Consumer Safety Complaints

Search 2,215,138 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA — including 138,663 crashes, 56,255 fires, and 8,561 deaths.

2,215,138 Total Complaints

138,663 Reported Crashes

56,255 Reported Fires

8,561 Reported 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 2,215,138 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

How to Read NHTSA Consumer Complaints › How NHTSA Investigations Work › Used Car: 7 Recall Checks to Run First › The Takata Airbag Recall: Full Story › OBD-II Codes Explained › All Articles ›

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Showing 33,200 complaints for MERCEDES-BENZ

Incident date: Dec 31, 1969

I own a 2017 mercedes benz e-class. I'm starting to smell gasoline in the cabin and also outside of my vehicle. I tried entering my VIN number to see if any recalls. There is something listed for the smell of gas. Can someone help me regarding this matter.

Incident date: Mar 17, 2026

My 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQB 300 (VIN [XXX] ) is subject to a high-voltage battery safety recall involving a risk of internal short circuit and fire. Mercedes-Benz has acknowledged that the battery pack in affected vehicles can fail at high state of charge and may cause a thermal event while driving or parked. There is currently NO REMEDY available. Mercedes has already issued prior recalls attempti... Read more

Incident date: Mar 12, 2026

The rear subframe completely rusted out on both sides causing the car to swerve very dangerously to the left when braking. The subframe was diagnosed by the dealer. There was a " collision prevention assist+ inoperative" warning a week prior the the car noticeably swerving when braking

Incident date: Mar 17, 2026

Car has been auto braking even though there is nothing in front of the car. This is extremely dangerous and could lead to serious rear end collisions. There are many similar complaints on online forums and Mercedes (and their lawyers) do nothing. Link to video: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Incident date: Jan 19, 2026

I am reporting a structural failure of the rear subframe due to corrosion on my 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300 4MATIC. The failure was diagnosed by an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer, who confirmed that the rear subframe has corroded and broken, compromising the structural integrity of the vehicle. This is not cosmetic rust. The subframe is a load-bearing structural component, and its failure creates a s... Read more

Incident date: Oct 9, 2025

Passenger seat capacity sensor fault. Will not activate passenger side air bag. Checked with obd scanner

Incident date: Oct 9, 2025

The problem is with my tailgate. The mazda cx-90 has an automatic trunk open/close function. My wife and I use teh trunk as directed. The other day we go to open the trunk (with the button) and there was a "pop" as if the door was trying to open under force or tension. Ever since then the trunk will not shut properly, if at all. The entire trunk is now misaligned and cannot close properly. There w... Read more

Incident date: Mar 16, 2025

On two separate occasions I placed my child in the car and then placed my bag in the front passenger seat of the car with my key fob in the bag. After closing the door, the car would automatically lock as if I had walked away from it with my keys. But the key fob was in the car. My car was not turned on and on one occasion it was 70+ degrees outside. I had no way of accessing my car and my child w... Read more

Incident date: Mar 16, 2026

21" Equinox EV RS wheel cracked at the lip even though we do not recall hitting anything. No known potholes or other impacts. This caused air loss from the tire and had to refill the air at least once a day. When the tire shop removed the tire to inspect it further we found no damage to the tire, just the wheel was cracked. Called dealership and they claimed it would not be a warranty issue. We en... Read more

Incident date: Jun 26, 2025

My 2023 GMC Yukon Denali with the 6.2L V8 suffered a sudden loss of propulsion while traveling at approximately 70–75 mph on the highway with my wife and young daughter in the vehicle. The engine RPM dropped immediately to zero and the vehicle displayed a message instructing me to press start. I do not recall any meaningful prior warning lamps or symptoms before the failure. I did not hear a lou... Read more

Incident date: Mar 1, 2026

We purchased a 2023 Mercedes EQB (EV) 2 years ago. The car is part of a recall in which we are advised to not park near other cars and not charge at home. Thus making the car essentially not useable unless we take the risk. We are driving it, knowing that we could catch fire. We are parking it and charging it in our garage, knowing it could catch fire. We have no choice as Mercedes has not offered... Read more

Incident date: Mar 1, 2026

In September of 2025, I was notified twice by BMW via mail that my car is under recall. The NHTSA Recall Number is 25V636000. It is possible for water to contact and enter the engine starter. This could lead to corrosion which could cause a short circuit and ultimately a fire. They told me it would be fixed free of charge and I would be notified when the remedy was available. There were no such w... Read more

Incident date: Mar 14, 2026

Purchased new August 29, 2025 On 12/3/25- Mileage 4495. Took vehicle in for first maintenance service. Tire rotation and oil change. On 1/7/26- Reported grinding noise we had began noticing when starting vehicle. Engine light Service ESC. Service Traction control. Reported to Ben Mynatt GM. On 1/8/26 Mileage 7120- Took Yukon in for service due to grinding noise. Due for 6 module updates and 3 sta... Read more

Incident date: Mar 2, 2026

The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated that the ABS and check engine warning lights were illuminated, and the struts had failed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed prior to the recall repair, due to the failure... Read more

Incident date: Mar 2, 2026

Variable Valve Timing Camshaft KNOWN DEFECT rendering the car unusable at only 100K miles.

