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: May 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH and making a right turn, the vehicle lost power steering functionality, causing the steering wheel to become difficult to turn, almost causing the vehicle to crash into another vehicle. The message "Power Steering, Drive with Care" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer wh... Read more
Incident date: Mar 15, 2023
I got the car off of some guy for 1600 dollars and I put a lot of money into and I have lights on the dash still on and the ecs is one and my steering wheel light is on as will.
Incident date: Jun 21, 2023
The contact owned a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving 70-75 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power. The engine revved and made an abnormally loud sound. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact engaged the hazard lights and veered to the side of the road. The vehicle then lost motive power and stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after... Read more
Incident date: Jun 21, 2023
The contact owned a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving 70-75 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power. The engine revved and made an abnormally loud sound. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact engaged the hazard lights and veered to the side of the road. The vehicle then lost motive power and stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after... Read more
Incident date: Jun 21, 2023
Drivers door began making a clunking/popping/scratching noise when opening without incident or cause. Window will only roll down approximately 4 inches. No warning lamps or messages present. The noise and the metal on metal feeling when opening or closing is getting worse and the door is getting harder to close. I am worried it may fall off at anytime, or if it is repaired that it will be replaced... Read more
Incident date: Aug 25, 2018
For the past nine years, my vehicle has recorded multiple safety issues (trunk not closing/breaking, check engine light, catalytic converter misfire, keyless electronic entry issues, glow bulb light, turn signal bulb light, windows not rolling up, leaking fluid on the passenger side, burning smell coming from the vents, electrical issues with the radio, sunroof intermittently not opening/closing a... Read more
2 injured
Incident date: Jul 6, 2023
Steering sticks making it difficult to change direction. It has a significant resistance when changing direction, this is troublesome especially at higher speeds. The consumer stated that the steering issue happens frequently and is not limited to just one occurrence.
Incident date: Apr 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Audi Q3. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH over a speed pump the driver pressed the brake pedal while approaching a stop sign when suddenly the vehicle accelerated forward at a high rate of speed and crashed into a fence and brick wall. During the crash, the driver sustained a fractured nose, head and face lacerations, neck and lumbar pains, and a ri... Read more
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Apr 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Audi Q3. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH over a speed pump the driver pressed the brake pedal while approaching a stop sign when suddenly the vehicle accelerated forward at a high rate of speed and crashed into a fence and brick wall. During the crash, the driver sustained a fractured nose, head and face lacerations, neck and lumbar pains, and a ri... Read more
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Jul 3, 2023
2019 Honda Pilot EX-L AWD; approximately 76k miles; all routine maintenance performed as scheduled Power Train (Jun-2023)-- had to replace both seals on on transmission / transfer case within the same month as case was leaking transmission fluid. Problem has been confirmed and repaired by two service centers (one seal each) with one at dealer and one at independent service center. No warning ligh... Read more
Incident date: Jul 3, 2023
The vehicle started to make a low rattling noise that grew louder each time the vehicle was idling. We now believe the flexplate is cracked. Ford has sent out a letter stating they are aware the flexplate may crack but they are not willing to cover repairs on the vehicle after a certain time period, which has already passed. They state in the letter to not bring vehicles in unless they are making ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 3, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle hesitated, prompting him to pump the accelerator pedal, after which the vehicle seemed to return to normal functionality. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who failed to determine the cause of the failure, and the vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the cont... Read more
Incident date: Jun 29, 2023
Start/stop error occurred on dashboard and a day later the check engine came on. I took it in to get diagnosed & was told the software was recalled and needed updated. A few days later the start/stop error came back on, engine light came on, car was jerking and my engine would shut off as I am driving and would tell me to start my engine manually. I was then told the evap purge valve and evap can... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2023
Put a box of moderate weight into the passenger seat (hard drives) - probably 40 lbs. After driving for a few minutes and over a few bumps, the seat belt warning light came on because the seat sensor was tripped by the weight. Put the seat belt on to silence the warning. Shortly thereafter, both the seatbelt and passenger airbag warning lights showed on the dash, regardless of occupancy. Hooke... Read more
Incident date: Jul 3, 2023
This complaint comes from a private truck fleet operating over 700 trucks experiencing excessive amounts of false positive emergency braking and/or haptic following distance warnings (brake stab) on 2018-2020 Freightliner Classis Cascadia tractors. The system experiencing the highest incidents are equipped with the Wabco OnGuard Collision Mitigation System. Some of these false positives have res... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: May 14, 2023
Driving 75mph down the frontage road. The car just stopped. No warning no lights just a violent stop. If there were cars behind us or we were on the highway we could be dead right now!! It stopped no lights took us 2 hrs to get the car home with a no service area. It was clicking in the engine. After it was parked for hrs. This is the second time in 7 months this car has had a serious manufacturer... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Apr 13, 2021
I was driving down the highway and a loud pop followed by a very high pitched static noise came out of my speakers. I had to unhook a battery terminal to get it to stop. This is the 3rd time this has happened and the dealership won’t do anything as it’s extremely difficult to replicate.
