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 6,381 complaints for MINI
Incident date: May 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2010 Lexus ES350. The contact stated that he had noticed a sticky texture on the dashboard directly in the driver's view. The contact stated that while driving, the sticky texture reflected onto the windshield impairing his vision. The vehicle was taken to a local collision center. The mechanic confirmed that the dashboard was melting. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufactu... Read more
Incident date: Sep 18, 2023
Having taking the car in for routine service at the Audi dealership, it was discovered that the Right rear spring and lower perch were not in correct position. I had the car inspected by an auto body shop and was told that the perch is hanging down and the spring has tipped sideways. I am having the car flat bedded to the dealer in Hyannis and the next available date on the schedule for the car t... Read more
MINI
COOPER CLUBMAN
(2010) - ENGINE
Sep 17, 2023
Incident date: May 1, 2023
Stalling in the middle of highway twice
Incident date: Aug 10, 2023
Transmission lurches when stopped. Jerks hard enough to move forward. When accelerating, car slips and vibrates. Loses power posing a saftey hazard that is unsafe to drive car. Dealership confirmed its the Transmission dry plates on the DSG automatic transmission. Several times when I been at a red light with a car infront of me, I went to apply gas and the car revs then rapidly engages sometimes.... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2023
The Reverse camera unit is turning black and white often (while randomly it's switching to color). The sudden change in the image coloring is distracting me a lot while I'm driving. I had taken the vehicle back to dealership the immediate day after I bought my vehicle, they were able to reproduce it and asked me to leave the vehicle and after a week I was told the case is with Honda as there are m... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2023
All the brake lines rusted through where they were unprotected and inserted into body clips resulting in a complete loss of brake fluid and the inability to stop the vehicle.
Incident date: Mar 13, 2023
This is not a safety issue but a design issue. I am not sure who else could address this issue for a recall and make the company responsible for this design problem. I purchased a new Tesla Model 3 in August 2023 from Tesla. Since I bought this car, I have noticed that the edges of the windows have discolored. I recently contacted Tesla to have that repaired or corrected as part of the warranty. T... Read more
MINI
COOPER COUNTRYMAN
(2011) - POWER TRAIN
Sep 13, 2023
Incident date: Sep 6, 2023
-The transmission will, on occasion, shift hard and even slip to the point where it stops moving. -It is available for testing and inspection. -Our safety was jeopardized when, while making a left turn in a high traffic situation, the vehicle stopped moving when attempting to change gears. The rpm climbed significantly, but the vehicle slowed to a stop and finally the transmission re-engaged and ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 12, 2023
Headrest just popped open and deployed.
Incident date: Sep 12, 2023
GM has produced millions of vehicles with the 5.3 motor with AFM,DOD,VVT issues. They are well aware of this issue. The factory defect causes the lifters to collapse causing catastrophic engine failure. This posses a hazard to consumers in traffic trying to navigate their stalled vehicles off the roadways. GM customer service is rude and dismissive, furthermore they offer no assistance to fix thes... Read more
Incident date: Sep 12, 2023
Engine makes a whining sound when motor engages. 2 auto shops, including Ford dealership says it's a bad transmission. When I went online to see if others have had this problem, issue was confirmed that this is a common problem with this Hybrid. We bought this car brand new, have maintained it per manual at dealership. This should not happen with a car with only 112,000 miles. Lemon law?
Incident date: Sep 8, 2023
We tried to turn the vehicle OFF and it would not switch off. Literally we turned the key off but the motor kept running. We took it to a local mechanic who said the vehicle's wiring system has been melted and it would need to go to a dealer. Ford confirmed that the wiring harness melted and the vehicle's but the cause is unclear. Pictures show that the wiring got very hot, hot enough to melt ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 8, 2023
Transmission Control Module I was at an intersection when the TCM malfunctioned halfway through and I lost all power to my motor. I was pulling a large trailer and cross traffic had to slam on brakes to keep from hitting me. My truck will not move faster that a few miles an hour now that it is in limp mode. I am a police officer and I had an onboard diagnostic tool that showed that there was no... Read more
Incident date: Sep 8, 2023
Transmission Control Module I was at an intersection when the TCM malfunctioned halfway through and I lost all power to my motor. I was pulling a large trailer and cross traffic had to slam on brakes to keep from hitting me. My truck will not move faster that a few miles an hour now that it is in limp mode. I am a police officer and I had an onboard diagnostic tool that showed that there was no... Read more
MINI
COOPER COUNTRYMAN
(2012) - SERVICE BRAKES
Sep 6, 2023
Incident date: Sep 4, 2023
Service Electronic Brake system and ABS unavailable lights constantly. Brakes locked up while towing a trailer. This apparently is a known problem that Ram refuses to recall. $1500 to $1800 to fix a known faulty part is unreasonable and is going to make people choose to continue to drive with the warning light on because it is too expensive to repair.