Incident date: Mar 2, 2026

On 02/22/2026 my 2022 Nissan Rogue began sputtering as it was being driven. Was able to finally get pulled over where the engine died and would not start. Almost hit another car because did not have brakes or power steering. Was taken by tow truck to local Nissan dealer where the Tech confirmed the EGR valve was faulty and possibly caused severe engine damage. No warning lights were displayed jus... Read more

Incident date: Mar 9, 2026

Drivers door latch takes a long time to unlatch/latch there have been numerous times where the door won’t close and stay closed. My door has also had to be left open as it won’t latch. This is a serious safety hazard there was a recall but my vin was not included.

Incident date: Mar 16, 2026

I was stopped in the left hand turn lane, then accelerated to cross 2 lanes of traffic. I then let off the accelerator, and applied the brakes to stop, and the brakes did not function. I then rear ended a vehicle in front of me due to the intermittent loss of brakes. It may have also been the propulsion system kept going. Either way the vehicle maintained the same speed of about 15mph until I c... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Dec 11, 2024

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, there was white smoke coming from the engine, before the engine caught on fire. After the failure, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to pull over safely. The fire was extinguished independently. There were no reported injuries. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA... Read more

Fire

Incident date: Jan 28, 2026

Was driving down interstate and the top of my grill came off and smacked my windshield. Also, my tailgate opens on its own but the grill is the main safety issue. I have seen where they already have recalls on 2022s and earlier due to chrome grill coming off but mine is a 2023 and gm is refusing to honor it when it is obviously the same issue. Was very scary and could have caused a wreck as grill ... Read more

Incident date: Feb 28, 2026

I was driving south on interstate 15 freeway I was on the 3 lane in the middle of the road I was driving around 65-70 mph when my 1500 Silverado 2016 loose engine power and started to slow down I couldn’t get out fast enough and I almost got hit by three cars because I was driving so slow I pulled over emergency lines and the truck didn’t even start

Incident date: Feb 16, 2026

Complaint Description I am filing this complaint with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding a safety issue with my new Mercedes Benz Sprinter 2500. I purchased this vehicle brand new from Mercedes Benz Manhattan. From the first day of ownership, I began experiencing multiple serious problems with the van. The main issue is that exhaust smoke and/or crankcase gases enter the ... Read more

Incident date: Feb 16, 2026

Rear main seal leak and transaxle leak. I see there was a recall in the 2000s but my 2016 is having the same issues. Would this issue still fall under the newer vehicle recall since it i the same problem?

Incident date: Feb 16, 2026

Oil cooler blew and mixed oil in coolant reservoir. Possibly causes overheating and engine seizure. This has been confirmed with a certified GM service center. The service center inspected fixed it then within 5 miles had to be returned to the dealer because it happened again.

Incident date: Mar 15, 2026

I leased a 2023 Ioniq 6 electric car on September 2023. Since leasing the vehicle, the vehicle has been towed four times for the same problem, the parking brake malfunctions rendering the vehicle unusable. I have multiple photos and videos documenting this. This has happened either after parking the vehicle and attempting to turn it off, or after turning on the car after being parked. The first t... Read more

Incident date: Feb 25, 2026

In under a year I have had to replace my windshield three times due to cracks from debris. The total cost would be greater than $4,000. I, nor my wife and family have ever had to replace a windshield on any previous car we had owned this many times in under one year or even at all. I suspect there is a defect in the build of the windshield or the design of the car that may be causing this.

Incident date: Mar 13, 2026

The electronic steering quit working at 55 mph, I was very hard to steer afterwards, there wear other indicator lights besides the steering warning light, I will add a picture of them. I did already do a report but have pictures to show the problem. I kept the core to figure out what happened, there is water in the unit control area for the motor. The issue started at the same time the water pump ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 15, 2025

The high-voltage battery on my 2022 Nissan Leaf SL+ is subject to Recall NHTSA ID: 25V-655. The recall notice states that the battery cells can develop excessive lithium deposits, which increases electrical resistance and can cause rapid battery heating during Level 3 fast charging. Nissan instructs owners not to use Level 3 charging at all until a “remedy” is available. The issue is that the... Read more

Incident date: Mar 10, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Cadillac Lyriq. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, there was a cracking sound inside the vehicle. The contact looked up and saw that the moon roof glass was cracking. The contact stated that the crack had extended several feet. There was no impact on the moon roof glass to cause the glass to crack. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the fail... Read more

Incident date: Dec 13, 2022

The contact owns a 2014 Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing front suspension, coolant, and oil leak failures. The contact stated that the front suspension unexpectedly lowered while the vehicle was parked or while driving. The message "Active Curve System Malfunction" was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where unknown repairs were performed. ... Read more

Incident date: Dec 13, 2022

On February 3, 2026, my vehicle was taken to Rick Hendrick Chevrolet of Buford for diagnosis of a fuel system failure. The dealership charged a $235 diagnostic fee and concluded that the failure was caused by fuel contamination from an outside source. Based on this determination, my warranty claim with General Motors was denied and my case (#89096714) was closed. After this determination, the veh... Read more

