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: Apr 10, 2026
Randomly, and without warning, the instruments, gauges, and displays will switch into a language I do not speak or understand (Italian). Coinciding with the switch to Italian language, cluster and radio display settings revert back to default settings, auto door locks and paddle shifter becomes inoperative (with no menu to enable), pedestrian emergency brake (peb) lamp or forward collision warning... Read more
Incident date: Apr 7, 2026
The trim on both A pillar and B pillar are coming off. When I spoke with Ford about a year ago they informed me of one recall with another coming. One of the trip pieces broke off in an automatic car wash. I was able to go back and get it, but have cut my hand on door multiple times as this is the driver's door with keypad. I have called our local ford and they continue to say there is a recall bu... Read more
Incident date: Apr 7, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 Honda Passport. The contact stated that upon depressing the brake pedal, the Collision Mitigation System, Power Steering System, Road Departure Mitigation System, Adaptive Cruise Control, and Hill Start Assist messages were displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V458000 (Servic... Read more
Incident date: Oct 26, 2024
There are .recalls.on the Vehicle I had been unaware of and I dropped off my vehicle for exterior buffing while person Buffing vehicle he heard a loud explosion and when he looked the vehicle was up in flames the vehicle burned. There was a Risk of someone getting Harm , Killed and Damages to other vehicles on the property in same lot vehicle was being buffed . Police and Fireman were dispatch to... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Mar 6, 2026
Vehicle unexpectedly ceased to work. A loud pop sound then a message to check electrical system. Vehicle reverted to “limp mode” leaving me at a max of 15 mph. Terribly unsafe and extremely, concerningly widespread ICCU failure across Hyundai EV models For 5+ years is unacceptable
Incident date: Mar 27, 2026
Blind spot monitoring system consistently malfunctions, illuminating the driver mirror warning light when no other vehicles are present. It occurs more frequently after dark, which flickers the bright light continuously, or leaves it on constantly, creating a significant distraction and mistrust of the systems reliability. Dealer had no recommendation for fix.
Incident date: Nov 8, 2024
I was driving, the car was making a noise and shaking. No warning lights were on indicating anything wrong. All of a sudden the entire car lost power while I was driving highway speeds. I tried to turn back on and everything was flashing. Turned back off. Turned on and car turned on. Still making noise. No warning lights. Then it happened again while driving. Got the car home parked. It’s lucky ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 9, 2024
My 2023 Ram 1500 TRX has recurring safety-related failures of the infotainment system affecting both Uconnect 5 (12” screen) and earlier Uconnect 4 units. These issues are widespread in 2021–2024 Ram TRX and Ram 1500 models and began or worsened after forced over-the-air updates. The primary defect is black-screen failures while driving. When the screen goes black or freezes, the truck loses ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 19, 2026
The driver’s seat frame and adjustment mechanism failed. The seat broke off from the frame, resulting in the seat only being able to move left and right, with no ability to adjust forward/backward or recline. The dealership confirmed a seat frame malfunction and addressed the issue. My safety was put at risk because I was unable to properly adjust the driver’s seat to a safe driving position... Read more
Incident date: Jan 19, 2026
The transmission and related drivetrain components malfunctioned. While driving, the vehicle’s RPMs would surge into the 5,000–6,000 range without corresponding acceleration, and the vehicle would not shift properly into the next gear. The issue caused poor acceleration and inconsistent performance. The dealership later replaced the transmission and updated the ECM after identifying a fault co... Read more
Incident date: Mar 13, 2026
The fuel door actuator failed. The gas door would not open due to the actuator being seized shut, preventing access to the fuel tank. This vehicle does not have a manual release mechanism, so there was no alternative way to open the fuel door. The dealership confirmed the actuator malfunction. My family’s safety was put at risk because we were unable to refuel the vehicle. The incident occurre... Read more
Incident date: Apr 7, 2026
We think there’s an issue with the abs module and wheel speed sensor because we started having a problem where the brakes wouldn’t work or would stutter. The car would shake real bad it would make an awful grinding sound but normally only when trying to stop at higher speeds or long braking. The only thing that made it stop was to unplug the abs but then other parts of the car stopped working ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 20, 2026
ValveTronic motor and eccentric shaft is a very common issue that my specific car has. Affects the timing and makes a loud sound. Dangerous to drive in this condition.
