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: Jun 19, 2023
Driver’s side door handle/mechanism/latch failure results in issues with opening and closing door representing a potentially major safety issue. Door could open on its own at highway speeds resulting in mass injury and/or death resultant from driver falling out of uncontrolled vehicle. Multiple owners of same year/make/model have reported malfunction of the same driver’s side handle as demon... Read more
Incident date: Jun 19, 2023
MY SUNROOF WAS EXPODED during I drive to home.
Incident date: Jun 19, 2023
MY SUNROOF WAS EXPODED during I drive to home.
Incident date: Jun 8, 2023
225/60R18 100H Mileage on car when tires purchased 33,410(11/4/2021 mileage when tire failed 40,702.(6/8/2023) These tires have a 50K warranty. At 40,846 (6/26/2023) two more tires failed. I was told tread separation was issue. This dealer put my family at Risk! When the car went in for shaking they said the tire was defective. They replaced it and charged me $214, the tire only cost $150 new. ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 26, 2023
All 2013 Audi S have a transmission issues where it cause the transmission to stop shifting or skips gears or clutch slips and Audi has not done anything about them This repair is expensive and millions of people experience this problem and Audi still won’t fix it
Incident date: Jun 28, 2023
Car has broken down multiple times. Most recent issue: 1car stalled while trying to make a left turn on highway, would not drive forward -dashboard sign said to put car in park -when trying to put it in drive it went into neutral and rolled back -car would not turn off, kept running when we tried to turn it on and off -“battery voltage low”warning signal came on -engine warning signal cam... Read more
Incident date: Jun 30, 2023
When charging the car on an AC Level 2 charger, the vehicle overheats and charging fails. This is dangerous and can cause overheating/fire to electrical equipment as well as rendering the vehicle inoperable due to insufficient charge. There are no warnings ahead of time prior to failure. The problem is widespread and replicable, as evidenced by reports of forums, reddit, YouTube, and even a TSB is... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2023
Had cruise control on and “phantom braking” occurred about 10 times on a 22hr trip from California to Oklahoma. Very scary. Car went from 80 to about 40mph in seconds. How is this even possible for Tesla to have these vehicles on the road? I’ve only had the car for 2 weeks.
Incident date: Jun 26, 2023
The HPFP on my ecodiesel went out the first half of April. It is currently at a Chrysler dealership and is available for inspection. The safety of little children were at risk because I was driving through my neighborhood when it failed. The problem was confirmed by the dealership. No warning before the problem happened.
Incident date: Jun 21, 2023
The contact owned a 2015 Lincoln MKC. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V378000 (Engine) and requested to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted.
Incident date: May 13, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-In Hybrid. The contact stated that on three separate occasions while driving approximately 65 MPH, the “Check Hybrid System - Turn Off Engine” message was displayed. The check engine warning light illuminated. The contact then stated that the vehicle decelerated and went into LIMP Mode. The vehicle was towed to the dealer however, the failure could n... Read more
Incident date: Jun 15, 2021
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would not properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. Additionally, the vehicle occasionally stalled while at a stop light and while decelerating. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who replaced the transmission, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKC. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V378000 (Engine) however, the part to do the recall repair was 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 manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a f... Read more
Incident date: May 4, 2023
Recall Z48 service was performed 02/09/23. Fox Jeep invoice #556304. Facility mechanic confirmed issue was present prior to performing recall as the brake lights remained on for several minutes after parking, shutting off, and exiting vehicle. Recall Z48 PCM update was completed. Vehicle continues to exhibit same issue with brake lights remaining on for several minutes after vehicle is p... Read more
Incident date: Jun 23, 2023
Car has problems starting after gas is put in it u have to step on gas peddle several times to get it to start car does not have working backup camera in it or even a working radio in it car has a check engine light on I took it to were I ought it twice they cleared codes out of car but codes come back on all the time I would like to exchange this vehicle if possible can u help me Manns ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 13, 2023
I was advise by one of the mechanic to change tires immediately. Since my Grand daughter occasionally drive the card, due to safety, We bought 4 set of Brand New Good Year Assurant Outlast Tires immediately (235/55 R18) from Walmart at Farmingdale, NY on 6/12/2023 at 8:00 PM. Walmart stated that they could not put tire on my car for another week so I decided to take tires to my local mechanic w... Read more
Incident date: Jun 21, 2023
2 recalls have not been taken care of by the manufacturer. I purchased this vehicle 2 years ago and have noticed that the seats do indeed over heat. The airbags haven't deployed thankfully, but I'm not comfortable taking any chances. Do I have to pay a dealer to complete these repairs? Also, since I have had this vehicle, my blinkers and brake lights do not work consistently. They were in operable... Read more
Incident date: Mar 12, 2023
The tires keep coming out of alignment which causes vehicle vibration, a pull to the left and premature wearing of the tires that then have to be replaced every 10-20K miles. Lexus is aware the IS series cars wear tires this way but state its bc this is a high performance vehicle. The vehicle vibration and driveline issues can get bad enough that it could pull a vehicle into a different lane po... Read more
Incident date: Mar 12, 2023
The driver's inside door handle broke off during routine use. This could pose an egress hazard. No accident happened; the handle broke while the vehicle was parked. The handle was replaced by the dealer at our cost (warranty was expired). We still have the broken handle in our possession, and are providing pictures.
