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 415 complaints for KTM

KTM 300 XC-W (2006) - FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP Mar 1, 2007
Incident date: Jul 18, 2006
2006 KTM 300XCW MOTORCYCLE PURCHASED JUNE 2006. GAS CAP BEGAN LEAKING WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. GAS DRAINS FROM AROUND THE BASE OF THE CAP ONTO THE TANK, SEAT, RIDERS LEGS, AND MAY DRIP ONTO THE MOTOR AND EXHAUST. TANKS OPENING IS ALSO DISTORTED. KTM SENT AN X-RING TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT IT STILL LEAKS JUST AS BADLY AS BEFORE. *NM
KTM 300 XC-W (2006) - FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY Mar 1, 2007
Incident date: Sep 1, 2006
I PURCHASED A NEW KTM MOTORCYCLE IN MARCH 2006 FROM A LOCAL DEALER. APPROXIMATELY AUGUST 2006 I NOTICE THE GAS CAP(NEW 1/4 TURN DESIGN) LEAKING WHILE RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE. ONE DAY IN SEPTEMBER WHILE RIDING I FELL OVER AND DROPPED THE MOTORCYCLE AND THE GAS CAP ACTUALLY POPPED OFF THE GAS TANK AND SPILLED GAS ON ME. IT TOOK ME 15 MINUTES TO GET BACK TO MY TRUCK AND WASH THE GAS OFF. IT MADE SEVERA... Read more
1 injured
KTM 300 XC-W (2006) - FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP Feb 28, 2007
Incident date: Jan 28, 2007
GAS CAP LEAKS. I HAVE PERSONALLY SEEN THE SAME DESIGN CAP ON A FRIENDS BIKE FALL OFF AFTER A CRASH, SPILLING GAS ON THE GROUND. *JB
KTM 300 XC-W (2006) - FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP Feb 28, 2007
Incident date: Oct 20, 2005
I HAVE A 2006 KTM 300XC-W WHICH HAS LEAKED FUEL FROM THE GAS CAP SINCE IT WAS NEW IN SEPTEMBER OF 2005. THE LEAK FROM THE DEFECTIVE CAP HAS RESULTED IN CHEMICAL BURNS TO MY UPPER THIGH AREA IN ONE PARTICULAR TIP OVER. *JB KTM IS AWARE OF THE FLAW AND HAS ATTEMPTED TO PLACATE THE OWNERS WITH BANDAIDE TYPE FIXES, NONE OF WHICH HAS PERMANENTLY FIXED THE PROBLEM. IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE ... Read more
1 injured
KTM 300 XC-W (2006) - FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP Feb 28, 2007
Incident date: Mar 3, 2006
BIKE PURCHASED 11-05. RIDING BIKE SLOWLY THROUGH WOODS AND FELL OVER. THE FUEL CAP POPPED OFF SPILLING A LARGE PORTION OF FUEL. 3-06 VACATION IN GA, FUEL CAP STARTED LEAKING. FUEL TANK COVERED IN FUEL, UNDERNEATH SEAT AND THE FRAME COVERED IN FUEL. MY LEFT LEG PANTS FUEL SOAKED AFTER EVERY RIDE. COMPLAINED TO DEALER. FINALLY AFTER COMPLAINING TO THE DEALER OWNER ( ABOUT A MONTH LATER) THEY TOOK A ... Read more
KTM 300 XC-W (2006) - FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY Feb 28, 2007
Incident date: Feb 24, 2007
I OWN A 2004 KTM 200EXC MOTORCYCLE WITH 2006 GAS TANK. THE 1/4 TURN GAS CAP ON THIS 2006 GAS TANK HAS LEAK MULTIPLE TIMES AROUND THE SEALING SURFACE WHEN THE BIKE WAS LEANED OVER. ALSO, THE GAS CAP HAS BECOME DISTORTED AND SWOLLEN. IT IS DIFFICULT TO INSERT AND REMOVE FROM THE GAS TANK. I PURCHASED A NEW GAS CAP FROM THE DEALER BUT THE GAS CAP IS TOO LOOSE WITHIN THE GAS TANK AND WILL NOT STAY ON.... Read more
KTM 300 XC-W (2006) - FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP Feb 28, 2007
Incident date: Sep 30, 2006
GAS CAP ON MOTORCYCLE POPPED OFF, GASOLINE/CHEMICAL BURN ON LEG. *JB
1 injured
KTM 300 XC-W (2006) - FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP Feb 16, 2007
Incident date: Dec 23, 2006
