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: Feb 19, 2023
Since taking ownership of vehicle in summer 2022, have experienced multiple incidents of vehicle emergency braking for no apparent reason while using cruise control. In a few instances when I have attempted to use cruise control again after initial phantom braking incident, there is a 2nd incident of emergency like braking for no apparent reason in the same trip. Have never attempted to reuse crui... Read more
Incident date: Feb 6, 2023
Sometimes the car seat does not snap in base or sometimes does not come out of the base when handle is pulled to take car seat out of base .
Incident date: Mar 6, 2021
The contact owns a 2009 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side door failed to open. The contact’s handicapped wife was trapped in the vehicle. The contact had to remove the door handle to unlock the door. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failur... Read more
Incident date: Feb 10, 2023
The front passenger door panel has separated at the top leaving an open gap between the window and the door. It appears that the rubber molding was not manufactured properly and as heat from the sun warms up the molding, it deforms, pulls up and separates. The problem has continued to worsen over time and is approaching the door locking mechanism. It is also now possible for water to get to the in... Read more
Incident date: Mar 6, 2023
The headlights have gone extremely dim making it really hard to see in the night. I have tried replacing bulbs multiple times but it doesn’t help. Reading on forums it seems many folks are hitting the same issue and are pointing to the housing/reflector going bad. Please take a look at this as it seems similar issue has been reported and recall issued for other models from Acura.
Incident date: Mar 3, 2023
idle-stop feature. When the idle-stop feature activates as the vehicle is stopped at a traffic signal, the vehicle fails to restart when the brake is released and accelerator pedal pressed. I turn on the emergency flashers. The vehicle usually restarts within 3 minutes. I am afraid I will be rear-ended at high speed as I am stopped at a green traffic signal. This also causes others drivers t... Read more
Incident date: Feb 24, 2023
As soon as I start to press on my brakes the vehicle starts violently pulsating and locks up. Took the dealership they said my rotors and brakes were fine and we're unable to give any reason for this. Without brakes I cannot stop my vehicle and it seems like a faulty ABS but no light on dashboard. The engine consumes nearly 5.2 qts of oil in 1000 miles. Being this is not normal I have no idea I wa... Read more
Incident date: Feb 24, 2023
As soon as I start to press on my brakes the vehicle starts violently pulsating and locks up. Took the dealership they said my rotors and brakes were fine and we're unable to give any reason for this. Without brakes I cannot stop my vehicle and it seems like a faulty ABS but no light on dashboard. The engine consumes nearly 5.2 qts of oil in 1000 miles. Being this is not normal I have no idea I wa... Read more
Incident date: Feb 24, 2023
Hyundai boosted about their emergency response system included with my vehicle and charged extra. They failed to tell me that they were discontinuing the system. If I crash and need assistance bc I'm unconscious, I won't get it.
Incident date: Feb 26, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving 80 MPH the steering wheel became firm. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and a software update was performed; however, the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 108,000.
Incident date: Mar 3, 2023
my 2015 dodge Durango is making a ticking noise from the engine at all times. The truck only has 122088 miles and upsetting that something like this is messed up so early on. The noise seems like it must be the engine lifters. Have done some research and it’s common issue in similar make and models.
Incident date: Mar 3, 2022
Temperature sensor for the engine went out...which now affects my remote start not to work
Incident date: Mar 3, 2022
Passenger windshield trim detached and flew off at highway speed.
Incident date: Feb 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the check engine, traction control, and stability control warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle then stalled and lost motive power. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and the vehicle continued to operate normally. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the mechanic ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2022
The 2013 Mercedes Benz E350 model has a problem wherein the windshield sealant used by Mercedes Benz has deteriorated to the point wherein water is leaking into the car cabin. The windshield is supposed to be an integral structural part of the vehicle and should not separate from the car. The separation of the windshield from the car is a huge safety risk to the driver as well as others on the r... Read more
Incident date: Jan 2, 2023
Automatic Emergency Braking and Front Collision Avoidance system has caused the vehicle to brake when there is nothing in front of vehicle, or show "System Malfunction" on the dash. Dealer unable to duplicate but said it happens to most Nissan Sentra's. Found it happens more frequently when there is rain or bad weather.
Incident date: May 18, 2022
Driver side door hinge broke away from the frame and as a result you cannot open the drivers door nor can you roll down the window because of this I have to climb over into the passenger side to get out of the car...if I am in a wreck or the car catches on fire I cannot get out from the driver's side. If I am unconscious because of an accident , rescuers cannot get to me because of the door hinge... Read more
Incident date: Feb 28, 2023
INTERMITTANTLY BOTH HEADLIGHTS FLICKERING. LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE (LCM) PROBLEM ?
