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 31, 1969
SAFETY INCIDENTS 1. Highway Limp Mode Failure — May 2026 & June 2026 While driving on the highway in summer conditions with my infant in the vehicle, the car has entered limp mode twice without warning, reducing speed to a maximum of 2mph. This left us stranded in live traffic lanes, creating immediate and serious danger to my child's life. 2. Severe Range Loss in Winter Storm — December 20... Read more
Incident date: Jun 6, 2026
Stopped at the West Bound Thruway Seneca service area. After returning to the vehicle, multiple error messages were displayed on screen. "Have Power Steering Serviced, Service Stabilitrak, Service Headlamps, AWD Tempoarily Unavailable" Steering was the main issue. It was almost impossible to turn and steer. It was fortunate that it was after a stop and not while driving. The vehicle was towed t... Read more
Incident date: Jun 6, 2026
Stopped at the West Bound Thruway Seneca service area. After returning to the vehicle, multiple error messages were displayed on screen. "Have Power Steering Serviced, Service Stabilitrak, Service Headlamps, AWD Tempoarily Unavailable" Steering was the main issue. It was almost impossible to turn and steer. It was fortunate that it was after a stop and not while driving. The vehicle was towed t... Read more
Incident date: Jun 6, 2026
Stopped at the West Bound Thruway Seneca service area. After returning to the vehicle, multiple error messages were displayed on screen. "Have Power Steering Serviced, Service Stabilitrak, Service Headlamps, AWD Tempoarily Unavailable" Steering was the main issue. It was almost impossible to turn and steer. It was fortunate that it was after a stop and not while driving. The vehicle was towed t... Read more
Incident date: Jan 17, 2026
My problem was with the cooling system. My car has run great. Absolutely love my car on the way home 2 weeks ago. The coolant hose busted. I towed it to the mechanic shop and he informed me that it wasn't just a busted hose that somehow my coolant is leaking into my motor somewhere. It has not been fixed yet but as doing research is where I seen that most Ford escapes apparently has a coolant prob... Read more
Incident date: Jan 17, 2026
I was heading home from my vacation with my lady and had cruise control on and then all of a sudden my Rpms shot through the roof and then a flashing check engine light showed up and a message that said “acceleration reduced drive with care” when I took it to the dealer they told me it was due to the side object detection system malfunctioned and caused that issue then today I felt the car idl... Read more
Incident date: Jun 5, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speeds, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle restarted after 20 minutes. The Check Engine warning light was illuminated. The "Charging System Failed" message was displayed. The vehicle was previously taken to the local dealer for NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) recall repair. The vehicl... Read more
Incident date: May 27, 2026
My truck experienced a sudden downshift and loss of power, it threw a p2704 at the dealership but I don’t trust this dealership as they quoted me for a new transmission shortly after that, I tried calling the ford service line and they did not pickup, I went to their contact and they said to tow it to a different dealership for a second opinion, it is a severe safety risk and it is certainly the... Read more
KIA
SPORTAGE HYBRID
(2023) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Jun 9, 2026
Incident date: Apr 22, 2026
The contact owns a 2020 Cadillac XT5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly shifted into different gears. The Check Engine warning light was illuminated. The failure persisted while the contact's wife was driving, and the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was able to restart and shift into gear. The contact notified Carvana of the failur... Read more
KIA
SPORTAGE HYBRID
(2023) - POWER TRAIN
Jun 9, 2026
Incident date: Apr 22, 2026
The contact owns a 2020 Cadillac XT5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly shifted into different gears. The Check Engine warning light was illuminated. The failure persisted while the contact's wife was driving, and the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was able to restart and shift into gear. The contact notified Carvana of the failur... Read more
Incident date: Feb 7, 2026
For my vehicle the Check Engine light has been on continuously throughout the last 6 months and mechanics are going to have to replace the thermostat. Multiple auto mechanics have indicated online that this is a very common problem with many Hyundai vehicles from 2020-2023 and can be a danger due to temperature control not being accurate for vehicles (Code P2181). Many owners of these Hyundai vehi... Read more
Incident date: Jul 27, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to exceed 20 MPH. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the failure could not be duplicated. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving. The brake pedal was depressed, but the engine revved, and the vehicle failed to immediate... Read more
Incident date: Oct 6, 2023
CENTRAL LOCKING MALFUNCTION. Central locking malfunction will lock my kids INSIDE my car and my key not work. It will also lock me inside the car and the emergency not work. There is a class action lawsuit for this!!! And all of my electrical will completely go out.
