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.

2,245,377 Total Complaints
140,173 Reported Crashes
56,794 Reported Fires
8,580 Reported 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

How to Read NHTSA Consumer Complaints › How NHTSA Investigations Work › Used Car: 7 Recall Checks to Run First › The Takata Airbag Recall: Full Story › OBD-II Codes Explained › All Articles ›
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Showing 62,191 complaints for KIA

KIA FORTE (2019) - SUSPENSION Jan 6, 2026
Incident date: Jan 6, 2026
while driving in light city traffic at low speed the right front wheel developed a terrible grinding noise and would not steer properly, pulled off of the road and called a tow truck car is now at a Tesla service center waiting on repair service
KIA FORTE (2019) - ENGINE Jan 6, 2026
Incident date: Jan 6, 2026
Engine is stalling and consuming oil at a higher then normal rate. Knock sensor is having issues at 24k miles both part of recall campaign 974 and recall 203. Took the auto to dealer for service and was told Hyundai would not honor the recall due to a branded title which now puts me in a scenario of possibly engine stall in the middle of highway traffic.
KIA CADENZA (2017) - POWER TRAIN Jan 6, 2026
Incident date: Nov 10, 2025
CV Axles making clocking noise when turning left and right. Also, when driving above 60 MPH wheel vibrate and anf whole right side shaking. While dealership claiming it is not a safety concern, I am confident this vehicle should not drive on high way with this issue.
KIA CADENZA (2017) - WHEELS Jan 6, 2026
Incident date: Nov 10, 2025
CV Axles making clocking noise when turning left and right. Also, when driving above 60 MPH wheel vibrate and anf whole right side shaking. While dealership claiming it is not a safety concern, I am confident this vehicle should not drive on high way with this issue.
KIA SOUL (2013) - BACK OVER PREVENTION Jan 6, 2026
Incident date: Dec 27, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera displayed a blank screen. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall that had a similar failure description; however, the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure milea... Read more
KIA SORENTO (2023) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER Jan 6, 2026
Incident date: Sep 29, 2023
Tailgate opens automatically on its own while parked and while driving. This also causes the battery to drain down to being dead as it continues to operate the actuator I had to unplug the electronic tailgate switch to stop the battery from graining. Besides the battery draining, the tailgate opened when I had a load in the bed of the pick up truck as I drove causing a possible unsafe ... Read more
KIA SORENTO (2023) - VISIBILITY/WIPER Jan 6, 2026
Incident date: Sep 29, 2023
The camera system—including the backup cameras when you put it in reverse— more often than not produce an error on the display screen instead of a view of the rear rendering this mandated safety device unusable. It is available for inspection. The rear view camera is a mandated safety device required on all passenger vehicles. Not having it available makes it much easier to back into other veh... Read more
KIA SORENTO (2023) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER Jan 6, 2026
Incident date: Sep 29, 2023
Ever since we’ve had the 2019 Chevrolet equinox which was purchased in 2019 from Capital Chevrolet in Montgomery, Alabama, the seats and the side mirrors both will not stay programmed. The dealership kept telling us there was nothing wrong and kept telling us how to program the seats and the side mirrors, per key fob. This was done over and over and still did not work. every time the vehicle is... Read more
KIA SORENTO (2011) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER Jan 6, 2026
Incident date: Jan 6, 2026
I am submitting this supplemental statement regarding my previously filed complaint involving a 2022 Jeep Wrangler. On November 8, 2025, I was involved in a crash that resulted in bodily injury, including head, neck, and back pain, and required post-accident inspection and towing. Despite the nature of the impact and the injuries sustained, the frontal airbag system did not deploy. The manufactu... Read more
Crash 1 injured
KIA K5 (2023) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Jan 6, 2026
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4XE. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V710000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), 25V741000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), and 25V766000 (ENGINE). However, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked. No warning lights were illuminated. Most recently, while d... Read more
KIA SEDONA (2019) - STEERING Jan 6, 2026
Incident date: Nov 5, 2025
While operating on a public roadway with Tesla Full Self-Driving (Supervised) engaged, the vehicle unexpectedly departed its intended roadway trajectory. Upon recognizing unsafe vehicle behavior, I attempted to manually override and disengage the system using normal driver control inputs. Despite these attempts, the system did not disengage or yield control in a timely or effective manner. The veh... Read more
Crash 1 injured
KIA TELLURIDE (2024) - VISIBILITY/WIPER Jan 6, 2026
Incident date: Dec 23, 2025
1)I purchased my car during daylight hours. A few days later I drove my car in the evening and could not see street signs or the road 1/3 of the way up through my windshield. There is a definitive line where the windshield turns black. It is extremely dangerous. The Toyota engagement center told me to take my car to the dealership where it was purchased. I also took photos of what I could not see ... Read more
