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 97,402 complaints for NISSAN

Incident date: Jan 1, 2026

WHO WAS INVOLVED: Driver/owner of a 2026 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL-R Line Turbo WHAT HAPPENED: While reversing into a parking spot, the vehicle stopped unexpectedly with no obstruction present. Driver held the brake and shifted to Drive; the vehicle stopped again, then shifted itself into Park and engaged the electronic parking brake without driver input. Driver had to shift to Drive again to get the... Read more

Incident date: Jul 15, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument panel went blank. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V741000 (Electrical System) and 26V328000 (Air Bags). The vehicle was driven to a local dealer, who later informed the contact that the recall repair for NHTSA Campaign Number: 25... Read more

Incident date: Jul 21, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, the engine seized. The hybrid engine message was displayed. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road and parked. The contact stated that while attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle started. The contact reset the instrument cluster. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while driving on... Read more

Incident date: Jun 26, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V123000 (Back Over Prevention). The vehicle failed to connect or communicate with the computer and module. The dealer informed the contact about a possible diagnostic test. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and advised the... Read more

Incident date: Jul 14, 2026

The contact owned a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact experienced a medical emergency and the vehicle crashed into a tree. The air bags deployed as needed. The contact and wife who was seated in the front passenger seat, were transported to the local medical center. The contact was unconscious when transported. The contact sustained inju... Read more

Crash 2 injured

Incident date: Jul 20, 2025

I was traveling on the DC beltway (interstate), it was raining and the temp was in the low 50s. The vehicle in front of me hit their brakes pretty hard. I started braking firmly myself. I heard an alarm sound and I believe the anti-lock braking activated, and the van began automatically braking itself. I was brought to a complete stop on the interstate by the van. The vehicle ahead of me accelerat... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Jul 24, 2026

While driving and everything is going along fine it will suddenly jerk and make a sound as if I've been hit behind. I'm not sure if it's part of the detached shift cables or transmission or something else. Sometimes it will jerk violently while going uphill also.

Incident date: May 15, 2026

I’m [XXX] with health issues and my mother is [XXX] we bought a car at ( Drive Time ) hoping we would get a good car to go to the dr , I have a [XXX] I can’t afford it though,in my opinion I felt drive time took advantage of us because I look Mexican and indigenous, they sold us a bad car where the engine was bad , as soon as I drove it there’s was a smell I didn’t think k anything about i... Read more

Incident date: Aug 12, 2024

Had a coffee spill while driving down the road. It shorted out my driving shifter. It immediately triggered a cvt transmission code. I am now worried that im going to have an electrical fire. I took my suv to the shop and they replaced it at a cost of $1200. They blame me for spilling the coffee. I don't understand why you would put something like that next to a cup holder and not have it protecte... Read more

Incident date: May 1, 2026

Since about 80,000 miles my escape has been jerky when shifting in low gears and hesitates to accelerate or accelerates slow putting me and other drivers at risk. I have taken it to ford several times and each time they fixed something but not the problem. They replaced my rear differential, alternator, compressor and AWD module. Also they have done transmission fluid exchanges and updates on the ... Read more

Incident date: May 1, 2026

2018 Mercedes C300 - a hole rusted through the rear subframe causing structural safety concerns. This car has been routinely washed weekly and the frame should not have rusted through within only 8 years. This also led to a large repair bill.

Incident date: Jul 19, 2026

Premature valve cover gasket oil leak and rear shock absorber oil leak at 43,818 miles At 43,818 miles on 04/25/2026, Acura dealer documented on RO XXX: "Valve cover gasket leaking - Recommend replacement $500+Tax" and "Rear Shock/Strut starting to leak oil residue $435.64". This is premature failure. Valve cover oil leak can cause engine fire hazard - oil leaking onto hot exhaust. Rear shock o... Read more

Incident date: Feb 15, 2024

Failure of Torque Converter. Transmission flushed. May or may not work. Retest after 200 miles. If failure continues, replace entire Torque Converter.

