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: Apr 27, 2023
The right camera and coax cable have gone bad. The coax cable is corroded and have water inside the camera. This is affect the car to use cruise control and the auto steer function.
Incident date: Apr 26, 2023
While driving on the freeway at 65 mph during morning rush-hour, the vehicle unexpectedly decelerated without warning and came to a stop. The vehicle was barely able to make it to the shoulder before losing all momentum. There is a high-risk of a fatal collision when a vehicle unexpectedly stops or drastically slows on a freeway with 65 - 70 mph traffic, which is compounded during peak travel ti... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2022
Engine failed with less than 92000 miles on it. Apparently had been running hot but no warnings lights came to indicate rise in engine temperature.
Incident date: Jan 14, 2022
2012 Chevy Cruz turbo failed. Car is available For inspection upon request. The dealer that I had purchased a vehicle from in 2022 was informed that my check engine light had turned on and I checked this at AutoZone that there was still an oil leak as well as an additional issue after they had finished repairing a coolant leak that caused my vehicle to overheat all before my 30 day warranty ended.... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2023
On Saturday, May 6th I was driving with a passenger to the airport for Uber. She was in the rear right seat. We were on a 3-4 lane highway and I had Tesla FSD engaged. Out of nowhere, the car breaked in such an extreme manner as to send us thrusting forward in our seats. It was mid afternoon and we were beyond lucky that there was no traffic around us at the time. I felt terrified. If there was t... Read more
Incident date: May 8, 2023
2018 CR-V my air conditioner began to blow warm air after warranty expired. Research showed that many people are having same defect. Honda has put out service bulletin TSB APAS11162021901. The local dealer quoted 1500$ to replace seal. Honda help line declined to help with cost. We live in AZ so AC is a safety issue.
Incident date: May 6, 2023
The gas tank was only getting 10 gallons of gas and not 16 gallons like it was suppose to. We ended up running out of gas on a road trip with our two young daughters in the middle of the night on I-75. The gas tank said you had 100 miles to go before empty and then 3 miles later it would drop to 0 and you were running out of gas. This car was used in street racing which was late devulged to... Read more
Fire
Incident date: May 6, 2023
The gas tank was only getting 10 gallons of gas and not 16 gallons like it was suppose to. We ended up running out of gas on a road trip with our two young daughters in the middle of the night on I-75. The gas tank said you had 100 miles to go before empty and then 3 miles later it would drop to 0 and you were running out of gas. This car was used in street racing which was late devulged to... Read more
Fire
Incident date: May 2, 2023
Headlights are continuing to get Dimmer. I was never notified by Nissan regarding the replacement campaign
Incident date: Feb 14, 2023
I was driving and a lot of warning lights came on, on the dash and 10 different warning messages in the message center. The alignment instantly messed up jerking my car to the right and I had to try to gain control and correct. Luckily, I was only going about 25-30mph and was able to correct. If this would have occurred moving faster the outcome could have been very different. Dealership is sta... Read more
Incident date: Feb 14, 2023
I was driving and a lot of warning lights came on, on the dash and 10 different warning messages in the message center. The alignment instantly messed up jerking my car to the right and I had to try to gain control and correct. Luckily, I was only going about 25-30mph and was able to correct. If this would have occurred moving faster the outcome could have been very different. Dealership is sta... Read more
Incident date: Feb 14, 2023
I was driving and a lot of warning lights came on, on the dash and 10 different warning messages in the message center. The alignment instantly messed up jerking my car to the right and I had to try to gain control and correct. Luckily, I was only going about 25-30mph and was able to correct. If this would have occurred moving faster the outcome could have been very different. Dealership is sta... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2023
This is an addition to my earlier complaint, NHTSA tracking number # 11520382. To reiterate, in this issue the suspension components failed even though the rim and wheel were pristine, and the sidewall did NOT have bubbles even a week after steering issues were observed. I will submit pictures of the failed suspension components following my service center visit next week.
Incident date: Apr 4, 2023
Radio, rearview camera, compass, usb ports, eight inch display failure. APIM has gone bad, a very common Ford defect over several years covering several models, that is costing/has cost thousands of consumers over a thousand dollars each to repair. The APIMs are obviously defective, a recall should be issued, and Ford should be required to replace the APIM at no cost to the consumer.
Incident date: Apr 4, 2023
Radio, rearview camera, compass, usb ports, eight inch display failure. APIM has gone bad, a very common Ford defect over several years covering several models, that is costing/has cost thousands of consumers over a thousand dollars each to repair. The APIMs are obviously defective, a recall should be issued, and Ford should be required to replace the APIM at no cost to the consumer.
