Consumer Safety Complaints
Search 2,215,138 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA — including 138,663 crashes, 56,255 fires, and 8,561 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 2,215,138 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 60,583 complaints for KIA
Incident date: Mar 17, 2025
I had to have the injectors replaced in April 2025. In November I was told a had a busted head gasket $5800.00 to fix. Many Honda owners have had this problem. Honda customer services refuses to help.
Incident date: Mar 17, 2025
THE CAR WAS MAKING A GRINDING SOUND, VIBRATES, SLOWS DOWN. GRINDING SOUND IS LIKE GRINDING GEARS OR A SNOWPLOW SCRAPING PAVEMENT. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED IN APRIL BECAUSE OF RECALL. I ONLY HAVE 23765 MILES ON IT BUT ORIGINAL 5 YEAR WARRANTY EXPIRED ON 12/09/2025. THE SAME NOISE STARTED AGAIN ON 12/10/2025 AND IT WAS TOWED TO DEALER I BOUGHT FROM ON 12/10/25. The master warning light came on 12/10/... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2025
THE CAR WAS MAKING A GRINDING SOUND, VIBRATES, SLOWS DOWN. GRINDING SOUND IS LIKE GRINDING GEARS OR A SNOWPLOW SCRAPING PAVEMENT. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED IN APRIL BECAUSE OF RECALL. I ONLY HAVE 23765 MILES ON IT BUT ORIGINAL 5 YEAR WARRANTY EXPIRED ON 12/09/2025. THE SAME NOISE STARTED AGAIN ON 12/10/2025 AND IT WAS TOWED TO DEALER I BOUGHT FROM ON 12/10/25. The master warning light came on 12/10/... Read more
Incident date: Dec 14, 2025
This is the SECOND time in less than 9 weeks that my rear window (hatch) has shattered for no reason. The first time it was when I closed the hatch and this time it was when I shut the driver side door. Both times my car was in my garage and not running. I assume that all my windows were closed, I know they were this time. This would appear to be some defect. I have NEVER had such a thing happen,... Read more
Incident date: Jun 4, 2025
I was driving down a hill and hit my brakes and the pushed back against me and then went right to the floor with minimal braking. I got an error message on my dash that said “brake system failure- do not exceed 62 mph” Luckily it was early in the morning and nobody was in front of me. All of the lights were green and between the engine braking and the little brake power that I had I made it u... Read more
Incident date: Dec 8, 2025
The power steering went out without warning. Turned the vehicle on after getting gas and the could not turn when pulling out, then the light for the power steering came on. Checked 2 of the power steering fuse and found that one was a little unseated. Pushed that in and eas able to drive home. Tried to drive the vehicle the next day and the power steering went out while driving. Was able to make i... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2025
left rear rear trailing arm rusted out. had car checked due to rough ride & was informed said part so rusted it was dangerous to drive. damage so severe repair not feasible. appears this is a problem with elements & some crvs. canada apparently has a recall for this, & US should, too.
Incident date: Dec 5, 2025
I was at an intersection & was turning left. In the middle of the turn the car started knocking noise and vibrating and turned off in the middle of the intersection. It did not crank for several tries while I was panicking with a car full of kids in a busy intersection. When I got it to crank again it turned off again. Some good Samaritans then helped by holding traffic and pushing us out of harms... Read more
Incident date: Dec 5, 2025
ICCU failed. Heard a popping sound from rear of passenger compartment, dash errors lit up, car went to limp mode
Incident date: Dec 5, 2025
ICCU failed. Heard a popping sound from rear of passenger compartment, dash errors lit up, car went to limp mode
Incident date: Nov 25, 2025
It is all over the road going down hill when wet or icy. The 68259556AD abs module is not working , warningLights are on the vehicle and the part is no where to be found. Been on backorder for months.
