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 19,021 complaints for LINCOLN
Incident date: Feb 21, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Kia K900. 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. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 23, 2024
SUV was purchased in May of 2021 at the Chapman VW dealership in Scottsdale, Arizona. Within several days of owning the Atlas, I noticed a grinding, shrieking noise coming from the brakes every time they were applied. I immediately notified the dealer and they said that this was a common occurrence on the Atlas. They were aware of the issue but VW had not come up with a fix at that point in tim... Read more
Incident date: Feb 23, 2024
My car does lag when I'm driving on the highway. I need a letter emailed or sent by mail showing that the part is being ordered for my car so I can forward with my loan. The company will not go forward with my loan. I need the part fixed ASAP or a letter showing that the part is getting delivered.
Incident date: Jan 4, 2024
Dear Sir/Madam While driving on [XXX] the message came on the screen 12 volt battery charging system problem. Do not drive. Time 10.54AM. The noise would start in the engine compartment while accelerating, then a smell entered the cabin of the car. I pulled over one mile after at a nearby service area and when I opened up the hood i have discovered a loose belt and a loose pulley. I towed the car... Read more
Incident date: Jan 4, 2024
The contact's wife owns a 2018 Ford Focus. The contact stated that on two separate occasions, the vehicle began to hesitate with the "Temperature Hot, wait 5 Minutes" and check engine warning lights illuminated. On both occasions, the vehicle was towed to the dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed with a defective transmission module and actuator assembly. The manufacturer was notified of the fail... Read more
Incident date: Jan 4, 2024
Was going down the road and there was a big load bang or pop that sounded like a bomb went and the seatbelts sucked us back and locked us in place and then the service airbag light came on the light stays on the seatbelts are locked up can remove and it was like the air bags says will no longer deploy/work and now can't use the seatbelts and the law says no seatbelt use we get a ticket so now can'... Read more
Incident date: Feb 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2012 Mini Cooper Countryman. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road. The vehicle was able to restart after several attempts but had not started since. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Incident date: Feb 28, 2023
The charging pin actuator fails, preventing the vehicle from charging. This was confirmed by the dealer. I had brought the vehicle in multiple times before for the same symptoms.
Incident date: Feb 28, 2024
Trunk lift support does not work well. When you open the trunk, it flung open so fast and it almost hitthe rear glass. Normally, it should open slowly and stop just before it comes close to rear glass. I am afraid that if try to open the trunk and standing close to trunk, it may hit your face and cause severe injury.
Incident date: Mar 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated upon entering the rear passenger’s door, the contact became aware that the door failed to securely latch closed. The door-ajar warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Numbe... Read more
Incident date: Dec 25, 2022
See attached document for complaint
Incident date: Dec 25, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine oil pressure warning light illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power. The Police arrived on the scene and had the vehicle towed to a parking lot. The contact's son, an independent mechanic, later arrived and determined that the engine was faulty. The contact stated that the engine ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2023
The airbag light came on in the vehicle. We took it into the dealership, they said we need a passenger airbag sensor mat and seat cushion for the passenger seat airbag system. This item was recalled in 2018 Porche Macon NHTSA Campain ID 21V131000/Recall AMA2. Porche said since our VIN was not included in the recall we have to pay to fix it. They said the only way to get our VIN added was to contac... Read more
Incident date: Nov 8, 2021
My car was at Kia for a key fob issue. A day later the engine started ticking. I’m told I need a new engine. My car had no issues. I want to know if it can be related to this recall or if my car should’ve been recalled for the 2017 engine recall sc147. I am not convinced that they didn’t cause this when they had it as it started the next day it was driven. They will not take responsibility ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 10, 2023
I rec'd a litter dated 12/15/23 from Sentury Tire regarding a recall on these tires. I called them on 1/16/24 and was told to submit an online form and tire pics which I did. I was to hear back within 24-48 hours and did not. I called them again on 1/22/24 and after several mins, was told to submit another online form and tire pics which I did. I rec'd an email from them on 1/24/24 indicating they... Read more
Incident date: Aug 10, 2023
I rec'd a litter dated 12/15/23 from Sentury Tire regarding a recall on these tires. I called them on 1/16/24 and was told to submit an online form and tire pics which I did. I was to hear back within 24-48 hours and did not. I called them again on 1/22/24 and after several mins, was told to submit another online form and tire pics which I did. I rec'd an email from them on 1/24/24 indicating they... Read more