KIA TELLURIDE (2024) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER Jan 6, 2026
Incident date: Dec 23, 2025
Email Subject I am reporting a serious safety-related defect involving sudden and complete vehicle shutdown while driving in a 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV RST. Component/System Involved: The failure appears related to the 12-volt electrical system and associated vehicle control electronics. When the vehicle detects the 12V battery as dead or critically low, it immediately disables propulsion and... Read more
KIA TELLURIDE (2020) - SEAT BELTS Jan 6, 2026
Incident date: Jun 1, 2020
I am submitting this complaint to report multiple unresolved safety-related issues involving my 2024 Kia Telluride that have not been properly addressed by either the authorized dealership or Kia corporate. Issue #1: Front Bumper Sensor / Mounting Bracket Failure The front bumper sensor mounting bracket failed and detached without any impact, collision, or customer-caused damage. I did not strike ... Read more
KIA EV6 (2022) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER Jan 6, 2026
Incident date: Sep 20, 2025
Body of car has rust perforation starting from the inside working out. This is on the roof, so water incursion will effect airbags and electrical system. FIrst noticed rust bubbles a few years ago, but did not think much of it. Now two body shops have said roof panel needs to be replaced. This is big stuff!
KIA SPORTAGE (2023) - FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL Jan 6, 2026
Incident date: Jan 29, 2025
Was driving the car at 3:00 P.M. and all of a sudden thr dash display when total black out nothing on the display screen. Speed,fuel,turnning singles nothing total black out. Took it to the dealership to fix as this can and would be a life threathing at loss of life could and can happen in a traffic sistiution
KIA SPORTAGE (2023) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Jan 6, 2026
Incident date: Jan 29, 2025
Was driving the car at 3:00 P.M. and all of a sudden thr dash display when total black out nothing on the display screen. Speed,fuel,turnning singles nothing total black out. Took it to the dealership to fix as this can and would be a life threathing at loss of life could and can happen in a traffic sistiution
KIA SPORTAGE (2023) - ENGINE Jan 6, 2026
Incident date: Jan 29, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the engine and the radiator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and suggested that the con... Read more
KIA SOUL (2020) - FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM Jan 6, 2026
Incident date: Aug 3, 2025
Purchased the vehicle 2nd hand January 29th 2025. Since then she has been in and out of multiple shops including Kia. Check engine light, loss of power on fwy, shifting/brake changes from a stop. From jerking, lunging, studder, taking off fast, not wanting to go at all. I was on these dips that I encounter almost daily and the collision warning went off. There wasnt anything in front of me. 2 week... Read more
KIA TELLURIDE (2022) - POWER TRAIN Jan 6, 2026
Incident date: Jan 2, 2026
I was traveling along i80 and suddenly the vehicle shutdown. I put the transmission in Neutral and coasted to a stop. Once stopped, I check It would not start or even turnover at that point. I still had all electrical services and such. The vehicle. I was stranded on i80. Then had to be towed to the nearest GM Dealer in Evanston Wyoming. Heritage Chevrolet GMC. It was left there for diagn... Read more
KIA TELLURIDE (2022) - ENGINE Jan 6, 2026
Incident date: Jan 2, 2026
Official Dealer Refusal to Perform Critical Safety Recall (VIN: [XXX] ) Description: I am reporting a formal refusal by the official Hyundai distributor in the Dominican Republic (Magna Motors) to perform critical safety recalls on my US-spec vehicle. Pending Recalls: Recall #251 (NHTSA 23V651000): ABS module fire risk. Campaign #953: KSDS software update. The dealer (Magna Motors) refuses to... Read more
KIA SORENTO (2017) - POWER TRAIN Jan 6, 2026
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
After a bad OTA update in October, in November before the stop charge recall was issued I noticed on Nov 21, when in "ELECTRIC" mode, after 10 or so minutes of driving the vehicle loses the ability to accelerate past half application of the accelerator. This lack of power continues until the accelerator is FULLY pushed on the floor forcing the gas engine on and causing immediate and dangerous acc... Read more
KIA SOUL (2017) - POWER TRAIN Jan 6, 2026
Incident date: Dec 21, 2025
2021 Silverado 19,000 miles no indication of failure at a busy intersection about to go thru intersection and engines started knocking, multiple check engine lights on. Luckily got thru the intersection and to my place of residence which was very close by. Truck was towed to Chevy dealer. Dealer found 3 bent push rods, 3 bad valves. This engine had the lifters fail completely out of the blue. Oil ... Read more
KIA SORENTO (2019) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING Jan 6, 2026
Incident date: Jan 6, 2026
Brake lights, hazard lights, and turn signals in the back of the car stopped working. Took vehicle into Glenbrook Hyundai dealer in Fort Wayne, Indiana and the dealer confirmed the problem is caused by the open safety recall. No remedy exists yet, so dealer charged me diagnostic fees for recall-related work.
