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: May 15, 2026
Fuel pump has been repaired twice since I bought the vehicle brand new and now it’s faulty again it’s going to the dealership for a third time again
Incident date: May 15, 2026
While driving my new Grand Highlander, I have experienced a serious and recurring safety issue. Even with lane assist turned off, the vehicle automatically steers to the right when I exit a regular highway — apparently misinterpreting the widening road as a lane shift. When this happens, the steering overrides my input and I am forced to pull the wheel hard to regain control and stay in my lane.... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2026
1. The sensor on the backup camera doesn't often detect someone behind the vehicle. This has occured for the last couple of years. 2. The hatch has also started to short out, popping open when the car is off, refusing to unlock etc. I heard my hatch make the latch sound and then got down the road a bit and it was open about a foot. I could have hurt someone. I can't get into my trunk about 50%og ... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2026
So we took it into Volkswagen in Texarkana Texas. They had the car for an entire week. They said they updated something. The first day we got it back. My daughter drove it and the lane assist turned off. The dealership told us it’s a known issue and then it happens when it’s in the sun well, this was at night at eight something p.m. I’m attaching a photo. If this is a known issue because w... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2026
I was at a stoplight, waiting to making a U-turn. The light turned green release the brake and went to hit the gas. The entire vehicle shut off. I lost all power and had to restart the vehicle in the middle of the intersection with vehicles behind me. It took at least 30 seconds and I ended up having to wait a cycle on the light because I couldn’t go at the time. Once I got the car back on, I lo... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
The vehicle exhibits two distinct and dangerous behaviors: 1. Engine stalling upon deceleration: When slowing to a stop, the engine stalls abruptly before the vehicle comes to a complete stop, causing a sudden, unexpected deceleration that throws occupants forward with significant force. 2. Unintended surge upon brake release: When releasing the brake pedal from a complete stop, the vehicle surg... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
This is an ongoing issue. The panel lights and indicators associated with climate control setting module (in front of/below) the dash are very dim. In normal to bright daylight it can be impossible to see. As a result drivers have to take their eyes off the road and bend down a little to see what the climate control lettings are set on or whether a selection has been set properly. This has obviou... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
This is an ongoing issue. The panel lights and indicators associated with climate control setting module (in front of/below) the dash are very dim. In normal to bright daylight it can be impossible to see. As a result drivers have to take their eyes off the road and bend down a little to see what the climate control lettings are set on or whether a selection has been set properly. This has obviou... Read more
Incident date: May 24, 2026
The vehicle suddenly began vibrating noticeably when idling and at low speeds. About 30 minutes after this started happening a warning lamp lit up. We drove the vehicle about 2 miles to a local auto parts store to get an initial computer diagnosis of the issue. The test resulted in a code of "P0304" which detected a cylinder #4 misfire and recommended a fuel injector replacement. We brought ... Read more
Incident date: May 24, 2026
Kia has common problems on the airbags even tho my air bags is good but I want to still check it
Incident date: Aug 24, 2022
To Whom It May Concern: I am submitting this complaint regarding my 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 and respectfully requesting review of a serious infotainment and electronic system failure that occurred at approximately 49,000 miles. Prior to the failure of the MBUX infotainment system, the vehicle began exhibiting abnormal electrical behavior. On multiple occasions, the right headlight remained illu... Read more
KIA
SPORTAGE HYBRID
(2025) - POWER TRAIN
May 24, 2026
Incident date: May 11, 2026
My truck transmission changes gears randomly while in motion. It is terrifying when it happens in traffic and the truck stalls and looses power then kicks back in with a loud noise. I stopped driving it since March of 2026.
