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: Jun 6, 2023
The BMW 650i Gran Coupe experienced a trunk release failure on 6/4/2023. The emergency release handle is in the very rear of the trunk. The only release levers to fold the seats down are also in the very rear of the trunk. The only way to access the trunk is thru a small opening behind the armrest. With a loaded trunk there is no reasonable way to open the trunk once the electronic release syste... Read more
Incident date: Jun 8, 2023
My Vehicle is about 2 months old and the windshield is cracked. Its very concerning because it seems as though the windshield is very fragile and this is a huge safety issue for myself as well as others who get into my vehicle. I took my vehicle to Kia and expressed my concerns and problem and they told me that the issue was not covered by Warranty.
MINI
COUNTRYMAN
(2014) - FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Jun 5, 2023
Incident date: May 5, 2023
I was driving on Interstate 25 north towards Santa Fe NM at about 75mph with the cruise control engaged. The car abruptly slowed down to about 60 mph for no apparent reason. The slow down was so quick that passengers were pushed forward in their seats. This has happened before when cruise control was engaged. I had hoped that this was resolved by Tesla. There was not any vehicles in front of me fo... Read more
Incident date: May 31, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon opening the driver's side, the door fractured. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the spot weld on the driver's side door had fractured from the inside. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and provided a case number. ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Ram 1500. The contact stated he was unable to start the vehicle. The contact stated that he was able to jumpstart the vehicle. The contact stated while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufa... Read more
Incident date: May 31, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V215000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms pa... Read more
Incident date: May 13, 2023
Driving down the freeway smoke started coming out of the hood of the car and into the cabin, no warnings or warning lights of any kind, got the car to the Mazda dealer to be inspected. The dealer told me it was 5 months out of warranty and would not be covered its a cracked cylinder head and oil had dripped/leaked onto the manifold causing the smoke. No smoke was coming from the exhaust so the cra... Read more
MINI
COUNTRYMAN
(2014) - AIR BAGS
May 30, 2023
Incident date: May 26, 2023
The airbag warning light has come on. An independent shop and the dealer say the repair is $4500 or more -- greater than the value of the vehicle, because Nissan only sells the complete passenger seat as a repair part, and requires the airbag be paired with the car at the dealer. I ask that this situation be resolved by Nissan making just the seat cushion available as a repair part, as they have... Read more
Incident date: May 24, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while parked, he attempted to access the trunk of the vehicle, and upon depressing the trunk release, he heard clicking, but the trunk failed to open. Upon investigation, the contact noticed that the trunk appeared stuck or jammed, with no external damages observed. A month prior to the trunk malfunction, the contact noticed unspecified... Read more
MINI
COUNTRYMAN
(2014) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 30, 2023
Incident date: May 17, 2023
While driving on a highway my sunroof randomly shattered. There were barely any cars around me. Nothing his my sunroof it just shattered randomly.
Incident date: May 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V162000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulics) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The cont... Read more
Incident date: Apr 11, 2022
The right camera and coax cable have gone bad. The coax cable is corroded and have water inside the camera. This is affect the car to use cruise control and the auto steer function.
Incident date: May 1, 2022
paint coming off. peeling, flaking
Incident date: May 1, 2022
The airconditioning system has quit working. The item has not been inspected by a dealer or mechanic.
MINI
COOPER CLUBMAN
(2010) - STEERING
May 8, 2023
Incident date: Jan 1, 2020
Steering wheel feels like it’s getting stuck when going above 45mph, takes extra force to get it to move and when it does it jerks the car
Incident date: Dec 1, 2022
Trailer brake service indication comes on constantly and cannot see speed use the radio or make a call. Already have changed the switch that they say is the problem, did not fix issues. Other mechanics on the internet are saying it's a wire harness between the switch and the module this needs to be replaced due to poor quality. We'll have a professional mechanic assess this but it looks like it's ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 7, 2013
Backup camera not working. Get black screen with only the yellow lines to denote distance but no camera picture.