Incident date: Dec 13, 2022

The contact owns a 2025 Subaru Forester. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V106000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); 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 ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 1, 2024

The contact owns a 2020 Audi Q7. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where the water pump, coolant pump, vacuum line, and vacuum reservoir were replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failur... Read more

Incident date: Dec 31, 2025

The contact owns a 2002 Isuzu Rodeo. The contact recently became aware of severe corrosion on the frame of the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 10V436000 (Suspension) approximately 10 years ago. The contact believed that the recall repair should have covered more than just the rear suspension and that the entire subframe should have been includ... Read more

Incident date: Feb 26, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed, and determined that the camera located by the front upper mirror had experienced an electrical failure and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware ... Read more

Incident date: Dec 10, 2025

Horn stopped working. Airbag indicator will not reset. Took to local dealership but their service department doesn’t seem to find an active recall for this, even though I can see them listed, just not for my particular VIN number

Incident date: Mar 8, 2026

At low speed, and today for the first time completed stopped at a stop sign, we here and feel a very loud "thunk" through the steering wheel and coming from under the front end of the vehicle. It's very loud and jerks the steering wheel when it happens, and can be felt through the car seats as well. The whole vehicle seems to shake. This has happened so far approximately ten times, and we are lo... Read more

Incident date: Jan 17, 2026

See attached document for complaint.

Incident date: Jan 17, 2026

Rear windshield shattered while car was parked. Entered car, closed door, hit start button - rear windshield spontaneously shattered. Called dealership where RDX was purchased - They recommended contacting Client Services. Filed complaint with Acura Client Relations - received case#. Took vehicle to a local dealership per their instruction - sent report to Acura. It's been 3 days - no resolution -... Read more

Incident date: Jan 17, 2026

The passenger side day time running light is dimmed drastically and almost not visible anymore on the upright section. After doing research , this seems to be a very common issue and not a cheap repair. Some states day time running lights are mandatory to work to pass inspection. Ford has not acknowledged this issue and/or making profit from changing out the whole headlight assembly to fix. It se... Read more

Incident date: Jan 23, 2026

On December 6, 2025 I purchased a used 2013 Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG from Jaguar Land Rover Willow Grove (Piazza Auto Group) in Pennsylvania. The delivery documentation for the vehicle included a written service commitment stating: “Replace air compressor for suspension system.” On January 23, 2026 at approximately 6:30 PM, while operating the vehicle at highway speed on the [XXX] in [XXX] , ... Read more

Incident date: Jan 23, 2026

My 2018 LT Chevy suburban with 110000 miles has been giving me transmission and motor problems. I took it to chevy vannuys and they took 3 days and did nothing. I saw a recall on line for the same year. Explaining about transmission problems. Where can I go to have it fixed.

Incident date: Jan 23, 2026

Incident date: Mar 6, 2026

Vehicle: 2020 Toyota C-HR Mileage: 77,980 miles About a year ago, when the vehicle had fewer than 60,000 miles, I began noticing unusual noises and that the vehicle was not always accelerating smoothly. The symptoms were initially intermittent but gradually became more noticeable over time. Meanwhile, there were no warning lights or signs displayed and I was so insured that Toyota produces very... Read more

Incident date: Mar 5, 2026

To the Office of Defects Investigation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration I am submitting this complaint to formally report a serious and recurring safety defect involving the automatic braking and collision detection systems in our Mercedes-Benz GLC. License Plate: 9RHN710 Dealer Servicing Vehicle: Mercedes-Benz of Stevens Creek (AutoNation), San Jose, California The vehicle has re... Read more

1 injured

Incident date: Mar 5, 2026

Hard shifting

Incident date: Mar 5, 2026

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2014 Acura RDX. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of the purchase, the mileage was 92,551. The Carfax Report sent from the dealer indicated that the mileage was 93,000. After retrieving a Carfax Report, the mileage was 162,551.

Incident date: Dec 1, 2025

On my 2020 Acura RLX hybrid: On the same day, once in a parking lot and once on a side drive, traveling at less than 15mph but more than 5mph, the car suddenly accelerated upon which I slowed the car dowm by braking lightly. I have no idea why this happened. The original equipment rubber floor mat was correctly fastened and was not near the accelerator. The car only has 14,000 miles, is l... Read more

Incident date: Dec 5, 2025

The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Sienna Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V668000 (Seats). The contact was unable to use all the seats because there were three car seats inside the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted, and Toyota on Nicholasville Parts (2100 Lexington Rd, Nicholasville, KY 40356), but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 7, 2026

The car was purchased on [XXX]. On [XXX]—only six days after purchasing the car—it failed to accelerate through an intersection while turning left in front of oncoming cars. Less than a week later, on [XXX], the car again failed to accelerate as it slowed down entering a rotary on [XXX] . The same thing happened again on [XXX] as it was driven out of the Savannah Bend Marina, turning left ont... Read more

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Consumer Safety Complaints

What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?

How to interpret what you read

If you've experienced a defect

Read more from our blog