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: Oct 19, 2022

The dealership told me that the sensor I read that was a recall wasn't covered because my vin wasn't on the list of re-calls. I looked up what auto zone pulled up as the code and pretty sure it was the fuel filter valve. But after taking it to our regular mechanic he replaced a line in the engine area that connect beside the battery going to the air filter area looks like a long black hose and the... Read more

Incident date: Jan 21, 2020

Received a warning on vehicle. However when diagnostics were run through the Ford's onboard system everything came back as normal. Went to find out what code was appearing. The code stated that the spark plugs needed to be replaced. Had all four replaced, but noticed that the coolant level had dropped off suddenly without warning, no notification notice in car, and the only reason I found out ... Read more

Incident date: Dec 11, 2023

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (Air Bags) 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 contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. VIN tool confirms parts n... Read more

Incident date: Jul 4, 2023

Dealing with intermittent service brake system messages for over a year now. Light is constant now which means my ABS / anti skid/ and cruise control no longer function. Believe this is the ongoing HCU / ABS module known issue. Frustrating going into the winter months with such a heavy vehicle and loss of safety feature with no fix from Ram.

Incident date: Jul 4, 2023

Incident date: Dec 25, 2023

i own a 2011 chevy impala 4 door that has a very serious engine issue. I was on my way home and suddenly the service stability trac, and check engine light came on, then the message center displayed reduced engine power and low oil pressure then the engine shut off. I tried to restart the vehicle and it would not restart. I got it towed to a parking lot where it sat over night then it would restar... Read more

Incident date: Dec 8, 2023

A few years ago, my 2016 Hyundai Elantra hatch stopped opening. The hatch lever next to the drivers seat as well as the key fob button stopped working. I know there was a trunk latch recall number 208 from Oct. 2021. Hyundai told me there’s nothing I can do about it. I haven’t been able to get into my trunk for 3 years.

Incident date: Dec 8, 2023

Recall number N232404980 has not been resolved yet on my 2016 GMC Acadia. Have not been contacted since the first letter from the manufacturer was sent out. Anytime I ask a dealership if the recall can be fixed I'm always told they are unable to get the part.

Incident date: Sep 25, 2023

Head light brightness detiorates over time to the point that entire assembly must be replaced for $2000 or more Common problem with cadillac suv for several years.

Incident date: Aug 3, 2023

At approximately 104 miles into a recent trip in our RV, while traveling at highway speed under cruise control, we noticed a strange odor. Almost at the same moment we immediately lost engine and braking power. The check engine light came on. We then noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment and noxious fumes had begun to enter the cabin area. After pulling to the side of the highway by use... Read more

Fire

Incident date: Dec 22, 2023

Fire

Incident date: Dec 22, 2023

No warning lights. Around 10k miles my car began being hard to steer, requiring more force on the highway to maintain the wheel. It was sticking. I took it to the honda dealership who told me nothing is wrong with the car and did nothing about it. It is under warranty. I feel unsafe when driving at high speeds and being able to maintain my lane.

Incident date: Dec 22, 2023

* What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? (Exhaust manifold. yes.) * How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? (Risk of Fire, reduced engine performance and reduce vehicle's ability to respond promptly to driver inputs, Squealing sound causing distracting driver, Carbon monoxide exposure causing others put at risk.) * Has ... Read more

Incident date: Dec 1, 2023

re-open it again with the Key Fob. Sometimes it takes a while for the car to unlock. I've been having issues charging the vehicle since Day 1 of purchased since the computer in the vehicle is not able to communicate from time to time with the Electrify America charging stations for plug and charge. I will need to call in to Electrify America charging stations so they can do an override to be a... Read more

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Dec 1, 2023

The backup camera intermittently does not engage, instead only displaying the stock car silhouette, without any camera footage of the current surroundings. This prevents the driver from being able to see anything behind the car and presents a safety hazard when backing up. It presents an additional distraction hazard because it requires the driver to either manually engage the camera using the veh... Read more

Incident date: Dec 1, 2023

desconocidos

Crash Fire

Incident date: Dec 19, 2023

The ESP®, or Electronic Stability Control system can put the car into limp mode unexpectedly. Say you are driving on route 66 going 50 mph. The ESP system can turn off if a wheel speed sensor or yaw sensor is on the way out. This causes the car to suddenly dramatically brake and limit speed to 5 mph on the highway. Risk of high speed rear end collision and mortality to the driver.

