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: Nov 5, 2025
My 2024 Mazda CX-90 continues to have a malfunctioning fuel gauge despite multiple dealer visits and the recall repair (Recall 25V568). The dealer confirmed the issue was fixed, but it is not. The digital fuel gauge does not update in real time. It remains stuck for long distances and only partially recalibrates after restarting the car. For example, on November 5, 2025, I drove more than 60 mile... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2024
Pirelli Scorpion Zero All Weather tire size 255/40 R21 has chunks of the tread coming off. Pirelli corporate says I have to go to the dealer where I bought the car to determine if it is a warranty issue. If chunks of tread are coming off after only 15,000 miles of normal driving, then I am pretty sure it is a warranty issue at best. I have see this complaint all over the internet as well as blowou... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2024
I am experiencing the same issues as the individual who documented incident #11685147. When I turn the shifter to drive and let my foot off the brake, with auto-hold on, the will still roll backwards, even on flat ground, and not respond to me pushing the gas pedal. I have to put the vehicle back into park, and try again. Oftentimes I have to shut the vehicle completely off to be able to get the v... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
The vehicle was bought June 2023, starting September 2023 we have had continual electrical problems. The blind spot warning system constantly activates and takes over. The automatic braking system randomly activates for no reason. The car will go into full braking and stop. This will happen at all speeds to include highway speeds. Now I am getting check engine lights and the code changes every tim... Read more
Incident date: Oct 28, 2025
Uneven wear pattern.The wear often occurs on inner shoulder of the tires 5k to9k miles,which can be dangerous tire can wear down to belts on inside edge while the outer tread still looks fine. i have brought this to dealership multiple time with NO FIX but to sale me new tires and alignments.I have spoke to multiple owners of 2020 mercedes c63 and they have the same problem. This is a safety issue... Read more
Incident date: Nov 5, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Camaro. The contact stated that the steering wheel was shaking abnormally with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer on three occasions, where an unknown diagnosis was provided. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. While driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was jump-started... Read more
Incident date: Sep 5, 2025
My GMC dealer falsely reported that recall work was completed on my engine but it was proven by an independent service center that it was not done. Items that have been proven to have not happened were 1. Replace engine oil with higher viscosity oil, 2. Replace oil filter to match new oil, 3. New oil fill cap labeled with oil type, 4. New insert for owner's manual. The way I initially learned the... Read more
Incident date: Nov 5, 2025
I recently purchased a Toyota Grand Highlander just two days ago, and I’m experiencing a serious issue that is affecting my ability to drive the vehicle safely. At speeds between 25–40 mph, there is a significant cabin boom and echo inside the vehicle. This creates a pressure sensation in my ears, causing nausea, disorientation, and physical discomfort. I’ve only driven about 50 miles, and t... Read more
Incident date: Jun 15, 2023
When driving over uneven roads and if you need to apply the brakes abruptly, the ABS engages (shaking brake pedal) and I am unable to immediately stop my SUV until I’m back on even surface. This has occurred twice going over train track Road crossing and someone quickly needed to stop and once I was on the tracks I had to immediately brake but I could not slow down. SUV has 23000 miles.
Incident date: Aug 26, 2025
The contact owns a 2023 Nissan Rogue. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V437000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the check engine, traction control, tire pressure, and several unknown warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the "AWD Error Message", "Engine Malfunction - Power Reduced”, “Service Now" mess... Read more
Incident date: Aug 26, 2025
On August 26, 2025, I brought my 2018 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid to an authorized dealer for recall SC218 (engine inspection and KSDS software update). The dealer verbally stated both SC218 and SC278 recalls were completed, and the repair order (RO #XXX) lists them as performed. In September 2025, Kia America emailed me showing recall SC218 still open, and a warranty coverage report dated Septembe... Read more
Incident date: Aug 26, 2025
On August 26, 2025, I brought my 2018 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid to an authorized dealer for recall SC218 (engine inspection and KSDS software update). The dealer verbally stated both SC218 and SC278 recalls were completed, and the repair order (RO #XXX) lists them as performed. In September 2025, Kia America emailed me showing recall SC218 still open, and a warranty coverage report dated Septembe... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The contact stated that after coming to a complete stop and then accelerating, there was an abnormal, creaking sound coming from the suspension. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and the contact was informed that the failure was related to an aftermarket lift kit that was installed on the vehicle prior to the cont... Read more
Incident date: Oct 29, 2024
Parking brake would not disengage and the shop told me it was because water was in the floor pan behind the passenger seat and it’s causing shorts In the electrical system. The cause of the water was diagnosed as a leaking sunroof. This has caused me loss of vehicle, time and too much money!