MINI
COOPER COUNTRYMAN
(2012) - AIR BAGS
Sep 6, 2023
Incident date: Sep 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2006 BMW 530XI. The contact stated that the passenger’s side air bag warning light had remained illuminated for a month. The contact stated that two years ago he had a recall completed on the passenger’s side air bag. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The ... Read more
MINI
COOPER COUNTRYMAN
(2012) - ENGINE
Sep 6, 2023
Incident date: Sep 4, 2023
Heater coil hose leaking profusely. Common issue reported in 2013 Escape, yet no recall, why?
Incident date: Sep 4, 2023
Passenger Occupant Detection System to detect a malfunction and switch off the passenger airbag, even though the seat may be occupied. In a crash with frontal airbag deployment, there would be an increased risk of injury to the occupant seated in the front passenger seat if the passenger frontal airbag is switched off or not working. Our airbag warning light, comes on and off. This happens sporadi... Read more
Incident date: Jul 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the sunroof detached from the roof of the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not yet determined, and the vehicle was not yet repaired. The vehicle also experienced severe engine knocking and the vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the engine was faulty and needed to be replaced. T... Read more
Incident date: Aug 29, 2023
Upon exiting a parking lot at low speeds, the driver’s seat belt disengaged from the buckle. Despite multiple attempts to fasten the seat belt, it would not stay buckled throughout the drive, which was at speeds 40mph and below. Warning chimes sounded each time it unbuckled. It seems like a mechanical failure because the seat belt would become unbuckled if just a little force was applied to pull... Read more
Incident date: Aug 29, 2023
We’ve been using our Gold Revolve 360 car seat in rear facing for 14 months with our daughter who just turned two on August 19th. After normal wear, no car accidents and removing the carseat from the vehicle only a handful of times for sleepovers at grandparents and I’ve noticed a tear in the right strap, so bad that is nearly cut all the way through. This is toward the bottom where the strap ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 29, 2023
We’ve been using our Gold Revolve 360 car seat in rear facing for 14 months with our daughter who just turned two on August 19th. After normal wear, no car accidents and removing the carseat from the vehicle only a handful of times for sleepovers at grandparents and I’ve noticed a tear in the right strap, so bad that is nearly cut all the way through. This is toward the bottom where the strap ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 23, 2023
Rusted frame failed PA state inspection. This has been a well maintained vehicle and should not be experiencing that much corrosion.
Incident date: Aug 21, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 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: May 13, 2023
When the idle stop system is enabled in my vehicle, on 5 separate occasions, my car has stalled. Each situation happened when I was stopped at either a stop sign or traffic light. When I took my foot of the brake to go, the car shut off and took ~30 seconds before I was able to turn the engine back on and go. I took my car to the Honda dealer and they were unable to determine the cause of the pr... Read more
Incident date: Aug 25, 2023
Total transmission failure resulting in sudden loss of forward gears. Cruise control and all other drivers assist aides disabled and loss of any forward acceleration while driving highway speeds. Unable to drive forward at all. Known manufacturer issue. No prior warning or indicator lights until total failure. Problem confirmed by dealer. Family endangered when truck traveling on multi lane highwa... Read more
Incident date: Aug 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while pulling out of the driveway and shifting into drive (D), the vehicle started lunging and jerking. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle responded as needed as she continued driving. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times while driving. The vehicle was taken to AutoZon... Read more
Incident date: Aug 4, 2023
Out of no where and without warning, the steering wheel pulls in opposite direction and stability control light turns green and stays on the dashboard. Cannot move steering wheel. Simultaneously, the HD radio will get very staticy and abruptly shut off. After about a minute, the radio will come back on and the steering no longer has that pressure. It is terrifying.The car has less than 100 miles o... Read more
Incident date: Aug 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and stated that the catalytic converter and the engine needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the remedy for NHTSA Campaig... Read more
MINI
COOPER S CLUBMAN
(2010) - ENGINE
Aug 28, 2023
Incident date: Aug 28, 2023
Truck is a diesel. Fuel pump blew up and died in the middle of the street. Now I'm being told the Fuel system needs completely re done and will cost me 10g. I also found a lawsuit for this issue as well.
Incident date: Aug 28, 2023
Left Driver door making popping sound when opening or closing due to spot welds failing. Left Driver door has no catch when opening until door is completely open. Left Driver door electronics affected due to spot welds failing this includes window up/down function and locking/unlocking. Claim filed with Ford customer concern and spoke to dealer. Ford wants $2600.00 to repair and will contribute $9... Read more
Incident date: Aug 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Dodge Journey. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the adaptive cruise control (ACC) mode failed to disengage as intended and several unknown warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the windshield wipers engaged unintendedly and remained engaged after the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was pushed to the side of the road. The contact's husband disconnecte... Read more
MINI
COOPER CLUBMAN
(2014) - POWER TRAIN
Aug 25, 2023
Incident date: Aug 25, 2023
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled without warning. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence and then towed to a transmission specialist to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced; however, the contact was informed by the technici... Read more
MINI
COUNTRYMAN
(2016) - FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Aug 22, 2023
Incident date: Jul 24, 2023
The vehicle automatically lost power, shut down, and came to a complete stop in the middle of the road. During the shut down, I was unable to accelerate, brake, or steer the vehicle to the side of the road to a safe stopping location. The vehicle computer appeared to take over and shut down the vehicle and I was unable to stop it from happening. I was informed by the dealer that the issue was ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 21, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed down a steep driveway, upon depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to come to a complete stop. The driver was able to bring the vehicle to a complete stop by shifting into park. The hill stop control and ABS warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but wa... Read more
Incident date: Aug 15, 2023
i BOUGHT A 2016 kIA sOUL WITH 52.000 MILES ON IT SOME TIMES WHEN I PUT IT IN dRIVE IT BACKS UP.
