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: Feb 28, 2026
When driving vehicle and making left or right turns clicking and knocking noises can be heard and felt. It is consistent with both wide and tight turns. Not intermittent. No outside factors causing noises. Concern was validated by finding Honda forums detailing other owners having the same issue. Some owners have had axle and cv joint engineering problems stated to be the case by Honda and have ha... Read more
Incident date: Feb 14, 2026
The engine burnt through all the oil in it, many miles before an oil change was needed for it.I have taken it to the dealership and the dealership submitted an extended warranty claim for it and despite the fact that the issue is mechanical and covered by the extented owarranty, the claim is being denied.
Incident date: Mar 23, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Mustang. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V572000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the dealer inspected the rear-view camera, and the camera was found to be functional. However, the contact reported that the camera image was distorted, with a grey raindrop line running across the screen. The dealer was notified of the fa... Read more
Incident date: Mar 24, 2026
While driving on the highway, I heard a loud pop that made me flinch and swerve. After parking I noticed the glass in the sunroof had exploded upward like a volcano, leaving a large hole. Fortunately the shade was closed, or glass would have come into the car while I was driving.
Incident date: May 1, 2025
I owned a 2018 Honda Accord,i got it new from the dealership so im the only owner of this vehicle. my headlights keep building condensations prematurely causing them to fail . I have already replaced multple headlights because of this . also when the bulbs go out honda made it where the bulbs can not be replaced at all. these headlights cost close to $1000 each plus 500 in labor to installed. ther... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2025
Transmission went out while driving on highway. Dealership said they need to replace the entire transmission.
Incident date: Feb 26, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly shifted to neutral(N) and the vehicle shut off. The driver was able to coast safely to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was determined that the engine needed to be re... Read more
Incident date: Aug 20, 2023
Back window has dropped 1/4 to 1/2 inch to the right. and is not in alignment. Safety concern that window could fall out or pop out during accident. No reason for window to just drop. Believe not installed correctly or sealants have failed cause of defect and window to drop and separate molding down to become detached right side. See pictures attached.
Incident date: Feb 25, 2026
When buying this car from Auto Shoppers, they was an airbag light on but dealership said it was a sensor from auto detail on car or recall. Got diagnostic from Mercedes Benz, findings was there was no air bag in place on drivers side. Dealership did not tell us there was no air bag and only was a sensory/recall and are refusing to fix it.
Incident date: Dec 26, 2025
Car shudders, hesitates and feels like it is going to stall at lower speeds. Vehicle has 39500 miles on it. Taken to local dealership and it was diagnosed with needing the Torque Converter replaced. This seems to be an ongoing issue with this component and should be a recall
Incident date: Dec 26, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Camry. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer confirmed that parts were not yet available for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stat... Read more
Incident date: Mar 23, 2025
My son, [XXX] , has opened a complaint/Case #XXX with Kia. His 2023 KIA Forte had been idle for at least 24 hours when the engine compartment caught fire. He became aware of this when the Fire Department knocked on his apartment door around 4:00 PM 12/26/25 and said they were evacuating the building because a car was on fire. He went outside and was shocked, to say the least, that it was his car. ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Mar 17, 2026
Steering sensor failed as documented in Ford fixing the steering torque from a recall on B2778:EF. The steering would not turn and happened while driving near Airport Dr and Garrison in Carthage, Mo. There was traffic and could barely get the SUV to turn at all. Almost hit another car in a 35 mph zone when it happened. There was no warning or lights on dashboard at all. Loss of power steering ass... Read more
Incident date: Aug 15, 2025
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2018 Dodge Durango. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale purchased on December 27, 2025. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 82,000. While attempting to purchase an extended warranty, the contact was denied the warranty extension due to the odometer fraud. The contact was presented with a report, whi... Read more
Incident date: Mar 20, 2026
Restraints indicator lamp warning. Air bag warning is on due to a problem with the front passenger side airbag. The front passenger airbag may not function.
Incident date: Dec 16, 2025
On Friday, 1/30/26, My daughter, granddaughter and grandson were heading out of town and tried to lower the 3rd row seat on the driver's side to put our luggage in the back. My [XXX] granddaughter was buckled in the second row seat. The 2nd row seat button was pushed. My granddaughter started screaming about the seat coming down on her. We kept trying to stop it, it finally stopped (we were l... Read more
Incident date: Dec 16, 2025
While driving on the highway, when I attempted to break the car did not stop. The warning lights came on and the vehicle hesitated but still would not stop. I then had to swerve the best I could to the right, but my car still hit the corner of the car in front. This is the third incident with the ABS, but the only one resulting in an accident. The dashboard reads system malfunction. The vehicle is... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
The air conditioning system in my 2019 Honda Civic has experienced a total failure of the evaporator core due to a refrigerant leak. This follows previous documented failures of the AC condenser and compressor shaft seal, both of which are currently under Honda-issued 10-year warranty extensions. Various other users have also reported these issues with their 10th generation civics. The failure of... Read more
Incident date: Jan 30, 2026
Truck alerts will not "shut up." "HOLD STEERING WHEEL ! PAY ATTENTION ! all while I am holding the steering wheel / paying attention. Turning the wheel (from edge of lane to edge of lane) won't stop it. Accelerating didn't stop it. Then truck taps brakes hard, then puts on flashers, then slows down to ZERO mph. Doesn't matter if you have a "Blue Cruise" subscription or not. Get the bogus ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 27, 2026
My AC system has failed due to leak in the evaporator core. It has been inspected by 2 mechanics (one including the Kia dealership) the extreme Texas heat puts myself and small children at risk. I’ve been told the evaporator core has been made with cheap thin metal and has small pinholes in it. I will allow my car to be inspected and there were no warning lights before or after this happened.