Incident date: Aug 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Tacoma. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V656000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it remained since October 2025, while the contact drove a rental vehicle. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the reca... Read more
Incident date: Apr 19, 2026
The vehicle has multiple unresolved safety recalls involving the seatbelt system and the airbag system (ejection mitigation/side curtain airbags). These are critical occupant protection systems that are designed to protect passengers during a crash. There is a risk that seatbelts may not properly restrain occupants and that airbags may not deploy or function correctly. I regularly transport 3–4... Read more
Incident date: Apr 20, 2026
Burns through oil Oil will be black and barely any on the dip stick Cannot make it to recommended oil change miles or date Goes into limp mode
Incident date: Apr 18, 2026
My vehicle was having engine problems in 2024. It was towed to the dealership because it was a recall on it. The new engine is malfunctioning as well causing me to lose power while driving. I have only put 2,000 miles on the car since the engine was replaced.
Incident date: Apr 16, 2026
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2020 Tesla Model Y. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 78,823, but after driving the vehicle from the dealer's lot, the contact discovered through the vehicle settings that the actual mileage was 80,810. The dealer was contacted, but no resolution was provide... Read more
Incident date: Apr 20, 2026
The contact owns a 2010 Kia Forte. The contact stated the vehicle was taken to a dealer for several recall repairs, and repair under Manufacturer Recall Number: SC165A. After the recall repairs were performed, while driving approximately 60 MPH on the highway with the clutch engaged and the vehicle in gear, the vehicle started jerking and unexpectedly decelerated. The contact moved over to the sid... Read more
Incident date: Apr 20, 2026
This vin is most likely affected by the aftermarket DTN inflator wheel airbag. Please let the final owner know of this. This vehicle was sold to Auto Boutique LLC from Jacksonville Florida on August 31, 2022.
Incident date: Apr 18, 2026
April 3, 2026: my 2025 Subaru Outback Premium (VIN [XXX] , 2,052 miles) suffered simultaneous failure of multiple safety-critical systems due to corrosion on a CAN bus pin in the driver door wiring harness (Subaru part #XXX) at its dash harness connection, caused by water intrusion into the cabin. Trip start: EyeSight, collision avoidance, blind spot, and lane assist all offline; BRAKE indicator i... Read more
Incident date: Apr 16, 2026
April 3, 2026: my 2025 Subaru Outback Premium (VIN [XXX] , 2,052 miles) suffered simultaneous failure of multiple safety-critical systems due to corrosion on a CAN bus pin in the driver door wiring harness (Subaru part #XXX) at its dash harness connection, caused by water intrusion into the cabin. Trip start: EyeSight, collision avoidance, blind spot, and lane assist all offline; BRAKE indicator i... Read more
Incident date: Apr 16, 2026
While driving the vehicle, the engine light came on, plus message board said service transmission and the engine went into limp mode. We let the car sit for awhile and checked the car. A scan said it was the pressure solenoid A in the transmission. The car sat for a day and the light was off. Drove the car and then it acted up again and now reverse doesn't work.
Incident date: Feb 12, 2026
Both LED headlights died within two months of each other on this relatively new vehicle. Outside the three year warranty, but only 27,000 miles (well within the 36,000 warranty period). As it's outside of the three years, the warranty already expired regardless of mileage. One headlight was grinding (fan) while the other's low beam simply died. Each headlight cost $2800 to replace. You can't simpl... Read more
Incident date: Feb 12, 2026
Seem like there was a recall on the 3.3L engines on the Hyundai Santa Fe starting January 26, 2017, for engine related knocking noise. My Vin is [XXX] according to the Manufacturing plate it was made in Korea released on January 04, 2017. I realize it is a 22-day window on the recall but after an oil change the motor has started knocking the oil is the right viscosity, full to capacity, and oil f... Read more
Incident date: Feb 12, 2026
Around 4:30pm on April 17, 2026 I got in my SUV in my driveway. Shut door and started the engine, heard a loud noise, looked in rear view mirror and saw the lift gate glass had blown out from inside the vehicle!