KIA OPTIMA (2020) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: Sep 29, 2020
Car randomly wouldn’t start and was getting error starter message on message center
KIA OPTIMA (2020) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: Sep 29, 2020
This is now a safety risk because I carry my child in the car, and I’m scared that my engine will lose power while I’m driving according to the recall. This is so irresponsible of Toyota that they still don’t have a remedy and I have been waiting.
KIA OPTIMA (2020) - ENGINE Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: Sep 29, 2020
The MGU on my Ram 1500 failed while driving down a main road in my town. A rattling noise started and the check engine light turned on and I called the dealership that same day to have it serviced. The dealership could not get me in for a few days so I did not drive the truck again until the day I could take it in. On my way to the dealership I got a half mile down the road from my house and all s... Read more
KIA FORTE (2022) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: Mar 15, 2023
Driving home - what looked like warning indicators on the dashboard, came on. Lost the ability to brake. Had to push the pedal all the way to the floor to get some braking to happen. A message came on the dashboard “Brake Assist failure. Press hard to brake. Speed Limited”. Once we were able to stop. We turned the car off. then turned it back on. We saw a message on the dashboard to “... Read more
KIA FORTE (2022) - SERVICE BRAKES Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: Mar 15, 2023
Driving home - what looked like warning indicators on the dashboard, came on. Lost the ability to brake. Had to push the pedal all the way to the floor to get some braking to happen. A message came on the dashboard “Brake Assist failure. Press hard to brake. Speed Limited”. Once we were able to stop. We turned the car off. then turned it back on. We saw a message on the dashboard to “... Read more
KIA TELLURIDE (2020) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: Dec 3, 2025
Passenger side DRL (daytime running light) has dimmed and turned purple. Upon further research, this is happening to thousands of Ford Expeditions specifically on the passenger side. The only repair is to replace entire housing.
KIA TELLURIDE (2020) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: Dec 3, 2025
Mazda has messed up headlights and it is very dangerous. I have to drive with high beams on continuously! The low beams point straight down to the road, looks like even with the bumper, you cannot see anything. It looks like you don’t have lights on. Took it to dealer and they say it’s the housing and it’s a Mazda thing and don’t do anything to fix it. I have tried every bulb available f... Read more
KIA TELLURIDE (2020) - VISIBILITY/WIPER Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: Dec 3, 2025
At about 9:40 a.m. on January 5, 2026, the rear window shattered. The incident occurred on I-26 northbound, about 10 miles North of Charleston, SC. Temperature was about 50 degrees. No road hazard. No throw rock or road debris. And we were not near any overpass. Just a loud bang and the window failed. Two holes were created and the rest of the window was completely crazed. No foreign object was f... Read more
KIA SORENTO (2017) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: Nov 5, 2025
The ABS control module and pump failed. ABS Light, Traction / Stabilitrak light / Brake Light on Vehicle was diagnosed by the dealership Dec 16, 2022 was given quote to repair but the parts were not available and back ordered. Been reaching out since to have truck repaired multiple dealerships but ABS module is not available no ETA been driving vehicle as is Currently ABS module is still not ava... Read more
KIA SORENTO (2017) - SERVICE BRAKES Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: Nov 5, 2025
The ABS control module and pump failed. ABS Light, Traction / Stabilitrak light / Brake Light on Vehicle was diagnosed by the dealership Dec 16, 2022 was given quote to repair but the parts were not available and back ordered. Been reaching out since to have truck repaired multiple dealerships but ABS module is not available no ETA been driving vehicle as is Currently ABS module is still not ava... Read more
KIA SORENTO (2017) - SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: Nov 5, 2025
The contact owns a 2024 Acura ZDX. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds and driving over a bump or an object in the roadway, the brake pedal would depress to the floorboard. The contact stated that upon approaching an object once the brakes had failed, the Automatic Emergency Braking system would activate, and the ABS and traction control warning lights would illuminate on the inst... Read more
KIA K5 (2023) - BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
Concerns a safety-related defect involving the infotainment system in my 2022 Bronco, which is directly related to an active recall and has not been properly addressed by the manufacturer or dealership. Ford issued a recall concerning the infotainment system due to a safety concern. For over a quarter, Ford had no available fix. The entire time I had my Bronco, my infotainment system repeatedly m... Read more
KIA OPTIMA (2013) - FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: Sep 23, 2025
I am writing to formally report and complain about a serious safety issue I am experiencing with my Honda Odyssey related to the Auto Idle Stop feature. While the vehicle is stopped and Auto Idle Stop is engaged, the engine unexpectedly shuts down and, in some cases, does not restart properly when I attempt to accelerate. This has occurred after normal driving and also immediately after refueling.... Read more
