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: Jul 12, 2025
On 4/3/2026 heading to [XXX] on I 95 (outside of [XXX] ) traveling with traffic (3-4 lanes) I was in the middle lane going approx 74mph when on 5 separate but in close approximation (estimated within 20 mi) times, my car which was on cruise control, suddenly threw up warnings to pull over, shook my steering wheel, yanked my car toward the left lane (with traffic flowing the same way as I was) an... Read more
Incident date: Mar 13, 2026
I was trying to stop at a light and the brakes wouldn't work. I almost crashed into the car in front of me but I had to step on it really hard to stop. Then the brakes were stiff and it was hard to stop. I brought it to a Chevy dealer yesterday and they said the vacuum pump exploded and pieces were in the engine, and it messed up the cam shaft. This is 5l worth of damage. When I looked it up onlin... Read more
Incident date: Mar 13, 2026
On April 16, 2026, within minutes of being released from a certified dealership, my 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 suffered a sudden and total loss of propulsion while traveling at high speed on the Belt Parkway (NY). Despite depressing the accelerator, the vehicle failed to maintain speed and stalled in active traffic. This created an immediate life-safety hazard, forcing me to navigate across multip... Read more
Incident date: Feb 6, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse the vehicle, the rearview camera became inoperable and the camera image appeared blurry. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention) and 25V732000 (Structure); however, the parts required to complete the recall repairs were not yet available. The dealer was contac... Read more
Incident date: Feb 6, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Flex. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse the vehicle, the rearview camera became inoperable and the camera image appeared blurry. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention) and 25V732000 (Structure); however, the parts required to complete the recall repairs were not yet available. The dealer was contac... Read more
Incident date: Jan 13, 2023
On May 2, 2026, ten days after purchasing the vehicle, the driver‑side seatbelt locking mechanism failed while I was driving. The vehicle was inspected the next day at CarMax Tuscaloosa. Their mechanic confirmed two separate safety defects: 1. The driver‑side seatbelt mechanism requires replacement. 2. The motor mounts are broken/loose and require replacement. The mechanic explained that debri... Read more
Incident date: Apr 20, 2026
The contact owns2022 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for a recall repair and approximately 2 weeks after the repair was done while driving on the roadway, vehicle went into limp mode and vehicle was driven to safety on the side of the road. The vehicle was able to restart after 5 to 10 minutes. An engine failure warning displayed on the instrument pan... Read more
Incident date: Apr 5, 2026
I was slowly turning left into an alley when I heard a loud noise, the front of my car dropped, and the car immediately stopped and was immovable. Upon getting out of the car, it appears some joint separated from the wheel.
Incident date: Dec 31, 1969
Regarding a recall I was told the remedy would be available by now vin number Zasfaknn9j7b75385
Incident date: May 6, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number 25V695 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was/was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was/was not made aware of the issue. The conta... Read more
KIA
SPORTAGE HYBRID
(2023) - ENGINE
May 7, 2026
Incident date: Mar 5, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed as needing transmission fluid. The vehicle was repaired. In addition, the contact stated that the failure reoccurred, and the vehicle was taken to another independent mecha... Read more
KIA
SPORTAGE HYBRID
(2023) - POWER TRAIN
May 7, 2026
Incident date: Mar 5, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed as needing transmission fluid. The vehicle was repaired. In addition, the contact stated that the failure reoccurred, and the vehicle was taken to another independent mecha... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2026
I was driving my 2022 F150 during the 5/5/2026 Northern Colorado blizzard home to Nebraska with Slippery mode selected on Drive Train Selector and the truck started violently rattling and seized, causing catastrophic drivetrain failure with loss of power and perceptible steering control. I immediately pulled off I80 near my fueling stop destination and turned off the truck. I opened the hood to ... Read more
Incident date: May 3, 2026
Check engine light came on, car lost power on highway. Car continues to have the same issue after repairs have been made. Ford App says engine misfire, after every repair. Ford mechanics fix spark plugs, coils, electrical. None of which has fixed the issue of stalling on the highway which poses risk of me the driver and others driving on the highway. The only light that comes on is engine light.
Incident date: May 3, 2026
Check engine light came on, car lost power on highway. Car continues to have the same issue after repairs have been made. Ford App says engine misfire, after every repair. Ford mechanics fix spark plugs, coils, electrical. None of which has fixed the issue of stalling on the highway which poses risk of me the driver and others driving on the highway. The only light that comes on is engine light.