Incident date: Apr 14, 2026
While driving yesterday the service high voltage system light came on again. I have brought my vehicle to Honda 2 other times for the exact same issue. They fix whatever the issue is and the problem happens again. That last time it was about a month after bringing it to them but this time is has been 3 possibly 4 months but I have have the car less than 1 year.
Incident date: Apr 14, 2026
I purchased a new Volvo XC60 Ultra on 4/17/2026. During the drive home from the dealership, I noticed the right rear passenger window haziness impairing my visibility when checking for blind spots. Initially, I thought the window needs to be cleaned, however all cleaning attempts did not improve the glass transparency; the haziness persisted. I notified the Volvo dealership the next day and I was ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 14, 2026
The steering rack on the vehicle had failed and was inspected at the Honda dealership upon request. It causes a distraction, putting myself and others at risk. The problem has been reproduced and confirmed by the dealer. The steering rack was refused to be replaced under warranty by Honda. There were no warning indicators or symptoms prior to the steering rack failure.
Incident date: Apr 1, 2025
approximately 6 years my daughter and her boyfriend were driving and she heard a loud pop sound, and thought it might be a tire but it wasnt behaving like it was and then all of the sudden people are driving next to her telling her to pull over cuz the car was on fire, she pulled it over and as soon as she got out the whole car caught fire. when they noticed the fire it had started near or under t... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2025
approximately 6 years my daughter and her boyfriend were driving and she heard a loud pop sound, and thought it might be a tire but it wasnt behaving like it was and then all of the sudden people are driving next to her telling her to pull over cuz the car was on fire, she pulled it over and as soon as she got out the whole car caught fire. when they noticed the fire it had started near or under t... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2025
While driving, the Kenda Klever tire experienced a sudden and complete tread separation. The tread detached in one solid ring from the rest of the tire. The failure happened without warning. The driver was able to maintain control of the vehicle and safely pull over. There were no injuries. Klever ST 255/60R19
Incident date: Apr 1, 2024
Recall of vehicle catching fire has not been taken care of even after contacting dealership.
Incident date: Mar 4, 2026
Recall of vehicle catching fire has not been taken care of even after contacting dealership.
Incident date: Apr 1, 2024
On March 4, 2026, the engine in my 2021 Kia Sportage malfunctioned while I was driving on a local road on Long Island, NY. The check engine light illuminated, the vehicle lost the ability to accelerate normally, and the steering wheel became heavy and difficult to turn at the same time. This created a serious safety risk, as I was unable to maneuver or accelerate normally and could have been stran... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2024
Every time we drive our brand new Tucson on the highway the driver assistance warning is constantly flashing a coffee cup symbol on the dashboard along with an audible bell dinging and text suggesting we pull over and take a break for no apparent reason other than we're on a highway at highway speed. It's very distracting and upsetting to say the least and there's no way to disable the defective f... Read more
Incident date: Apr 20, 2022
I keep having issues where my car thinks I’m changing lanes and alerts me, when I’m not, and auto-corrects my steering which has led me to actually veer into another lane and fighting the car essentially while driving. I turn the feature off and somehow it just keeps happening. Same with the sensor that auto brakes - there won’t be anything that the car should be braking for and I’ll get t... Read more
Incident date: Mar 20, 2026
I was driving 20 mph when I heard a loud crack, shortly after I noticed my windshield had a huge crack toward the bottom that has gotten progressively worse and affects my vision while driving.
Incident date: Mar 23, 2026
Anytime I come to a stop at a stop sign or a red light, my car just shuts off. Today driving on I 95, my car completely shut down on me. I have been told that it has something to do with my fuel pump or fuel line.