Incident date: May 1, 2022
Windy conditions here driving along highway and the windshield cover blew off and unsure if hit another car or not but this should not be blowing off a vehicle which I'll have to now replace in addition to a safety hazard to others driving
MAZDA
MAZDA3
(2017) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
May 1, 2023
Incident date: May 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while coming to a complete stop, the vehicle lost motive power. Additionally, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle with a catalytic converter failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was ap... Read more
Incident date: Apr 29, 2023
2021 Honda Rebel 1100 is leaking oil from the left side. Near the gasket/stator. Low miles under 2k. I have read about this problem on other 2021 models. Becoming very common issue. Same spot, same leak.
Incident date: Apr 27, 2023
There was no incident. Engine light came on. EVAP EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM Current Engine Control module software does not always allow the N80 valve to close completely so seems like there is a small leak detected
Incident date: Apr 27, 2023
When driving and trying to negotiate a turn, or sometimes when going straight, the power assist steering simply fails (stops assisting the steering). I have to "muscle" the car off the roadway and either restart the engine or stop the car (off the road) straighten the steering wheel, restart the car, and the power assist is restored. This has happened five times in the last 9 months. So far ther... Read more
Incident date: Mar 15, 2023
On February 1, 2023, I broke the side view mirror off the passenger side door while backing into my parents driveway (the mirror hit a bush on the side of their house). Called Honda dealership and ordered (and paid for) replacement part on Feb 2, 2023 - was told the part should be in within a few weeks. By approximately February 20th, the part was still not in, and the dealer had no ETA. So I o... Read more
Incident date: Nov 17, 2022
CAR BURNED DOWN STARTED SMOKING FROM ENGINE AS I WAS DRIVING ON TURNPIKE TOWARDS ORLANDO, FL
Fire
Incident date: Mar 30, 2023
Passenger side front airbags did not deploy during a front end vehicle crash. All other airbags in vehicle did deploy. Injury did occur due to this.
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Apr 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2006 Audi A6. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V427000 (Air Bags) 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 fail... Read more
Incident date: Feb 3, 2023
The dashboard screen and main screen have been stuck in night mode for around 6 months. This makes driving during daytime hours extremely difficult because the dashboard screen cannot be seen. This screen includes, but is not limited to fuel level, speed, tire pressure, lane departure warning, and temperature. The vehicle has been to the dealer multiple times and the manufacturer has been contacte... Read more
Incident date: Feb 3, 2023
My car runs hot (even with all of my fluids). If I drive "too far" (25-30 mins) driving over 55mph while it's hot outside, my check engine light comes on, all the gauges in my car start going back and forth. A couple different alarms will go off (Service All Wheel Drive System, Service StabiliTrak, Service Park Assist) . My engine revs and my car will start jerking. Sometimes my car won't even st... Read more
Incident date: Apr 26, 2023
I was driving at night when both of my lower beam headlights went out at the exact same time. My high beams work but not the low beams and it wasn't a blown fuse. Also, my engine has been consuming 2 quarts of oil every 1,000 miles since it hit roughly 58,000 miles. The excessive oil consumption started about 2,000 miles before my next oil change was due. The oil indicator light never came on... Read more
Incident date: Apr 26, 2023
I was driving at night when both of my lower beam headlights went out at the exact same time. My high beams work but not the low beams and it wasn't a blown fuse. Also, my engine has been consuming 2 quarts of oil every 1,000 miles since it hit roughly 58,000 miles. The excessive oil consumption started about 2,000 miles before my next oil change was due. The oil indicator light never came on... Read more
Incident date: Feb 26, 2021
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Niro. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the engine seized. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift into gear. The check regenerative braking system message was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the transition motor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contac... Read more
Incident date: Apr 21, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. Additionally, the Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) System warning light and the brake system failure warning light were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no failure was found. The failure recurred. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Cam... Read more
Incident date: Apr 21, 2023
Engine bad sound. Engine knocking noise. No crash was issued. The strange sound appeared one day and engine seems to have inside damage for unknown reason.
Incident date: Apr 21, 2023
Windshield crack formed despite no outside cause. In morning it was there. I went to Schlossman Subaru and they documented situation and said they would contact Subaru. I have tried to contact them several times for follow-up but they have not responded.
Incident date: Apr 24, 2023
Bottom line, Transmission needed. Had shifter put in stuck in park, paid for, right engine mount, paid, G censor said showed up . Trans is shot....this is what a Transmission person said.... couldn't get a person from Hesser Nissan only leave message, a week long nothing.