Incident date: May 3, 2026
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) randomly quits working, produces a yellow warning light and digital message saying it has failed and service required. This failure happens at completely random times and last for hours to days and then randomly starts working again. This began happening after purchase in 2024 and was first sent into the dealership for repair in May 2024. The problem persisted with... Read more
Incident date: Apr 6, 2026
Recently my vehicle was serviced under recall N252494000 at an authorized GM dealership. Following completion of the recall remedy, which included an inspection and oil change to OW-40. As a result of this recall remedy, I have experienced the following adverse effects: •Significant increase in oil change costs from approximately $80.50 to $171.21 •Noticeable decrease in fuel economy (previo... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2026
The cars speedometer screen and radio screen go black and sometimes flicker on and off. This makes it impossible to see the speed. Also the car stalls sometimes when this happens in traffic. The autonomous braking applies the brakes even when there is a large distance from other cars and objects to the point where it has almost caused me to get into an accident on numerous occasions. The driver at... Read more
Incident date: May 4, 2026
A connecting rod bearing is failing in my 2014 Acura MDX which could have led to complete engine failure while driving my family. Absolute Auto Center of Berlin, CT confirmed the issue and noted that Acura has recalled 2016-2020 MDX models due to connecting rod bearing defects but have not expanded the recall to include earlier model years that are also impacted. There were no warning lamps or mes... Read more
Incident date: Mar 10, 2026
We purchased a 2019 Atlas in 2020 and recently had to take it to the dealership in [XXX] multiple times with no answers as to why the steering is shaking and the car vibrating at speeds over 50 mph. Apparently according to this complaint link, [XXX] it is very common and consumers have had the same poor response from their dealerships to fix this safety concern. I got a quite (PARTS ONLY) for $... Read more
KIA
SORENTO HYBRID
(2025) - TIRES
May 6, 2026
Incident date: Feb 10, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander Equipped with Nexen Roadian GTX in size 255/45R20. The contact stated while driving the vehicle at 30 MPH she noted her tire pressure was very low, she pulled into a gas station to fill it with AIR, she drove the vehicle home, and next day the tire was flat again and was filled back up. The vehicle was taken to a independent mechanic where it was diagno... Read more
Incident date: Apr 26, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 BMW X5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light unexpectedly illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the air bag had failed and that the air bag and/or the sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to... Read more
Incident date: Apr 26, 2026
Complete power loss from transmission. Yes available for inspection. Power loss was experienced on at least 4 separate occasions. This occurred during either slowing down or stopping to make a left hand turn while yielding to oncoming traffic. When re-engaging the accelerator to get across oncoming traffic zero power transfer occurred putting my self, my passengers, and the oncoming vehicles and... Read more
Incident date: Jan 9, 2026
I live in a suburban area of [XXX] where street lighting is sparse. At night, I depend on the rearview camera of my BMW 330i XDrive to help me park or back out of my driveway. When I shift into reverse, the view within the green pathway is acceptable, but visibility outside this area is quite poor, making it hard to clearly see or spot any objects or animals near my car, which raises safety conce... Read more
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that on several occasions while either of her children were driving at various speeds, the transmission warning light illuminated. On one occasion, the FWD warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. The contact added that the vehicle then lost power and did not accelerate as intended during each occasion. The vehicle was steered to... Read more
Incident date: Apr 26, 2026
All lights on dash are on. Problem with running hot, oil is milky looking misfires, vibration is terrible. Cuts off and will not go over 5 mph sometimes.
Incident date: Apr 26, 2026
One of the headlights failed at 80,000 miles (the other headlight was replaced due to car accident years ago). Volkswagen Atlas models are consistently experiencing a failure of LED headlights prematurely when they should last 10-15 years. There is a class action lawsuit against Volkswagen to force them to recall and correct the issue as they have known and failed to correct this critical safety i... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2026
Thank god nothing has happened but almost. I bought my car brand new and 2 weeks into having it I have been having issues with the infotainment system. Its very distracting. Sometimes it distracts me so much that I swerve while driving trying to stop it. It also is interfering with my experience listening to music. Something needs to be done as im not the only one having this experience.
Incident date: May 6, 2026
Immediately following the implementation of Service Campaign 9C2 and TSB 25-01-087H - ECU Update for THETA II Emissions Logic Improvement, the vehicle exhibits poor drivability (staggering/missing/hesitation) until the engine warms up. This is most noticeable just prior to the shift from first to second gear.
Incident date: May 4, 2026
All of my braking/abs lights intermittently go on and off. My 2019 Honda HRV runs fine but when dealer looked at it they said it was the VSA and to replace would be over $4k. Dealer said eventually my vehicle may shut down if not taken care of. I am wondering if this is a common problem and if will be a recall?
Incident date: Jan 24, 2026
Adaptive Cruise control stops working suddenly with message "Travel Assist currently not available". Warning goes after restart or have to go and cancel assist completely and start again and then it works for few minutes and appears again. The problem sometimes doesn’t show up for days but sometimes shows many times within hours. Happens usually on long drives. Once it occurs, it happens multipl... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2026
My rear window in Acura RDX 2020 shattered spontaneously.