Incident date: Nov 25, 2025
The car is frying my battery. I had a Duralast Platinum that should last approx 4 years. It killed one at 26 months. I replaced it, free of charge per the warranty, and 6 months later the brand new one is testing low again. Also, at 127k miles a flashing check engine light came on, I took it for a pre-check at a local shop and the tech identified that there was 0 oil in the reservoir. I had him ch... Read more
Incident date: Nov 27, 2025
When in stop and go traffic, almost coming to a complete stop or completely stopped the truck will intermittently have a throttle delay or lag where there is no power for 1-3 seconds followed buy a surge of acceleration. I’ve almost had a couple accidents where in stop and go traffic the truck surged almost Causing me to rear end the vehicle ahead of me. Another time I was stopped at a 2 way unr... Read more
Incident date: Dec 12, 2025
Going up I-20 to get a load of wood for barns. I noticed when I got to the saw mill I could not select the trailer brake through the radio.. Trailer brakes are stuck on Light electric, I have had the trailer grounds checked and the magnets to the brakes on the trailer replaced. Again, Trailer brakes are stuck on Light electric and cannot select the heavy electric/ heavy over hydraulic/ light over... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
I'm writing this for my father because he might not have the technical capacity to do this. He is [XXX] old. He bought a car last year brand new from Toyota. It is a Hybrid Camry that has some options that allow the car to follow traffic, lane keep etc. On [XXX] he had a Hybrid System Malfunction that caused the car to accelerate while at a traffic light ready to turn left. The acceleration cause... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Dec 12, 2025
I was at a complete stop at the red light, vehicle began shaking and shut down. Gears would not work therefore I was not able to put it in neutral to at least push out of the road. The vehicle then began cranking on and off on its own, without me pushing start/stop engine. This was completely unexpected as the truck is one week old, had a full tank of gas and it was especially dangerous to have sh... Read more
Incident date: Nov 19, 2025
On Dec 12th the speedometer repeatedly showed very incorrect values, both displaying much faster than the vehicle was traveling and displaying zero when the vehicle had accelerated. We have not been able to replicate the issue. And it went away after shutting down and restarting the vehicle. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by anyone. From a safety perspective the speedometer accuracy is i... Read more
Incident date: Nov 19, 2025
The front passenger-side lower control arm on my 2022 Kia Forte fractured completely without warning during normal driving conditions. There was no collision, curb strike, pothole impact, or accident. The fracture appears clean and brittle, not bent or deformed. The failure caused suspension misalignment, damage to the CV axle, and uneven tire wear, creating a loss-of-control risk. The vehicle wa... Read more
Incident date: Dec 11, 2025
The Infotainment Display has been malfunctioning. The display goes black and the back-up camera is not available. On the night of December 12, 2025, we were driving the car on the highway and the screen flickered in and out and then went black and so did the dashboard display. This was very scary as the entire car went dark and we were driving blindly on the highway. It appears that all 2018 Hon... Read more
Incident date: Dec 11, 2025
2019 with 56,000 miles and the oil pressure sensor AND the fuel pump need replacing. Both items should be considered part of the powertrain but of course they’re not. Called corporate but got the “there is no recall” monologue from their representatives. Needless to say, I won’t make the same mistake with my next purchase.
Incident date: Dec 10, 2025
Premature wear on rear brakes and dealers tells there fine each time I’ve taken it in for service I don’t think they even test driven the car is shakes and vibrates when you brake at speeds higher than 30-40 mph. They advised me the battery needs replacing on the last service that it’s showing some sort of signs that needs to be replaced. The heated seats on the passenger side just stopped w... Read more
Incident date: Nov 23, 2025
While driving at approximately 65 mph on I-35 in moderate traffic, my vehicle experienced a sudden and complete loss of motive power. I was positioned in the far-left passing lane at the time of the incident. A vague notification message appeared on the dashboard screen; however, there was no accompanying audible warning tone to alert me to the severity of the issue before power was lost. The fai... Read more
Incident date: Nov 30, 2025
Bad vibration and bad wobble in steering wheel and front end components. This is the 3rd or 4th time my truck has been back to the dealer because of the same issue!
