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 29,895 complaints for MAZDA
Incident date: Sep 1, 2023
P235/55/R19 105V Tire at 4/32s is developing some peeling/de-laminating tread on all tires. One tire developed crack that when moved exposes the internal belts. At risk at sidewall failure.
Incident date: Nov 6, 2023
My 2017 ford edge started running rough and almost dying. Low rpms. The engine cracked allowing antifreeze to leak into the cylinders causing it to miss and overheat. Ford put out a service bulletin TSB#22-2229 addressing the "coolant intrusion" problem. So far they have not issued a recall.
Incident date: Jun 8, 2023
vehicle auto stopped in the middle of the parkway
Crash
Incident date: Jun 8, 2023
The contact leased a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the front passenger's side window, the rearview camera, and the brake lights were intermittently inoperable. Additionally, the contact stated while driving at approximately 10 MPH, the check engine warning light and several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle shut off. The contact shifted into neutral(N) and was able to ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 27, 2023
The car was parked in ~40 degree, sunny weather while running some errands. Upon returning to the car, entering, and closing the driver's door, the rear window glass (on the tailgate) shattered. The glass was shattered throughout the entire glass panel, including at the edges. A ~15"x"10" section in the middle fell into the luggage compartment. Acura service bulletin 22-014 describes this ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the engine made an abnormally loud rattling sound. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to Ford Campaign Numbers: 21B10 and 21N03. The ... Read more
MAZDA
CX-90 PLUG-IN HYBRID
(2024) - FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Nov 7, 2023
Incident date: Sep 4, 2023
The Pilot emergency braked on its own as I was driving 30mph on a rural road, throwing myself and my children forward in our seats as the vehicle came to a stop. It was a violent action. No other vehicles or people were around us and no reason for the braking should have occurred.
Incident date: Oct 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled and jerked. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was purchased from. The contact was advised that the vehicle would be towed to a Kia dealer for service. The vehicle was towed to the Kia dealer and diagnosed with failed spark plugs. The contact was informed that the spark ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue. 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 and confirmed ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 7, 2023
I keep getting intermittent HEV warnings and 12-volt light. The engine then shuts down and I have no power. This has occurred several times while on the highway and this creates a safety hazard. I have been fortunate enough that this happened while I was close to the shoulder, otherwise, it could have been critical. - The failed component(s) are the 12 volt battery and engine shutdown - With the v... Read more
Incident date: Nov 7, 2023
I purchased this vehicle new and started having issues with it at 3,000 miles. The screen freezes or just stops working, the HVAC system blows out 2 totally different temps even though it's "Synced" on the same temp. My blind spot warning is malfunctioning, the rear camera has stopped working and the rear tailgate fills with water, I was told I would need a whole new tailgate to fix that, I suppo... Read more
Incident date: Nov 7, 2023
I purchased this vehicle new and started having issues with it at 3,000 miles. The screen freezes or just stops working, the HVAC system blows out 2 totally different temps even though it's "Synced" on the same temp. My blind spot warning is malfunctioning, the rear camera has stopped working and the rear tailgate fills with water, I was told I would need a whole new tailgate to fix that, I suppo... Read more
Incident date: Oct 28, 2023
Yes components available for inspection/ yes sold by dealership with undisclosed problems/ yes problems confirmed by dealer/ no component inspected. 1st noticed foul smell upon starting vehicle/ failure to start/ chugging/ brakes noise/ smell inside cab. Been Verified noted vehicle was in flood??? all occurred beginning 2022. Could not get the vehicle in till 03/23. All dealerships backed up wait ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 26, 2023
RE: Recall Campaign No. 23V-337 It has been roughly half-of-a-year and MINI has not offered a solution. My car lost power while driving and it appears to be related to this issue--that is only my NON-EXPERT opinion. Can NHTSA direct BMW/MIONI to solve this problem, it's is looking like more than $1k to fix their issue. The vehicle is not operational. This situation is unfair.