Incident date: May 1, 2026
I am submitting this complaint regarding a safety defect in my 2018 Infiniti Q50, which was manufactured prior to May 1, 2018. Despite matching the make, model, and production timeframe associated with an existing Infiniti recall for backup camera failures, my specific vehicle is not included in the recall population. The backup camera in my vehicle intermittently fails to display an image or pre... Read more
Incident date: Apr 22, 2026
I reported the issue yesterday, but we have additional information. Here is a timeline of the incident as recorded by the doorbell camera: 2026-05-03 085400 Car parked 101423 Car is already trying to start by itself 101713 Car still starting, starter slowing down 101734 Starter sounds overheated 101740 Starter slows to stop ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: May 3, 2026
The rear sub frame has completely rusted through, on both driver and passenger sides. This makes the vehicle extremely unsafe to drive. It is a 2014 q5 with 160k miles. There is a hole on the bottom of the frame on both sides due to a poorly designed cover that traps salt and other road debris leading to premature failure.
Incident date: May 3, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V237000 (POWERTRAIN). However, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that after the vehicle was stopped at a traffic signal light or stop sign and the accelerator pedal was depressed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator peda... Read more
Incident date: Apr 15, 2026
The contact owns a 2007 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH the vehicle stop accelerating. The vehicle lost motive power. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehilce local dealer where it was due to the transmission fluid. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and a opened case. The failure mileage was unknown.
Incident date: Apr 14, 2026
Life-threatening, unoccupied rollaway vehicle with personal injury. Possible and/or suspected issues: "Not-P" switch circuit malfunction; "false park"; lack of cross-module redundancy; lack of BCM and PCM redundancy; Diagnostic Blind Spot; lack of Occupancy-Brake interlock; systematic safety failure culminating in unintended, driverless, runaway Zombie vehicle with personal injury. Background ... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Apr 26, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Land Rover Discovery. The contact stated that when attempting to back out of a parking space, the shifter was moved to reverse; however, the shifter failed to release from reverse. The vehicle was shut off, then restarted to reset the transmission, and at which time the shifter was able to be moved. The next day, while driving at highway speeds of approximately 55 MPH, ente... Read more
Incident date: May 4, 2026
Transmition- I started bringing it into the dealer around 80,000 miles because it was slipping and bucking (gears). Allegedly, they could provide warrenty coverage but could duplicate the problem. It is doing it more frequently and hesitates (drastically) which can cause an accident from behind. Yes, it was reproduced but as I stated, I was told, "They couldn't do 'anything about it'". It has ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 18, 2026
My battery warning light on the dash is illuminated with the notification saying "service battery charging system." I've researched online and found out that more vehicles of the same year make and model of my vehicle have been recalled for the same issue, but when putting in my vin number my vehicle does not show up. This issue poses a high risk of danger if not fixed and I would like it to be fi... Read more
Incident date: May 5, 2025
I was driving to work and there was a sound like an explosion or a gun shot and then my sun roof was shattered.
Incident date: May 5, 2025
I was driving to work and there was a sound like an explosion or a gun shot and then my sun roof was shattered.
Incident date: May 5, 2026
The airbags failed to deploy when I was in a car accident on 03/31/26. I was rear ended while at an intersection. The car that rear ended me had airbags that deployed upon impact. My car was the only car in which the airbags did not deploy despite the high impact. Not only was I rear ended, but I was slammed into another vehicle in front of me and into a streetlight/streetpole. My car is now total... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: May 5, 2026
this vehicle stalled while driving on a highway without any sign or warning. on some occasions the vehicle will not stop. I reported this to Lexus company / Manufacturer
Incident date: Apr 12, 2026
Suddenly my vehicle would not allow me to shift into different gears and was stuck in drive gear. The shift selector does not allow me to change gears even though it has the same resistance on the shift selector lever. In order to allow the vehicle to shift gears, I had to go under the vehicle to manually switch gears by pulling the transmission selector located under the vehicle. Each time I driv... Read more
Incident date: Mar 15, 2021
Rear turn light visibility, turn signals are a foot off the ground and hard to see by cars following due to location on the bumper. This is only pertaining to the 4th generation Tucson (current), not any other generation. We didn't realize the issue when we bought the car, nor did we realize the placement in the bumpers. However someone stated it was hard to see the blinkers, especially in the rai... Read more
Incident date: Mar 15, 2021
The steering tilt motor is stripped and will not move up or down and is stuck in the full "UP" position. Unable to adjust for the driving position.
Incident date: May 4, 2026
• While driving, 2015 Honda Fit lost acceleration and stalled. Further attempts to drive showed engine would fail past 2000 rpm. • Failure occurred accelerating into traffic, risking collision. • The failure was diagnosed by Coggin Honda Orlando as an In - Tank Fuel Pump Low Pressure Remove and Replace. • UNKOWN if dealer referred issue to manufacturer. • No warning lamps, messages or sy... Read more
Incident date: Apr 23, 2026
My full complaint of the 2020 trax after buying brand new and only I as the owner and driver. Nov 2023- seat belts would not stay latched. We found out slamming on the breaks for a tractor trailer that flipped in front of us on 495. February 2024 - dash screen out, on and off as it wanted. February 2024- Heat and AC control not turning like they were super glued March 2024- dash screen out again c... Read more