Incident date: Dec 12, 2025
The steering was hard to turn, and the fully supervised driving mode didn't work. This has happened twice, and both times the issue went away on its own after a few minutes. I performed a soft reset both times, but it did not resolve the issue. The first time, the steering was very heavy, i.e., hard to turn. The second time was less difficult, but in both cases, FSD (Full Self-Driving) did not fun... Read more
Incident date: Dec 12, 2025
Recall SC263) AIR BAGS THAT DO NOT DEPLOY (SC356)x2 A MELTED FUEL TANK CAN LEAK, INCREASING THE RISK OF A FIRE
Incident date: Dec 2, 2025
Recall SC263) AIR BAGS THAT DO NOT DEPLOY (SC356)x2 A MELTED FUEL TANK CAN LEAK, INCREASING THE RISK OF A FIRE
Incident date: Dec 12, 2025
My 2016 Malibu has a severe EBCM-related safety defect causing all four brakes to drag and overheat (reaching 240°F), leading to unstable handling. This condition mirrors the 2016 Malibu EBCM recall (GM Recall 39440). I sought help from GM. A GM-certified dealer-Monken in Centralia, IL performed a “diagnostic scan” which documented the core hydraulic failure: a constant, uncommanded 6.839 psi... Read more
Incident date: Sep 25, 2025
I was driving on a very busy road and the car completely died and would not go into park. It was like the battery was not even there. The steering wheel locked up, hazards would not come on and all the doors locked and would not unlock. There was no power to the car whatsoever. The drivers side door had to be pried open from the outside so I could get out of the car. We had the battery tested and ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 17, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact stated that the connector for the heater system was causing the vehicle to overheat, subsequently enabling the vehicle to go faster than 50 MPH. If the vehicle reaches 75 miles, it would immediately decrease in speed to 5 MPH. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed a P20C1 code, indicating reductant heater failure ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 17, 2025
Brought vehicle in for Recall-SC340 Theta II 2.4L GDI ECM S/W Upgrade. After service was performed I took my vehicle back home and noticed that my down shifting was different, jolty and clunky. Prior to the upgrade my vehicle shifted flawlessly. Took my vehicle back in to have them check it out and they told me that they couldn't feel it and that the upgrade wouldn't cause that. Called Kia Corpora... Read more
Incident date: Nov 17, 2025
The front driver seat belt has been fraying to the point that there’s only about 1/2” of belt left to hold it together. It’s frayed above the buckle so if I was to hit anything & depending on the belt to save my life I’m screwed bc it’ll just snap. I’ve contacted ford who refuses to replace it under warranty bc it’s been over 6yrs which is wrong bc it is a genuine ford motor craft pa... Read more
Incident date: Dec 6, 2025
This vehicle Misrecognizes intersections on two lane highways and causes the vehicle to unexpectedly slam on its brakes without warning in anticipation of an intersection that either does not exist or where my vehicle has the entire right way. this behavior has persisted since the date of purchase and has not been corrected at all. Audi has confirmed that the vehicle is operating as designed howe... Read more
Incident date: Dec 6, 2025
I have documented the following issues: -84 instances of "Keep Hands on the Wheel" when my hands were on the 10/2 or 9/3 position. This dates back to March 2025 and has continued into December. -12 instances of the ER braking engaging with "Collision Alert" when no other vehicles/object/danger were around. The ER braking is the sudden, full force stopping of the vehicle staring in April 2025 and... Read more
Incident date: Dec 6, 2025
I have documented the following issues: -84 instances of "Keep Hands on the Wheel" when my hands were on the 10/2 or 9/3 position. This dates back to March 2025 and has continued into December. -12 instances of the ER braking engaging with "Collision Alert" when no other vehicles/object/danger were around. The ER braking is the sudden, full force stopping of the vehicle staring in April 2025 and... Read more
Incident date: Oct 11, 2025
The door latch assembly. It continues to show warning lights that my doors are still open when they are not. As well as my key fob when pressed twice, my car will not make any audible sounds. It continues to drain my power and kill my batteries. Have had my engine replaced due to engine recall. I have also had my hood latch replaced from a recall. My car sound be eligible for the door lock assembl... Read more
KIA
SORENTO PHEV
(2024) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Dec 11, 2025
Incident date: Dec 10, 2025
UNKNOWN- While driving on highway, from 70 mph speed the car suddenly lost acceleration and speed dropped. No response to accelerator. Even with pushing the accelerator high, car will go in high RPM and speed will barely reach 40 mph. I was lucky that there was no other vehicle behind me, especially heavy automobile like semi truck as it would have crashed in me from behind due to sudden propuls... Read more
KIA
SORENTO PHEV
(2024) — ENGINE
Dec 11, 2025
Incident date: Dec 10, 2025