MAZDA
CX-90 PLUG-IN HYBRID
(2024) - SERVICE BRAKES
Nov 6, 2023
Incident date: Jul 8, 2023
ABS LIGHT LIMITED TO 43 MPH ESC system Steering assist reduced Service Trailer Brake System Engine light on
MAZDA
CX-90 PLUG-IN HYBRID
(2024) - SERVICE BRAKES
Nov 3, 2023
Incident date: Nov 3, 2023
Brakes pedal is soft and keeps going down as you push on it. The peddle does not pump up. Ford dealer says that that’s the way Ford Ranger brakes feel. There are no warning lights and no noise coming from the brake system. Engine idle, the engine idles at 900+ rpm’s, if you don’t keep the break pedal firmly pressed the truck moves forward. I found myself in the middle of an intersection at ... Read more
MAZDA
CX-90 PLUG-IN HYBRID
(2024) - ENGINE
Nov 3, 2023
Incident date: Nov 3, 2023
Brakes pedal is soft and keeps going down as you push on it. The peddle does not pump up. Ford dealer says that that’s the way Ford Ranger brakes feel. There are no warning lights and no noise coming from the brake system. Engine idle, the engine idles at 900+ rpm’s, if you don’t keep the break pedal firmly pressed the truck moves forward. I found myself in the middle of an intersection at ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 31, 2023
The driver side headrest was deployed (I was heading to work when I opened the door to get in the van, I noticed the headrest was deployed). The vehicle was parked in my driveway all night and had not been in any type of accident. It is available to be inspected. Had I been driving when it deployed, there’s a strong possibility it would have caused an unsafe driving condition and/or an accident... Read more
Incident date: Sep 20, 2023
The back windshield exploded with no warning while I was driving to work on a rainy, 60 degree morning. No other vehicles were close by and no items hit the windshield. Glass flew everywhere including the cargo area and back seat. Luckily there were no passengers or cargo in either of those areas. There were no prior issues with this car. The issue was initially reported to our insurance but upo... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2007 Saturn Ion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering column became inoperable, and the steering wheel locked up. The contact stated that the power steering warning light was illuminated. The contact stopped the vehicle and turned the vehicle off. The contact stated restarted the vehicle and was able to safely drive to her destination. The ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
vehicle makes loud rattling noise on startup, while driving engine stalls upon checking engine it continues to run but belts do not turn n has no power. Also steering rack leaks as well as steering pump, has water in tail lens, evaporating system check engine light is on. Vehicle was diagnosed by repair shop n referred to take to dealer ... the problems was confirmed by independent service center
Incident date: Oct 29, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Mustang. The contact received a notification through a ride sharing app that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: Awaiting# (Service Brakes, Hydraulics) 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 exce... Read more
Incident date: Oct 29, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle rattled excessively. The contact stated that after the fluid levels increased, and the vehicle warmed up, the rattling ceased. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that all the cam phasers needed to be replaced. The vehicle was no... Read more
Incident date: Oct 29, 2023
The headlights randomly turn on and off while driving and with the switch set to “Auto”. This also occurs when the vehicle is shutdown with no key in the ignition and with no one in the vehicle. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Having the headlights turn off when driving at night presents a risk of the driver not being able to see the road and for other drivers to not see... Read more
Incident date: May 18, 2023
Autosteer mode, while generally helpful and which I use daily, abruptly brakes hard and/or pulls hard to the right when its computer program misinterprets a mere shadow as a threat. While I am sure your organization already knows this well. I believe this has strong potential to cause a driver to over-react and lose control of the vehicle. Addition of a radar sensor as an input to the existing al... Read more
Incident date: May 31, 2023
July 2017 I was hit by a drunk driver of which I was a passenger in my vehicle upon impact my seatbelts automatically released and my airbags did not deploy causing my driver to be ejected from the vehicle and for me to hit my head on my dash and then be smashed into my windshield then finally when the car stopped rolling I was in the back seat no longer in the front passenger seat to end up in th... Read more
2 injured
Incident date: May 22, 2023
BATTERY DRAIN AFTER SITTING FOR 2 WEEKS. NEW BATTERY. DEAD AGAIN.
