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.

2,245,377 Total Complaints

140,173 Reported Crashes

56,794 Reported Fires

8,580 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 2,245,377 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

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 33,654 complaints for MERCEDES-BENZ

Incident date: Mar 12, 2023

The contact owns a 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the interior passenger side directional signal began blinking rapidly while activated. Additionally, the contact stated that an onlooker observed that the exterior driver side indicator light was not illuminated when indicator was activated. The vehicle was driven to the dealer where it was diagn... Read more

Incident date: Mar 12, 2023

The contact owns a 2021 Honda Passport. The contact stated that while driving at low speeds, crossing an intersection, crashed into the rear wheel of an unknown vehicle. The seat belt fractured. There were no warning indicator lights illuminated. The air bag deployed. The contact sustained bruises and bumps and medical attention was provided. A police report was filed. There were no reports of a... Read more

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Mar 14, 2023

The contact owns a 2019 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, there were three unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Incident date: Jan 17, 2023

In 3 different occasions in this same particular order my car would start to slowly loose acceleration of only letting me drive to 10mph before lights on dash would come on such as ps,abs,traction control ect. Then my radio would shut off followed by my whole dashboard before completely the whole vehicle would completely shutdown on me and I could not start up again. I replaced the battery and pu... Read more

Incident date: Jan 17, 2023

The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that both the front driver's seat and front passenger’s seat were vibrating while depressing the brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the rear brake drums were grooved. The dealer turned the rear brake drums; however, the failure persisted. Additionally, the contact stated while driving at various ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 2, 2023

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The RPM was fluctuating, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.

Incident date: Mar 2, 2023

Engine oil cooler failure, had to be replaced. Known issue per 3 techs. Leaks oil onto engine and exhaust. No warning, just the smoke and smell of burning oil. Occurred at 73,200 miles more or less.

Incident date: Mar 2, 2023

The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V746000 (Power Train) 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 dealer and the manufacturer were made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.... Read more

Incident date: Feb 14, 2023

The contact owns a 2023 Ford Bronco. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH in inclement weather, the windshield wipers were activated on high-speed but failed to operate at the highest setting. The contact stated that the windshield wiper defaulted to intermediate speed and deactivated and turned off independently on other occasions. The contact stated that there was a safety ... Read more

Incident date: Jan 5, 2023

When windshield wipers are on high speed during a storm they will slow down after 30 seconds to a speed of wiping the window maybe every 5 seconds causing a significant reduction in visibility.

Incident date: Jan 5, 2023

My high beam lights do not work. My low beams are all that I have. It is a safety hazard at night due to not having adequate lighting to drive in dark areas. I have had no warning lamps or notifications come on but it has been going on for at least 1-2 months. I have been thinking my lights weren’t bright when switching between bright and dim but just put it to the text on 3/13/2023 and realized... Read more

Incident date: Feb 2, 2023

When I turn the wheel there is a loud clunking noise

Incident date: Feb 2, 2022

Bought the truck July 2022 and since then its been problems with stalling. The vehicle cuts off driving down the road. It can happen once a day or 5 times and restart. It was harder and harder to restart and finally it down not restart at all. Everytime it has a different fuel code. Started with the gas cap, then fuel pressure sensor, then driver module, and fuel pump codes. All parts as well as h... Read more

Incident date: Feb 2, 2022

ROBBINS Nissan in Humble, KD service advisor - REFUSED RECALL SERVICE - saying he needs a customer phone number! No phone no service. Is there a law in this country requiring every citizen to have a phone, by force? Is this China already?

Incident date: Jan 13, 2023

BOUGHT CAR IN 2021 AND A FEW MONTHS LATER CAR STARTED TURNING OFF WHILE DRIVING. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON..REPLACED SENSORS AND ALL WAS GOOD. FAST FORWARD TO A WEEK AGO...SCHEDULED AN OIL CHANGE LIKE I ALWAYS DO...CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND ENGINE STARTED RATTLING. STOPPED DRIVING IMMEDIATELY. CHECKED OIL AND THERE WAS NONE. ADDED 3 QUARTS. TOOK TO GARAGE TO HAVE THEM TAKE A LOOK AT IT. HE ... Read more

Incident date: Jan 13, 2023

New recall has come out for the Jeep 2019 Manual Transmission. This is the third recall and there is still no fix. Recently my clutch blew on the highway, first it started to smoke and then the clutch exploded. Going speed of approx 70mph with a child in the car. This is well know issue without a fix and i do not want to drive this vehicle any longer. Jeep will not fix the clutch, i have to pay $... Read more

Fire

Incident date: Mar 8, 2023

Around 79k miles the car began hesitating and rough idling. From the OBDII sensor: Error Code P0301: Cylinder 1 misfire detected

Incident date: Mar 3, 2023

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V859000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted by phone and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer... Read more