Incident date: May 23, 2026
Component/system: Rear tires — traction and wet-weather grip performance. Tires are available for inspection upon request. Tire size: 265/70R16 Four BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A 265/70R16 112T all-season tires were purchased new and professionally installed at a retail warehouse tire center in August 2025. The vehicle is a 2022 Toyota Tacoma. Approximately nine months after installation, both re... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2026
I purchased this vehicle at the end of February 2026. Since the purchase this vehicle has on numerous occasions for no reason applied the brakes and made the steering wheel shake. This has almost caused an accident on several occasions, with today another instance on 5-23-2026. I would turn the system off but from what I understand it re-engages itself after every drive. I like the vehicle but im... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2026
Vehicle: 2018 Honda Accord On [XXX], at approximately [XXX] PM, I was driving on [XXX] [XXX] at approximately 35 mph. The weather was clear and the road was dry. A vehicle ahead of me began turning into [XXX] N. My vehicle’s Collision Mitigation Braking System / automatic emergency braking system activated suddenly. The system made an audible warning sound, displayed a warning icon, and app... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Mar 31, 2026
My radio is ghost glitching. It randomly does it. I can't listen to anything or do anything on the screen.. it keeps the whole drive. It won't allow me to upload the video. I can send it via email.
Incident date: Mar 31, 2026
The vehicle will not get to highway speed causing it to impede traffic and presenting a safety risk for collision.
Incident date: May 23, 2026
Coolant bypass valve leak. An known issue however dealership will not pay for repairs due to vehicle having 106000 mile. 6000 over what the bulletin 24TE04 states it will cover.
KIA
SPORTAGE HYBRID
(2023) - ENGINE
May 23, 2026
Incident date: May 14, 2026
Our 2017 Ford Edge Titanium had its engine check light go on at 60,788 miles on April 6, 2026. So we brought it into our local Ford dealership (where we purchased it new) the next day on April 7. We were told that diagnostics showed there was a coolant intrusion in one of the cylinders (2.0L Eco-Boost engine) and we would need to basically rebuild the engine (long block) for $9,900! This is very f... Read more
KIA
SPORTAGE HYBRID
(2023) - STEERING
May 23, 2026
Incident date: May 14, 2026
I just bought this car and discovered that the steering system is actually unsafe; the vehicle makes noises and vibrates at the steering column.
Incident date: Apr 23, 2026
I was driving on a Texas highway on May 2 at the speed limit of 75 mph with the car on cruise control. It was a sunny day and traffic was light. Suddenly, without warning, or apparent cause the car went into a hard brake and the collision avoidance signals were beeping and flashing. The car behind me had to hard brake to avoid collision. I pulled over to the shoulder but as soon as I put my fo... Read more
Incident date: Apr 23, 2026
We were in my vehicle. An audi q7 2021 driving in the highway ([XXX]) Headed to Ohio from Florida and during a traffic jam all the sudden my car stopped and will not react and was “stucked in park” and transmission malfunction, parking brake malfunction, start/stop system malfunction codes popped up all at once. So scary and cars started to move and we couldn’t. Luckily we were able to get ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 8, 2026
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Engine is malfunctioning, increase in oil consumption, MPG dropping, a ticking/knocking noise coming from the engine, and erratic engine behavior with random surges while driving to 6000+ RPM. Brought it into Kia 2x now for same issue and first time said nothing was wrong and second time I am now goi... Read more
Incident date: Apr 8, 2026
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Engine is malfunctioning, increase in oil consumption, MPG dropping, a ticking/knocking noise coming from the engine, and erratic engine behavior with random surges while driving to 6000+ RPM. Brought it into Kia 2x now for same issue and first time said nothing was wrong and second time I am now goi... Read more
Incident date: May 21, 2026
The vehicle started to hydroplane in rain on the highway and the lane keeping assist aggressively tried to push me back, which ended up causing us to hydroplane more and causing the vehicle to flip around backwards and we ended up sliding completely off the highway into a ditch totaling the vehicle.
Crash
Incident date: May 21, 2026
The vehicle started to hydroplane in rain on the highway and the lane keeping assist aggressively tried to push me back, which ended up causing us to hydroplane more and causing the vehicle to flip around backwards and we ended up sliding completely off the highway into a ditch totaling the vehicle.