Incident date: Apr 24, 2023
BRITAX E1C199S GROW WITH YOU, CLICKTIGHT The shoulder straps are too low and the head cradle is too high in the harness position. The harness shoulder straps are 2 inches below the red seat-belt guide for the booster. See picture. This is dangerous. See their own pictures on their website of both the boy and the girl who are in dangerous head positions.
Incident date: Oct 24, 2022
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V767000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine) however, the parts to do the recall repair were 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 notified of the issue and confirmed tha... Read more
Incident date: Apr 2, 2023
While moving in traffic, the automatic emergency brake system activated as traffic was moving away from the vehicle. There was no reason this system should have activated at this particular time. This is the second time this has occurred in this vehicle.
Incident date: Apr 20, 2023
While under a hard stop the vehicle’s rear end started to swing back and forth suddenly causing loss of control of the vehicle. Mercedes Benz diagnosed the problem as a rusted through subframe which they’ve said is a “known issue” and extended the warranty on the part. The part is unavailable and there’s no ETA from Mercedes which means that the vehicle is unsafe to drive and cannot be r... Read more
Incident date: Apr 15, 2023
Car accelerated into a garage door unintentionally. The brakes did not work. The problem has not been reproduced. The car was taken to a honda dealer twice before the accident for the same reasons of sudden unintentional acceleration. The vehicle has been totaled and has not been inspected by anyone. There were no warning indicators that I am aware of.
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Apr 15, 2023
Car accelerated into a garage door unintentionally. The brakes did not work. The problem has not been reproduced. The car was taken to a honda dealer twice before the accident for the same reasons of sudden unintentional acceleration. The vehicle has been totaled and has not been inspected by anyone. There were no warning indicators that I am aware of.
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Mar 23, 2023
I took my vehicle to the dealership (Doral Toyota) on 22-Apr-23 and spoke to Mr. Rafael Sanchez (title: Toyota Advisor) because the "Engime Maintenance Required" light went off. Mr. Sanchez verified the vehicle and confirmed that the "Enginge Coolant Bypass Valve" was defective but he stated that there are 597 other owners also waiting for the same part. They were not able to resolve the issue a... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2023
I leased the Honda Civic from a dealer in Maryland and the first advertisement for this car was this car has lane departure warning and adaptive cruise etc. I report some incidents of inefficacy these systems in my car while it showed alarm and Honda maintenance team assured me that it works perfectly. i was driving on Fwy I-40 West in New Mexico. After wind blow my whole front shield became foggy... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2023
I leased the Honda Civic from a dealer in Maryland and the first advertisement for this car was this car has lane departure warning and adaptive cruise etc. I report some incidents of inefficacy these systems in my car while it showed alarm and Honda maintenance team assured me that it works perfectly. i was driving on Fwy I-40 West in New Mexico. After wind blow my whole front shield became foggy... Read more
Incident date: Apr 20, 2023
The contact owned a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 mph, the accelerator pedal and brake pedal failed to respond. The vehicle began spinning and crashed into an embankment. There were no warning indicator lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to her residence. There were no reported injuries: air bag deployment, police report or fire. The loca... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Apr 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V142000 (Visibility) 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... Read more
Incident date: Apr 14, 2020
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the “Service Engine Now” warning light was illuminated. The contact then stated that he noticed an abnormal burning odor. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who retrieved DTC: P0316 (PCM), and P2601 (Coolant); however, the contact was then advised to take the vehicle to the dealer ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle started jerking. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and inspected. The coolant temperature and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed, and an unknown hose was replaced. The vehicle was repaired. On an... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2022
Issues with overall dash system. If truck is locked and off the truck will continuously attempt to start and will set the alarm off. Have been unable to leave the truck locked for a year now due to this issue. This has also transitioned into most of the safety features no longer working.
Incident date: Mar 28, 2023
4/5/2023 954PM-Neville Island bridge, Pittsburgh, PA While traveling on the interstate, the vehicle caught fire with no warning. We were heading out on vacation, so we had lots of things packed in the car. The fire started in the rear of the vehicle, and was extinguished by a passer by with a fire extinguisher, but re-ignited. it burned VERY fast. Unknown at this time what caused the fire. It i... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Mar 28, 2023
All engine lights flashed while driving, check engine light remained on after all others went off, emission system warning keeps prompting attention, and car just slowed to only 8 mph as I was driving down the road. Available for inspection any day. I had my 7 month old child in the backseat and almost got slammed in the back while going down the road as my car slowed abruptly as I was driving. No... Read more