Consumer Safety Complaints
Search 2,245,377 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA, including 140,173 crashes, 56,794 fires, and 8,580 deaths.
What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?
A consumer complaint is a free-form report filed by a vehicle owner directly to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) describing a safety concern about their vehicle. NHTSA collects these reports through its Vehicle Owner Defect Report (VOQ) system and publishes them publicly. Each complaint includes the affected component, the date and circumstances of the incident, whether the failure caused a crash or fire, and any reported injuries or deaths. The owner's full narrative description is included verbatim, NHTSA does not edit or moderate the descriptions.
The database below contains over 2,245,377 individual complaints. NHTSA's investigators monitor it for clusters of similar reports, when enough owners describe the same failure mode on the same vehicle, NHTSA may open a Preliminary Evaluation that can lead to a recall. Many of the largest recalls in U.S. history, including the Takata airbag recall and the Hyundai/Kia engine fire recalls, started as patterns visible in this complaint database years before they became formal recalls.
How to interpret what you read
A few principles for reading consumer complaints usefully:
- One complaint is anecdote; a hundred similar complaints is data. NHTSA does not investigate the truthfulness of any individual report, that's the job of the Office of Defects Investigation, which looks at the full pattern. When evaluating a vehicle, look for whether multiple owners describe the same chain of events.
- Crash, fire, injury, and death flags are owner-set. They are not verified by NHTSA. They are still useful as a filter, because owners who tick those boxes are typically reporting more serious incidents than those who don't.
- Component categories are NHTSA-assigned, not owner-assigned. NHTSA standardizes the component field so that complaints can be aggregated. The owner narrative often goes into more detail than the component category captures.
- Complaint volume scales with sales volume. A best-selling model will accumulate more raw complaints than a niche model even at the same defect rate. To compare across vehicles, look at complaints per 100,000 units sold, not raw counts.
If you've experienced a defect
File a complaint. NHTSA's investigators rely on this database to detect emerging defects, and useful complaints, specific, concrete, with dates and mileage and clear descriptions of what happened, feed directly into the agency's pattern detection. The form takes about 10 minutes and is at nhtsa.gov/recalls under "Report a Safety Problem." Your complaint becomes part of the same public record that this page is built from. Owners filing detailed VOQs are how recalls get triggered.
Read more from our blog
Showing 62,191 complaints for KIA
Incident date: Dec 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the ABS failure warning light intermittently flashed on the instrument panel, c... Read more
Incident date: Jan 3, 2026
While driving on the highway, our sunroof spontaneously exploded. We heard what sounded like a gunshot and found a giant hole in our sunroof glass.
Incident date: Jan 2, 2026
Remedy not available yet
Incident date: Jan 2, 2026
While charging at a level 2 charger (6 kW) the car stop charging at 61% for no apparent reason. I was unable to restart charging. Within 2-3 minutes of starting the car and driving, received a warning to “check the vehicle electrical system” and then within another minute or two, another warning to “stop vehicle and check power supply.” I was traveling under 20 mph the entire time.
Incident date: Jan 2, 2026
While charging at a level 2 charger (6 kW) the car stop charging at 61% for no apparent reason. I was unable to restart charging. Within 2-3 minutes of starting the car and driving, received a warning to “check the vehicle electrical system” and then within another minute or two, another warning to “stop vehicle and check power supply.” I was traveling under 20 mph the entire time.
Incident date: Jan 2, 2026
I have been experiencing unintended acceleration when I press on my brakes. Fortunately, there hasn't been any accidents yet but it's a very dangerous situation.
Incident date: Dec 26, 2025
My 2025 BMW iX xDrive50 has experienced three separate random shutdown events while driving in active traffic. These shutdowns occurred without warning and caused sudden loss of vehicle functionality. One of these shutdowns resulted in a rear-end collision. The vehicle has been brought to BMW of Carlsbad three separate times. Each time, the dealership stated no defect could be found and blamed th... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Dec 26, 2025
My 2025 BMW iX xDrive50 has experienced three separate random shutdown events while driving in active traffic. These shutdowns occurred without warning and caused sudden loss of vehicle functionality. One of these shutdowns resulted in a rear-end collision. The vehicle has been brought to BMW of Carlsbad three separate times. Each time, the dealership stated no defect could be found and blamed th... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Dec 26, 2025
My 2025 BMW iX xDrive50 has experienced three separate random shutdown events while driving in active traffic. These shutdowns occurred without warning and caused sudden loss of vehicle functionality. One of these shutdowns resulted in a rear-end collision. The vehicle has been brought to BMW of Carlsbad three separate times. Each time, the dealership stated no defect could be found and blamed th... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Jul 15, 2023
The weather became cold outside. After first frost overnight, an oil leak started underneath the hood next to the front passenger side tire. Got in be serviced 11/19. Told the plastic piece to oil housing assembly cracked and had 9 other palisades in for same exact issue. No warning lamps. Cost $519 to replace part.