Incident date: Mar 14, 2026
An intermittent orange flashing light in or near the heads-up display area has been reported at multiple service visits on my 2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV (VIN: [XXX]) with no resolution. First reported XXX (RO XXX, Ed Morse Cadillac Tampa) — could not duplicate. Reported again May 13, 2025 (RO XXX) — could not duplicate. The issue continues to occur intermittently as of this filing. The orange ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 14, 2026
2016 Hyundai Veloster with 1.6L Gamma engine experienced repeat catastrophic engine failure consistent with NHTSA Recall 20V746000 / Hyundai Recall 198 for connecting rod bearing failure. Failure #1: At 124,036 miles, engine developed loud knocking noise increasing with RPM, check engine light, and DTCs P0300 (random misfire) + P0303 (cylinder 3 misfire). Dealer repair order documented "broken int... Read more
Incident date: Mar 14, 2026
On XXX, Dimmitt Cadillac of Pinellas Park confirmed three tires on my 2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV (VIN: [XXX]) at 3/32" tread depth with alignment wear damage — unsafe for highway travel at 41,796 miles. A fourth tire replaced via warranty at 20,586 miles is now at 7/32". All four tires are destroyed or degraded. This alignment condition was never identified or communicated across six service vis... Read more
Incident date: Jun 5, 2026
My left rear axel/rear differential/ control arm snapped with normal driving and breaking. It is available for inspection. This mechanical failure made me loose control of my vehicle on the busy freeway and threw me across a lane into the freeway center divider. Nearly caused a pile up accident and killed me.. The dealership service department checked it in today. I filed a claim today with ... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
My left rear axel/rear differential/ control arm snapped with normal driving and breaking. It is available for inspection. This mechanical failure made me loose control of my vehicle on the busy freeway and threw me across a lane into the freeway center divider. Nearly caused a pile up accident and killed me.. The dealership service department checked it in today. I filed a claim today with ... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Oct 25, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the contact noticed an abnormally loud sound. The contact stated that the rear sunroof panel fractured without impact, and the shattered glass fell all over the interior of the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the fai... Read more
Incident date: May 27, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving and decelerating to approximately 10 MPH onto an exit ramp, the vehicle suddenly stalled and failed to restart. The contact noticed that there was blue smoke coming from the exhaust pipes, and several unknown warning lights and messages illuminated, including the Check Engine warning light. The vehicle was towed to the... Read more
Incident date: May 27, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving and decelerating to approximately 10 MPH onto an exit ramp, the vehicle suddenly stalled and failed to restart. The contact noticed that there was blue smoke coming from the exhaust pipes, and several unknown warning lights and messages illuminated, including the Check Engine warning light. The vehicle was towed to the... Read more
Incident date: Dec 13, 2025
Multiple lights on dash same time. Auto Hold, Fwd Collision, Adaptive Cruise and ABS. Code said ABS Module faulty. Multiple Safety System affected and rendered useless.
Incident date: Dec 13, 2025
TRUCK WOBBLIES WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE STEERING TAKES TWO TO THREE INCHES TO TURN THE STERRING WHEEL BEFORE THE TRUCK STARTS TO TURN. NOT RESPONSIVE AS IT WAS.