Incident date: Feb 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH and coming to a stop, the brake pedal was depressed but hesitated to respond, causing 10-15 feet stopping distance delay. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred while driving downhill. The brake pedal was depressed down to the floorboard but failed to respond, almost causing the vehicle to crash into another v... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2022
With 2280 miles on it driving down the highway gave me warning engine hot pulled over. The engine shredded every belt on the engine. It's a v6 etrorgue. RAM refuses to pay tow bill but yet no explanation of why it happened. Stranded me 90 miles from home. $700.00 tow bill unsafe truck.
Incident date: Feb 28, 2023
On 4 separate occasions over the past 2 months, the vehicle began to shake violently at highway speed, 60-65 mph, after going over a minor rough surface of roadway, The first 3 were on state highways, with the most recent and most violent on US67 heading north through Duncanville TX. The shaking is uncontrollable until speed is reduced well below safe travel speeds and caused me to get to the sh... Read more
Incident date: Feb 26, 2023
Chrysler issued a recall involving the 2019 to 2022 Ram 2500, the 2019 to 2022 Ram 3500 Chassis Cab with GVWR under 10K lbs., and the 2021 to 2022 Dodge Durango due to an ABS Software issue. They have completely ignored the 2018 RAM pickups with an ABS Controller issue. We have had a part on backorder for months and the dealership we work with has 14 of them on backorder. Research on the internet ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 26, 2023
Check engine light came on and strong fuel smell. Crankcase ventilation malfunction code was verified by dealer.
Incident date: Jan 28, 2023
Today I started my RAV4 in my driveway to warm it up and went back in the house. Approximatly 5-10 minutes later someone knocked on the door to let me know the car was on fire. The fire department said it was likley that the fire started in the engine and spread to the rest of the vehicle.
Fire
Incident date: Dec 20, 2021
Check engine light came on at 55,500 miles on exactly the third anniversary of purchase. Local mechanic determined the code related to Thermo Control Valve failure. Apparently an ongoing issue with many Subarus since replacing the thermostat with this in their cars. Lost all eyesight features, including cruise control and high beams, as well as cabin heat in the midst of winter in the northeast... Read more
Incident date: Dec 20, 2021
Check engine light came on at 55,500 miles on exactly the third anniversary of purchase. Local mechanic determined the code related to Thermo Control Valve failure. Apparently an ongoing issue with many Subarus since replacing the thermostat with this in their cars. Lost all eyesight features, including cruise control and high beams, as well as cabin heat in the midst of winter in the northeast... Read more
Incident date: Feb 24, 2023
Vehicle requires excessive amounts of oil. Which cause the engine to lock up and engine block.
Incident date: Feb 13, 2023
The forward collision warning and traction control light is stuck on both together. Today is the 1st time it has come on, but when doing research I seen that people have had this issue before and that there was a recall for maxima’s and Murano’s, but nothing that has been seen for the pathfinder.
Incident date: Aug 25, 2021
Im having issues with rust the car it’s getting pretty much the car it’s falling apart the under body it’s nothing but rust I’m scared of changing a tire because there’s actually not a good grip where I can lift the car without feeling it’s going to fall apart, the rear or the disks it’s falling by chunks and just yesterday the rear shock plate broke out of place because it’s way t... Read more
Incident date: Aug 25, 2021
I was turning left into our garage at low speed, and a bolt fell out of the front right suspension (bolt came out of lower control arm) and the wheel practically fell off the car. A whole mess of damage happened, and it came out to an over $5,000 repair, and we're still getting it repaired. We recently had the tires aligned at Tesla in October 2022, roughly 3 months before the bolt fell out. Bolts... Read more
Incident date: Aug 25, 2021
The ABS/Electronic Braking system failed before the truck even hit 50K miles, but I haven't been able to get a replacement module and have been told that these items are on back-order until an indeterminate time. However, the Electronic Braking System and ABS warning lights go off on my truck daily, especially if I drive over any rough roads or bumps. I've been having trouble getting my truck i... Read more
Incident date: Feb 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while he was inspecting the vehicle, he noticed an excessive amount of oil leaking from the oil pan. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the oil pan and valve cover were replaced; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where they placed a temporary seal around the oil pan. The manufacturer was made... Read more
Incident date: Feb 22, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Edge. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V151000 (Back Over Prevention) 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 the rear-view camera displayed a distorted image. The vehicle was taken to the... Read more
Incident date: Jan 7, 2023
Electric power steering stopped working while parked at a stop light. No previous indication that it was going to go out. No dash indicators. Had to drive home with no power steering with my family in the vehicle. No accident caused. Took the vehicle to a dealer where they informed we needed a new pack and pinion. Ordered one through the dealership and waited 4 months for one before having to move... Read more
Incident date: Jan 7, 2023
my car experiences intermittent acceleration when applying the breaks. It lunges forward for some reason. It has also not stopped when hitting the breaks hard but lunges as well. I am using the last date that this happened.
