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: Jun 24, 2024

I was driving my truck with no prior issues nor check engine light warnings, suddenly my truck began to lose speed, warning light came on instrument panel stating something to the effect of reduced power, I heard a loud noise (similar to the sound of a tire blown), as I looked out of the drivers side window I observed flames coming from the left front fender well. I was able to pull out of traffic... Read more

Fire

Incident date: Nov 15, 2020

When making a left turn/curving left or even driving straight on the highway the steering wheel is sticking and or gets stuck turning left. To get out of the stuck portion of the steering wheel requires extra force that feels very unsafe as it pops or jolts. This is very unsafe because while in a left turn when the steering gets stuck instead of naturally straightening, an overcorrection in steeri... Read more

Incident date: Nov 15, 2020

Driving highway speed (75) after work may 23rd 2024 when my car just randomly stop accelerating and I pulled to the side of the highway and I heard a weird engine knock sound coming from engine . I turned the vehicle off and back on and it was still doing the same thing then it just cut off and wouldn’t start no more. I reached out to Kia cooperate to find out that it’s an extended life time ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 23, 2024

Have been having power steering problems over the past few years. Started by displaying a shift to park message while driving, my car would then lose power and shut down completely and power steering would lock up. Have taken to dealerships and independent mechanics and was told it was the wiring harness which they repaired several times and the car continued to have the issue. Approximately 3 mon... Read more

Incident date: May 16, 2024

My instrument cluster has gone black twice. Meaning I have no speedometer, gas gauge, etc. My blind spot monitoring, front parking, and other safety features do not work when this happens. It stays this way for several hours and then displays again, usually overnight. Mercedes has denied the issue, despite me providing a video of the malfunction while driving. They have had my car for 25 days and... Read more

Incident date: May 16, 2024

The electrical power steering system can sometimes make steering feel very sticky, which can be unsafe. This stickiness happens because the system may resist turning movements, making it hard to steer smoothly. On the highway, this can lead to jerky motions as you struggle to maintain control. This issue compromises safety by making steering unpredictable and difficult.

Incident date: May 16, 2024

Tire Blowout Information Tire Type: Lionshead - Ridgeway Sport ST ST 225 / 75 R 15 Original Tires on 2021 Sport Trek 327VIK Purchased From: Southern RV Of McDonough, GA Purchase Date: [XXX] Milage on Tires at Event: >4000 miles Vehicle stored on Owners Property Incident Information [XXX] Driving [XXX] Northbound before exit [XXX], Driver-Side-Rear-Axel Tire blowout caused damage to Recreatio... Read more

Incident date: Jun 22, 2024

The vehicle is displaying a "Service Electric Brake System" message indicating failure of the HCU and ABS system and possibly affecting stability control. There is a lengthy history of this issue with the 2500 and 3500 trucks but no fix, resolution or recall appears to be available for this issue.

Incident date: Jun 22, 2024

On or about April 2024, the "check engine" light came on in my 2020 Ford F-150. My vehicle was just becoming due for re-registration. I had the code for the check engine light checked at my parts dealer and double checked at the maintenance facility I was having services done. The check engine code was for the catalytic converter. I had the catalytic converter and O2 sensors replaced at my service... Read more

Incident date: Nov 1, 2023

Garbage bags, the ones that are black or white, you can't see through. Those bags are perfect for tossing dangerous goods without no one knowing. Garbage trucks are the only trucks that are completely unaware of what they are transporting. Sometimes fire happens in the box of the truck where garbage are. Any clue why? People throw stuff in boxes, in container so they are able to get rid of dan... Read more

Incident date: Nov 1, 2023

we took our corolla to the San Luis Obispo toyota dealership for replacement of fuel pump per national recall of that part. Since then whenever we park the car on an incline we can strongly smell gas fumes in the cabin. When we took it back stating the problem they took it in but did not touch anything on the car (there were items on the back seat they would need to remove I order to get to the... Read more

Incident date: Mar 3, 2023

When attempting to Shift To Park, the Power Train does not respond, an error message is displayed, and am unable to turn off the ignition or park the vehicle. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE.

