons and scrollers on the steering wheel also stopped working. It's unclear if the airbag still functions.
Incident date: Nov 25, 2022
The horn on the steering wheel stopped working recently. Horns are important safety features on any vehicle, and electric vehicles are especially quiet so the horn is essential. The other buttons and scrollers on the steering wheel also stopped working. It's unclear if the airbag still functions.
Incident date: Dec 15, 2024
Engine Light turned on. Fan keeps running for 10-15 minutes after truck is turned off. Went to two different mechanics and it is a thermostat problem. Temperature sensor and thermostat both have gone bad in under 5 years. They have told me it is not a good design and now parts are in back order. This needs a recall.
Incident date: Aug 22, 2024
When driving with my speed control set at 35 to 45 mph, I will sporadically and without warning get a forward collision warning, and the car brakes. When this occurs, there is absolutely nothing around that should cause this warning.The warning occurs for no reason at all. I took the car to my Kia dealership and also provided them with videos taken at two different times. They kept my car for seve... Read more
Incident date: Aug 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving 10 MPH, the ABS warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that a module inside the ABS system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 129,500.
Incident date: Aug 22, 2024
Rear Window/Glass spontaneously shattered. Loud Noise as it shattered entirely. No apparent cause while driving in parking lot with no bystanders.
Incident date: Dec 31, 2024
My vehicle had to have the EGR cooler replaced for the second time. The first time was when the vehicle was at almost 37,000 miles, the second time was at 129,575 miles. Just like during the previous occurrences, the check engine light came on and the message in my Fordpass app advised that there was a problem with the engine cooling system and I needed to proceed to my dealership. In this inst... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
While my vehicle was in the shop having the transmission rebuilt and the torque converter replaced, the techs identified that there was a continued shudder. At this time, after researching the codes on my vehicle, they identified that the EGR Purge Valve needed to be replaced. They identified it because the vehicle was running rough and should not have been after the items were repaired.
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
Tailgate came open while driving and I lost items in the truck bed.
Incident date: Mar 18, 2024
Vehicle was not shifting smoothly when driving it. This had been an ongoing issue but was getting worse, especially in low gears. No lights or identification. I brought it to the dealership and they identified that I needed to have the torque convertor replaced. They did a transmission overhaul. Identified there were still issues occurring and shifting was not smooth. Installed new pistons, ... Read more