Incident date: Mar 23, 2026
Vehicle: 2025 Jeep Wagoneer S Dealer: Larry H Miller Colorado Jeep, Aurora, CO DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM: My 2025 Jeep Wagoneer S has exhibited recurring charging and electrical system failures since taking delivery. The vehicle is advertised by Jeep as supporting Level 3 (DC fast) charging, with an official specification of 5-80% charge in approximately 28 minutes. In practice, the vehicle has bee... Read more
Incident date: Mar 23, 2026
After completion of recall repair, changing oil weight from 0w20 to 0w40, I encountered loud squealing and knocking sounds from the engine bay. As catastrophic failure has been reported the vehicle was immediately taken to the closest GM dealership, Southern Chevrolet of Chesapeake, VA.
Incident date: Jul 5, 2025
Recall appointment was set with Ken Ganley Kia auto iNew Port Richey , FL. It was set for two weeks out. They told us what the recall was before we got there. They didn’t order the part to fix it. Now It’s been since March 23rd and we have never heard from them. I feel they’ve had ample opportunity to get the part required to fix it. Since this is a safety issue I am very aggravated . On top... Read more
Incident date: Jul 5, 2025
Recall appointment was set with Ken Ganley Kia auto iNew Port Richey , FL. It was set for two weeks out. They told us what the recall was before we got there. They didn’t order the part to fix it. Now It’s been since March 23rd and we have never heard from them. I feel they’ve had ample opportunity to get the part required to fix it. Since this is a safety issue I am very aggravated . On top... Read more
Incident date: Jul 5, 2025
while driving at highway speeds the transmission has shited gears causing the truck to hesitate, and stuble hunting for gears. This truck has the same 6r80 transmission that is being recalled in 2015-2017 modles. Please have this modle year include.
Incident date: Nov 21, 2025
*ICCU assembly and ICCU fuse fault (a kia recall SC327( NHTSA ID: 24V867000) for ICCU was performed months early but does't help AND iccu crash) *yes - cars stop workind in the midle of nower at 317 mile away from home with 5 persons in) *yes ( kia already performed recall SC327 for our car but doest help and the ICCU crash) *yes *yes-vehicle broke down while driving.Had to be towed to closest Kia... Read more
Incident date: Nov 21, 2025
*ICCU assembly and ICCU fuse fault (a kia recall SC327( NHTSA ID: 24V867000) for ICCU was performed months early but does't help AND iccu crash) *yes - cars stop workind in the midle of nower at 317 mile away from home with 5 persons in) *yes ( kia already performed recall SC327 for our car but doest help and the ICCU crash) *yes *yes-vehicle broke down while driving.Had to be towed to closest Kia... Read more
Incident date: Feb 27, 2026
It was Tuesday 04/14 I had just left a store. Drove to the corner stop sign and applied the breaks which have always been just fine, easy to stop and slow. Until thst day I eased on the breaks and all of a sudden the peddle went to the floor. I came home and called my mechanic shop. They told me to bring it in. When I did they told me the master cylinder had gone out and was leaking all into the b... Read more
Incident date: Apr 17, 2026
My vehicle sustained a flat tire after driving. I was able to make it home safely. Vehicle was taken to dealer who found no evidence of a nail. This is the second incident. The first incident occurred while I was driving but thankfully I Was able to pull into a gas station. After research I found out that the tires on the new Toyota tundra have had weak side wall issues causing the tires the explo... Read more
Incident date: Mar 29, 2026
My L87 engine has failed due to a manufacturing issue. The recall number for this issue is N252494000. Upon contacting GMC, they state that my VIN number is not included in this recall despite having the same exact issues. I took the vehicle into a mechanic as soon as a problem had arose.
Incident date: Apr 15, 2026
My GMC sierra with 40000 miles The check engine light turn on and was steady on when driving on the highway I loose a power on the vehicle for a few seconds and almost a semi truck behind me hit me because I don’t have any power on the vehicle, I stop on a safe place and try to start the vehicle again immediately call dealer for appointment an start drive to home. The lady on General Motors say ... Read more