Incident date: Mar 21, 2026
After pressing the brake pedal 2 or 3 times the pedal becomes very hard and it is extremely hard to stop the vehicle. All new brake pads and rotors. The brake pedal is loosing vacuum.
Incident date: Mar 14, 2026
The driver's seat bracket broke causing the seat to sag to the right and for the back of the seat to rise up. Pictures were taken and are attached. Available for inspection until fixed. The view is from the front. My finger points to the failed weld. In an accident, the seat might break off causing the driver to sustain serious injury. The sudden shift in the seat could cause the driver to panic... Read more
Incident date: Mar 14, 2026
I brought my car into Dyer Kia on March 16, 2025 to replace my rear passenger side tire that had a bubble in it.They finally agreed to replace the tire and after being there for 4 1/2 hours they sent me on my way and I was within 5 miles of home and I did hit a small hole in the road and the tire immediately went flat. This tire was the one that they had just replaced in January on the passenger s... Read more
Incident date: Jan 10, 2026
Mazda did the "increase in steering effort" recall 03/18/2024. At 10,455 miles. Campaign 6524A. At that time, we had never experienced problems with the steering. But now, with 33, 627 miles, the steering has a sort of kickback feel when in a sustained turn; either direction. It's most noticeable on an interstate highway on or off ramp. Seems as if it's trying to center the steering wheel to stra... Read more
Incident date: Mar 21, 2026
On 1/12/26 I brought my 2025 Kia K5 to Dyer Kia in Lake Wales, Florida, for a blow out on my right front tire. The tire had 700 miles on it. I have only had the car since October 2025. Car was new. Tire is a Perelli and tire size is 235/45/18. When I got there the service technician told me that I ran over something. I did not. I was on a smooth road, no debris on the road. I had two other peop... Read more
Incident date: Mar 10, 2026
The contact owned a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact’s son stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the brake pedal depressed with no warning light illuminated. The contact’s son stated that the ABS braking system failed, and the brake pedal did not function when attempting to stop the vehicle. As a result of the failure, the contact’s son collided with the highway pavement. No injuries were s... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jan 15, 2026
I am reporting a dangerous failure of the fuel supply control module in my vehicle, which caused the engine to stall and cut off during acceleration while driving in heavy, 45-60 mph traffic. While I was able to have the issue diagnosed and repaired by Newman’s Auto—with an invoice available—I believe this 44,000-mile vehicle experienced a premature failure. Given that this component is curr... Read more
Incident date: Mar 23, 2026
This is ongoing from the purchase of the car. 1) Infotainment computer screen daytime illumination is so dark as to be a major safety issue as it causes too much time looking away from the road to operate the system. If you wear sunglasses you cannot see the screen at all. The dealer says nothing can be done to improve the problem. 2) Right rear tail light stopped working after 500 miles. Replace... Read more
Incident date: Mar 23, 2026
The rear braking system failed due to a sticking/seizing brake caliper. An independent inspection confirmed a severe thickness discrepancy: the outer pad was worn down to 3mm, while the inner pad remained at 7mm. This occurred at only 7,343 miles. I have the physical brake pads provided by the dealer; however, I have photographic proof that the dealer provided fraudulent, evenly worn pads upon veh... Read more
Incident date: Mar 8, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V455000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 23, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 Ford F-150. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V512000 (Power Train) and 25V104000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were 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 reasona... Read more
Incident date: Mar 13, 2026
The contact leased a 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLC300. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the instrument panel and the infotainment system screen turned black, and the vehicle made abnormal electrical snapping sounds. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where two software resets were performed days apart; however, the failure persisted. The dealer informed the contact that upon performing ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 11, 2026
vehicle unable to determine when a passenger is seated with seatbelt fastened in 2nd row captains chairs and the ‘one-touch’ tilt-and-slide button is pressed. The seat will keep folding and crushing the passenger. This is a known issue with the Hyundai Palisade at this time and is affecting my vehicle as well. Please have Hyundai issue a recall immediately. My teenage son was in the seat at th... Read more
Incident date: Mar 20, 2026
When sitting in a parking space and when you put the car in reverse, the front sensors pick up whats in front of the car making the beeping sound. If a car is driving by in the rear it does not pickup that car driving by as it is picking up the items in the front of the car. When in reverse, the front sensors should not go off, only the rear sensors should go off. This issue can cause someone to ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 20, 2026