Incident date: Jun 20, 2024

The contact owns a 2024 Winnebago Micro Mini. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V285000 (Equipment). The contact was concerned that the recall remedy was inadequate due to the cooktop control light no longer illuminating. The contact stated that the knobs were easily accidentally activated and without the light illuminated someone could be severely injured. The dealer w... Read more

Incident date: Jun 21, 2024

The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Versa. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously taken to the dealer, where the fuel pump assembly, the lower control arm, and the electronic parking switch were replaced. Additionally, the contact stated while starting the vehicle, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that cylinder #1 had misfired, ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 20, 2024

Gps, is a road safety issue because people don't know where they are going. It's easy to get lost, why? Because it doesn't make sense. Even if I tell someone, Paul st. Is right beside Henry st. , they won't know where it is until I say: there's a specific restaurant at the corner. Kids should be able to orientate themselves on the road. How? The street names must be logical, a kid knows what co... Read more

Incident date: Jun 20, 2024

On a recent trip on a highway on our 2017 Chevy Volt, the Exhaust Gas Recirculation [EGR] failed and caused "low propulsion" errors. We ended up with a surprise bill of more than a thousand dollars to replace the EGR cooler assembly, but the problem was not resolved. The dealership then said we need to replace the EGR Valve which is estimated above $2700 plus labor. Upon checking the GM-Volt users... Read more

Incident date: Jun 8, 2024

The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC300. The contact stated that while at a stop light, the vehicle independently shifted to neutral(N) for approximately 5 minutes. The vehicle failed to release from neutral when the driver shifted the gear shifter. The contact stated that the transmission then released from neutral(N), and the vehicle jolted forward. The check engine warning light was illumi... Read more

Incident date: Jun 8, 2024

The contact owns a 2021 Ford EcoSport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) 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 while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depr... Read more

Incident date: Jun 8, 2024

ABS hydraulic control unit: Warning light and audible "ding" on the dashboard notes there is an issue with the ABS system. After taking this truck to several RAM service centers, the service tech says that it is part of a recall and that parts are not available. I cannot find any such recall, only a class action lawsuit. I haven't noticed a lack of breaking capabilities although I also have ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 18, 2024

***DATE OF OCCURRENCE: 07/03/2023*** SOLUTION REQUIRED IMMEDIATELY: I have been without a working vehicle for nearly 1 full year without recourse. ONE YEAR! Initially the recall for the exact suction jet pump issue did not include 2017 GTI models. I was furious. Repair estimates I received ranged rom $2,000-4,000 to replace the entire fuel system. Being unable to afford this, I was forced to le... Read more

Incident date: Jun 20, 2024

No problem with my airbag, yet. I am just concerned that it has been over a year and there is no remedy for this problem, I feel like the manufacturer has had ample time to find a solution. I was told to file a complaint and hope someone will address this issue in a timely manner.

Incident date: Jun 1, 2024

Blown engine. Hole in engine block. Defective engine.

Incident date: Jun 3, 2024

2018 jeep compass rearview cameras fail. Info shared by hundreds of owners on Reddit and jeep forums. Mine haven't functioned properly since 2022 mostly off but working sometimes with lag.

Incident date: May 10, 2024

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius. The contact stated while driving approximately 5 to 10 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle, but the failure persisted. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the battery on two occasions, but the failure reoccurred. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicl... Read more

Incident date: Jun 14, 2024

I was driving and all of a sudden a loud sound started occurring and the sound appeared to come from my breaks as if they were about to give out. The car is currently at Mercedes getting looked at. I’m concerned for my safety as I have taken this car in for two other issues in the last couple of months.

Incident date: Jun 14, 2024

I am concerned with the solution to the vehicle recall. After taking care of the recall . You now have to disengage the parking break before driving the vehicle. What damage is happening if you do not do this or what potentially could happen if you do not disengage in the long run. Why was the engine not replaced?

Incident date: Jun 14, 2024

The engine is locked up

Incident date: May 5, 2021

The dashboard is separating where the airbag is on the passenger side and also the driver side which could deploy the airbag

Incident date: May 5, 2021

Issues- Front and Rear external safety camera system fails to display. Tailgate falls open on its own while in motion. This was a new purchased vehicle off the lot. Yes-Vehicle is available upon request for examination. Yes-Safety risk are imminent due to blind spots caused by inoperative cameras i.e. hitting unseen pedestrians crossing behind or in front and behind the vehicle. The tail gate ... Read more

Crash

Incident date: May 5, 2021

Crash

Incident date: Jun 18, 2024

Engine abruptly stopped on the freeway and then flashed low oil warning. Towed car to dealership, where it was said to have total engine failure due to oil pump failure. Safety of me and my fiance (passenger) were put at risk as car stopped on the freeway and we coasted to the shoulder, stopping on a busy freeway before tow truck arrived hours later. Car reported to be at 73695 miles by Ford. Re... Read more

Incident date: Jun 16, 2024

I used the Full Self Driving software Tesla provided us in April. On [XXX], the car did not detect a curb therefore the car went right over the curb which popped both right side tires and the front rim. Damage was $1,800. I brought this up to Tesla and they informed me that it was my fault for not taking over and refused to help with the repairs. I understand taking over if there was a 3-foot ... Read more

Incident date: Apr 18, 2024

The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the ABS warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had excee... Read more

Incident date: Apr 18, 2024

The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Palisade. The contact stated that while his wife was pulling out of a parking lot, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle independently accelerated forward and then came to a complete stop seconds later. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 700.