Incident date: Dec 19, 2023

Transmission is very laggy when stepping on gas pedal causing late takeoffs. It may damage internals. Also very hard shifting at certain speeds

Incident date: Dec 19, 2023

The abs light blinks and sounder beeps on and off intermittently while driving and the cruise control does not stay functioning when this occurs.

Incident date: Nov 27, 2023

For about a month, the car is pausing for a second or two during acceleration. The car was brought for service to Great Lakes Hyundai of Columbus (Ohio) on 12/19/2023. This is diagnosis and remediation that was offered: Needs immediate attention 1 of 5 services Related requested service [Primary]: 10HYZ06 - C/S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CHECK AND ADVISE: C/S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CHECK AND ADVISE CHECK EN... Read more

Incident date: Nov 3, 2023

Excessive oil consumption Engine light stays on. Noise in Engine GDI 2.4

Incident date: Nov 3, 2023

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at approximately 5 MPH, the vehicle lunged into gear and shuddered before moving forward. The contact stated that the failure occurred whenever the accelerator pedal was depressed while driving forward. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was d... Read more

Incident date: Dec 18, 2023

When stopping for traffic or at a light and accelerating for take off the car has a delay. It does nothing. It’s a 2sec delay that will be deadly to someone.

Incident date: Dec 21, 2023

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that upon attempting to open the sunroof, the roof became stuck in place and rolled back halfway. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where a diagnostic test showed that the rails connected to the sunroof were defective. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed. Th... Read more

Incident date: Jan 1, 2020

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle the Electronic Power Steering had malfunctioned and the steering wheel was difficult to turn in either direction. After restarting the vehicle the failure had self corrected and the vehicle operated as normal. The failure was intermittent but eventually the failure became a permanent problem. The vehicle was ... Read more

Incident date: Dec 21, 2023

The contact owns a 2015 Kia K900. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) 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 and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufa... Read more

Incident date: Aug 21, 2023

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH the engine began to smoke. The engine light was illuminated at the time of the failure. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure. The engine was replaced. The contact then stated that 4 months after while driving the contact was depressing the accelerat... Read more

Incident date: Nov 3, 2023

The contact’s grandmother owns a 2018 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving up a hill, the vehicle started sputtering, vibrating, and jerking. The sputtering was severe, causing the front driver's side seat belt to be activated. The vehicle was immediately driven to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet rep... Read more

Incident date: Nov 27, 2023

So thanks to YOUR interference my Autopilot on my Tesla is broken... You guys THINK you are making our cars safer by getting your controlling poorly educated stupid hands into Tesla systems that are DESIGNED TO BE MORE SAFE. On paper Tesla Autopilot is factually proven to be more safe than a human driver, these reports are publicly available perhaps your team was too lazy to read them. My car d... Read more

Incident date: Sep 5, 2023

I was driving the vehicle and stopped at a Sonic drive thru. I shifted the car into park and I began to hear a very loud creaking noise. When I shifted the car into drive, the car wouldn’t move. I called a Firestone mechanic and he concluded that it was the CV belt that is connected to the transmission. Regardless, only a transmission shop could handle this issue. I called CARMAX AUTO, and spoke... Read more

Incident date: Nov 27, 2023

A hole the size of a quarter suddenly blew out of the inside section of the metal wheel while driving 65 mph, and the tire instantly went flat. There was nothing in or on the road, no prior accidents that may have damaged the wheel, and there was no existing or resulting damage to the tire. Thankfully the wheel was on the rear passenger side. If it had been on the front end, the driver most lik... Read more

