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 15,126 complaints for LEXUS
Incident date: Jan 22, 2024
It won't catch up speed it slips on the freeway. Once I pass 60 miles per hour it excelerates very high and rpm get stuck after I hit 50 miles per hour. There's a knocking noise coming from the engine and burns oil fast.
Incident date: Jan 24, 2024
Side view mirrors vibrate to the point of distortion making it harder to see vehicles. The problem is in the pedestal mount attached the doors which act like a tuning fork and need to be updated to wider base pedestals to mitigate vibration like other vehicles that have door mounted mirrors. Please help its very dangerous.
Incident date: Jan 24, 2024
Side view mirrors vibrate to the point of distortion making it harder to see vehicles. The problem is in the pedestal mount attached the doors which act like a tuning fork and need to be updated to wider base pedestals to mitigate vibration like other vehicles that have door mounted mirrors. Please help its very dangerous.
Incident date: Jan 22, 2024
I’m in Bradley, Illinois, and after the first snowfall, these indicators lit up. The ABS, the ESC, and the 4WD. I thought because of inclement weather, they would go off, but have remained lit for a couple of weeks now. One day, while driving to work, the throttle lagged, and I couldn’t accelerate past 20 mph for over 10 minutes amidst heavy traffic. When this occurred, the ABS light turned of... Read more
Incident date: Jan 22, 2024
I’m in Bradley, Illinois, and after the first snowfall, these indicators lit up. The ABS, the ESC, and the 4WD. I thought because of inclement weather, they would go off, but have remained lit for a couple of weeks now. One day, while driving to work, the throttle lagged, and I couldn’t accelerate past 20 mph for over 10 minutes amidst heavy traffic. When this occurred, the ABS light turned of... Read more
Incident date: Jan 20, 2024
We bought a car on Halloween of '22 with 13k miles. In July of '23 our engine blew to wetbelt degrading. We replaced that engine and in August of '23 it blew again due to the same issue. Replaced that engine and in Jan of '24 it happened a third time, both times lasting less than 5k miles. We have maintenaned regular maintenance on the original, and the 2 replacements never reached the maintenance... Read more
Incident date: Jan 19, 2024
I was driving my Jeep Rubicon 2 door with manual transmission 32,000 miles out of town which I don’t normally don’t due because the steering is sloppy. I have spoken with Jeep Cares about the issue multiple times it’s been this way since I got it with 14,000 miles. It feels dangerous to bring it up to 65mph. The other day I got a death wobble after hitting a small bump in the road in it. I a... Read more
Incident date: Jan 6, 2024
This vehicle has a persistent brake fluid leaking problem. Anytime the vehicle is parked at a ~ 7% incline, where the front of the car is lower than the rear, the car leaks material amounts of brake fluid. The dealer has tried many times (over 4 times) to fix the issue by replacing all relevant parts… it still leaks. Based on my observations, there appears to be a design flaw in the brake fluid ... Read more
Incident date: May 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 - 45 MPH and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle revved roughly before accelerating forward. The contact stated that while driving for approximately 20 minutes at 20-25 MPH accelerating uphill, the vehicle suddenly stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and continue driving after approxima... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact observed white smoke coming from the exhaust, after which the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determi... Read more
Incident date: Dec 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2009 Mitsubishi Galant. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the front driver's side air bag deployed inadvertently and struck the contact’s face and chest. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact immediately slammed on the brake pedal and then pulled into a parking spot. The contact stated there was no collision before the air bag deployment. The contact state... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Dec 18, 2023
Misfire on engine that was cause stall and later on could caused over heating. This is a known issue for this manufacture and needs be resolved before someone is hurt or killed Code was p303 and now I need 1000's in repairs out of my pocket Right now believe to be head gasket but damage could be worse. Yall need to google this issue for yourselves and help protect lives
Incident date: Jan 13, 2024
Engine replacement needed due to faulty engine. Dealer confirmed faulty bolts in head gasket causing leaks. No signs of critical issue. The vehicle was taken in for a regularly scheduled oil change when the dealership discovered the leak and subsequent issue with the head gasket threads being striped requiring a full engine replacement. The manufacturer(KIA/Hyundai) should in good faith provide ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 13, 2024
This submittal is concerning the backup camera viewing area and the 360 degree camera view. The backup camera doesn't provide the same view as did our 2021 XC-40 R-Design rear back up camera view. The 360 degree view is very confusing when there are other cars or objects around the car. When going into the garage the surrounding objects give a distracting and distorted view.