Incident date: Mar 3, 2023

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? -- Steering will stick after about 20 minutes of driving. This usually occurs and and is most noticeable at freeway speeds. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? -- When it really starts sticking and you have to apply extra force to make minor corrections a small adjustment can tu... Read more

Incident date: Mar 3, 2023

The contact owned a 2022 BMW X5. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speeds in self-driving mode, it crashed into the rear of a disabled Ford Utility van. The contact sustained a cracked clavicle and medical attention was provided. A police report was filed. All the air bags were deployed. There was no reported fire. The vehicle was towed to an impound yard. The local dealer was cont... Read more

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Mar 13, 2023

This vehicle has what is now known as "Phantom Braking" since day of delivery over two years ago and was reported to NHTSA previously by me and Hyundai which has not or will not try to correct this Safety Hazard. Last incident this occurred on 3/11/2023 for at least the 6th time. This has happened with vehicles behind me which have come close to hitting me.

Incident date: Mar 12, 2023

Same as 2013 recall, my transmission "locked" & had to replace the "lead frame assembly" at my expense. I've been told that the 2014 models are having the exact same problem as the earlier (recalled) model years. Please investigate Thank you [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

Incident date: Mar 12, 2023

Rear brake pedal unexpectedly soft. Brakes bled in accordance with manufacturer recommendations and fluid use (DOT5.1). Brake regains firmness, but quickly looses effectiveness and becomes soft, limiting braking capability. Alternate bleeding method also attempted with similar results. Brake pedal will remain firm for some time, but then returns to soft feel, creating unexpected braking performa... Read more

Incident date: Mar 11, 2023

PIRELLI Scorpion Zero AllSeason Elect 255/40 R20. Rear passenger tire developed a bulge in the sidewall due to manufacturer defect that led to a blowout while driving at highway speeds. Tire was less than two months old (as was the vehicle) with just over 2,000 miles on it. Never had any curb rash, never caught a corner of a pothole, or any other damage. In doing some research perusing Volv... Read more

Incident date: Mar 11, 2023

ABS Control Module failed and was replaced with part #68143491AB. Truck was purchased for plowing. Without anti-lock breaks and traction control, myself and passengers were at risk , and my ability to plow more than a few inches of snow was nearly impossible. Living on a dead end private road, plowing for neighbors to access main roads was not possible, putting neighbors and family at risk duri... Read more

Incident date: Mar 12, 2023

Original Abs module has failed, brakes are inoperable. I’m a retired technician and performed the fluid exchange with new fluid myself. The system still failed and left me without brakes. I donor trust the bike anymore but feel that the public is wanting to purchase the bike at an extreme discount.

Incident date: Mar 11, 2023

I bought my car Toyota Corolla coss has three months with 3,700 miles on it. and has had two times problems. The first time, on February 28 2023 at 8 a.m., I was at a traffic light stop my car about 15 seconds later when I heard a warning beep. The message read "low steering power," low battery, and then steering lock. I tried to turn off the engine button, but there was no response. I pressed it ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 11, 2023

The Active Headrest Restraint (AHR) busted open with the broken clip issue and cannot be fixed without a dealership replacement. The car is available for inspection. This was not the result of an accident or collision, as the car was parked. If I were sitting in the seat, it most likely would have given me a concussion or a hospital visit. Since the AHR is supposed to reduce the occurrence of whi... Read more

Incident date: Dec 1, 2022

Intermittent low oil pressure light (at low RPM) TSB issued for Korean customers, not for US Customers.

Incident date: Dec 1, 2022

While driving down major highway the engine failed and the electrical system started blinking and I lost all power. No warning, dashboard just lit all up and engine seized up.

Incident date: Oct 10, 2022

Unintended acceleration from a stop when pushing accelerator. Has happened 2 times in the last 2 days. I touched the throttle from a stop 2 time and it took off like I put the accelerator to full throttle (which I didn’t). Very dangerous situation in parking lots or around pedestrians. I have scheduled an apt with my local dealer.

Incident date: Oct 20, 2021

many things had to be fixed like the camshift senor, tps, new battery after 2 months. the car will only crack and crack it will not fire. have took it everywhere and never get the answer as to what is wrong with it. the key fob will work hit and miss will show no key

Incident date: Oct 27, 2022

On two separate occasions, the windshield trim panel blew off my Explorer while I was driving at highway speeds. This was the trim panel on the driver's side in both instances. I had it repaired the first time and then it happened again. I was told by Safelight, who repaired it the first time, that they have done dozens of these repairs. And, it happened to my brother-in-law's Ford Excursion. Just... Read more

Incident date: Jan 1, 2023

I bought this car as a certified pre-owned, picked it up on January 18, 2023. This is our family car and we took it on a 350 mile each way road trip on Jan 27. Upon arrival to our destination, driving around the city I noticed a lot of white smoke coming from the exhaust. I checked the oil and there wasn't oil registering on the dipstick, so I added 5 quarts of oil to the car to get us home on Sun... Read more

Incident date: Jan 1, 2023

The vehicle headlights are dangerously low for night driving regardless of how new the bulbs are.