Incident date: Jul 15, 2023
The weather became cold outside. After first frost overnight, an oil leak started underneath the hood next to the front passenger side tire. Got in be serviced 11/19. Told the plastic piece to oil housing assembly cracked and had 9 other palisades in for same exact issue. No warning lamps. Cost $519 to replace part.
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
There was a safety recall for the rear arm control and excessive rust, Honda said they fixed it back in 2018… out of no where my car lost control and caused me to crash, I brought the car back to Honda and the rear arm bracket broke off due to excessive rust however Honda states it was repaired and there is nothing they can do, they won’t even look at the vehicle.
Crash
Incident date: Jan 31, 2023
This vehicle is in for its second replacement of the ICCU unit. The first was on March 2023,
Incident date: Jan 31, 2023
UNKNOWN There are two issues. First one: After using the defrost, the rear window will shatter after the air pressure is change, opening the driver's side door to get in,the back glass shattered it. Second one: The technician informed me that on the nissian rogue, there is a gap in the back door panel that glass falls into making it nonexistent to retrieve all the glass, complicating the locki... Read more
Incident date: Jan 2, 2026
Engine is burning/consuming EXCESSIVE oil before required oil change. The oil levels are low enough that the vehicle will shutter or stall when coming to a stop. There are NO INDICATOR lights to advise of low oil, or NO oil!! This is a known issue with 2020 Hyundai Palisades.
Incident date: Jan 2, 2026
This is a safety-related defect involving the multipurpose front camera used for Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) on the 2020 Acura MDX. The multipurpose front camera failed without warning, resulting in the simultaneous loss of multiple ADAS safety features, including (but not limited to) Lane Keeping Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Collision Mitigation Braking, and Road Departure Mitig... Read more
Incident date: Dec 29, 2025
There was an engine recall on the vehicle that was inspected and passed. My wife noticed the vehicle shaking while she was driving and the engine mounts ended up being broken. They replaced the engine mounts and they had it up on the lift when they reported that engine failed. They replaced the motor and gave the vehicle back to us. About 2 weeks later my wife noticed a grinding. She took it in an... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
Odometer Fraud. The contact owns a 2012 Lexus RX350. The contact purchased the vehicle, and it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of the purchase, the mileage was 127,832. The contact stated that at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 257,193.
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
I purchased this vehicle in the end of October and shortly thereafter within 50 miles two days the check engine light came on P0299 turbo under boost. Immediately thereafter, exhaust fumes began entering the cabin from the engine bay. I notified the dealership and they gave me a loaner vehicle and they took it to complete auto care in Denver Colorado to have the vehicle fixed. I was told that the ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2025
While pulling into a parking spot and coming to a stop, the brakes failed and the car abruptly accelerated forward despite attempts to continue braking. The car proceeded over the curb and raised hilly grassy median and only came to a stop when it collided with a parked vehicle on the other side of the median. I, as the driver, had no control of the vehicle and could have potentially hit a pedestr... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Dec 15, 2025
While pulling into a parking spot and coming to a stop, the brakes failed and the car abruptly accelerated forward despite attempts to continue braking. The car proceeded over the curb and raised hilly grassy median and only came to a stop when it collided with a parked vehicle on the other side of the median. I, as the driver, had no control of the vehicle and could have potentially hit a pedestr... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Dec 15, 2025
While pulling into a parking spot and coming to a stop, the brakes failed and the car abruptly accelerated forward despite attempts to continue braking. The car proceeded over the curb and raised hilly grassy median and only came to a stop when it collided with a parked vehicle on the other side of the median. I, as the driver, had no control of the vehicle and could have potentially hit a pedestr... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Dec 10, 2025
Was driving on Dallas North Toll way when my vehicle lost acceleration. Had to pull over and engine started smoking and lit a flame under the hood. Car is now at Clay Cooley Kia in Irving, TX. Car has been there for over two weeks and I still have no answers or information regarding the plan to fix it. Major dealership delay and all they keep saying is “Waiting on a Kia Engineer to come out but ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Dec 10, 2025