KIA
SPORTAGE
(2020) — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
Nov 5, 2025
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
Please see attachment:
Incident date: Nov 3, 2025
The door latches have a safety recall and needs to be fixed or observed to ensure proper road safety. In addition I cannot move onto my vehicle registration renewal until this recall is repaired. I do not see any visible malfunction but the doors do have to slam shut to ensure they are properly closed. No individuals have been put at risk. The problem has not been confirmed by a dealer or service ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 4, 2025
Vehicle stopped moving forward as I was driving without warning and would not shift into any gear, not even neutral, pressing the accelerator was not responding. If I had been in high rate of speed road traffic, this sudden loss of forward motion could have been catastrophic. The vehicle was towed to the same dealer that performed the recall repair that was supposed to prevent this incident from... Read more
Incident date: Oct 30, 2025
Dealer Jeff Wyler Chevrolet replaced car cabin battery & failed to vent battery gas hose to the vehicle exterior. Hose is laying in well of battery compartment & filling the vehicle with hydrogen gas. General Motors has been informed & car is not safe to drive. Dealer installed a date altered dead cell battery (fully documented) creating a toxic & dangerous situation with no immediate assistance ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 4, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Nissan Rogue. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V437000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). However, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. No warning light was illuminated. The contact was ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 31, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while reversing, the rearview camera failed to display an image, comprising the back over prevention system. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the rearview camera. The vehicle was n... Read more
Incident date: Nov 3, 2025
My fiancé my baby and I were leaving the house to go to the store and the steering wheel started jerking to the left when I went to turn right and then the power steering stopped working and sent a message to my dashboard that it failed. I called the ford dealership because I seen that there was a recall for the year make and model of my car but when I called they said there were no open recalls ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 3, 2025
Steering makes a clicking noise and will pull either direction while driving straight. I took it to the dealership and they want me to pay for the repair. They state that the problem is the steering coupler. To me this is a safety issue, they said my warranty is expired so they wont cover the cost. I am afraid to drive it. It is also making my tires wear to fast and they are new.
Incident date: Nov 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V347000 (Structure). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a popping sound coming from the passenger’s side door. The vehicle was stopped, and the contact observed that the passenger’s door trim was missing. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The cont... Read more
Incident date: Nov 7, 2023
AS AT 11/07/2023 KIA AMERICA KNEW OF HCV/HYDRAULIC CLUTCH ACTUATOR -HEV/HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE CAUSED TRANMSISSION PROBLEM IN KIA NIRO HYBRID 2020 AND KIA AMERICA REFUSED TO REPAIR IT. RECALL COMPLETED 5/27/2025 AFTER POWER TRAIN WARRANTY EXPIRED.
Incident date: Nov 4, 2025
The moon roof cover broke. This causes a glare inside the vehicle that cannot be reduced during the day. We didn't have children in the car at the time it broke, but it snapped back violently.
Incident date: Nov 3, 2025
One cell in the Hybrid Battery failed causing the car to go into safety mode. Battery assistance to the engine stopped and gas engine was the only source of power. Was told the car could be a fire hazard in this condition and required repairing the hybrid system.
Incident date: Nov 4, 2025
Bad transmission. Appears to be a widespread issue.
Incident date: Nov 3, 2025
Backup camera keeps going blank with a blue screen also back up camera stays on for a few seconds while driving then the screen turns blue having to do a soft factory reset to the system. Transmission shifts prematurely or kicks down weird. Shifting from park to drive makes a klunk and clicking sound not smooth or quiet at all.
Incident date: Oct 30, 2025
On saturday, november first I was driving down the road about sixty five miles per hour.No one around me and nothing on the road.And all of a sudden, my back glass shattered.
Incident date: Oct 25, 2025
Tire Pressure light is on but no issues with air pressure.
Incident date: Jul 22, 2025
The contact owns a 2025 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and turned off, the rear window unexpectedly shattered. A local glass specialist arrived at the residence to inspect the vehicle. The vehicle was not officially diagnosed or repaired. The rear window was replaced, and the contact was informed that several vehicles had experienced similar failures. The dealer... Read more
Incident date: Jul 22, 2025
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Rio. The contact had notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair. The recall repair was performed; however, while starting the vehicle the check engine, ABS, and oil warning lights and several other unknown warning lights illuminated. While attempting to turn the steering whee... Read more
Incident date: Aug 12, 2025
On Acceleration from a stop at approx. 35 miles per hour the rear wheels locked up causing the vehicle to come to an abrupt screeching stop. Almost rear ended by other vehicles causing great concern for safety. According to Ford the codes that kicked off are transmission shift solenoids. This is the second time this happened, fist time was backing out of a driveway, no codes and could not detec... Read more
Incident date: Nov 3, 2025
I currently have a 2026 Tesla Model Y and was unfortunately involved in a collision due to what appears to be a Full Self-Driving (FSD) software failure. I had engaged FSD mode while driving my child to his doctor’s appointment. The navigation directed me through narrow residential streets. While traveling on a narrwow residential street, I encountered a garbage truck stopped in the middle of th... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Oct 23, 2025
January 2023-driving down the road and the car was shaking and wouldn’t give much gas when pressing the accelerator. When we got it towed to the dealer, they said it was the fuel injector. July 2024-driving on a major highway, car starting doing the same thing and stopped on the highway I pulled to the shoulder. I was not safe at all. The tow truck took over 2 hours to come. It was a hot summe... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2025
My oil pump went out causing Low pressure codes and resulting in me paying over 2 grand to get it repaired, They super seeded the oil pump they used to use with a new one and theirs many other reports online etc of the 2020 bmw m340 oil pump going out due to plastic internals which can lead to engine failure .