Incident date: Oct 31, 2023

Electric Power Steering failure

Incident date: Dec 6, 2023

Forward-looking camera image processing moduel A malfunction

Incident date: Jan 10, 2022

Block cracked internally inside cylinder number 2 causing a misfire, white smoke on start up, coolant lose, and overheating. Problem is called coolant intrusion. Safety is at risk is the car dies on the interstate. It has a check engine light for misfire on cylinder 2. Ford is aware of this problem but says my vin is not affected by this problem even though I have this problem.

Incident date: Dec 6, 2023

The contact's daughter owns a 2022 Jeep Wrangler. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V787000 (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 manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. V... Read more

Incident date: Dec 15, 2023

Driver side door quit working, the awelding on the arm is bad. Effects door opening and shutting and window going down.

Incident date: Dec 4, 2023

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the driver's side door was making an abnormal clicking sound while being opened. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the door check strap on the weld had separated. The mechanic informed the contact that the door could drop and not close properly. The vehicle wa... Read more

Incident date: Nov 27, 2023

I am writing to bring to your attention a matter of significant concern regarding the transmission system in Ford Focus vehicles, and I kindly request that you consider issuing a recall for the affected models. I am the owner of a Ford Focus [2017], and unfortunately, I have experienced a critical issue with the transmission. After conducting thorough research, it has come to my attention that a ... Read more

Incident date: Dec 18, 2023

The vehicle constantly loses power no matter the repairs I’ve came to notice it starts this during winter season

Incident date: Dec 18, 2023

Sudden loss of engine power and the loss of oil pressure indicator came on.

Incident date: Dec 18, 2023

Sudden loss of engine power and the loss of oil pressure indicator came on.

Incident date: Dec 15, 2023

While trying to accelerate from a stop, the vehicle electrical system turned off the vehicle and turned back on. When turning back on, it flashed through a series of error messages. One time was while in stop and go traffic and I was able to coast onto the shoulder and restart the vehicle. A second incident was in the middle of a busy intersection. Having had this shut down before, I was able to q... Read more

Incident date: Nov 3, 2023

Anti-lock break system malfunctioning. This module has already been replaced once in 2021 by a dealership. Now the module is malfunctioning again and needs to be replaced. This affects the trucks traction control system and cruise control. Meaning the vehicle will slide during winter/rainy weather. There are to warning lights that come on on the dash warning you that this system is malfunctioning.

Incident date: Sep 6, 2021

The TRUNK will not open. It is supposed to open by pressing the button on the key fob or taking the thin key out of the key fob and manually open the truck with the keyed lock. Neither method works. There is absolutely no way to open the trunk otherwise (i.e. inside button or lever). When the key fob button and the thin key do not work there is absolutely no way to open the truck. There is no way... Read more

Incident date: Sep 6, 2021

There is a common issue with these year model Sorentos that poses a dangerous safety hazard for those in the car as well as others on the road. This model has a manufacturers defect that causes the head bolts to strip from the block, causing overheating engine, power loss, and other symptoms. A car that overheats and has these symptoms while on the road could cause a fire, cause hot steam or coola... Read more

Incident date: Sep 6, 2021

Been dealing with oil issues for over a year. With a closely monitored oil level the car engine blew a hole and is now not drivable. There was never a low oil light or any warning.

Incident date: Dec 16, 2023

Vehicle headlight burned out while driving at night time reduced visibility. Upon inspection found the headlight wires insulation located behind the passenger's light bulb connector melted/burnt causing short circuit. Temporary fixing it with an electrical tape.

Incident date: Dec 16, 2023

Hev is not working happened 2 two times already

Incident date: Dec 16, 2023

Hev is not working happened 2 two times already

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Vehicle Safety

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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