Incident date: Oct 24, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear-view camera activated while in drive, and later failed to turn off after reversing. The contact also stated that the instrument panel and infotainment system acted erratically, turning off, not reacting to function buttons, and freezing. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2023
While driving home, I was using my front and rear defroster due to inability to see. Once I was parked at home, I turned off defrosters and then turned off my car. I heard a boom come from the back of my car. I went to inspect and the entire back glass was shattered with a small hole in the glass. There was no collision, nothing thrown at my car, no vandalism. No warnings on my dash prior to use. ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 26, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, a message was displayed alerting the driver to a passenger safety restraint fault. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular failure. The air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent m... Read more
Incident date: Oct 26, 2023
Brakes squeaking, squealing and screeching. Replaced once at approximately 8k miles. Dealership ground down rotors twice, brakes replaced once. Tires are worn in the center. AWD GX, steering seems off and unstable. Brake pedal sounds and feels like a faulty spring inside. Pedal gets stuck when switching from gas to brake. Bounces back with spring feel and noise. At times it feels like I can’t co... Read more
Incident date: Oct 19, 2023
22V-406 Recall issued June 9 2022. We’ve tried to have fixed but parts unavailable. At what point is this untimely? It has been over a year which seems untimely to me. The safety issue indicates high pressure fuel pump ("HPFP") that could fail prematurely. A HPFP failure may introduce internally failed component debris into the fuel system potentially causing fuel starvation. Fuel starvation may... Read more
Incident date: Oct 27, 2023
Vehicle randomly stalled out as I was slowing down and an error appeared stating that there was a problem with the auto on/off feature and that I would need to put the vehicle in park and restart it manually. Fortunately I was turning onto a side road but if this was to happen as I was trying to make a quick turn through traffic it would have been a much larger issue.
Incident date: Oct 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle overheated. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the thermostat sensor, temperature gauge, radiator, and starter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle continu... Read more
Incident date: Oct 20, 2023
The NHTSA has opened an investigation into 2011-2019 models experiencing an issue with the windshield trim panel. The trim panels are cracked and disintegrating and pieces are missing posing a hazard while the vehicle is being operated at highway speeds.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2023
Whenever it rains or is high humidity, my dashboard lights up and repeatedly chimes with ABS lights and Electronic Braking System error. The error repeats itself on and off again every few seconds. It is a dangerous distraction of error messages. Since it is raining, all traction control and ABS systems deactivate themselves with this error. I spun out this morning due to the error. It is absolute... Read more
Incident date: Oct 2, 2023
The harness straps are not easily adjustable, they must be separately weaved through two clips that are permanently attached to the back of the seat to secure them, removed separately from the clips to adjust the height of the shoulder harnesses, and then separately weaved back into the clips to readjust them as often as needed. To change how tight the harness is you need to tip the car seat almos... Read more
Incident date: Oct 26, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Lexus GS350. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the windshield cracked without impact. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the failure was due to a defect in the windshield being glued on one side. The windshield had been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approxi... Read more
Incident date: Oct 26, 2023
The contact's girlfriend owns a 2005 Infiniti G35. The contact stated that his girlfriend received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 10V175000 (Air Bags, Seats). The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the recall repair was completed; however, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The... Read more
Incident date: Oct 18, 2023
Keep receiving LKAS, Adaptive Cruise Control and collision mitigation errors on my car. Started once every few months and would reset after the car would be turned off and on. Now, the warning stays on. Both sensor areas are clean and unobstructed.
MAZDA
CX-90 PLUG-IN HYBRID
(2024) - ENGINE
Oct 25, 2023
Incident date: Sep 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the transmission failed to shift into high gear. The vehicle was revving. The contact also stated that the vehicle had failed to start. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a service station to have the transmission replaced. The local dealer was not contacted. Th... Read more
Incident date: Oct 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated while driving approximately 73 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The low oil pressure sensor warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence and then towed to the local dealer. The contact was informed that the turbo needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and f... Read more
Incident date: Oct 24, 2023
The contact's husband owns a 2020 Kia Telluride. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the high-beam headlights became inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been occurring intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer several times, but the dealer could not duplicate the failure. The vehicle was taken to a second dealer, Fred And... Read more
Incident date: Oct 13, 2023
Lectron is selling several electric vehicle "chargers" that are in violation of National Electrical Code. Here is one example. This unit allows 16 amps of current on a NEMA 5-15 receptacle, which is only designed for a maximum of 15 amps with a continuous current rating of 12 amps (80% of 15 amps). They have at least two other models that also allow charging at 15 amps when it should be limited to... Read more
Incident date: Oct 25, 2023
Vehicle experienced phantom breaking previously documented for Teslas. The vehicle suddenly decelerated by 22mph from 75 to 58 mph in approximately 2 to 4 seconds while cresting a hill on an interstate and navigating on autopilot. There were no vehicles or objects ahead of the vehicle. There was one vehicle behind at an indeterminate distance at the start of the phantom breaking event. The driver ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 16, 2023
Before this recall happened we had issues with screen blacking out and crashing even after the recall was “fixed” also the back seat outlet has never worked. The malfunction of the grille shutter and park support brake malfunction came last week and we had to have that fixed. Now this! The dealerships around kansas don’t have loaner vehicles or rentals available. How is this okay?!