Incident date: Nov 2, 2025
Vehicle: 2013 Ford F-150 SuperCrew Cab Component: Rear Defroster / Rear Window Assembly Summary of Issue: Rear window glass shattered while driving when rear defroster was in use. Detail of Incident: On November 2, 2025, at approximately 5:00 AM, I was driving my 2013 Ford F-150 SuperCrew Cab at approximately 65 mph on the highway near Mogadore, Ohio. The vehicle had been operating for around 4... Read more
Incident date: Oct 16, 2025
on 10/9/2025 I pulled out of my driveway and less than 300 feet from my house I struck a deer. Weather was approx 50 degree and clear. There was no dew on my windows as I park my car in the garage. There was approximately $6200 worth of damage done to my vehicle and what concerned me the most was, the car never engaged the emergency stop. I mentioned this to the insurance company and they really h... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Oct 16, 2025
I was driving in the carpool line to Anaheim with my daughter, the car starts pulling and make a noise in the front part and start loosing speed, from 75 miles per hour to 40 miles per hours in 2 minutes. I drove to the safety zone but in high risk to a crash. All the sensor lights on in the front part. And the steering feels hard, no movement. We feel so stressed and unsafe. The police office... Read more
Incident date: Oct 16, 2025
I was driving in the carpool line to Anaheim with my daughter, the car starts pulling and make a noise in the front part and start loosing speed, from 75 miles per hour to 40 miles per hours in 2 minutes. I drove to the safety zone but in high risk to a crash. All the sensor lights on in the front part. And the steering feels hard, no movement. We feel so stressed and unsafe. The police office... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2025
FCA issued recall C4B notification at the end of 2024, with estimated parts availability in the 2nd quarter of 2025. It is now the 4th quarter of 2025 (almost a year later!) with no update on parts availability. Considering that malfunction of the braking system is a critical safety hazard, it is unacceptable that they have and continue to delay a timely resolution for those impacted.
Incident date: Oct 1, 2025
I live in Alabama. Temperature here is 34 degrees so far in the morning. My check engine light is on. I have taken it in and had diagnostics and they can't find a code or code history. My heat and AC do not work properly if the ambient temperature on the cluster doesn't show up or is not correct. 72 degrees when it's not working right will run you out of the car it's so hot. The cluster currently... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2025
I live in Alabama. Temperature here is 34 degrees so far in the morning. My check engine light is on. I have taken it in and had diagnostics and they can't find a code or code history. My heat and AC do not work properly if the ambient temperature on the cluster doesn't show up or is not correct. 72 degrees when it's not working right will run you out of the car it's so hot. The cluster currently... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2025
The car caught on fire from the engine
Fire
KIA
CARNIVAL HYBRID
(2026) — ENGINE
Nov 2, 2025
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
Was driving at about 55 mph and vehicle popped up with warning and said shift into neutral to restart. I tried to and all power turned off. This was at around 8 p.m. so no headlights or anything. Luckily got it stopped without hitting anything. Had vehicle towed and motor was locked up. Spun bearing they said. Same issue apparently as other 6.2 liter engines have been having.
KIA
CARNIVAL HYBRID
(2026) — ENGINE
Nov 2, 2025
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
On the highway, the vehicle would not accelerate and was losing speed even though the gas pedal was fully depressed. Initially, the vehicle was in ECO drive mode, traveling approximately 65 mph and the steering wheel paddle to toggle the regenerative breaking between levels 1-3 prior to getting onto the highway. The vehicle speed dropped from ~75mph into the low 50mph range on the highway and was... Read more
KIA
CARNIVAL HYBRID
(2026) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Nov 2, 2025
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
On the highway, the vehicle would not accelerate and was losing speed even though the gas pedal was fully depressed. Initially, the vehicle was in ECO drive mode, traveling approximately 65 mph and the steering wheel paddle to toggle the regenerative breaking between levels 1-3 prior to getting onto the highway. The vehicle speed dropped from ~75mph into the low 50mph range on the highway and was... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
Breaks lock down when driving. Had multiple things replaced and it still does it. Said they don’t know what could be still causing the problem.
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
Vehicle acts like it’s going to die. No maintenance lights well maintained. Rattle noise and acts like it’s misfiring. Went to turn at traffic light and almost got into a wreck due to no horse power. This has been happening since less than 40,000 miles but car dealership keeps saying “nothing is wrong” because there isn’t a warning light on! It’s getting worse!
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
Vehicle acts like it’s going to die. No maintenance lights well maintained. Rattle noise and acts like it’s misfiring. Went to turn at traffic light and almost got into a wreck due to no horse power. This has been happening since less than 40,000 miles but car dealership keeps saying “nothing is wrong” because there isn’t a warning light on! It’s getting worse!