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: Aug 1, 2023
a component of the power steering system has been damaged/become dislodged and my car no longer has power steering. The fix is very expensive, and there is an open recall for 2015 Ford Fusions, yet somehow mine is not covered.
Incident date: Aug 15, 2023
My car is only 3 years old 70k miles.. I have regularly serviced and never had any issues until all of a sudden I was driving I heard a sound and my hood started smoking. My car quickly came to a stop and wouldn’t turn back on. The engine block threw a rod and left a giant hole in my engine. Kia is refusing to repair and my insurance won’t cover saying this is an engine malfunction. Thank god ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 15, 2023
My car is only 3 years old 70k miles.. I have regularly serviced and never had any issues until all of a sudden I was driving I heard a sound and my hood started smoking. My car quickly came to a stop and wouldn’t turn back on. The engine block threw a rod and left a giant hole in my engine. Kia is refusing to repair and my insurance won’t cover saying this is an engine malfunction. Thank god ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 15, 2023
My 2019 dodge journey back up camera has not worked since i had the car it shows me a yellow earror sticker n is a blind spot from the flashing of the camera not working this is dangouas and could cause major crash i have tryed to get dealer to fix it now i am not under warrenty and can not fix it now this is not safe at all also my fron breaks was fully replaced brand new everything n still leak... Read more
Incident date: Aug 10, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle started to lose motive power. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal, but the vehicle continued to lose motive power. The contact stated that there was no revving coming from the engine while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled; however, the power stee... Read more
Incident date: Jul 29, 2023
This very low mileage vehicle recently had the same incident for I believe the fifth time since I've owned the car. In a very dangerous situation the car exibited the car going almost dead after normal acceleration. It regains power after 3-5 seconds and rapidly returning to acceleration. It happened to my wife soon after purchase and she has refused to drive it since. Last week while I attempt... Read more
Incident date: Jul 29, 2023
Lane assist keeps failing sporadically, Dealer unable to duplicate concern. Have pictures of failure messages. Autonomous Emergency braking failed and went off without any notice or problem to create them to go off. Have video of event where ABS goes off for no reason. This is very dangerous situation since brakes going off to stop car that shouldn't be happening. This happened at low speed wh... Read more
Incident date: Jul 29, 2023
Lane assist keeps failing sporadically, Dealer unable to duplicate concern. Have pictures of failure messages. Autonomous Emergency braking failed and went off without any notice or problem to create them to go off. Have video of event where ABS goes off for no reason. This is very dangerous situation since brakes going off to stop car that shouldn't be happening. This happened at low speed wh... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2023
I own a 2018 CRV, which only has 36,000 miles on it. This last week I had a "diagnostic" done on it at my Honda dealership (Howdy Honda in Austin TX) due to serious steering issues I was having. ( My steering makes a clicking/creaking noise when backing out of my driveway etc, and when driving, whichever direction I turn, the steering wheel sticks in that direction so I am forced to very firmly tu... Read more
Incident date: Jul 14, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated while stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle stalled. The message "Shift to Park" was displayed. The contact stated that she shifted to park(P) and turned off the vehicle and the vehicle failed to restart. A local mechanic met the contact at the scene and assisted in restarting the vehicle. The contact was able to continue driving. The... Read more
Incident date: Aug 12, 2023
The Power Liftgate Switch on the trunk is always having issues due to the chrome plate thats part of the body on the trunk. The chrome panel is easily weathered and rubber seal comes off and when in contact with water, water drains right onto the relay switch and causes burnt out relay, or blown fuses, and does not operate.
Incident date: Aug 12, 2023
I had the front wheels “wobble”. I had shocks replaced and a steering damper installed. The front end still bounces up and down, or wobbles, on every interstate overpass at interstate speeds.
Incident date: Aug 12, 2023
I have a safety recall I did a yr ago at ford dealership in hazelwood at Saint Louis mo I’m reporting them because they never fixed my recall I waited for my part for a while and I believe they never put it on now my ABS is getting worse and I need a recall to be fixed right
Incident date: Jul 12, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Trax. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle had experienced a loss of motive power. The vehicle did not properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. On several occasions the vehicle stalled while idling. Additionally, while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated, with the stabili-trak mes... Read more
LINCOLN
MKZ HYBRID
(2011) - ENGINE
Aug 11, 2023
Incident date: Dec 11, 2019
The engine has sounded bad for a year or more and it's been consuming oil at a rate of 1/2 to 1 quart per month despite having only 80,000 miles on the vehicle. For the past couple of months the vehicle has increasingly struggled to maintain speed on the highway or to climb hills. The engine has to rev well higher than normal and it's loud. I've also found oil slicks in the garage for the first ti... Read more
Incident date: Aug 6, 2023
I was pulling into parking lot at REI car suddenly accelerated and jumped pavement and hit a wall.