Incident date: Apr 13, 2021
Rear back up camera quit working just like on previous models of the mustang.
Incident date: Apr 13, 2021
Rear back up camera quit working just like on previous models of the mustang.
Incident date: Jun 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated while driving at approximately 70 MPH, there was a loud bang followed by a rattling sound coming from the passenger’s side rear tire. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and parked. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the suspension spring needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repa... Read more
Incident date: Jun 11, 2023
First of all i drive a 2016 Ford Fusion. Two years ago as i was leaving work my back driver's side door swung open and i thought i forgot to shut it. As i went to attempt to shut it it wouldnt close. My boyfriend had to meet me at work and tie it closed with rope that he had. I contacted Ford and they said they would fix it and charged me almost $500. Now just last week as i get into my passenger ... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2023
The side door opens well driving and there are kids in the van. Has happen 3 times.
Incident date: Jun 27, 2023
When driving my 2016 Ford Fusion, the Transmission Not In Park light comes on without any other warnings. This is unsafe because it stops accelerating. Most times I'm on the freeway. This is a safety issue that has been happening for about 2 years now. The dealerships tell me that they can't fix it because the safety issue does not occur when they have the vehicle and cant read any codes. One F... Read more
Incident date: Jun 25, 2023
This 2018 Jeep Compass Latitude has gone through several repairs already; a lot of them concerning the start/stop system and the battery that powers this feature. In the past 4-5 years, it's been replaced three times. In addition, the engine had to be replaced due to high oil burn. As of recent, the vehicle has started displaying "Stop safely. Vehicle with Shut Off Soon" message; especially during... Read more
Incident date: Jun 25, 2023
Multiple times I have gone to pull out onto a road and the car has hesitated and actually stalled a few times almost causing me to be hit. Starting in 2021. Around 70,000 miles the Check Engine light came on saying Emission Control problem and went off. Around this time it all began. At 80,000 miles it would cycle on and off intermittently "check engine" and they told me it was the Catalytic ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 24, 2023
My explorer has 120000 miles and water pump started going bad. Bought parts to get it fixed. $80 for pump, $300 for timing chain kit due to it being a stupid internal chain driven pump. $1200 labor to break motor down just to change an $80 part. Less than 28 days, was pulling out of driveway. Went about 50 feet and Chain breaks locking motor up ruining motor due antifreeze leaking into motor from... Read more
Incident date: Jun 24, 2023
The car hood fire shield compartment has been making raddle noises. I have heard pieces falling into the engine several times. On 6/24/2023 I attempted to remove the fire shield and black hard pieces started to fall out. I immediately took it to Moritz Kia @ 8501 West Fwy, Fort Worth, TX 76116, (817) 560-6000. I spoke to the service person and was told "Don't worry about it, it is just the fir... Read more
Incident date: Jun 14, 2023
The Jeep says High Coolant Temperature even after adding much coolant. Car shuts off while driving on the streets and highways.
Incident date: Jun 14, 2023
The Jeep says High Coolant Temperature even after adding much coolant. Car shuts off while driving on the streets and highways.
Incident date: Jun 14, 2023
The Jeep says High Coolant Temperature even after adding much coolant. Car shuts off while driving on the streets and highways.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2023
The manufacturer has a recall for front headlights not being bright enough and causing a danger to drivers. I no longer feel safe driving my vehicle at night as i cannot see the roadway nor other vehicles can see me. Its been almost a year and it’s taking a long time to remedy the recall. Please help!
Incident date: Jun 21, 2023
Driver seat and the seat belt squeaking. Started at 3k miles. Usually at lower speeds, sometimes the seat belt is squeaking even just if I’m breathing. Makes me worry about the quality of the assembly of parts.
Incident date: Jun 12, 2023
Vehicle will randomly shut off when driving. The first time it happened was as I was pulling out onto a very busy road. It also has a hard time turning over to start sometimes. I will have to readjust the key fob and try again.
