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: May 24, 2026
While accelerating onto the highway in my 2016 Kia Optima 2.4L, the vehicle suddenly lost all engine power without warning. The vehicle would no longer accelerate and I was forced to coast and brake to safety. Immediately after the engine shut off, the check engine light, oil light, and battery light illuminated on the dashboard. After the incident, the vehicle would not restart or crank at all. ... Read more
Incident date: May 24, 2026
While accelerating onto the highway in my 2016 Kia Optima 2.4L, the vehicle suddenly lost all engine power without warning. The vehicle would no longer accelerate and I was forced to coast and brake to safety. Immediately after the engine shut off, the check engine light, oil light, and battery light illuminated on the dashboard. After the incident, the vehicle would not restart or crank at all. ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 24, 2022
Kia has common problems on the airbags even tho my air bags is good but I want to still check it
KIA
SPORTAGE HYBRID
(2025) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
May 24, 2026
Incident date: May 11, 2026
Horn stopped working
Incident date: May 23, 2026
The sunroof exploded. Nothing hit it, there was nothing wrong with it previously and it was not being used at the time it exploded. We were driving and it exploded with a loud boom.
Incident date: May 1, 2026
At 116 miles, the engine blew and I was informed it would need to be replaced. I purchased a used engine from the same year of vehicle because Kia said it would not be covered since the vehicle had passed the 100,000 mile mark. I spend over $5,000 to get this engine and have it installed by a licensed mechanic. This second engine has now also blown leaving me without a vehicle as a single mom with... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2026
Vehicle has excessive oil consumption defect acknowledged in Kia TSB ENG222. Repeated catalytic converter failures indicate potential overheating risk similar to 2019 Gamma engine recall for fire hazard. Engine burning oil creates risk of critically low oil levels leading to engine failure/stalling while driving. Multiple emission system failures (oil consumption, catalytic converter) suggest unsa... Read more
Incident date: May 23, 2026
Leaking windshield. Water dripping into cabin. Headliner soaked with water. Windshield possibly not sealed or adhered properly. (Similarly to NHTSA Campaign 22V158000 and Kia Recall SC232 for the Kia Cadenza)
KIA
SPORTAGE HYBRID
(2023) — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 23, 2026
Incident date: May 14, 2026
I am filing a safety complaint regarding my 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid. The vehicle developed a “Check Hybrid System” warning and was diagnosed by a Kia dealership as having a failure involving the high-voltage hybrid system, specifically the MCU (Motor Control Unit). The dealership informed me that the vehicle may be unsafe to drive due to the possibility of fire risk associated with the high... Read more
KIA
SPORTAGE HYBRID
(2023) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
May 23, 2026
Incident date: May 14, 2026
I am filing a safety complaint regarding my 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid. The vehicle developed a “Check Hybrid System” warning and was diagnosed by a Kia dealership as having a failure involving the high-voltage hybrid system, specifically the MCU (Motor Control Unit). The dealership informed me that the vehicle may be unsafe to drive due to the possibility of fire risk associated with the high... Read more
Incident date: Apr 23, 2026
A major drivetrain service and repair was completed by an authorized manufacturer dealership. After picking up the vehicle, an unusual front-end/steering noise was immediately reported to the staff. Over just 390 miles of driving, the symptom worsened. A subsequent formal inspection by a separate, independent authorized service center confirmed the root cause of the safety failure: the primary axl... Read more
Incident date: Apr 23, 2026
A major drivetrain service and repair was completed by an authorized manufacturer dealership. After picking up the vehicle, an unusual front-end/steering noise was immediately reported to the staff. Over just 390 miles of driving, the symptom worsened. A subsequent formal inspection by a separate, independent authorized service center confirmed the root cause of the safety failure: the primary axl... Read more
Incident date: Apr 23, 2026
A major drivetrain service and repair was completed by an authorized manufacturer dealership. After picking up the vehicle, an unusual front-end/steering noise was immediately reported to the staff. Over just 390 miles of driving, the symptom worsened. A subsequent formal inspection by a separate, independent authorized service center confirmed the root cause of the safety failure: the primary axl... Read more
Incident date: Apr 8, 2026
On [XXX] while traveling to NJ, the vehicle displayed "check electrical system" and would not accept a charge. With only 40 miles of range remaining, I drove the vehicle to Jack Daniels KIA. It is STILL at the dealership, and neither the dealer nor KIA Corp has provided a date that the car will be repaired. The dealer told me that it is covered under the 100kmi powertrain warranty, but that KIA co... Read more
Incident date: Apr 8, 2026
On [XXX] while traveling to NJ, the vehicle displayed "check electrical system" and would not accept a charge. With only 40 miles of range remaining, I drove the vehicle to Jack Daniels KIA. It is STILL at the dealership, and neither the dealer nor KIA Corp has provided a date that the car will be repaired. The dealer told me that it is covered under the 100kmi powertrain warranty, but that KIA co... Read more
Incident date: May 21, 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
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: Mar 11, 2026
The contact owns a . The contact stated that while parked when the brake was depressed, press start button, when put in reverse, it says gear is selected, the vehicle stayed in neutral. This happens intermittently. The stop button was pressed, all of the instrument panel warning indicators would not illuminate. When pressing p for parking to engage parking, it appeared as if it was in park; ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 11, 2026
