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: 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
Incident date: Oct 15, 2023
A common problem with these Lexus ct200h, as well as Toyota Prius V models, are that the brake accumulators begin to leak internally, as they share the same part numbers. Therefore, the actuator pumpwill buzz every few seconds trying to keep pressure in the braking system to a safe operating level of gas pressure,to no avail due tothisleak inthe accumulator. After it quits buzzing, say shutting th... Read more
Incident date: Nov 19, 2023
Unable to read oil measurements Above 18% many 2020’s have a had a oil pump replacement
Incident date: Nov 19, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-350. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the transmission was shifting hard and was slipping. Additionally, the vehicle was shuddering while the transmission was shifting. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the cause of the failure could not be determined. The contact stated that the failure persist... Read more
Incident date: Dec 12, 2023
Transmission has failed the clutch got stuck and transmission overheating.
Incident date: Dec 5, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Rio. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufac... Read more
Incident date: Dec 4, 2023
Power steering assistance unit stoped working suddenly while driving. Then car was very difficult to steer. Fault could not be reseted, unit was not accessible with service computer in Audi shop. The steering unit was replaced. Just by luck that did not happen while driving at high speed. This could have been resulting in crash with casualties. While browsing the internet for advice it shows m... Read more
Incident date: Oct 25, 2023
The power steering went out. Very hard and unsafe to drive.
Incident date: Oct 25, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. Upon inspection, the contact noticed there was a coolant intrusion into the engine. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the fai... Read more
Incident date: Dec 5, 2023
The engine coolant light is on consistently. I had to start taking pictures. I was told by a service advisor that a recall was just done on the E-Pace. Yet I have never received any documentation at all. This issue has been going on since 2020. The car cabin has filled with fumes, several times while driving. I had to start taking pictures., because AutoNation Jagur/Land Rover Southbay declined ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 4, 2023
Mercedes Benz use low quality PCV regulator valve , it is a common failure problem, warranty will not be covered, Benz sells part replacement for around 350 USD and it require about 2000 in labor to be fixed on average
Incident date: Jun 1, 2023
An AutoZone, Durlast brand brake master cylinder failed in less than one year. The piston in the master cylinder dislodged, preventing proper braking in at least two of the four disc brake calipers. The Duralast master cylinder has been retained for inspection. The safety of the driver, passengers, other motorists and pedestrians were placed at risk due to the malfunction of the shoddily manufact... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2023
For the third time, the brake booster has failed on our GMC Terrain. We had the first replaced with an OEM part. That booster failed after 2 weeks. A second OEM brake booster was installed. That one lasted about a year until it failed as well. This time we were traveling down the interstate and interstate speeds. There were no indications of an issue until trying to slow down when attempting to ex... Read more
Incident date: Jun 30, 1975
Kia had come out with a recall immediately after purchasing and installing our tow hitch on our 2022 Kia Sportage. It has been almost 18 months with no remedy. I've taken it to the dealer multiple times and called Kia themselves both say they can't do anything. Every single aftermarket tow hitch is completely safe to use other than the Kia branded one. I paid almost $700 to get a tow hitch install... Read more
Incident date: Nov 28, 2023
Had the Crankcase valve error, PCV valve, (P052E) trigger engine problem several times at 58.000 miles mark. The dealer says its a $2000 repair and not covered under warranty. The crankcase valve affects emission controls to not perform properly. It should be covered under NJ CCR 2037 up to 70.000 miles.
Incident date: Nov 29, 2023
The contact owns a 2012 Dodge Charger. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V018000 (Air Bags) 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 manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. The contact stated that... Read more
Incident date: Oct 24, 2023
I got into my car with my wife and turned on my car an heard a loud boom followed by static in the tweeter speakers. It was startling, distracting and dangerous.