FROM DAY OF PURCHASE, MY 2007 KTM 200 XC MOTORCYCLE HAS BEEN LEAKING GASOLINE FROM THE GAS CAP, AND SPLASHING FUEL INTO MY LAP AND ALL OVER THE BIKE. THIS IS FROM THE 1/4 TURN GAS CAP KTM HAS BEEN SHIPPING ON MODEL YEAR 2006 AND 2007 MOTORCYCLES. PLEASE LOOK AT WWW.KTMTALK.COM IN THE "GENERAL FORUM" FOR AN ENTIRE HISTORY OF OWNER COMPLAINTS. AND ALTHOUGH KTM JUST RECENTLY ATTEMPTED TO FIX THE ISS... Read more
KTM 300 XC-W (2006) - FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE Feb 15, 2007
Incident date: Dec 10, 2006
THE GAS CAP ON THE '06 KTM 450 EXC MODEL LEAKS FUEL AFTER THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF OPERATION. THE VENT GLUE FAILED CAUSING THE FUEL TO SPILL OUT OF THE VENT AREA OF THE CAP. THE FUEL CAP BUILT IN GASKET DOES NOT SEAL PROPERLY AND FUEL LEAKS OUT OF THIS AREA AS WELL. THE CAP IS 1/4 TURN TO CLOSE AND DUE TO SWELLING OF THE TANK AND ENLARGEMENT OF THE TANK CAP RECEPTACLE ENLARGE DUE TO SWELLING WIL... Read more
Crash 1 injured
KTM 300 XC-W (2006) - FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE Dec 12, 2006
Incident date: Nov 10, 2006
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE GAS CAP LEAKED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AT ANY SPEED. THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED.
KTM 640 ADVENTURE (2006) - FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY Nov 30, 2006
Incident date: Sep 1, 2006
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH OFF THE ROAD, GAS WAS NOTICED LEAKING FROM THE GAS STORAGE TANK CAP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO ADVISED TO REPLACE THE GAS TANK CAP. UPON THE CAP REPLACEMENT, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN CONTACTED BY OTHER CONSUMERS WITH THE SAME FAILURE OBTAINING NO RESOLUTION OTHER THAN A CAP REPLACEMENT AT THE CONTACT EXPENSES... Read more
KTM ADVENTURE (2004) - SUSPENSION Aug 12, 2004
Incident date: Aug 9, 2004
WHEN DECELERATING FROM A LOW SPEED THE MOTORCYCLE HANDLE BARS BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
KTM KTM (2001) - STRUCTURE Apr 7, 2003
Incident date: Apr 6, 2003
FRAME CRACKS AND FAILS. MANUFACTURER KTM USA REPLACED LOTS OF FRAMES BUT SINCE I AMM NOT ORIGINAL OWNER THEY WONT REPLACE MINE. IT IS MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE FOR MY SEVEN YEAR OLD SON. *JB
KTM 640LC4 (2001) - POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY Aug 8, 2001
Incident date: Mar 24, 2001
CLUTCH ASSEMBLY COMES OUT OF ADJUSTMENT AND THE CLUTCH WILL NOT STAY IN A TIGHT ADJUSTMENT. THIS WILL MAKE CLUTCH LOOS AND FAIL. PLEASE SPECIFY MORE INFORMATION ON THE MAKE AND MODEL OF MOTORCYCLE.*AK AT 600 MILES THE FUEL HOSE FAILED AND BEGAN LEAKING ONTO THE ENGINE, THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW BECAUSE THE HOSE BENDS TWICE AND TRAVELS UP TO CARB CAUSING CRIMPS AND CRACKS TO LINE... Read more
KTM 640LC4 (2001) - FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS Aug 8, 2001
Incident date: Mar 24, 2001
CLUTCH ASSEMBLY COMES OUT OF ADJUSTMENT AND THE CLUTCH WILL NOT STAY IN A TIGHT ADJUSTMENT. THIS WILL MAKE CLUTCH LOOS AND FAIL. PLEASE SPECIFY MORE INFORMATION ON THE MAKE AND MODEL OF MOTORCYCLE.*AK AT 600 MILES THE FUEL HOSE FAILED AND BEGAN LEAKING ONTO THE ENGINE, THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW BECAUSE THE HOSE BENDS TWICE AND TRAVELS UP TO CARB CAUSING CRIMPS AND CRACKS TO LINE... Read more
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