The contact owns a . The contact stated that while parked when the brake was depressed, press start button, when put in reverse, it says gear is selected, the vehicle stayed in neutral. This happens intermittently. The stop button was pressed, all of the instrument panel warning indicators would not illuminate. When pressing p for parking to engage parking, it appeared as if it was in park; ... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2026
I rented a car from Avis on [XXX] (a Friday) for a 24-hour rental. I rented it in Manhattan, and the car (a Kia Telluride) had a New York license plate [XXX] ). I drove to Boston to pick up my daughter from college and then returned the car Saturday morning (XXX). The drive was fine. But when I returned the car, the attendant took the key and wrote on the window and windshield that the car ha... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
I have a 2023 Kia Sportage I purchased and I was driving one day and my entire cars power shut off & so did the engine while I was driving on the highway going 70mph + and when I’m driving on the regular roads as well I’ve almost gotten into an accident over this issue already once when I went to go take it into Jeffery Kia in Roseville Michigan and asked for it to be looked at i was immediate... Read more
Incident date: Apr 21, 2026
This is supplemental evidence for NHTSA Safety Complaint #11739200 UNIFIED SUPPLEMENTAL EVIDENCE PACKET SEE UPLOADED FILE
Incident date: Apr 21, 2026
This is supplemental evidence for NHTSA Safety Complaint #11739200 UNIFIED SUPPLEMENTAL EVIDENCE PACKET SEE UPLOADED FILE
Incident date: Apr 21, 2026
This is supplemental evidence for NHTSA Safety Complaint #11739200 UNIFIED SUPPLEMENTAL EVIDENCE PACKET SEE UPLOADED FILE
Incident date: May 1, 2026
The contact stated that while driving the vehicle began to unexpectedly slow and then stalled. The vehicle was unable to restart. No warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage 215,000.
Incident date: Feb 4, 2026
I own a 2020 Kia Telluride currently with approximately 91409 miles. The vehicle has a repeatable transmission issue during acceleration, most noticeable around 40 mph when the transmission shifts. The vehicle shudders/hesitates/jerks and does not accelerate smoothly. This creates a safety concern because the hesitation occurs during normal acceleration and could affect merging, passing, or mainta... Read more
Incident date: Apr 19, 2026
The car shook and lights came on at a stop light and began violently knocking. Since it was at a stop light the safety was a risk had the hazard lights weren't engaged immediately. The dealer confirmed it was a catastrophic engine failure. An inspector for the warranty company was deployed two times. The lights only appeared at the time of engine failure.
Incident date: May 22, 2026
Following a recent $9,000 engine replacement performed by an authorized Kia dealership, my vehicle suffered a catastrophic, simultaneous mechanical and electronic systems failure while in operation. Without warning, the vehicle triggered the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) and entered "Limp Home Mode," severely restricting vehicle power. Immediately following this, the vehicle experienced a t... Read more
Incident date: May 22, 2026
Following a recent $9,000 engine replacement performed by an authorized Kia dealership, my vehicle suffered a catastrophic, simultaneous mechanical and electronic systems failure while in operation. Without warning, the vehicle triggered the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) and entered "Limp Home Mode," severely restricting vehicle power. Immediately following this, the vehicle experienced a t... Read more
Incident date: May 22, 2026
Following a recent $9,000 engine replacement performed by an authorized Kia dealership, my vehicle suffered a catastrophic, simultaneous mechanical and electronic systems failure while in operation. Without warning, the vehicle triggered the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) and entered "Limp Home Mode," severely restricting vehicle power. Immediately following this, the vehicle experienced a t... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle a knocking and rattling noise coming from the engine and the check engine light had remained illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who informed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance ... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2026
Car seat lower hip straps frayed on both sides. Had we been in an accident I have no doubt the strap would have ripped. I have 3 personal friends who checked their same Evenflo Revolve 350 car seat to find fraying in the exact same spots. And dozens of posts online with pictures showing the exact issues as well. The integrity of that straps in these seats are obviously compromised for so many peop... Read more
Incident date: May 10, 2026
While driving car began to decelerate and the dash lit up with a number of ABS/Brake system failure symbols. I was on the highway traveling at abt 70 mph when the issue happened. Got car to coast off hwy onto an upward sloping exit. Stopped at a light. Turned off and back on and was able to gain minor speed got approx three blocks to a gas station. Pulled off and tried restarts. The screen sta... Read more
Incident date: May 10, 2026
While driving car began to decelerate and the dash lit up with a number of ABS/Brake system failure symbols. I was on the highway traveling at abt 70 mph when the issue happened. Got car to coast off hwy onto an upward sloping exit. Stopped at a light. Turned off and back on and was able to gain minor speed got approx three blocks to a gas station. Pulled off and tried restarts. The screen sta... Read more
Incident date: May 10, 2026
While driving car began to decelerate and the dash lit up with a number of ABS/Brake system failure symbols. I was on the highway traveling at abt 70 mph when the issue happened. Got car to coast off hwy onto an upward sloping exit. Stopped at a light. Turned off and back on and was able to gain minor speed got approx three blocks to a gas station. Pulled off and tried restarts. The screen sta... Read more
Incident date: May 20, 2026
On may 20 2026 car died out multiple times when driving but would start back up. Today may 21 2026 car was lacking power and engine making noise while driving. Then the check engine light came on also the oil light flashed then turned off. Checked the code it said p00114. Then checked oil it was about 1 1/2 quart low after we did complete oil change a month ago. I then found this engine has the sa... Read more
Incident date: May 18, 2026
ICCU failure. Total and sudden loss of power. No acceleration. "Limp mode" activated for 5 miles before total shut down.