Incident date: Dec 8, 2021
The contact owned a 2016 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, another vehicle going 110 MPH crashed into the rear of the vehicle. The air bags failed to de[ploy. The contact hit his head against the front driver's side window and he became unconscious. The contact stated upon regaining consciousness, he noticed that he was laying flat on his back as the seat had fractured. The cont... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Dec 8, 2021
2017 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO PARTS BEING UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM NHTSA SAFETY RECALL 22V-413.
Incident date: Dec 8, 2021
The contact owns a 2018 Buick Enclave. The contact stated that while idling or at a complete stop, the vehicle lunged forward upon acceleration. The contact then stated that while shifted to park, the vehicle inadvertently started. The contact also stated that she heard a screeching sound in the wheels while shifting in the first gear, and intermittently in second and third gear. Additionally, the... Read more
Incident date: Feb 15, 2023
While driving, the car began to hesitate and studder during acceleration. I had to stop at a red light. Once I began to drive again the car shut off and the engine and battery icon came on. I was able to start the car again and move out of traffic. However, the studdering/hesitance continue. I called AAA to complete a battery and diagnostic test which they found no problems with battery, cables, a... Read more
Incident date: Feb 8, 2023
The headlights turn off randomly when in Auto mode. There are a lot of other people reporting the same issue. https://sorentoforums.com/threads/lights-shutting-off-in-auto-mode.16/
Incident date: Jan 4, 2023
At low speeds <5 mph the brakes will lock/bite and other times they will perform normally. Pedal response is basically unpredictable which could cause an accident.
Incident date: Feb 18, 2023
Manufacturer Recall Number23S02 NHTSA Recall Number23V022 Repair made on 02/20/2023. Camera continues to randomly pixelate and/or give black/blue screen. Failure can happen at any time and with out warning. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Camera system. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Yes Has the prob... Read more
Incident date: Feb 18, 2023
Manufacturer Recall Number23S02 NHTSA Recall Number23V022 Repair made on 02/20/2023. Camera continues to randomly pixelate and/or give black/blue screen. Failure can happen at any time and with out warning. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Camera system. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Yes Has the prob... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2021
I bought the 2015 Honda Civic in 2019 and had to replace the transmission in 2020 and now in February of 2023 I need to replace the transmission again. No service lights came on for transmission until the shop told me my trans was going out and I would need to replace it again. He said it is a common problem for the 2015 Honda civic because of the CVT transmission.
Incident date: Feb 18, 2023
The auto start stop stopped working. My car overheated in May 2022 which I paid 900 dollars for repair. Also screen went out on Dec 2021. My car is in the shop now because it stopped on the freeway and the hot start/stop stops the car from moving.
Incident date: Jan 5, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, the back-up camera image was flickering on and off, and was also distorted. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V082000 (Back Over Prevention) and the vehicle was taken to the local dealer and received the recall repair. The contact stated that the wiring harness was replaced; however, t... Read more
Incident date: Feb 17, 2023
the back up camera only works part of the time. it does not work every time
Incident date: Jan 28, 2023
Hydraulic Control Unit failure on the automatic braking system. C0020-01 ABS pump motor control general electrical failure Failed at 38,000 miles I've contacted many dealers to find that parts are not available ABS and traction control light on all the time now
Incident date: Jan 29, 2023
Back up camera not working; started flashing on/off, turning upside down, and now simply does not work; the beeping still works to let you know you’re close but the visual is not available. Not being able to SEE what is behind me is a safety issue as well as not being able to see how close I am to objects. I have taken my Flex to Tim Short Ford Dealership in Morehead, KY where the problem was ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2017
Power Door (passenger side) closed on me when other door was opened. As I was putting a child into the passenger side middle row seat the passenger side sliding door closed on its own. (The door on the other side of van was opened at the same time the one began to close.) It did not stop when it it my body and kept closing. I tried pushing on the door to stop it from continuing to close but it d... Read more
1 injured