KIA OPTIMA (2013) - SERVICE BRAKES Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: Sep 23, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Can-Am Spyder RT. The contact stated that while driving with a passenger at highway speeds, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed to the floor. The contact was able to slow down and stop the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while avoiding a nearby crash. ... Read more
KIA OPTIMA (2013) - STEERING Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: Sep 23, 2025
While driving at approximately 65 mph on I-35 in moderate traffic, the vehicle experienced a sudden and complete loss of motive power. I was positioned in the far-right lane at the time of the incident. A notification message appeared on the dashboard screen (likely the "Stop Safely" or "Service Hybrid System" warning); however, there was no accompanying audible warning tone to alert me to the sev... Read more
KIA SPORTAGE (2020) - FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: Nov 24, 2025
The infotainment system consistently changes stations and volume on its own. Knob will not allow you to make adjustments . Contacted dealer and infotainment Is not covered under warranty , or extended warranty. Now the collision notification is not working. Warnings from system that it has failed and causes system to not Register any movement . This has been going on recently. Now have to drive ... Read more
KIA FORTE (2014) - ENGINE Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: Oct 21, 2025
The vehicle intermittently enters a reduced power/limp mode resulting in a sudden loss of acceleration while driving. This has occurred multiple times, including while towing, when the vehicle was unable to safely maintain or reach highway speeds. The loss of power creates a dangerous condition when merging or driving in traffic. Warning messages indicating reduced engine power have appeared, and ... Read more
KIA NIRO (2017) - AIR BAGS Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: Jul 5, 2025
The contact's friend owns a 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the vehicle almost immediately shut off. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated, then turned off. The contact stated that a single flashing red dot remained displayed. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined... Read more
KIA FORTE (2011) - FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS:CANISTER Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: Nov 5, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact used a personal code reader and retrieved a fault code related to the evaporative emissions. The contact replaced the gas cap. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the ... Read more
KIA SOUL (2018) - POWER TRAIN Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: May 12, 2025
My 2017 Sienna has whine noise coming from transmission, the vehicle was inspected by Toyota dealership and confirmed that the noise is coming from Transmission. Toyota has already issued a recall for the 2017 Sienna with Transmission UA80 under program ZJC. My vehicle has the same issue, however, it is not being covered as it is UA80E. This issue seems common among all the 2017 model irrespective... Read more
KIA SOUL (2018) - SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: May 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was smoke coming from under the hood, and the check engine warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact noticed a burning odor in the interior of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a failed pollution control system. The contact was i... Read more
KIA SPORTAGE (2017) - STEERING Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: Oct 21, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-250. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V957000 (Fuel System, Diesel), 25V626000 (Steering), and 25V686000 (Back Over Prevention); however, parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manu... Read more
KIA SORENTO HYBRID (2025) - VISIBILITY Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the sunroof glass panel shattered unexpectedly with a loud pop. Upon further inspection, the contact noticed that the remaining fractured sunroof glass panel was bowed outward. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the fai... Read more
KIA SORENTO HYBRID (2025) - AIR BAGS Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
See attached document for complaint.
KIA SORENTO HYBRID (2025) - VISIBILITY/WIPER Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
Windshield wipers occasionally don’t operate correctly in the mist, wash and intermittent/auto wiper modes. The dealer has confirmed this problem and has a wiper switch on order but there are none available. Because of this being a safety issue, the vehicle has not been driven and is not operational during inclement weather.
KIA OPTIMA (2012) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING Jan 5, 2026
Incident date: Oct 19, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. While the contact's husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, however the vehicle failed to accelerate. The contact ws unsure if any warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. T... Read more
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