Incident date: Nov 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Jeep Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V338000 (Electrical System, Structure) 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 manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool... Read more
Incident date: Nov 21, 2023
The hood popped open at 35 mph causing loss of sight. I was in traffic and luckily was able to pull the car off the road. I am taking it to the dealer as soon as I can get an appointment. There were no warning lights or messages prior. I will secure the hood with something before I drive it to the dealer. If I had been driving on the Interstate I am sure the hood would have smashed into windshield... Read more
Incident date: Nov 24, 2023
225 / 70 R 16 A tire shop inspected my tires and said that all 4 of my belts are separating and indicated to me a convex shape that peaks in the center of the steel belt. These tires were purchased new some years ago when they were balanced, struts replaced, and full alignment, yet at speeds 55+ the car made a vibration that no shop was able to identify. Yesterday I hit a nail in the center of ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 22, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Forte. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V440000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The... Read more
Incident date: Oct 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Stinger. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a turn, the vehicle lost motive power inadvertently. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and drove to his nearby residence. The contact stated upon driving the vehicle uphill that same day, the vehicle failed to exceed 2-3 MPH and started losing p... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
While vehicle was being driven into the garage the vehicle suddenly accelerated on it own without driver pushing on gas pedal. Vehicles automatic emergency braking did not engage. Vehicle then struck steel shelving and wooden cupboards causing considerable damage to vehicle. The body shop where the vehicle was taken for repair experienced the same surging phenomena when they moved the vehicle. T... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
The truck had an airbag malfunction notice on the information center. We took the truck to the dealer and was told that it was an electrical problem with the airbags. That the only way to have it covered under warranty was for the vehicle to be under the bumper to bumper warranty. The truck at the time the mileage was 39844. We had the truck fixed since it was a safety issue. It cost $420+ to fix ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
The truck had an airbag malfunction notice on the information center. We took the truck to the dealer and was told that it was an electrical problem with the airbags. That the only way to have it covered under warranty was for the vehicle to be under the bumper to bumper warranty. The truck at the time the mileage was 39844. We had the truck fixed since it was a safety issue. It cost $420+ to fix ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 2, 2023
My car started jumping while driving we had put oil in my car 3 weeks prior. It also smelt like my car was burning while the heat was on I had 2 babies in the back seat and I was scared to death. I haven’t received anything in the mail about any recalls what so ever. I had to hear by a family friend the day of the incident that he thinks they’re recalls on my call so I looked it up. My car is ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2023
I have a 2017 Alfa Romeo giulia TI on several occasions between the dates of September 2023 to current November 21st 2023 I have had a series of low pressure fuel codes pop up during numerous Diagnostics it was found to be my in tank fuel pump during further research it was found it was a TBS on it and feel it should be cool due to the fact that wild traveling in a high-speed Lane at 80 miles an h... Read more
Incident date: Feb 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked outside the residence, and she noticed that coolant was leaking onto the ground. The contact stated that she added coolant to the vehicle, but the coolant continuously leaked onto ground. The contact started driving the vehicle however, the vehicle started overheating and a message advising to pull over was display... Read more
Incident date: Aug 16, 2023
I was driving down the highway coming up on a traffic jam put on the brakes and several warning. Lights came on the dash and my power brakes failed. I was barely able to stop the car without hitting someone. From that point forward the brakes did not work properly, the regenerative braking system did not function. also, the cruise control stopped functioning. I took the car to the Lexus dealer, ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 16, 2023
Car shudders while driving and now will not go into reverse. I have under 50,000 miles on the car. I have not had this seen by a mechanic yet.
Incident date: Aug 16, 2023
I only have 61k miles and my dealer is recommending to replace water pump and all coolant components because of the leak. Also to replace front both side bushings Also replace front motor mounts I am worried given only 60k mile all of this has to be replaced
Incident date: Nov 8, 2023
When using my blinkers my headlights go out while the lights are in Auto mode. This is very dangerous as my headlights have gone out several times while driving in the dark.
Incident date: Nov 12, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Kia NIRO. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number 23V534000 (Power Train} however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had stated that a warning light had been illuminated. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The app... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
On a morning in the 30s, remote started the truck and shortly after heard a pop sound. Walked out a few minutes later to find the back windshield had shattered sitting in my driveway.