Incident date: Mar 9, 2023

The rear view camera in our Model 3 stopped working in April 2022. This is a known problem related to NHTSA Recall Number 21V-00D, which was issued in December 2021. It has been over a year & Tesla is still waiting for parts to become available to perform the repairs for this recall. Although our car is still drivable, it is very difficult to use Tesla’s Superchargers since they require the car ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 9, 2023

The engine throttles while accelerating and leaks oil and a burning smell comes from under the hood. the smell passes through the air vents and fills the car. I am afraid it might catch fire under the hood. The suspension makes noise and can also feel on the steering wheel. I will appreciate the company if they take safety measures in fixing this issue.

Incident date: Mar 8, 2023

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown rate of speed, a warning message that stated that her tracking system needed to be serviced appeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where a diagnostic determined that her RCM(restraint control module) was defective and needed to be replaced. The contact agreed to the repair; however, ... Read more

Incident date: Feb 7, 2023

The contact owns a 2017 Lincoln Continental. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V644000 (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 dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The co... Read more

Incident date: Dec 18, 2022

While driving the vehicle the car shut off while driving on the Highway in traffic.When the vehicle came to a complete stop after thankfully not being in a collision the vehicle would start but wouldn't go into drive.It was later Determined that the Transmission suffered a catastrophic failure for the second time.The Transmission has less than 17K on it and the first Transmission failed at 41K Nis... Read more

Incident date: Dec 18, 2022

While driving on the interstate I was using Autopilot (cruise control). I started into a slight curve when the vehicle suddenly emergency braked. The roadway was clear and thankfully no vehicle was following close behind me. Also there was no warning alarms, just a sudden, aggressive braking. This has happened several times before but the first time with no alarms beforehand.

Incident date: Dec 18, 2022

The engine seized while driving 55MPH. Vehicle suffered complete loss of power. There was no advanced warning and no warning lights displayed. Had to pull over to safety and have the vehicle towed to the dealership. The vehicle is inoperable. Dealer offering a $23K replacement of engine which is astronomical.

Incident date: Mar 7, 2023

I purchased a new 2022 Subaru BRZ. Shortly after the purchase, the wheel bolts loosened which caused catastrophic damage to the wheel, and all brake components. Upon further research, we believe this may be an inherent vehicle defect. This problem is subject to a recall involving hub bolts which can loosen to the point where the wheel can detach from the vehicle damaging the brake components ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 1, 2019

While driving on the interstate in evening rush hour traffic, the traffic became "stop and go" traffic. I applied the brakes and to much my surprise the pedal went from firm to a bleed off condition. I was unable to pull over so I began driving the vehicle then shifting to neutral and pumping the brake in order to stop. This condition continued until my brake fluid low warning came on. I eventuall... Read more

Incident date: Jan 1, 2022

While driving my 2019 ford ecosport start to make noise and a message saying loss of engine oil pressure came on. I have been told that it is do to a broken oil pump belt tensioner and that the motor is now locked up and hasto be replaced. The vehicle was manufactured in February 2019 and if you look at MC-10198600-0001.pdf 71.344KB you will find that this is a now issue that ford is refusing to p... Read more

Incident date: Mar 1, 2023

The contact owns a 2022 Ram 3500. The contact received notification of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V060000 (Electrical System) 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 local dealer was notified of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available for the rec... Read more

Incident date: Mar 1, 2023

The frame has broken in several places under the trailer making it unsafe to move. An insurance adjuster has seen the damage and determined it is not an insurance claim, but a manufacturing defect. This damage occurred during normal usage and could have caused an unforeseen collision to happen while in transit, putting my family and other vehicles/people in danger. The damage was only noticed a... Read more

Incident date: Mar 1, 2023

K1 snap ring failure at 2,950 miles. Vehicle currently in dealer possession. Available for inspection. Safety risk as vehicle was towing during failure causing loss of forward gears, and potential loss of control of vehicle being towed. Especially hazardous to other unsuspecting motorists around vehicle when loss of forward gears happened traveling on highway. Dealer has completed diagnostic. St... Read more

Incident date: Mar 1, 2023

Driving down the highway yesterday at 75 mph. Car said check starter system. Started blinking. All dash lights and system turned off then on then off again. Power steering went off. Car died while going 75 mph. Abs system went down with it too. Had to hard steer and shift down. Parked on side of highway on shoulder. Towed to mechanic who said it's the alternator. Fit has about 125000 miles on it. ... 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

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