Was driving on Dallas North Toll way when my vehicle lost acceleration. Had to pull over and engine started smoking and lit a flame under the hood. Car is now at Clay Cooley Kia in Irving, TX. Car has been there for over two weeks and I still have no answers or information regarding the plan to fix it. Major dealership delay and all they keep saying is “Waiting on a Kia Engineer to come out but ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jan 2, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 3500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the ABS and ESC warning lights illuminated. The contact depressed the brake pedal but was unable to stop the vehicle. The contact had a snowplow attached to the front of the vehicle and lowered the plow to stop the vehicle. The contact was having the vehicle towed to a dealer, but the vehicle was not yet ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 29, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Golf. The contact stated that the vehicle jumped the curb while driving, but he was able to regain control. The driver turned off the vehicle and restarted it. Recently, while reversing out of a parking spot and placing the vehicle into drive, there was sudden acceleration, and he crashed into a fence in front of the dumpsters. The brake pedal was applied, but t... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Oct 31, 2025
On December 31 at approximately 300 p.m., our 2015 Honda Odyssey experienced a sudden and complete loss of motive power while traveling eastbound on the Sam Houston Parkway South just after crossing the Buffalo Bayou Toll Bridge at highway speed. While driving normally, the Check ABS warning light illuminated. Immediately afterward, multiple dashboard warning lights began flashing and the engine a... Read more
Incident date: Oct 31, 2025
On December 31 at approximately 300 p.m., our 2015 Honda Odyssey experienced a sudden and complete loss of motive power while traveling eastbound on the Sam Houston Parkway South just after crossing the Buffalo Bayou Toll Bridge at highway speed. While driving normally, the Check ABS warning light illuminated. Immediately afterward, multiple dashboard warning lights began flashing and the engine a... Read more
Incident date: Dec 31, 2025
RF hub has now failed 3 times in the last 10 months. The last time they replaced the third brake like and now I am having the same issue. Dealership is telling me it’s the back window and that they will not pay for the problem to be fixed. Safety at risk by vehicle breaking down with no transportation on the side of the road. Problem has been confirmed by dealership which led to first repair. N... Read more
Incident date: Dec 31, 2025
RF hub has now failed 3 times in the last 10 months. The last time they replaced the third brake like and now I am having the same issue. Dealership is telling me it’s the back window and that they will not pay for the problem to be fixed. Safety at risk by vehicle breaking down with no transportation on the side of the road. Problem has been confirmed by dealership which led to first repair. N... Read more
Incident date: Dec 31, 2025
I am writing to formally document Toyota's failure to provide a reasonable and lawful solution following the safety recall and was advised by my attorney that Toyota does not yet have a remedy available. Despite this, Toyota has offered only a $42/day reimbursement for a compact rental vehicle, which is wholly inadequate and functionally useless for my family. Toyota is effectively forcing us to c... Read more
Incident date: Nov 24, 2025
The truck is a 2019 Chevy silverado 1500 with a 5.3L V8. I have had 2 engine failures since I got this truck. Related to collapsed lifters causing bearing damage and camshaft damage. The first time this happened was around 98k miles. The failure happened while merging onto I95 and matching the highway speed to merge. I believe It is a dangerous defect because when this happened to me while mergi... Read more
Incident date: Nov 24, 2025
I was driving on the turnpike at night when I went to pass another vehicle, as I was moving into the left lane I was blinded by oncoming traffic by the very bright LED headlights and I had to struggle to maintain control of the car. These LED headlights are very dangerous and should not be allowed on vehicles. I am sure that there have been serious accidents because of these lights. I have heard... Read more
Incident date: Dec 28, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 BMW X5. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, unknown warning lights illuminated on several occasions. The failure had occurred while driving and while restarting the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the starter had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was m... Read more
Incident date: Dec 28, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Optima. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 20V10000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) and 21V331000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal fuel odor coming from the engine and entering the cabin of the vehicle through the A/C vents. The check engine warning light and ABS warning ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 29, 2025
The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a failed coolant control valve. The contact was informed that the coolant control valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact referenced a Speci... Read more
KIA
SPORTAGE PHEV
(2024) - BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Jan 2, 2026
Incident date: Dec 31, 2025
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the interior digital rearview mirror image was distorted, hazy and foggy. The contact stated that the rearview mirror image was distorted while operating the vehicle at night, but the image was clear while operating the vehicle during the day time. The contact had cleaned the rear window and the rearview mirr... Read more
KIA
SPORTAGE PHEV
(2024) - FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Jan 2, 2026