MINI
COOPER COUNTRYMAN
(2011) - STEERING
May 2, 2023
Incident date: Apr 24, 2023
The power steering stopped working while driving in 2019. The steering wheel jolted 1-2", the EPS light blinked and then remained lit. Maintaining control of the vehicle was strenuous, making it impossible to quickly maneuver, especially at low speeds. Safety of the driver and others on the roadways was negatively impacted by the sudden malfunction. The power steering became intermittent while d... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2023
Hello, I recently drove 600 miles and experienced numerous random, frightening and dangerous occurrences of "phantom braking" while in cruise control mode. The car suddenly slammed on the brakes (I could hear the tires screech) while the highway was almost always completely empty, and always completely devoid of any potential danger. In three occurrences, the car was confused by something physica... Read more
Incident date: Apr 22, 2023
Car started displaying all Mill lights in the message center, including “lane assist disabled,” “stability control arm needs servicing,” “traction control unavailable,” and others. After about 3-5 seconds of rapid fire messages being displayed, the car made a “shutting down noise” and then died on the side of the road. Had it towed to a dealership.
Incident date: Mar 23, 2023
The front suspension has problem I noticed recently the sway bar and front studs of the car is not reliable and also the fuel tank also has issue even if the tank is not fuel it refuses to take more fuel
Incident date: Mar 23, 2023
The front suspension has problem I noticed recently the sway bar and front studs of the car is not reliable and also the fuel tank also has issue even if the tank is not fuel it refuses to take more fuel
Incident date: Mar 23, 2022
I was driving speed limit, on a sunny day, when my car began to veer to the left. I eased back into the right lane and suddenly the car made a quick jerk to the left; then, another to the right. I slid on the bank and missed the ditch before becoming airborne and landing in a corn field. I was able to drive to a safe location when the traction control light appeared on the dashboard.
Crash
Incident date: Mar 23, 2022
After turning left at a stop sign I lost the ability to turn the wheels right. The steering wheel turns all the way to the right however the wheels stop in the straight position. I am however able to turn the all the way to the left.
Incident date: Mar 23, 2022
I only had 77k miles on my fiesta and always well maintained. The transmission system had an internal transmission failure and I was told it would cost $8600 to fix so I had to get a new car. 77k is very low for transmission issues. I called ford and they said only one part within the transmission was recalled so they couldn’t do anything about it. It’s very disheartening that 2011 was a year ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 2, 2023
The air bag light flashing saying airbag is off. The electrical system shut off, radio flashed on and off. The steering lost its power and the head lights shut off then everything would come back on. This happened multiple times, I could not control the steering, very unsafe and scary. Car is available for inspection upon request.
Incident date: Apr 2, 2023
The air bag light flashing saying airbag is off. The electrical system shut off, radio flashed on and off. The steering lost its power and the head lights shut off then everything would come back on. This happened multiple times, I could not control the steering, very unsafe and scary. Car is available for inspection upon request.
Incident date: Feb 6, 2023
225/45/17 - Tire had a blowout. The tire had multiple bulges on the side wall. The tire was flat and would not hold air.
Incident date: Apr 7, 2023
While driving, the transmission gave out. There was no prior indication of any issue - no warning light and no different noise. The car wouldn't change gears, which was an extremely dangerous situation in traffic. This transmission is "supposed" to be so good that there isn't a way to even check the transmission oil - there is no dipstick. Dodge claims that the oil doesn't need to be checked, ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 7, 2023
Glue from radio screen melts off in hot weather causing delamination which then causing the radio screen to do whatever it wants. Will have gps on then will go to radio screen or any other screen will even turn on heated seats or steering will on it’s one because the screen is messed up
Incident date: Mar 25, 2023
The vehicle shakes, stalls shuts off when filling up with gas. Once gas is added, you have to keep the feet on the gas (reveing up to ensure it starts), then drive to get the gas flowing into the engine. The vehicle was taken for diagnostic with an Auto Zone and a mechanic and the codes pulled (more than once) was...P1450 and P2196. This was brought to the attention of dealer at time of purchase... Read more
Incident date: Jan 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently decelerated and lost motive power; however, the vehicle remained running. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was then able to coast the vehicle off the road and the vehicle stopped. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed... Read more
Incident date: Feb 8, 2023
Was driving one night and out of nowhere the car started to change gears hard no warning lights came on then the car just cut off so started it back it cut off and I started it back again drove home fine next time I went to get in it the check engine light came on now the car won't even start and I have taken it to 2 shops and they said that they are having a hard time pin pointing what it could b... Read more
Incident date: Mar 10, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the power steering intermittently failed with the power steering warning symbol displayed on the instrument panel. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was instructed to take the vehicle to a dealer. The contact was informed that the manufacturer would reimburse for any repairs to the... Read more
MINI
COUNTRYMAN
(2017) - ENGINE
Mar 31, 2023
Incident date: Mar 22, 2023
This manual car puts itself into limp mode any time the engine is killed (If you drop the clutch too quickly because it is a manual transmission) while driving it. Once it is in limp mode (restricted speed and power to protect the engine) it must be pulled over and turned off for at least 15 seconds before restarting the vehicle to reset the computer and get it out of limp mode. This is a huge saf... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2023
Fuel Pump Power Control Module failed. My daughter was driving down Carpenter Road in Ypsilanti Michigan when the vehicle stalled and would not start. This is a VERY busy four lane road. The police showed up and helped push her out of the way. Yes, the problem has been confirmed by the dealer. The dealer replaced the part but how do I know that the part is not faulty as well as it appears tha... Read more
Incident date: Mar 27, 2023
I have been contacting Hyundai since before November 2022 on an issue with the engine. At this point, the engine was spuddering, hard to acclerate, lags, shuts off yet no warning lights were on. I was told about the engine recall which is why I went there. Set an appt and when I got in, he said it does not SOUND like a rod knock and sent me home even though there is an active recall on the car ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact stated that while reversing the vehicle, there was an abnormal loud squeaking sound coming from the rear end of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed of an unknown TSB related to the failure. The failure mileage was 4,600.