Incident date: Jun 24, 2022
Urgent Attention Needed for Chevy 2017 Tahoe Safety Concern The Chevy 2017 Tahoe is presenting a critical safety issue with the recurring error message "Trailer Brake System" on the dashboard. This leads to a complete shutdown of the vehicle and loss of control at random intervals, posing a severe danger, especially on high-speed roads and highways. Despite attempting repairs, including replacing... Read more
Incident date: Jan 7, 2024
I have the plaid version… and this care wears out the rear ties within 12-14 thousand miles.. which is super fast and you can’t tell because it’s the inside of the tire. The metal shoes and is potentially dangerous and life threatening
Incident date: Jan 12, 2023
Breaks grind as if they are used up but vehical is new and shouldnt have run through the pad so quickly Breaking becoming harder to stop
Incident date: Oct 15, 2023
Due to the 2014 dodge Durango not having a proper seal on them the race track light on my 2014 dodge Durango has been halfway burnt out and there is no reason for me to have to pay $1200 when this is a safety hazard this should be a recalled this is ridiculous. It is not safe it could cause electrical fire a short I’ve worked for emergency services and I will tell you now if your lights on the b... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2023
There is a visible defect in the touch screen of the infotainment unit, which seems to be progressing in a top down direction. I suspect that the touch screen is delaminating and the electrical characteristics of the unit are degrading. The unit now "self-selects" and changes radio settings (FM to AM, or station), or screens (navigation, to CarPlay, to comfort settings, to...). Any and all featu... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2023
There is a visible defect in the touch screen of the infotainment unit, which seems to be progressing in a top down direction. I suspect that the touch screen is delaminating and the electrical characteristics of the unit are degrading. The unit now "self-selects" and changes radio settings (FM to AM, or station), or screens (navigation, to CarPlay, to comfort settings, to...). Any and all featu... Read more
Incident date: Apr 9, 2023
The transmission started with acceleration speed issues, after about a week, it started stuttering and failing to accelerate at all. Today the car would not accelerate through a traffic light which could have caused an accident. A mechanic has confirmed that the transmission is the issue. Initially there were no check engine lights or anything that showed up but now the check engine light is on.
Incident date: Jan 3, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and turned off, the brake light remained illuminated. The contact stated the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V426000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that the recall repair was completed in May of 2023 and the failure reoccurred immedi... Read more
Incident date: Jun 27, 2023
The odometer is digital only. It started to fail in the last couple months in that the digits would appear jumbled (unintelligible) or would be completely blank. Consequently, I am then unable to see my fuel gauge as well as mileage/oil life, which I believe poses a safety concern. If it fails completely then I am unable to tell when I need an oil change and, worse, when I am out of gas. Fortunate... Read more
Incident date: Jun 27, 2023
While driving at 70 MPH down I-90 in upstate New York, during rush hour traffic, my 2016 Ram 1500 eco diesel lost power (engine stopped). The truck lost power, including a loss in power steering. I was able to navigate the truck to the side of the road and a state trooper pull behind me while waiting for the tow truck. The truck would not start after this. There was no advanced warning for thi... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2021
I was driving in a 25 MPH zone approaching a red light preparing to stop. I had increased the pressure on my brake pedal and then my foot slipped of the pedal just seconds before I ran into a truck that was stopped at the red light. After further investigation I found out that the brake pedal pad has been substituted by Toyota Manufacturing. My 2020 Tundra was purchased new and has 8,800 miles on... Read more
Crash
Incident date: May 1, 2021
The electrical system, transmission system, and electronic parking brake system were all actioned without command. At approximately 9:31AM, December 26th, 2023, the vehicle immediately shut down without warning. The vehicle was driving at a speed of 25-30 MPH. The gears automatically shifted down and the power steering was immediately disabled as a shutdown sequence began. The vehicle drifted left... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
The steering system recently began to have a sticky feeling after driving straight for a minute or so. After the release that requires extra pressure, the steering is fine until the wheel is going straight and the stickiness returns. appears to be the same issue that has been noted in Civics. Dealer thinks the same thing and a recall just hasn't been issued yet.