Incident date: Dec 31, 2025
I was driving down the interstate with my two babies in the car seats and all of a sudden all of the dash lights came on, and the power steering locked up. I was driving 70 miles per hour and had to pry my wheel as hard as i could to be able to pull over on the side of the interstate. Once I pulled over i turned the car off hoping it would reset whatever happened and the car was completely dead. I... Read more
KIA
SPORTAGE PHEV
(2024) - STEERING
Jan 2, 2026
Incident date: Dec 31, 2025
I was driving down the interstate with my two babies in the car seats and all of a sudden all of the dash lights came on, and the power steering locked up. I was driving 70 miles per hour and had to pry my wheel as hard as i could to be able to pull over on the side of the interstate. Once I pulled over i turned the car off hoping it would reset whatever happened and the car was completely dead. I... Read more
Incident date: Sep 11, 2025
60,000 miles, the head gasket blew in traffic. Jaguar dealer quotes $35,000 to replace engine. This is not acceptable for a car of this price. I have been victimized by defective parts in our 2017 Jaguar F-Pace. These parts and repairs and associated costs should have been covered under warranty and recall. These catastrophic failures/repairs were due to known defective parts (clam shell "y" pipe... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2026
I am reporting a repeated safety defect that happens only in rainy conditions. My 2022 Tesla Model Y repeatedly shows critical safety warnings including “Automatic Emergency Braking unavailable”, traction and stability control disabled, and “Vehicle Hold unavailable”. This has occurred during normal driving in rain every rainy season for 3 years, despite 4 service visits and parts replacem... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
The LED lights are extremely dangerous. They impair the vision of others. This needs to be rectified.
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
The component that failed is the charging system alternator on my 2020 Range Rover Sport HST (mild-hybrid). This vehicle has experienced three alternator failures prior to 100,000 miles. The failed alternator and related components are currently in dealer possession and are available for inspection upon request. Failure of the alternator creates a safety risk because loss of charging capability c... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
The component that failed is the charging system alternator on my 2020 Range Rover Sport HST (mild-hybrid). This vehicle has experienced three alternator failures prior to 100,000 miles. The failed alternator and related components are currently in dealer possession and are available for inspection upon request. Failure of the alternator creates a safety risk because loss of charging capability c... Read more
Incident date: Sep 30, 2025
. We have owned our 2016 Pilot since 2023. We have never had a problem with it and have had the recommended maintenance performed on schedule. The incident of our engine failing, out of the blue, occurred when my husband drove from MN to Indiana and then he made it back to MN and the engine died literally at the exit to our hometown. Our Honda Pilot ran perfect when my husband drove from MN to IN ... Read more
KIA
SPORTAGE PHEV
(2023) - STEERING
Jan 1, 2026
Incident date: Dec 24, 2025
My 2015 Kia Optima has a failing ABS/HECU module consistent with the Kia ABS fire recall. The brake lights stay on constantly even when the brake pedal switch is unplugged. If I unplug the ABS/HECU module, the brake lights immediately turn off, which confirms the ABS module is back-feeding power into the brake light circuit. I also previously experienced the ABS pump running with the vehicle turn... Read more
KIA
SPORTAGE PHEV
(2023) - SERVICE BRAKES
Jan 1, 2026
Incident date: Dec 24, 2025
My 2015 Kia Optima has a failing ABS/HECU module consistent with the Kia ABS fire recall. The brake lights stay on constantly even when the brake pedal switch is unplugged. If I unplug the ABS/HECU module, the brake lights immediately turn off, which confirms the ABS module is back-feeding power into the brake light circuit. I also previously experienced the ABS pump running with the vehicle turn... Read more
KIA
SPORTAGE PHEV
(2023) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jan 1, 2026
Incident date: Dec 24, 2025
My 2015 Kia Optima has a failing ABS/HECU module consistent with the Kia ABS fire recall. The brake lights stay on constantly even when the brake pedal switch is unplugged. If I unplug the ABS/HECU module, the brake lights immediately turn off, which confirms the ABS module is back-feeding power into the brake light circuit. I also previously experienced the ABS pump running with the vehicle turn... Read more
Incident date: Dec 5, 2025
Car suddenly needed a jump start and again after a day or two of non-use. On the third day Brakes, ABS and traction control warnings were lighted up and remains. Brakes are mostly ineffective. My own scan returns the code C1252 and C1256 that says brake booster system failing. Took it to the dealer who charged $290 again to scan and came up with failed brake booster and pump assembly. The dealers ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 5, 2025
I was driving on a residential street at fairly slow speeds, like 25 mph. There was a stop sign so I engaged the brakes and the car did not smoothly slow down but instead it felt like the back tires locked up and a skid started and I actually went into the intersection before coming to a stop. There was no ice, no sand, just the road surface and the skid in the rear of the vehicle.