Incident date: Oct 30, 2025
Two warming lights come on when I turn the steering wheel - the ABS and the stability control light. When I turn the steering wheel both of these lights turn on. I viewed a video about this problem and the suggestion was made that the problem could be a safety issue and that it might be corrected by setting the car on a level spot and then turning the key to the on position (but not starting it)... Read more
Incident date: Jun 3, 2026
While driving downhill and using regenerative braking, my 2013 Acura ILX Hybrid suddenly experienced a hybrid system malfunction. Immediately after the event, the vehicle displayed "Check IMA System" and "Check Charging System" warnings and began exhibiting drivability and electrical-system problems. Following the failure, the vehicle experienced reduced acceleration from a stop, rough engine res... Read more
Incident date: May 28, 2026
After the vehicle was jumpstarted the vehicle failed to correctly enter gear- when shifting into reverse it instead rolled forward downhill. The following systems also displayed failure warnings: ABS Traction Control Parking Brake ( Parking brake also showed as activated when it was not active- it would audibly disengage but the parking brake light stayed lit) Stability Control 4wd. The combinat... Read more
Incident date: May 28, 2026
After the vehicle was jumpstarted the vehicle failed to correctly enter gear- when shifting into reverse it instead rolled forward downhill. The following systems also displayed failure warnings: ABS Traction Control Parking Brake ( Parking brake also showed as activated when it was not active- it would audibly disengage but the parking brake light stayed lit) Stability Control 4wd. The combinat... Read more
Incident date: May 28, 2026
2016 RAM 1500 pickup truck has several warning to include check engine light, ABS light, traction control light, ABS Brake service require, 4x4 service required, electronic throttle control and brake light comes on and vehicle no longer has anti-lock brake or traction control capability. Issue has been on going for several months with numerous calls to dealer for the replacement of the ABS contro... Read more
Incident date: Apr 16, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that the "Shift to Park" message was displayed after shifting the vehicle into park(P). The bells and whistles failed to go off, and the vehicle made a continuous beeping sound. The failure required the contact to restart the vehicle 14 times. The contact was concerned that the battery would die. The vehicle was taken to the local deal... Read more
Incident date: Apr 16, 2026
The front subframe on the drivers side of the vehicle broke while maneuvering a right turn at a safe speed. This incident caused additional damage to the vehicle, with noticeable damage to the quarter panel. Additional damage is expected and may include the tie rod, wheel bearing, struts, sway bar link, etc. The driver and passenger were put at risk due to the severity of the break and the inabili... Read more
Incident date: Apr 16, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V328000 (Air Bags). The dealer was contacted but declined to complete the recall repair because the vehicle was not routinely serviced at their location. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Incident date: Jun 8, 2026
On Saturday May 30th my vehicle did a safety shut down and told me to pull over, it appeared to be overheating. Checked my coolant and my reserve tank was empty. I took it to my Ford dealer, their diagnosis was that my engine block was defective/porice and leaking coolant. They stated this is a known issue with Ford. There is a Ford recall 26S01 dated 1/15/26 for this exact issue that my vehicle h... Read more
Incident date: Jun 4, 2026
It’s put me and my family at risk yes the problem is confirmed by mechanic every time when the problem occurs I get warnings to stop driving and turn off the car
Incident date: Jun 4, 2026
I was traveling at highway speeds in active, high-velocity traffic when my vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic mechanical failure that nearly resulted in a severe multi-car accident. Without any warning, the vehicle completely lost its ability to accelerate, flatly refusing to pick up speed or maintain momentum despite pressing the gas pedal. This unexpected, immediate drop in propulsion ma... Read more
Incident date: Jun 4, 2026
I was traveling at highway speeds in active, high-velocity traffic when my vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic mechanical failure that nearly resulted in a severe multi-car accident. Without any warning, the vehicle completely lost its ability to accelerate, flatly refusing to pick up speed or maintain momentum despite pressing the gas pedal. This unexpected, immediate drop in propulsion ma... Read more
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact stated that the daughter had reported that while in a parking lot, the brakes unintendedly engaged, and then the vehicle suddenly accelerated. The driver immediately applied the brakes to stop the vehicle. The contact was able to duplicate the failure while attempting to park the vehicle. The messages "Power Train Malfunction" and "Reduced Pow... Read more
Incident date: Nov 24, 2024
My 2015 Ford F-150 experienced a sudden, dangerous loss of throttle power while driving, forcing an emergency stop on the side of the road. The vehicle is now locked in a hard electronic no-start/no-crank condition. We diagnosed the vehicle and pulled active, stored trouble codes P0706 and P0707 for the Transmission Range Sensor (TRS).This failure matches the exact defect described in NHTSA Campai... Read more
Incident date: May 2, 2026
I received a warning on the screen that said "Stop vehicle and check power supply". Later I got a different message about the 12V system. I checked the error codes with an android app and got error codes P1A90 and PPOC17.