Incident date: Aug 10, 2023
Knocking noise in the engine, super loud sound, engine sized up because there was a lubrication failure from the oil pump, rock arm bearing was gone on cylinder 3 crankshaft catastrophic damage, and tulsa hyundai send an application to hyundai USA and they refuse to fix my car because the previous owner didn't do 4 recalls that are not even close to be related to the problem in the engine. Abs lig... Read more
Incident date: Jan 29, 2024
The left and right headlight assembly's do not provide sufficient lighting to safely drive at night. I was notified of this recall over 1.5 years ago and there has yet to be a remedy available yet. Because of this, I am unable to safely drive at night. I am unsure what to do at this point other than replace them myself, which I cannot afford to do. I had an incident where I ran over animal carcass... Read more
Incident date: Feb 19, 2024
Forward Collision Warning feature On 02/16/24 I was traveling east on I-630 at about 60 mph. While driving at that speed I saw a foreign object in my lane but I could not swerve in neither right or left lane as there were vehicles traveling in both lanes when my car hit the foreign object the object became lodged under the car dragging it at least 20 to 30 feet the car lost power myself and pas... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Feb 19, 2024
I just got this 2015Acura RDX And went to drive it at night the lights are absolutely horrendous. I actually almost got into a couple of accident, I also couldn't see the island in the middle of the road or the sidewalks. Trying to turn right Into a driveway I went over a curve because I couldn't even see where I was going, because of these lights. If I would have known this was a problem, I woul... Read more
Incident date: Feb 19, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while his son was driving at approximately 35 MPH, he heard abnormally loud rumbling sounds coming from the under the floorboards. The contact that stated that his son saw no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that his son drove the vehicle directly to an independent mechanic. The independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle a... Read more
Incident date: Jan 20, 2024
The DEF system tank and heater tube/wiring assembly need to be replaced due to the wiring melting. There should be larger wires or a fuse to prevent this. The system is tied to the Emission Controls system in the vehicle. When this happened I was warned on my dash display I had only 165 miles remaining at 65mph, and presumably slower thereafter. I live in Alaska, we travel long distances, sometim... Read more
Incident date: Jan 3, 2024
Saturday morning this is now the 3rd time it's been fixed and safe to drive. Once by the dealership in Baltimore Towson area. Check engine light came on I ran diagnostic I bought at the store to get the codes come to find out class actions for wrongful death because company knew about it. As I also see hundreds of he same complaints here. My wife on [XXX] Baltimore MD at the merge. She went f... Read more
Incident date: Jan 3, 2024
Today, during a routine tire replacement (4 tires) due to tire wear, I was told by Big Box service facility that the lug nuts on my vehicle all were swollen and they could not address as they had no parts. I consider this an unsafe condition that I have been put in. My next step is to take it to the dealer. I will keep you posted!
LINCOLN
AVIATOR PHEV
(2020) - FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Feb 16, 2024
Incident date: Jan 10, 2024
All of these warning indicator messages pop up on dash: electric parking brake problem, tire pressure monitor problem,brake system problem,brake hold system problem,power steering system problem, hill assist etc. My battery was changed and my system was checked but these lights still come on frequently. This has been going on for over a year.
Incident date: Feb 1, 2024
THE STABILITRAK SYSTEM HAS AN INCORRECT CALIBRATION THAT MAY CAUSE THE SYSTEM TO NOT PROPERLY DETECT IF A SENSOR WERE TO MALFUNCTION, AND THE WARNING LIGHT INDICATING THAT THE SYSTEM IS NOT OPERATING WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE, AS REQUIRED IN THE SAFETY STANDARD. THE STABILITRAK SYSTEM FALSELY ACTIVATES RESULTING IN SUDDEN CHANGES IN VEHICLE HANDLING AND DECELERATION, PARTICULARLY AT HIGHER SPEEDS, WHIC... Read more
LINCOLN
CORSAIR PHEV
(2021) - AIR BAGS
Feb 13, 2024
Incident date: Feb 13, 2024
There's something going on at the Kia dealership in Wake Forest (Westgate). Per the current recall notice, the lights came on that were highlighted in the notice ( ”MIL” , ABS warning light) so I had my car towed into the dealership. They claimed my car had a bad battery and the problems were not due to the recall situation. I took my car out of there and straight to auto zone, about 200 feet ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 3, 2022
Check engine light just came on. Before that engine would shutter then stall. No steering and brakes could end up poorly. Think this is a safety hazard
Incident date: Feb 10, 2024
While traveling at approx 55mph the transmission suddenly down shifted into a lower gear, tires skidded briefly, and speedometer bounced down to 0mph. Seemed to resolve itself until the following day when the vehicle will not shift out of 1st gear at all and speedometer will not move. After some research, it appears to have the same symptoms as recall 19S07 but my VIN is not included. Would like ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 10, 2024
The Kia with big radio screen suffers of delamination on the screen. The issue is noted on all Kia vehicles with the big screen radio.