Crash
Incident date: Mar 11, 2026
The car is unstable on the highway when there is a crosswind - either from wind gusts or from large vehicles. The car is easily pushed by wind until lane assist activates to stop it from going outside of the lane. It feels very unsafe to drive on the highway. This is how the car was when it was bought. An alignment was done during the first Tesla service visit and that helped slightly. The second ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 11, 2026
Steering wheel became stuck when making a long left turn while driving on the freeway. The turn lasted approximately 30 seconds. Around 3-4 seconds into the turn, the steering wheel suddenly locked up for approximately 1-2 seconds. Eventually the steering wheel was released resulting in a sudden jerk, leading to the car veering to the right lane. A correction was made using the steering wheel to m... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2026
Subject: Supplemental Evidence for Existing NHTSA Complaint / ODI #11711973 I am submitting supplemental safety information for my existing NHTSA vehicle safety complaint, ODI #11711973, involving my 2025 BMW X3, VIN [XXX] . Since filing, I had an additional BMW of Sterling visit/repair estimate dated April 22, 2026, mileage 17,628, RO #[XXX]. The dealer documented additional concerns including ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
Steering wheel will not turn. Tried to reset but that did not work. Mechanic diagnosed it as a power steering rack failure. Steering rack needs to be replaced.
Incident date: Apr 21, 2026
While driving, a critical heavy-duty front lower control arm / lateral link bolt completely detached from my vehicle and was found intact on the ground with factory green threadlocker still visible on the threads. The undercarriage and chassis show absolutely ZERO signs of external impact, scrape, or road hazard damage. This structural failure caused an immediate, severe safety hazard, rendering t... Read more
Incident date: Apr 21, 2026
Went to dealer cause air bag malfunction came on they said it was the driver seat belt clicker being faulty. They wanted 250 to fix it. I fixed it myself for 50. To find out it was the passenger clicker. They have a recall on the passenger but dealer lied said it was driver side to get me to pay n them 250
Incident date: Apr 21, 2026
Went to dealer cause air bag malfunction came on they said it was the driver seat belt clicker being faulty. They wanted 250 to fix it. I fixed it myself for 50. To find out it was the passenger clicker. They have a recall on the passenger but dealer lied said it was driver side to get me to pay n them 250
Incident date: May 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated while driving at 45 MPH, the check engine light illmiunated. The contact mention when depressing accelerator pedal, the RPM's get suck independently and the vehicle fails to respond as intended. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed, however the dignanoses was unknown. The vehicle was not repaired. The man... Read more
Incident date: Feb 4, 2026
Hello, I am the Buyer of the subject Vehicle, Upon doing my research, I found out several reports stating that The subject vehicle's 2.4L engine has manufacturing defect, that causes Head Bolts to get stripped/melt down in to oil causing Engine failures and Life threating risk in the middle of the road.