Incident date: Jun 19, 2023
My truck features the B&O speakers and initially I heard a very loud pop on the passenger side of the vehicle. Radio and CarPlay was playing but no sound was coming from the speakers. Then an extremely loud static noise vibrated the entire truck through the speakers at full volume. I had family in the car and it scared everyone. Pulled over and shut the car off and the static persisted until the e... Read more
5 injured
Incident date: Jun 21, 2023
The parts to repair the brake recall are not available. No date can be given for availability. We have been told not to drive the vehicle. No loaner car is available. This is totally unacceptable.
Incident date: Jun 18, 2023
has been hesitating since day one entertainment and GPS freezing and still is it has been to the dealer for both and has been updated many times the last update was for drive ability concerns and it was the worse it has been since the update was done the morning after it was done it would not start i had to try 3 or 4 time and it started and ran ruff and the trans was not shifting correctly the u... Read more
Incident date: Jun 22, 2023
1.) I would like to begin by saying that my bike is nearly brand new. Only just over 4k miles. So, the following problem is not in any way a result of the bike being an old or beaten down vehicle. The rear brake light and turn signals failed due to the cable that runs under the rear fender to the rear lights (being suspended by very weak and half attached thin metal tabs) becoming dislodged from t... Read more
Incident date: Aug 15, 2019
Recently, I was extending the awning on my travel trailer and it free spooled out without motor resistance. After researching this, it seems like a very common problem for the Dometic 9200 awning. (Motor part # 3316605.001) There is a design flaw in the motor where the metal drive rod is injected into a plastic gear. Over time 0-2 years this plastic piece wears out and start to spin/slip freely... Read more
Incident date: Jun 19, 2023
Cruise control sometimes don't work, sunroof leaking
Incident date: Jan 10, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes-Benz E450. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and merging into traffic, the gear shifter inadvertently shifted into neutral (N). There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the RPM was fluctuating. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicl... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2023
My Tesla 3 on autopilot have stopped on highways without cause this week. This happened numerous time during this year.
Incident date: Mar 1, 2023
The contact's daughter owns a 2015 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an unknown speed, the “4WD System Unavailable - Service Required" message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with a defective power transfer unit. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V343000(Power Train) which she linked ... Read more
Incident date: May 14, 2023
The Keyless Access Control Unit (Smart Unit) is defective. After the car is shut off and locked, the dash lights, interior lights, head lights will flicker on and off. The car alarm will also be activated. All this causes the battery to be drained. The work around is to disconnect the battery when parked or not lock the car.
Incident date: Jan 31, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the steering wheel began to shake violently. Upon attempting to complete a turn, the contact stated that the steering wheel was making an abnormal sound and the wheels were not responding while turning the steering wheel. The power steering assist warning light and service advancetrac warning light was illuminated. The v... Read more
Incident date: Jun 15, 2023
This is for the 9 speed transmission. Frequent erratic shifting first and/or possibly second gears. Engine revolutions increase and then gear engages with lurch or tire sqweek. One incident (and only one) of unintended acceleration after mid-range gear change on expressway without cruise control active or foot on gas pedal. Occasional clunk noise at mid-range shift. I do not use ECON mode. I have ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 15, 2023
Multiple times while driving, the vehicle's high coolant temperature will instantaneously spike and shut the car down while driving. The problem so far has resolved itself within a couple seconds every time but we fear what will happen when this happens on the highway. The engine temperature is never close to too hot so I believe this to be an electrical issue.
Incident date: Jun 14, 2023
Key stuck in Ignition lock cylinder; stuck in the on position with engine running and cannot switch to the off position to remove ignition key. -ALSO, CAR DOORS WILL NOT LOCK WITH KEY IN IGNITION- Note: Other complaints for this same issue are listed under: UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, STEERING, ENGINE VW dealer estimated a $1100 repair
Incident date: Jun 14, 2023
The vehicle would intermittently display a "Shift to Park" message and sound alert chiming when moving shifter to park position. The car could not be parked until the chiming and message were dismissed by jiggling the shifter, sometimes after a prolonged battery-draining attempt to end the condition.
Incident date: Nov 16, 2022
The steering wheel came off in my hands. I pushed it back on and went to Ford to get it fixed, they couldn't help me because they had no techs employed that work on my year vehicle, they never told me it was a safety issue and sent me on my way to look for outside mechanic not a FORD specialist. I was driving and the airbag exploded while I was backing up. It caused me injury and could have caused... Read more
1 injured