Incident date: Feb 10, 2024
Main Fuel Pump and accompanied electrical connect. The fuel pump and electrical wiring harness is available upon request. My safety was at risk due to a faulty electrical connection inside the fuel tank. My vehicle made a loud hmming sound at a stop sign, upon continuing forward the vehicle shut off randomly. Upon inspection, the fuel was not sending to the engine. We bought a new fuel pump and r... Read more
Incident date: Feb 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH and above, the vehicle failed to accelerate as designed. The vehicle hesitated while accelerating. The contact stated the failure had occurred approximately 2 months after receiving the first diagnosis. The RPMs began increasing at the time of the second failure with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle... Read more
Incident date: Feb 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH and above, the vehicle failed to accelerate as designed. The vehicle hesitated while accelerating. The contact stated the failure had occurred approximately 2 months after receiving the first diagnosis. The RPMs began increasing at the time of the second failure with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle... Read more
LINCOLN
CONTINENTAL
(2017) - SEATS
Feb 7, 2024
Incident date: Nov 4, 2020
The contact's client owns a 2021 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated that she was unable to place a car seat in either of the outboard third row positions due to the angle of the seat edge. There was more than twenty percent of the car seat hanging off the edge. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was ... Read more
LINCOLN
CONTINENTAL
(2017) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Feb 7, 2024
Incident date: Nov 4, 2020
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) 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 contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle sputtered, and the po... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2023
While performing a normal U-Turn at a stop sign, I turned the wheel all the way to the left. When the wheel reached it's max rotation to the left, the Power Steering light on the dash flashed for a second, but at the same time the whole car turned off and then back on. I was stopped mid-turn until the car restarted. Not knowing what happened, I continued the turn slowly and when the wheel reached ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Honda HR-V. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving 30 MPH, the rear windshield exploded without warning or impact. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer by his wife, and the mechanic placed a covering and seal on the windshield. The vehicle was taken to a glass replacement facility and the windshield was replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the... Read more
Incident date: Jan 13, 2024
The truck shut off on me at high speed on the highway. Another time which I caught on video, I was making a right hand turn and the truck shut off.
Incident date: Jan 13, 2024
While attempting to merge into 70mph traffic on the interstate, the vehicle suddenly lost all acceleration capabilities. I could have been in an accident due to the sudden loss of acceleration and eventual power to the engine. When I pressed on the gas pedal, there was no resistance and the pedal went all the way to the floor. The vehicle slowly accelerated on it's own from 20MPH to 55MPH witho... Read more
Incident date: Apr 12, 2023
The ECM/Throttle Positioning System has been faulting for a while and only getting worse causing the car to just randomly steal with no power. Usually can shut off and restart car and itll be good for 1 min - 30 min you never really know. I got stranded in the middle of the highway and couldn't start my car after it died while driving down the road.
Incident date: Apr 12, 2023
My car kept dying on me randomly flashing a light on my dash of a lightning bolt in between two curved lines. I researched it and it was saying that my throttle positioner was going out.
LINCOLN
CONTINENTAL
(2017) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Feb 6, 2024
Incident date: Nov 13, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the side mirrors adjuster switch was no longer operable. The contact stated that the passenger's side headlight was inoperable. The contact stated that her husband was an independent mechanic, and he replaced the passenger's side headlight bulb. The contact stated that 6 months later, the driver's side headlight became inoperable. The ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 30, 2024
The ABS/HCU module has experienced a premature failure which is a huge safety risk as it controls my vehicles' Anti-lock Braking System, Traction Control & Cruise Control systems. Since experiencing this failure, my vehicle has had numerous safety incidents where Braking would lockup, traction with the roadway is lost etc. Please initiate a recall for this issue for these generation of trucks so t... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2024
ABS warning light comes on frequently. It was diagnosed as a faulty ABS pump motor by a Dodge dealership on March 31, 2023. I was told then that the replacement part would not be available till August 2023. I called in August and was told that it would not be available till February 2024. I called in February and was told it’s not available till June 2024. The Dodge dealership parts manager told... Read more
Incident date: Jan 27, 2024
Power steering popped up on radio whenever I turn it to the left or right while driving.
Incident date: Jan 23, 2024
Vehicle shut down unexpectedly multiple times even AFTER recall update was applied. Allows for minimal time to pull to safe location. Potential for serious incident if safe shoulder is not immediately available such as on a bridge.
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
Coolant intrusion into cylinders of engine. Coolant leak into the cylinders can lead to corrosion, misfires, engine failure, and even potential car fires. Local ford mechanic confirmed thus was the issue and that he's personally seen SEVERAL others. No warning lights
Incident date: Jan 29, 2024
The vehicle is stated to get 20 MPG in the city, 26 MPG on the Highway and 22 MPG combined according to the monroney label that I have when I purchased the vehicle new in October 2023. I am only seeing about 15 -17. I drive mostly in the city. I took a highway trip once and got about 20 MPG after resetting the meter and a fresh fill up. I hear of other people in online forums getting a little bett... Read more
Incident date: Jan 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, the passenger’s side rear brakes were scraping. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V675000 (Power Train). The vehicle was repaired; however, the brake failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified about the failure. Th... Read more
Incident date: Oct 16, 2023
ADAS obstacle detection is intermittently available. Audible ADAS obstacle warnings intermittently persist while driving. Rear view camera fails intermittently and there is no safety fallback to see around the large blind spots created by the D pillars. I have contacted Fisker many times asking for escalation and resolution.