Incident date: Dec 22, 2023
Driving on the highway, at approx 70 MPH, truck suddenly shifted to neutral, though gear indicator showed in 1st gear. After several seconds the truck shifted back into high gear with a jolting BANG. This happened three times in a row, then the service light came on, and truck continued to operate but not up shift to 10th gear. This happened after about 1 hour of driving. A few hours later on the ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 22, 2023
I keep getting a “service shifter” message on my dash board and ask the great lights light up. When taken to get inspected or fixed, the message disappears and nothing can be done. When they check the car , no error codes pop up. But I keep getting this message and I’m not the only one.
Incident date: Dec 22, 2023
Tesla issues encountered with model X 2016: 1). Bought a demo car with a new car warranty, the car is supposed to be checked and verified that it meets safety guidelines, and certain standards, a).the car had a yellowish tinge had to get it buffed and detailed to look true pearl white cost $400 b). my tires were so bad the tire shop told me they are unsafe to drive so had to get them replaced... Read more
Incident date: Dec 7, 2023
Abs light/ warning goes off and on continuously. Brought truck in to repair and was told that they aren’t making the parts to repair this known issue on many vehicles. Was told parts available In February which has now been changed to April. This is not acceptable. Along with being very annoying with warning light flashing off and on. It’s also unsafe. As the ABS and traction control are affec... Read more
Incident date: Dec 7, 2023
Dealer refuse to fix the recall on vehicle because car from Canada ?? has full warranty on car . Product Update : Vehicle May Not Restart After Auto IdIe Stop . service department said had to talk to district manager .
Incident date: Dec 22, 2023
This vehicle when using the Navigation system will suddenly show the vehicle 50 to 100+ miles from its actual location, often in the middle of a field or just offroad! I returned to the dealer who installed the recommended "fix" from a technical service bulletin. The software fix did bring the locations closer when the system failed, and instead of 50 to 100+ miles off course, it shows 5 to 15 m... Read more
Incident date: Nov 11, 2023
This vehicle has stalled out while driving at least 4-5 times since purchasing it in 2018, although issues started about 2020 or 2021. It usually starts with the radio console either malfunctioning or going dead completely while I’m driving and several minutes later (usually after stopping at a red light but sometimes while actively driving) the car stalls out in the middle of traffic. It star... Read more
Incident date: Nov 25, 2023
While operating TACC with lane keeping assist, I experienced multiple iterations of phantom braking when the road and weather was clear ahead. This phantom braking could potentially cause other drivers to collide with the vehicle that unexpectedly braked in the middle of the highway. This problem has been a common issue with multiple people taking their cars to the service center to get checked ou... Read more
Incident date: Dec 19, 2023
My car has been getting the P092 code with check engine light, it runs really rough, i have had many parts replaced at my expense when i know the model years 2018 and 2019 have been recalled, I am many others are having the same issues, is it going to take people dying on highways because their car just shuts off. My cat has been having the same issues reported in safety recall 19V497-6744. afte... Read more
Incident date: Dec 24, 2023
Engine oil pump failed and didn't give any warning lights until the engine was knocking from the lack of oil. The motor only had 51,216 miles on it. I've changed the oil at regular intervals and never drive it low of oil. Ford wouldn’t do anything for me. So I had to pay $6300 out of pocket.