Incident date: Mar 12, 2023
Occasional (several times a month) phantom breaking on two lane roads, particularly when opposing traffic is approaching along a concave (i.e., inward) curve or when opposing traffic is transitioning from a widened road section back to a single lane.
Incident date: Jun 20, 2023
Driver side mirror glass started shaking all the time. The mirror frame is stable, but the mirror glass is shaking when car is idling and driving. Makes it almost impossible to use that mirror when driving
Incident date: Jun 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 BMW X4. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. Upon restarting the vehicle, the vehicle failed to accelerate properly. The drivetrain malfunction warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that the rear differential had disconnected from the drive shaft. Th... Read more
Incident date: Jun 11, 2023
The fabric side wall failed to keep my daughter safe as she slept in the camper. She fell out of the camper onto the hard, cold ground while she was sound asleep. She could have been seriously injured. The Velcro on the fabric was secured to the camper frame.
1 injured
Incident date: Jun 18, 2023
2014 ford f150 raptor, built in 11/13 in Dearborn Michigan plant. Driving down wet highway in slow lane doing 55mph, speedometer goes to 0, airbag light illuminates, odometer changes to dashes, wrench light comes on, transmission downshifted locking up my wheels. My truck is totaled and i could have died. Another car is totaled as well. This is the same defect as the 09-13 recalls. Speed sensor in... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Jun 16, 2023
I was in a head on collision where my vehicle went off the road and hit a guard rail head on. My vehicle was totaled but not a single air bag deployed. If I was not wearing my seat belt I could have been ejected from the vehicle. There were no warning lights of any kind shown. It was raining and wet out during the day.
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Jun 16, 2023
I was driving the speed limit of 60 mph and all of a sudden it sputtered and hesitated; stalling out while attempting to accelerate going lower speed. My vehicle luckily got a parking spot at an automotive repair shop. No warning signal illuminated during my driving incident. The next morning the engine wouldn't start, but eventually they get it to start. They got the "Check Engine Message Center ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Wrangler. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V767000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the power steering and braking functionality were inoperable. The contact stated that the vehicle ha... Read more
Incident date: Dec 5, 2022
The contact owns a 2023 Genesis GV70. The contact stated while driving into a parking space, the vehicle accelerated independently without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed. On another occasion while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle was pulling and failed to drive straight in the middle of the lane. The contact turned off the Lane Keep Assist feature however, the feature independently reactivated.... Read more
Incident date: Jun 11, 2023
When driving into a dimly lit area the car rings and displays the message front left side marker defective. The warning stays on for some time and then goes away before returning again. This continued for a few weeks. The car then experienced a full electrical system malfunction, doors unlocking and locking randomly while driving before dinging repeatedly with multiple warnings displayed in the d... Read more
Incident date: Oct 25, 2022
My Altima is 9 years old now and I know things go bad overtime but my headlights are so dim I can’t see 2 feet in front of me at night snd it’s very very dangerous. I know Nissan had s class action and I was signed up and even had an appointment to fix but sadly my husband got shit while driving home from work in Chicago, he survived thankfully but the next several months revolves around him a... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that upon cleaning her rear windshield, she noticed that the third rear brake light plastic housing had cracked on both sides. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was informed that the third brake light needed to be replaced to avoid future water intrusion that might enter through the roof of the vehicle. The vehicle wa... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2022
The Adaptive Speed Control will randomly, abruptly decelerate the vehicle for absolutely NO reason. This certainly is safety item if a car were following me. With the Tesla set in the "Hold" setting for regenerative battery charging purposes, this is the same as slamming on the brakes. Also, this vehicle now only utilizes cameras for sensing everything and it falls short in this area. Other ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 28, 2022
On december 28th , 2022, i was giving a ride to a collegue of mine. She opened the door and got in . I proceeded to get the car out of park and suddenly the car accelerated and i could not get the car under control. I turned the car so it would not hit the structure in front of me. I turned but still could not control the car and the only way was to put the car in to park . It jumped the curb and ... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Dec 28, 2022
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Rogue. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V093000 (Electrical System) 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. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 28, 2022
The forward collision warning system stopped working and the warning lights lit up saying the camera was obstructed, even though it was a clear day, and the car was clean (it had literally just been cleaned). This has happened previously at random times.