Incident date: Aug 11, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Ram 1500. The contact stated that the power steering assist failed to operate while starting the vehicle with the "Power Steering Unavailable - Service Required" message displayed. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure but offered no assistance. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V812000 (Steering) which he linked to t... Read more
LINCOLN
AVIATOR PHEV
(2023) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Aug 11, 2023
Incident date: Aug 11, 2023
In May, my vehicle began having issues with acceleration and was choking when going uphill, or would start choking when slowing to turn or start moving after being stopped. The engine light came on and had code P1326. Dealership did a system update and it went away. The car broke down not long after, wouldn't start. Replaced battery as it wouldn't charge and was drained. Still didn't work. Towed i... Read more
LINCOLN
AVIATOR PHEV
(2023) - ENGINE
Aug 11, 2023
Incident date: Aug 11, 2023
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? My engine stopped working while I was driving on the highway from Texas to Norman. This happened when I tried downshifting from 6 to 5. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? I had to find a way to maneuver from the fast lane to the side of the road without putting myself or any ot... Read more
LINCOLN
AVIATOR PHEV
(2023) - ENGINE
Aug 11, 2023
Incident date: Aug 11, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 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 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 not made aware of the issue. The contact had not expe... Read more
Incident date: Aug 10, 2023
Ford indicated the engine needs to be rebuilt. Coolant was leaking onto the engine causing the engine to misfire. This would cause the vehicle to sporadically hesitate when the vehicle was in use. This issue was inspected, quoted and confirmed by the local Ford Dealer as well as reviewed / confirmed by Ford's corporate office. The dashboard engine light would illuminate and stay on until the ve... Read more
Incident date: Aug 11, 2023
1)Vehicle has been repaired 3 times in the last 2 weeks for a brake switch issue that is causing the vehicle not to recognize the brake is pushed causing the car not being able to start. This has been an intermittent issue for 18 months and was told the recall fixed it, which it didn't. 2)Dealership service department is now telling me that other issues have arisen since trying to fix issue #1. Th... Read more
Incident date: Aug 10, 2023
Coolant leaking into cylinder on the engine, and Ford says it is out of warranty, but a fired hazard
Incident date: Jun 10, 2023
S.R.S malfunction error message due to open circuit in the left front door harness. Active DTC (S) B1697 code which is related to lost communication with side airbag sensor LH is present in the vehicle. Toyota is refusing to address the issue because it is not part of a covered warranty and there are no open recall on this issue. This is a safety issue in that in the event of an accident, the air... Read more
Incident date: Jul 26, 2023
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard an abnormal sound, and the steering column was inoperable, and the vehicle was immovable. The contact stated that he was able to shift into reverse and safely drove the vehicle into a parking lot. The contact stated that when he inspected the vehicle, he noticed that the tie rod was fract... Read more
Incident date: May 31, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 mph, the braking system suddenly failed causing the brake pedal to become extremely hard to press and the vehicle would not immediately stop. As a result, the contact crashed into a utility pole. During the incident, no injuries were reported and no police report was filed. The cause of the failure w... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Mar 1, 2023
Per Mr. [XXX]: My daughter and members of our church’s high school youth group were on their way to a summer missions project in western Virginia/eastern Tennessee in an Enterprise rental van when the [DRIVERS' SIDE] rear tire started to separate from the vehicle as they were driving south on [XXX] near Staunton! Fortunately, the dad who was driving was able to safely steer the van to the side ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2023
Windshield developed a crack for no apparent reason on the lower passenger side. Car was parked. Only unusual circumstance is that was a hot day.
Incident date: Aug 1, 2023
The car is supposed to turn off and on when making stops because of the eco mode. There are times where the car will turn off at the red lights and will not turn back on automatically. Other times the car will just completely shut off when coming to a stop . The engine is killed. A complete restart to the car has to happen in order to make it work again. This issue is not identified through the Je... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2023
The car is supposed to turn off and on when making stops because of the eco mode. There are times where the car will turn off at the red lights and will not turn back on automatically. Other times the car will just completely shut off when coming to a stop . The engine is killed. A complete restart to the car has to happen in order to make it work again. This issue is not identified through the Je... Read more
LINCOLN
CONTINENTAL
(2019) - SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
Aug 8, 2023
Incident date: Jun 25, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ABS, hill assist, and traction control warning lights illuminated and the "BSD Cancelled" message was displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 145,00... Read more
Incident date: Aug 8, 2023
TAOS 2022 S model. Coolant level keeps dropping every 1K miles on average. Dealer admitted it is a head gasket issue. However, they do not have the parts to properly fix the issue. It has been over two months now since the dealer diagnosed head gasket issue with no ETA to repair due to lack of parts.
Incident date: Jul 1, 2021
When shifting to Park the vehicle shuts down but message comes up to Shift to Park and electronics stay on. Vehicle is off but unable to exit vehicle and lock it since the Shift to Park messages keeps dinging.