Incident date: May 10, 2023
There is a problem with the recline indicator, as the actual recline of the seat works opposite of the manual's instruction. Page 18 in the manual indicates that for a newborn, you need to put the seat in the "most reclined position", with a photo of where the ball should be within the allowed reclines for a newborn. However, the recline indicator on the seat actually functions the opposite way. W... Read more
Incident date: May 10, 2023
My engine went out, and I had to have it rebuilt. There was a check engine light on. My steering goes out and in without warning while driving. I have talked to the dealership, and they stated that all safety recalls were done on my vehicle. My safety and those of others were put at risk when the steering failed. I almost crashed my vehicle in traffic. There were no warning messages prior to the f... Read more
Incident date: Jun 3, 2023
Coolant leaked into my Ford 2.0 Ecoboost engine and needs a full repair. It has been inspected by a Ford dealership. Ford is aware of this problem, it is a well known issue, and they are refusing to cooperate with me. The block on the 2.0L Ecoboost engine had a slot running between the cylinders for coolant. In some cases the coolant was going into the adjacent cylinders (coolant intrusion). The ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 25, 2022
Kia America is failing to address a significant defect in the sunroof of my Kia Stinger. Despite multiple attempts to resolve this issue with the company directly and using the BBB AUTO line I have received dismissive and unhelpful responses. Kia America is demonstrating a complete disregard for customer satisfaction and safety. The interior of my Kia Stinger has been producing an excessively lou... Read more
Incident date: Jul 25, 2023
I have purchased 3 tires through Amazon. 2 tires on February 14th 2023 and 1 tire on July 25th 2023. I have since replaced 2 tires due to them being defective. The latest tire purchased February 14th 2023 now has a bubble on the tire. All tires have been professionally installed and balanced. I would like to get this resolved as soon as possible. Tires should last longer than this. I have attached... Read more
Incident date: Sep 3, 2023
Defective/failed thermal control valve. Valve failed while I was driving, resulting in safety systems (e.g., lane keep assist, pre-collision braking). Looking this up, this is a known issue to Subaru.
Incident date: Nov 5, 2023
I was parked in my family yard and my dash service symbols just came on 5 at once. I have not been involved in any collision or any trauma to the vehicle.Those lights are the FCM, LFW, AHB, and ASC service required lights. The FCM will come on go off and come back on. I am concerned that these issues can cause a crash or other issue on road. I have not had this issue before and again my vehicle wa... Read more
Incident date: Nov 4, 2023
Car stops running unexpectedly and without warning. Just driving along and suddenly no power. Usually necessary to restart the car although occasionally it restarts on its own. Very dangerous when it happens at highway speed. Per my mechanic no codes show up for this problem. I looked up this issue online and see that plenty of other Chevy Cruze owners have had the same problem.
Incident date: Nov 4, 2023
Vehicle is randomly not starting, it will turn over and make a click sound
Incident date: Aug 13, 2023
While driving our Lexus on 8/13/2023 on the interstate under normal driving conditions ALL of our warning lights came on one after another. We also lost air conditioning and power brakes it seemed. We immediately exited and pulled over. Opened the hood and the engine caught fire and fully engulfed the engine compartment. From the time of the first warning light to the vehicle being engulfed wa... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Aug 13, 2023
Ford has still not provided a satisfactory fix for this recall. It has been 139 days since the recall was issued. Now Ford is putting a stop/hold on their initial recall fix and has instructed their dealers to return recall parts AND to put a stop sale on any vehicles in their inventory. This has resulted in a drastic depreciation of my vehicle. Not only does Ford not have a solution to the prob... Read more
Incident date: Aug 13, 2023
Ford has still not provided a satisfactory fix for this recall. It has been 139 days since the recall was issued. Now Ford is putting a stop/hold on their initial recall fix and has instructed their dealers to return recall parts AND to put a stop sale on any vehicles in their inventory. This has resulted in a drastic depreciation of my vehicle. Not only does Ford not have a solution to the prob... Read more
Incident date: Oct 13, 2023
When I drive a Tesla Model Y under Self-Driving mode at night inside YellowStone NP, there is another car on the opposite side with a high beam turned on, and just near that car there is a bison on the road, the Self-Driving computer fails to detect the bison in the beginning, and too late to do emergency break, the car hit the bison after passing that car. The bison died but driver is safe, the f... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Oct 13, 2023
When I drive a Tesla Model Y under Self-Driving mode at night inside YellowStone NP, there is another car on the opposite side with a high beam turned on, and just near that car there is a bison on the road, the Self-Driving computer fails to detect the bison in the beginning, and too late to do emergency break, the car hit the bison after passing that car. The bison died but driver is safe, the f... Read more
Crash