Incident date: Mar 22, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-550. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V337000 (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 notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not a... Read more
Incident date: May 31, 2023
Both rear doors do not open from the outside and only the passenger rear door will open from the inside, leaving the driver side rear, not accessible from the inside or the outside. The middle row of seats do not adjust backwards or forwards. The controls on the steering wheel do not work at all.
Incident date: May 20, 2023
Instrument panel to turned black, thus blocking access to essential information, such as current speed of the vehicle, the status of cruise control, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, and parking collision warning. The problem happened couple of times. Also, the Carplay feature freezes and is interrupted a lot.
Incident date: May 20, 2023
Instrument panel to turned black, thus blocking access to essential information, such as current speed of the vehicle, the status of cruise control, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, and parking collision warning. The problem happened couple of times. Also, the Carplay feature freezes and is interrupted a lot.
Incident date: May 29, 2023
URGENT: MY DASH HAS MELTED ON MY-2008 LEXUS ES 350- I CANNOT SEE TO DRIVE, MY VISIBILTY IT TOTALLY OBSTRUCTED w MY 2008 LEXUS ES 350 WITH ACTUAL 35, 000 MILES, THAT I CANNOT DRIVE ((EVER)) IT SITS IN THE GARAGE. BECAUSE TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE MELTING DASH IT TOTALLY BLOCKS MY VIEW OF ANY ROAD, DUE TO SHINING REFLECTION OF MELTING DASH IS ALL YOU CAN SEE IN MY WINDSHIELD WHEN YOU GET IN THE CAR TO... Read more
Incident date: May 29, 2023
The locks on the doors do not all unlock at the same time or lock at the same time. The passenger door has locked and would not unlock. My daughter had to climb through car to get out. If there’s an accident my kids can not safely exit the vehicle due to the locks. You can’t unlock it either from the inside. It randomly will unlock on its own.
Incident date: May 29, 2023
The locks on the doors do not all unlock at the same time or lock at the same time. The passenger door has locked and would not unlock. My daughter had to climb through car to get out. If there’s an accident my kids can not safely exit the vehicle due to the locks. You can’t unlock it either from the inside. It randomly will unlock on its own.
Incident date: May 9, 2023
I live in a mountain area, many steep hills. When driving down a steep windy road (speed under 30 MPH) I use the exhaust brake so I don't have to ride my brakes. However, the exhaust brake keeps going off and on. Worse yet the engine throttles up increasing speed. I have to then press my brake peddle to slow the truck down. Once I release the brake the truck repeats the same process of speeding up... Read more
Incident date: Jul 10, 2022
On my way to work this morning 4:30 ish the same way I always take. My car decided to drive itself, every light on the middle console lit up, and the dashboard. I was going 50 when my car completely lost control while I tapped my brakes no response its locked, my steering wheel locked up, my brakes locked everything went haywire it would not let me steer or even shift to neutral all I could do was... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: May 18, 2023
I am financing a 2006 Lexus rx400h hybrid and the other day I went out to start it up and the light and everything came on but would not display ready and would not start. Check hybrid system with red triangle was on dash display along with several other warning lights, also when I put the key in the ignition it will release in the ACC position. Where I am purchasing the vehicle will not fix it sa... Read more
Incident date: May 18, 2023
They connect system shuts off randomly impacting the heating and air conditioning. It begins turning on and off distractingly on its own unable to access any features. Disabling use of the back up cameras, heating, navigation, radio or controls of volume.
Incident date: May 18, 2023
The truck will jump from sixth gear to first gear, or will go from first gear straight to fifth and be stuck in fifth , or be stuck in first, the truck will randomly take off on its own or come to a screeching stop on highways going 60 mph, the gear indicator will stop working, alongside all other gauges on the dash, such as gas mileage, RPM, speedometer, heat and oil gauge will all stop working, ... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2022
I have a 2016 Honda CRV EXL. I have been trying to find out information on why my locks are not working. Most of the time the back door locks and the hatch/rear tailgate do not unlock. The tailgate will unlock only when I touch the door but not with the key fob. Every time I have taken the car to be looked at it doesn't have the issue that they can find so I feel CRAZY! Then I drive home and again... Read more
Incident date: May 14, 2021
When I shift to park it doesn't recognize its in park along with extreme stutter of the transmission when accelerating this could be dangerous as it could result in a accident.
Incident date: Mar 8, 2023
Tesla Cruise Control was in use when passing a white van or suv on route 505 near Winters. On Friday May 19 at approx. 5:45PM. Our Tesla abruptly slowed from 70mph to approx 50mph before our driver regained control. A motorcycle following was forced to pass us using the left shoulder. The motorcycle was following at a safe distance but was put at risk due to abrupt slowdown by our Tesla. Tesla C... Read more