Incident date: Jul 17, 2023
While diving down a busy highway, the vehicle's check engine light came on with no notice and my daughter lost acceleration and then the vehicle "died" while driving on this busy highway. The steering locked up. She had a hard time getting it to the side of the road. It was a very dangerous situation. If this would have happened a couple days later while driving on the interstate, it could hav... Read more
MINI
COOPER S CLUBMAN
(2009) - SUSPENSION
Aug 16, 2023
Incident date: Aug 15, 2023
As I review events in chronological order, I see that a possible disconnect might be caused by clumping the symptoms together and treating as the “death wobble,” when in fact I may be experiencing two separate issues, the first being a failed steering damper and the second being caused by possible bad ball joint[s]. I first started to experience an issue around 7,000 miles in where the Jeep wo... Read more
Incident date: Aug 14, 2023
The car was not unlocking using the keyfob, it was required to log into the phone app in order to unlock a reconfigure the key. There was no sign of trouble, it would seem as if the vehicle had lost connection with the key fob.
Incident date: Jul 1, 2023
For the past three months, in increasing frequency, whenever parking, firm pressure on brake pedal engages sudden burst of acceleration, with engine loudly revving at 1000 revs or higher (audibly beyond the cabin to passers by on the street), that lurches vehicle forward.Within close spaces of parking garage pillars or walls or while parallel parking this is a hazard and threatens sudden accident ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2023
The safety chains are welded to the trailer frame in a place that causes the chains to become bound and are eating each other apart after only about 1000 miles on the road. Grand Design refuses to acknowledge their design flaw. I have to spend money to make this safe.
MINI
COUNTRYMAN
(2020) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Aug 14, 2023
Incident date: May 13, 2021
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The contact stated that after the dealer performed the recall repair under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V560000 (Electrical System), the new battery charge range allowed for up to 90 miles, whereas the older battery allowed for up to 150 miles before recharging. Additionally, the new battery failed to retain a complete charge, with the "Unable to Charge" mess... Read more
MINI
COUNTRYMAN
(2020) - STEERING
Aug 14, 2023
Incident date: May 13, 2021
I was driving along & all of a sudden my car under side make a funny sound and stopped moving forward. I am a single mother & I had my 4 year old son with me. I had to call a tow company & they took it to a repair shop. They charged me $100 to tell me the transmission was gone & metal pieces were in the transmission. Now I have tried to get it fixed because the rest of my car looks NEW. I REALLY T... Read more
Incident date: Aug 14, 2023
I was attempting to adjust the recline angle on the car seat in my husband’s car to match on daughter new weight category of over 20 pounds. When I went to adjust it I realized it only locks in positions 1 and 5. Neither of these is the appropriate angle. I have contacted the manufacturer. I have also learned apparently this is a common and know problem with this car seat model and the manufactu... Read more
Incident date: Aug 14, 2023
I was attempting to adjust the recline angle on the car seat in my husband’s car to match on daughter new weight category of over 20 pounds. When I went to adjust it I realized it only locks in positions 1 and 5. Neither of these is the appropriate angle. I have contacted the manufacturer. I have also learned apparently this is a common and know problem with this car seat model and the manufactu... Read more
Incident date: Aug 14, 2023
I was attempting to adjust the recline angle on the car seat in my husband’s car to match on daughter new weight category of over 20 pounds. When I went to adjust it I realized it only locks in positions 1 and 5. Neither of these is the appropriate angle. I have contacted the manufacturer. I have also learned apparently this is a common and know problem with this car seat model and the manufactu... Read more
Incident date: Jul 20, 2023
Excessive oil consumption, vehicle hesitate and sputters when attempting to enter into traffic. Spark plugs expire early. We've been dealing with this worsening issue for 40k miles. My wife no longer feels safe driving this car. Dealership could not recreate the problem. They likely know what the problem is.
Incident date: Aug 7, 2023
Car has a steering/pull issue. Car will pull to the right when driving on a flat straight road. Steering wheel will tighten up and then the pull starts to occur. Resistance must be applied in order to keep the car on the road. The lane keep safety feature has to be turned completely off or car will jerk back due to the pull issue. The pull issue becomes more noticeable after taking right turns. Ca... Read more
Incident date: Aug 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while parked in the driveway, the key fob was left in the cupholder, and the contact went to unlock the vehicle, and all the doors were inadvertently locked. The Police were called to assist in unlocking the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the battery and the key fob were replaced. After the battery and key fob were r... Read more
Incident date: Aug 2, 2023
ABS and hydraulic module going bad. While driving down the road truck with say service ABS System and hydraulic brakes. Took truck to repair shop to have wheel speed sensors checked by a scanning machine and informed me that the ABS and hydraulic module is going bad.