Incident date: Dec 22, 2023
Error signal "Secure vehicle with parking brake when stopped" Mini dealer says "common problem" with Mini transmissions and always due to fluid leaking thru shifter onto gear shift mechanism. Lots of forums stating this is common. Unclear why Mini not taking responsibility for this due to poor design. How many cars ever get a failure such as this? None that I can find except MIni and BMW with... Read more
Incident date: Dec 20, 2023
The car proceeds by itself and does not stop even when brakes are engaged. This happened 2 times. Once in reverse and once forward, both caused severe damages to the car. In the forward incident, the driver was wearing seat belt but air bags deployed with impact.
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Sep 30, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic Sedan. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The con... Read more
Incident date: Dec 10, 2023
My Audi a3 got the recall for PODS done 5/2022 which the sensors and air bag in the passenger side weren’t working and I got the same lights come up 2 weeks ago. My Dealership says since this was a recalled item and is a massive safety concern and should be covered by AUDI USA. Instead they want to charge me $1400. I have 3 kids and one sits in the front, and need my car to take them to school a... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2023
I have had the same issue now twice with my vehicle. The first repair was done in 2020 and covered by Honda under warranty. They repaired Cylinder Block-Piston Rings misfiring. It was I believe about a $3,500 repair when covered under warranty. I now have the same thing happening again. I took it in to Honda for diagnostic test and and i have the need for immediate attention to repair-end of Octob... Read more
Incident date: Dec 20, 2023
The AC in heat mode between 76F - 80F makes a bubbling noise on driver side vent - this might be improper seal in evaporated core.
Incident date: Dec 17, 2023
The system which has intermittent failure on my 2017 Lexus GS350 is the lane keeping assistance safety option. The system seems to work almost perfectly on straight highways. But highways with curves seem to fail at about a 50% rate and human intervention is quickly required. The car is available for inspection and demonstration of the system failure on a nearby winding road. My safety and my wif... Read more
Incident date: Dec 17, 2023
I drive a 2019 Ford F-150 XLT 4WD (8 Cylinders 5 5.0L FI FFV DOHC 302 CID). During November 2023, I was experiencing the truck bucking and jerking and shutting off at red lights and stop signs. I took my truck to the dealership on November 22 to have them look at it. They replaced the starter, an almost dead battery, and a PDM reset. The PDM reset and starter were covered under my extended warrant... Read more
Incident date: Dec 17, 2023
I drive a 2019 Ford F-150 XLT 4WD (8 Cylinders 5 5.0L FI FFV DOHC 302 CID). During November 2023, I was experiencing the truck bucking and jerking and shutting off at red lights and stop signs. I took my truck to the dealership on November 22 to have them look at it. They replaced the starter, an almost dead battery, and a PDM reset. The PDM reset and starter were covered under my extended warrant... Read more
Incident date: Jan 15, 2019
Fuel pump/engine began failing before the engine locked up. I was driving down a country road and lost power. When I floored it the top speed was approx. 7 MPH. I did not have anywhere to pull over. It has been inspected by the manufacturer and they said it needs a new engine. There were no warning signs or anything. I don't know how to answer if the problem has been reproduced. Via Kia forums, th... Read more
Incident date: Dec 13, 2023
Twice I had all kinds of safety alerts were scrolling on May 2nd ans august 7th.. First it was a fluid leak and cable. Second there was a piece of metal in the brakes. ABS sensor full of grease. Now sometimes Brakes is flashing for no reason (like going uphill) and if I need to brake at a higher speed on the freeway, the brakes make a sound of pots and pans rattling. As I have no confidence in the... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
Power steering very stiff and difficult to steer vsc light on and air bags light goes on and off and unknown cause.
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
My battery went out and I literally replaced it last year. Also when I replaced it last year the back light would stay on sometimes all night and day I was worried it could start a fire or something dealer didn't even bother checking it and left it like that and replaced the battery. Last month my vehicle wouldn't start and no warning or nothing before it just died on me good thing I had it in my ... Read more