On 3 separate occasions, while idling, the engine will sputter as if it’s about to cut off. The RPM will rise and fall and the engine will rev up and down and finally it will quiet down. Once the light is green, It is able to drive as normal. At the next light the same thing happens and the engine revs up and down sounds like it’s about to die. At a certain point the car will lose propulsion,(... Read more
KIA
SORENTO PHEV
(2024) — FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Dec 11, 2025
Incident date: Dec 10, 2025
On 3 separate occasions, while idling, the engine will sputter as if it’s about to cut off. The RPM will rise and fall and the engine will rev up and down and finally it will quiet down. Once the light is green, It is able to drive as normal. At the next light the same thing happens and the engine revs up and down sounds like it’s about to die. At a certain point the car will lose propulsion,(... Read more
Incident date: Sep 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Infiniti QX50. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger’s side air bag sensor unexpectedly illuminated and failed to turn off. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the passenger’s side seat cushion had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The vehicle was later taken to... Read more
Incident date: Sep 10, 2025
Within three days of purchase, the vehicle experienced a fuel system failure requiring the gas tank to be replaced. Shortly afterward, the check-engine light illuminated, indicating additional engine or emissions problems. The failures occurred without warning and made the vehicle unsafe to drive. The engine warning has continued to appear, suggesting a recurring or unresolved malfunction. The de... Read more
Incident date: Sep 10, 2025
Within three days of purchase, the vehicle experienced a fuel system failure requiring the gas tank to be replaced. Shortly afterward, the check-engine light illuminated, indicating additional engine or emissions problems. The failures occurred without warning and made the vehicle unsafe to drive. The engine warning has continued to appear, suggesting a recurring or unresolved malfunction. The de... Read more
Incident date: Nov 28, 2025
The sunroof has leaked pouring water into the car. October 29, 2025 This is the second time this has occurred. First flood was January 3, 2023. Volvo covered the first repair done by a Volvo dealership. The current estimate to repair is $13,000 by the Volvo dealer. They have the car. The electronics have not been checked yet or are part of the estimate. It is unsafe to drive a car if the electroni... Read more
Incident date: Nov 28, 2025
I was driving our 2017 Kia Sorento 2.4 liter, on I-94 in Detroit, MI when suddenly, the vehicle would not go over 50 mph when the engine suddenly lost power on Friday 11/28/2025 ..We towed the vehicle to the Auto Repair Shop a few days later. On Tuesday 12/9/2025 the Auto Repair shop contacted us and said that their was plenty of oil in the vehicle but Cylinder 3 misfired and there is a loss of ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 8, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign number: 25V347000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the passenger's side B-pillar detached from the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that on a separat... Read more
Incident date: Dec 10, 2025
Engine Failure 6 Nov 2025 Yes, engine is available for inspection. Possible loss power, unable to control the vehicle. Vehicle engine failure has been confirmed by dealership, Ruben Milton Chevrolet and Jim Hudson Cadillac in Augusta Georgia. Vehicle has not been inspection by manufacturer, police, insurance representatives. No warning light, no knocking noise, no messages on dashboard.
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
I was turning right, out of a store parking lot onto the street, at very low speed. Suddenly the truck accelerated on its own. I had to quickly hit the brake to prevent striking a vehicle in front of me that had stopped for a red traffic signal. I believe there is a possibility that Ford's new method of activating cruise control (which now only requires a single button press after which the tru... Read more
Incident date: Nov 17, 2025
Consistent clicking noise when turning steering wheel left or right from stopped to slow speeds. Noise observed around 1,200 miles. Both front CV joints/axels were replaced by dealership of purchase at approximately 3,200 miles. Identical clicking sounds have begun again. Vehicle has approximately 5,200. Issue has been reported to dealership of purchase again.
Incident date: Oct 12, 2025
The infotainment system will just randomly start going haywire and when it happens, you cannot use the touchscreen. It will try to randomly delete app icons such as the camera, it will try to delete connected phones, it will try to delete radio favorites and it will move app icons all around. These are just a few examples of things that happen.
Incident date: Nov 12, 2025
The exterior rear door handles get stuck in the open position. This is a danger and the door has opened while driving since the door handle did not close all the way. I have tried lubricating the both door handles with no improvement. Our car has never been in accident is approximately 18 months old. I have done research on the internet and it looks like this is not a new problem with multiple o... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
It is an oil burner and engine failed and went into limp mode less than 5 years when drove off dealership brand new.