Incident date: Jun 17, 2024

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (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 f... Read more

Incident date: Jun 17, 2024

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion in cylinder #3. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was a known issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to c... Read more

Incident date: Oct 1, 2023

Our car has lost power to accelerate on 4 occasions on the highway. The first instance was in October of 2023, the second instance was in November of 2024 (and was brought immediately to the dealership and they said the fix wasn't available yet), the third instance was in March of 2024 and the most recent incident occurred in June of 2024. For example, the car will be moving at a speed of 60 mph ... Read more

Incident date: Oct 1, 2023

The contact owns a 2014 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that the driver’s side front door automatic lock failed to operate as designed. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was informed that the door actuator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that later all the door lock actuators failed, and the doors had to be locked and unlocked manually. The c... Read more

Incident date: Oct 1, 2023

The contact owns a 2012 Ram 1500. The contact stated while his wife was driving at approximately 65 MPH, a loud sound was noticed coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that when the wife arrived home, he inspected the vehicle and became aware that the fuel tank was hanging on the ground. The contact also stated that the frame that held the bracket was rusted. The vehicle was not d... Read more

Incident date: May 10, 2024

after heavy rain and some driving the Horn was not audible. wrong way driver almost hit me and the horn was useless to alert them

Incident date: May 10, 2024

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Expedition. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact was concerned about a fluid leak coming from the engine. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with an engine oil leak. The local dealer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufa... Read more

Incident date: Jun 11, 2024

The brake pedal stop bumper in my car disintegrated in the middle of the day and fell off. The brake lights do not turn off anymore and the vehicle can be started and shifted without needing to press the brake. I found a recall # 22S02 for this exact issue but my vehicle is not covered by it (assuming due to region). The vehicle has not been inspected yet.

Incident date: Jun 13, 2024

Electrical system (Sound system, Bluetooth, graphics, and backup camera), and Automatic Braking - available for inspection Screen glitches using apple car play (wireless and wired), and in general (have pictures and videos) Backup camera is a fishbowl and stays on when driving at 45 mph or at any speed (have video) Car electrical system stays on when doors are shut, engine off and key removed for... Read more

Incident date: Jan 26, 2024

Pinhole fuel leak located in the bend radius of a plastic, quick disconnect coupling, of a pressurized fuel line, just forward of the fuel tank. Being a pressurized line, the leak is continuous, whether the vehicle is on, or off. Due to the location of the leak, fuel is sprayed upwards onto other shielded lines and components, representing a safety/fire hazard.

Incident date: Jan 26, 2024

Steering "sticks" when moving the wheel from center in order to make minor corrections at highway speeds. Overcoming the "stick" requires using additional force resulting in overcorrection and swerving. This is a serious safety concern.

Incident date: Jan 1, 2024

Sticky steering at highway speeds. Have to manually correct steering causing unsafe control of vehicle.

Incident date: Apr 23, 2024

This vehicle is owned by the City of Fort Lauderdale Police Department. We are submitting complaints for multiple Tahoe's that have stopped during operation causing extreme danger to our staff and other drivers in the city. The cause is always bad fuel pumps and our units have had to have the pumps replaced in some cases multiple times. 1/2023 Vehicle stalled while idling - Replaced Fuel Pump ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 13, 2024

When I went to my local garage to have a wheel rotation and wheel alignment done, they discovered that my rear driver side break hose was leaking. They also discovered that the rear passenger side break hose was showing similar wear/damage. I had the car towed to Tesla repair center because the replacement parts were backordered for the local garage. At the Tesla repair center, I asked if this wa... Read more

Incident date: Apr 10, 2024

The entire cooling system failed and RED WARNING light appeared leading to $6400 quote for repairs from BMW Seattle. BMW refused to do anything to make this right. They already know the thermostat is defective, so is the aux water pump, and the main water pump fails at only 60,000 miles. We could have been stranded on the side of the highway and these excessive repairs should all be covered under ... Read more

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Vehicle Safety

Consumer Safety

Infrastructure

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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