Incident date: May 2, 2026
This vehicle has experienced three separate powertrain failures stemming from the same transmission defect (DTC P0A43 — Drive Motor Position Sensor, eFlite transmission). Incident 1 — April 19, 2026: Complete sudden loss of motive power on the highway with family aboard. Vehicle towed to Castle Rock Chrysler CDJR. Failed Repair — May 8, 2026: Chrysler corporate mandated a software flash ra... Read more
Incident date: May 2, 2026
The contact's daughter owns a 2021 Honda Insight. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the front driver's and passenger-side air bags suddenly deployed without impact. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the air bags cracked the front windshield and injured the driver's arm. The police arrived at the scene, but no police repor... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Sep 5, 2025
Vehicle has a number of safety issues. Vehicle locks up while driving creating a safety issue its potential crash, seats automatically go back when released forward for rear passenger to enter pinning rear passenger while trying to enter or exit vehicle. Car also has had several instances where it accelerates while breaking. Car is currently at dealership for diagnostic
Incident date: Apr 10, 2026
Dealership Linwood inspected vehicle and certified power and ground module has internal fault-faulty front camera module.
Incident date: Apr 10, 2026
Dealership Linwood inspected vehicle and certified power and ground module has internal fault-faulty front camera module.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
My vehicle does not appear on the recall list for repair concerning Trailer lighting module fault. Trailer was tested on 5 other vehicles within our neighborhood and worked perfectly. Addressed issue with ford dealership and was told vehicle was not on recall list, yet the error is there. It appears the vehicle needs the updated software ford has issued but dealership refused to issue repair. Ve... Read more
Incident date: Jul 25, 2025
The headlight housings on this generation of 2013 Acura MDXs completely fail due to a design flaw that causes the housing to overheat and dim the lights to a dangerous level. At night, you would be safer if you were driving with flashlights taped to the hood of the vehicle. I’m sure this has caused numerous wrecks for 2013-2015 MDX owners as it is a widely reported issue that needs to be fixed a... Read more
Incident date: Jul 25, 2025
Everytime I start my vehicle the parking brake fault service now light comes on.
Incident date: May 16, 2026
The cluster system of the vehicle lit up every warning system which prevented the running vehicle from being able to be put into drive. Safety was put at risk because I'm afraid this will happen while driving. I've seen this same concern on many Kia owner forums who describe the same issue possibly related to a faulty wiring harness. I had just purchased this vehicle that has 15,000 miles an... Read more
Incident date: Jun 6, 2026
Backup Camera Blue Screen Failure. Does Not Work; Happened within time frame of the other ford vehicle recalls for backup camera safety concerns.
Incident date: Jun 6, 2026
Subaru Orange Coast and Ocean Subaru of Fullerton refused to work on my recall due to my car has aftermarket parts not related to the recall. The dealership is very keen in extorting money to the naïve customers instead of fixing the safety issue with my car.