Was sold with a warranty and was not fulfilled, and on top of that we found out they rolled the odometer back over 50k , then found out it has a spilt frame
Incident date: Sep 20, 2025
The rear doors on my 2017 Lincoln Continental do not open from the outside when the exterior handle button is pressed. The doors do open from the inside. This failure is very similar to the symptoms described in Ford’s existing recall for defective door latches on 2017 Continental vehicles, but my VIN is not included in the recall. This is a safety hazard because first responders or bystanders... Read more
Incident date: Feb 23, 2026
The base failed - the mechanism holding the seat into the base is .5 inch plastic spinner latches and if they fail and don’t deploy fully (which the green check mark shows), then it would be so unsafe and not connected to the car at all. This is what’s happening with my son’s car seat. It doesn’t indicate green and I have to jiggle the entire thing to get it to be green instead of red. Som... Read more
Incident date: Feb 20, 2026
Unintended acceleration while parking /braking in front of a Verizon store leading to crash into store
Crash
Incident date: Mar 21, 2026
The vehicle exhibits a consistent and reproducible malfunction in the powertrain system, specifically related to acceleration response and drivetrain engagement. While driving at a steady speed, when the accelerator is pressed gradually (approximately 50–60%), the engine RPM increases but the vehicle does not accelerate accordingly. There is a delay in power delivery. When the accelerator is re... Read more
KIA
SORENTO PHEV
(2025) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Mar 22, 2026
Incident date: Mar 13, 2026
Trailer lights failure lights come on during travel.
KIA
SORENTO PHEV
(2025) - LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
Mar 22, 2026
Incident date: Mar 13, 2026
I am reporting a safety-related defect involving the blind zone alert system. The system failed repeatedly and required multiple service visits. Initial repairs did not resolve the issue. The dealership ultimately determined the cause to be a faulty wiring harness, which has now been replaced and appears to have corrected the issue. Safety Concern: Failure of a critical safety system Increased ... Read more
KIA
SORENTO PHEV
(2025) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 22, 2026
Incident date: Mar 13, 2026
Out of nowhere and driving this morning, my engine reduced power came on. Then I started losing power in the car then it died on me once out of nowhere. I managed to make it home an hour and a half later, but that could’ve got me killed stopped by AutoZone since dealerships closed today and it tells me that it’s code P228C, P0089 fuel pump. And then last night my emergency service calling came... Read more
Incident date: Mar 21, 2026
On March 13, 2026, Friday, at about 3:00 pm, was driving XXX on US XXX toward the XXX stop and go traffic backup for several miles. Sun was behind direction of traffic flow. Temperature was low-mid 50s and road was dry and no rain or snow. Winds were 10-15 mph with gusts to 25 mph. Road was 3 lanes in the east direction with one lane closed. Attempting to keep about a 3 foot distance from car... Read more
Crash
Incident date: May 14, 2025
Rear axle bolt fell off and then car stopped being able to move. Axle spins no movement. I was driving while this was happening on a very busy road.. Thankfully I was able to stop in the middle of the road but not able to pull over. Had to push the car out of a busy road. Took truck to dealership and they stated there was no fix and that they shouldn’t give the car back but they did. Then the ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 12, 2026
The failure involved the engine (6.2L L87 V8), specifically suspected internal components such as the crankshaft and/or connecting rods, as identified in a current recall. The vehicle is currently located at Dennis GM in Corner Brook, Newfoundland and is available for inspection. On March 9, while driving the vehicle normally on a main highway, the engine suddenly lost all power without warning. ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 21, 2026
Waymo vehicle made a sudden merge into my vehicle's lane despite only about 1 car space between me and another vehicle in front when the Waymo's lane was blocked. I had to swerve my car hard left to avoid the Waymo from colliding into my vehicle.
Incident date: Mar 20, 2026
Automatic brake engaged unnecessarily/ unexpectedly while driving forward at a low speed. There was no reason for the brake to engage. There were no objects or people infont of us. This has happened twice in less than a month. Both times we were in a forward motion. It could have been a serious situation if the car behind us had been any closer when we suddenly breaked for no reason.
Incident date: Feb 18, 2026
2022 Silverado 1500 6.2L total engine failure, replacement needed
Incident date: Feb 18, 2026
Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to file a safety complaint regarding the second-row seat controls in a Genesis GV80. Specifically, I have experienced a potentially dangerous issue involving the automatic seat-folding mechanism being activated unintentionally. In our vehicle, the button used to move or fold the second-row seat can be easily pressed accidentally—for example, by a child’s knee ... Read more