Incident date: Mar 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-53. The contact received recall notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V731000 (Suspension), 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 exp... Read more
Incident date: Mar 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. The contact veered to the side of the road before the vehicle ceased. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and continued driving to his residence at low speed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed th... Read more
Incident date: Mar 8, 2023
The acceleration of the vehicle from a stop. Whether from a stop sign, stop light, even sometimes after slowing down after a turn. It hesitates while the gas pedal is still being applied. Causing the vehicle to slow and other vehicles are forced to brake. The engine does not rev and the tachometer does not move. There are no warnings lights or vehicle notifications. After several attempts to bring... Read more
Incident date: Mar 16, 2022
The brakes on this Ram Promaster 2500 failed 100 percent with the pedal going to the floor and not returning upwards. This occurred without warning. The drivers' safety and the safety of cross traffic were at extreme risk. With no brakes, the vehicle crossed through a T intersection and came to an abrupt stop after crossing a ditch and then becoming lodged into a concrete drainage structure. T... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Dec 19, 2022
On 3/8/23 I was attempting to turn around on a residential street. I put my car in reverse and started turning steering wheel to the right when suddenly there was a loud pop and my steering wheel tighted up and I could barely turn it. IThen when I put in drive it stated rattling everywhere. I almost hit another car trying to turn in a drive cause couldn't turn. With in an hour the check engine pow... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Feb 27, 2022
Today I start my 2022 F150 Hybrid and I got a loud beep like something didn't work, and then the speaker started screaming at more than 100decibel. It was so loud I couldn't stay inside for more than 10s. I still feel sick after 30 min. I tried to stop / restart the car, the noise continues. I had to wait 30 min and when I re-started the noise stopped. I am VERY concerned about this problem rega... Read more
1 injured
MINI
COOPER CONVERTIBLE
(2005) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 8, 2023
Incident date: Mar 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Cadillac XT5. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering power reduced warning message was displayed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred her to the local dealer for assistance. The contact was also informed that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had not experienced a power steeri... Read more
Incident date: May 20, 2019
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Terrain. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V137000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of ... Read more
MINI
COOPER S CONVERTIBLE
(2010) - FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Feb 28, 2023
Incident date: Jan 2, 2023
On February, Friday 17th, 2023 around 10:15pm on 287 exit ramp towards rte 78 west , a truck with a flatbed suddenly went from right to left but the car failed to detect that and we almost collide into the back of it. Collision was avoided only by driver reaction. All collision warning systems failed to detect the situation. Still this is the same behavior we have seen since we bought the car. The... Read more
Incident date: Feb 26, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Palisade. The contact stated that while driving in snowy and freezing weather the windshield wipers became inoperable due to an accumulation of snow and ice at the bottom of the windshield. The driver had to open the hood to remove the ice in order to allow the wipers to function. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 17, 2023
Backup camera works intermittently
Incident date: Jan 1, 2023
I was driving on State Road 426 in Florida at 40 MPH. The weather was cool and sunny with light traffic on the roadway on both sides of the median. Suddenly, the vehicle “Hard-braked” on its own while my foot was on the gas pedal. The brake action lasted about two seconds and luckily the car behind me was not following too close or it would have rear-ended us.