Incident date: Apr 19, 2026
The contact leased a 2025 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that upon pushing the button to open the hatch, the hatch would automatically come down once a person moved from under the liftgate. A beeping noise would emit from the hatch as it's coming down which resulted in the contact being hit on her head. The contact stated that failure occured while she was assisting a client who was legally blin... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: May 22, 2026
The fuel pump component or system failed or malfunctioned the engine tried cranking but would not start. The problem has been reproduced to an independent service center, where I was notified of a safety recall on Toyota Tundra. No other inspections have been performed. There are no warning lamps messages visible on the vehicle in question. The vehicle will not start until repeated starts are p... Read more
Incident date: May 22, 2026
The brakes on this vehicle disengage and re-engage at will during braking. There are no indications of when it will occur. Brakes will disengage during low and high-speed braking, braking while going uphill, downhill, on flat roadway or during turns. This has resulted in several near miss accidents as well as debris was struck in the roadway due to being unable to stop. This vehicle was purcha... Read more
Incident date: May 22, 2026
When picking my child up from school, upon departure, the front end of the vehicle began violently shaking and sounding as if it wanted to shut down, simultaneously, a number of system failure warnings displayed on the dash. I was able to get the vehicle into a parking spot and turn it off. It would not restart. I called a tow truck and had it towed to a local garage as it was not safe to drive ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2025 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the Super Cruise or Cruise Control would not deactivate when the On/Off button was depressed, causing the steering wheel to flash red and the vehicle to suddenly shift down in velocity. A message "Super Cruise not available" was displayed on the instrument panel. The local dealer was contacte... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2026
A fuse box burnt up while driving in down town Chicago at 35mph causing no power to steer and loss of braking. The vehicle only stopped because it ran off the road hitting a pothole there was total loss of power. towed to the dealer Ram claims it was a burnt fuse box and there is still electrical issues with the truck its not fixed truck has approximately 11,000 miles still under factory warranty ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: May 10, 2026
6 MONTHS AGO I WAS DRIVING MY JEEP HOME AND MY SERVICE 4 WHEEL DRIVE LIGHT CAME ON. THE JEEP WAS RUNNING ROUGH BUT MADE IT HOME. HAD JEEP DEALER DO DIAGNOSIC AND IT SAID IT NEEDED TRANSFER CASE HE SAID THE PART WAS APPROXIMATELY $1600 BUT WOULD CONSIDERABLY MORE WITH LABOR. I CONSULTED MY WARRANTY COMPANY AND THEY REFUSED TO FIX IT THEY SAID ITVWAS A BAD PART BEFORE TJE WARRANTY WAS PURCHASED. (EN... Read more
Incident date: May 10, 2026
Transfer case failure. I was driving my 2021 Acura TLX Type S when I suddenly heard a loud pop from underneath the car. Right after that, the SH AWD system stopped working and the car was only driving in front wheel drive. There were no warning lights or signs before it happened, due to it being a mechanical failure and not an electrical one because the car does not have sensors for the transfer c... Read more
Incident date: May 10, 2026
After having to have my vehicle towed to & held by the dealership for a total of 3 months altogether over the course of two separate engine rebuilds due to a national recall on faulty oil pump parts, my vehicle's check engine light came on & gave a message that there was an issue with the emissions system. I am now experiencing multiple engine system faults EVERY SINGLE TIME I refuel my vehicle wh... Read more
Incident date: May 20, 2026
I am filing a safety complaint regarding repeated windshield cracking on my new 2025 Ford Bronco. I purchased the vehicle approximately 2 months ago. Since purchase, the vehicle has experienced 3 separate windshield cracks under normal commuting use only. The vehicle has not been used off-road or in extreme driving conditions. The most concerning issue is that after the windshield was replaced, th... Read more
Incident date: May 18, 2026
The panoramic sunroof/front movable glass panel on my Hyundai Sonata N Line appeared to spontaneously shatter while driving on the highway. Weather conditions were clear and normal at the time of the incident. There was no traffic around the vehicle, no bridges or overhead objects nearby, and I did not observe any object strike the roof before the glass failed. The vehicle has approximately 20,00... Read more
Incident date: May 13, 2026
Will be driving and suddenly my EPS light turns on and doesn’t allow me to turn. I have sudden loss of power assist, making the steering wheel incredibly heavy to turn. Once I pull over to safety and fully turn the truck off and back on, I can generally make it to my destination as the sensor temporarily goes off. It appears there have been recalls for this, but my specific VIN was not included ... Read more
Incident date: May 13, 2026
My car start with a noise and just lost power in the middle of the road causing almost an accident. This was caused due to the manufacture issue for the transmissions with my car model and brand.
Incident date: May 13, 2026
My car Transmission dual clutch went out in 2024. Car makes a loud winding noise car hesitate when stops Yes,confirmed by dealership and Coleman's transmission. Yes, by the manufacturer. No warning lamps or messages.