Incident date: Aug 7, 2023
The abs and traction control lights stay illuminated on dash. No abs, traction control, or cruise control. Abs module looks to be the problem
Incident date: Aug 7, 2023
ID4 Pro Plus has a feature car surround area view—- this is essentially a camera system that provides multiple views while backing / driving forward that stopped functioning appropriately 19 days after purchased . VW Dealership in Greenville,SC reported software problem with update pending in May. Software Update in May did not resolve issue. Now, I’m told a hardware problem by same dealershi... Read more
Incident date: Mar 19, 2023
Received an oil change as part of normal service schedule on a 2023 Kia K5 vehicle purchased August of 2022 (from different dealership). 4 days after this service was conducted, the drain plug in the oil system of the vehicle fell out of my car, therefore draining my vehicle of the oil it needs to operate normally, causing the car to completely stall near my home. I had to pay out of pocket at a n... Read more
Incident date: Aug 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 22V406000 (Fuel System, Diesel) and 23V411000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were 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 repairs. The manufa... Read more
Incident date: Jul 4, 2023
While driving, most times at higher speeds, the light with the car and lines behind it (VDC light?) will turn on, and then a minute later the front and back AEB lights turn on and the dashboard says “malfunction: see owner’s manual.” This happens multiple times per week, sometimes multiple times a day. There have been other recalls for this issue with other Nissan Altima years with this syst... Read more
Incident date: Aug 2, 2023
Driver was parking the car in a parking lot at a very slow speed. The car suddenly shot forward at a very high rate of speed, requiring evasive steering from trees and a fence, until the car crashed head-on into another vehicle. The driver is very certain the brakes only were applied during the entire time the car shot forward. Airbags were not deployed. Bystanders were within six feet of the c... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jul 30, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Buick Encore. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the engine revved loudly, but the vehicle hesitated to accelerate. The check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle shuddered during start-up. The contact also stated that the vehicle shuddered while coming to a stop, then lost motive power. The vehicle wa... Read more
Incident date: Jul 25, 2023
After owning this car for 38 months we were out running errands and the driver's door began making a cracking noise when opened or closed. We visually inspected the door and found that it was related to the bracket that keeps the door from opening too far,. The bracket did not appear to be broken on the outside of the door but upon further further review, we noticed that 3 spot welds that secured ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2023
ABS failed, cruise control and traction control are inop as a result. The risk is loss of ABS when traveling, especially on wet or snow and ice covered roads. It has not been inspected by a mechanic. The failure light is on in the dash cluster and I have clearly lost traction control and cruise control. This began on July 31, 2023.
Incident date: Jul 29, 2023
At around 50,000 miles the ABS light started coming on. This affects traction control and speed control. Dealer said it was the ABS Control Module and is a known issue but not a recall. Finally repaired at my cost of $ 1,103.32. st 57,377 miles on 9/13/2022. Less than 12 months later it is doing it again on 7/29/2023 at 69,649 Miles. This seems to be hazard as the ABS does not work or traction... Read more
Incident date: Jul 29, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while reversing, the rear-view camera malfunctioned and failed to display an image. The contact stated that occasionally while reversing, the rear-view camera activated and then the image suddenly disappeared, and the display screen turned black. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was not yet contacted. The ma... Read more
Incident date: Jul 30, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Terrain. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle failed to remain idling. The vehicle was driven to the residence and parked. The vehicle was not able to be restarted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The failure mileage was 79,500.
Incident date: Jul 30, 2023
In July 2023 my vehicle started to display a shudder upon start up. The check engine light came on. I took the vehicle to my local mechanic who informed me that there was a cylinder 1 misfire. The spark plugs were replaced. Approximately one week later the engine light came on and I took the car to the local mechanic.. The mechanic said cylinder 1 was again misfiring. The mechanic examined ... Read more
LINCOLN
MKZ HYBRID
(2012) - ENGINE
Jul 31, 2023
Incident date: May 31, 2023
In the summer of 2022 (I think Aug) car was stalling when stopped to make a turn. The check engine light flashed but never stayed on after the 1st incident. Brought it to a dealer and was told that the car was fine. Drove it for another two weeks and the same thing happened and no warning lights appeared. Brought it back to the dealer and was diagnosed with faulty fuel injectors after this 2nd vis... Read more
Incident date: Jul 29, 2023
The camshaft has gone bad and unnatural wear to the lifters has caused the issue. Also, after researching the design of the engine, it is obvious that there is a design flaw. The camshaft does not receive sufficient oil in order to be lubricated due to its location in the engine. The vehicle only has 114,000 miles. It has been taken care of, and received the normal maintenance according to the own... Read more
Incident date: May 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH and making a turn, the brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle skidded. The ABS warning light was illuminated. There was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was a speed sensor short circuit on the front passenger’s sid... Read more
Incident date: May 27, 2023
Engine failure at 86370 miles while driving down the highway. Towed to Sullivan Tire, mechanic found 2 bad cylinders and the lifters had destroyed the cam, requiring a total engine replacement. This mechanical failure of the engine was sudden and unexpected, placing myself, my children, and other drivers at risk of injury on a very busy highway (MA-24). Discussing this with the mechanic (Sullivan ... Read more