Incident date: May 13, 2026
The vehicle just shut down as I exited. The power and gas pressure decreased. Pulled over to see if my hybrid battery was defective or drained. It wasn’t. A notification popped up and said “Hybrid Control System or Low Voltage DC/DC Converter, Contact dealer for service. Finally got it towed to Kia of Valencia the next day and they said it was “Hydraulic Clutch Actuator” and they want cha... Read more
Incident date: May 13, 2026
The vehicle just shut down as I exited. The power and gas pressure decreased. Pulled over to see if my hybrid battery was defective or drained. It wasn’t. A notification popped up and said “Hybrid Control System or Low Voltage DC/DC Converter, Contact dealer for service. Finally got it towed to Kia of Valencia the next day and they said it was “Hydraulic Clutch Actuator” and they want cha... Read more
Incident date: May 13, 2026
The vehicle just shut down as I exited. The power and gas pressure decreased. Pulled over to see if my hybrid battery was defective or drained. It wasn’t. A notification popped up and said “Hybrid Control System or Low Voltage DC/DC Converter, Contact dealer for service. Finally got it towed to Kia of Valencia the next day and they said it was “Hydraulic Clutch Actuator” and they want cha... Read more
Incident date: May 14, 2026
Bought the car 8 months ago from a Kia dealer. It is now pulling the same engine codes, of the infamous recalled Kia engines. After having diagnostics done at a different Kia then I had bought and had oil changed. They told me the engine and turbo was full of metal shavings and the rods were bad. I pad $10,900 for the car $15,000 to fix, they knowingly sold me a totaled car. I’m sure records ref... Read more
Incident date: Mar 24, 2026
I am submitting a vehicle safety and certification concern regarding a 2023 Kia Sorento Hybrid that was marketed and offered for sale as a Kia Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) vehicle by Shawnee Mission Kia, 7951 Shawnee Mission Pkwy, Mission, KS 66202. On [XXX], during an in-person inspection of the vehicle prior to purchase, I observed conditions inconsistent with expected Certified Pre-Owned inspecti... Read more
Incident date: Mar 24, 2026
I am submitting a vehicle safety and certification concern regarding a 2023 Kia Sorento Hybrid that was marketed and offered for sale as a Kia Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) vehicle by Shawnee Mission Kia, 7951 Shawnee Mission Pkwy, Mission, KS 66202. On [XXX], during an in-person inspection of the vehicle prior to purchase, I observed conditions inconsistent with expected Certified Pre-Owned inspecti... Read more
Incident date: May 2, 2026
On the highway, not reaching speed at expected RPM, try increasing power and RPM stops climbing at 3500, and speed decreases suddenly, car starts bucking, check engine light flashing. I pull over, stop, and keep going after several minutes idling with no apparent issue continuing. I take the car to get a computer check of the engine light code, P0420 for catalytic converter efficiency. Take car to... Read more
Incident date: May 2, 2026
On the highway, not reaching speed at expected RPM, try increasing power and RPM stops climbing at 3500, and speed decreases suddenly, car starts bucking, check engine light flashing. I pull over, stop, and keep going after several minutes idling with no apparent issue continuing. I take the car to get a computer check of the engine light code, P0420 for catalytic converter efficiency. Take car to... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact received a notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V259000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the lack of specialize mechanical technician. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had no... Read more
Incident date: May 11, 2026
2016 Kia Sorento 2.4 mileage 75,500 (just out of warranty as of Jan 2026), vehicle is having transmission issue, hard shifting/jerking from1st gear to 2nd gear on first cold start-up of the day. No warning lamps on. Took into Kia to have the transmission serviced, cost $462, did not solve the issues. Kia paperwork upon completion of service paperwork stated "No further action required, Transmissio... Read more
Incident date: Mar 21, 2026
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and steering left or right, the steering wheel would seize. The contact would have to maneuver the steering wheel back and forth for it to unlock and continue driving. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic, who diagnosed a notch in the lower steering shaft ... Read more