Incident date: Jul 12, 2026

Rear back up camera intermittent with blank screen and occasional message on screen “camera not available” when in reverse. Automatic backup anti colision braking not functioning when camera not showing rear picture When signaling to change lanes, audio and mirror lighted warning signal not warning adjacent vehicle in danger zone NTSB web site list July 2026 recall for 16 vehicles in model yea... Read more

Incident date: Jul 12, 2026

Incident date: Jul 21, 2026

The instrument cluster in my 2021 Mazda CX-3 failed at approximately 50,000 miles. While driving, the vehicle displayed multiple warning lights, including Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Smart City Brake Support (SCBS), traction control, and front camera/safety system warnings. These safety systems became unavailable due to the instrument cluster failure. An authorized Mazda dealership inspected... Read more

Incident date: Jul 21, 2026

Incident date: Jul 19, 2026

Sun roof exploded while we were driving along on the interstate.

Incident date: Jul 23, 2026

With increasing frequency, at seemingly any condition or speed, a cluster of dashboard warnings, including power steering EPS, ABS, tire pressure TPMS, and others, flash on and stay on. Shortly after, the warnings appear power steering assist fails completely. This leads to uneasy and potentially dangerous circumstances as the car becomes minimally controllable as the physical effort required to m... Read more

Incident date: Jul 23, 2026

While the vehicle’s idle stop feature was engaged at a stop light, I took my foot off the brake to start moving again, but instead of starting again, the engine hard stopped and the van turned off completely. It told me to push the brake and start button to start it again but it took trying that several times and eventually holding the brake and start button down before it actually turned back o... Read more

Incident date: Jul 22, 2026

SEVERE THROTTLE DELAY & UNPREDICTABLE ACCELERATION When applying pressure to the accelerator pedal at intersections or traffic lights, there is a substantial "dead zone" delay where the vehicle fails to respond or move forward. To prompt movement in normal traffic flow, I am forced to depress the accelerator pedal to the floor. Once the engine computer responds, the vehicle suddenly lunges forward... Read more

Incident date: Jul 22, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the instrument panel failed to display critical safety information as intended. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local Midas, where the battery was replaced; however, the failure persisted, and the vehicle was diagnosed and determined to need a new instrument panel. The lo... Read more

Incident date: May 20, 2026

The contact owns a 2026 Forest River Sabre RV. The contact stated that on several occasions, the main entry door failed to open while attempting to enter or exit the vehicle. During the most recent issue, the contact was trapped inside the camper and was unable to exit through the door. The contact forcefully pushed the door open, causing the tempered glass window to shatter. The contact believed ... Read more

Incident date: Oct 1, 2025

See attached document for complaint.

Incident date: Jul 8, 2026

The first time the collision warning lights and sounds came on when I was parked but had my engine on in the morning of 7/21/2026. The second time was when I was merging on a busy highway with cars going 65+mph... There were no cars around me, but the collision warning said crash, the sounds came on, and my brakes went into effect. I pulled off the road, and now I am terrified to drive my car. I c... Read more

Incident date: Jul 8, 2026

The plastic piece that is where the drivers power seat controls had cracked again for the 2nd time and it could pinch someone or poke them as it’s sharp

Incident date: Jul 8, 2026

While I was driving, my car turned off and on again while the car was in motion. I wasn't in an accident, but I did notice the headlights turn off, my dashboard turn off, and a red light appear on the dashboard before the car turned itself back on.

Incident date: Jul 8, 2026

Incident date: Jan 15, 2022

Steering wheel started notching after taking left turns. The wheel would not smoothly return to center and would stick which would lead me to over correcting the steering wheel to get it unstuck. This often made it extremely difficult to stay in the lane and take tight turns. The problem started when I would go above 60 mph, but it started occurring more frequently as I continued to use my car. Ad... Read more

Incident date: Jan 15, 2022

While accelerating from a stop, the drive train temporarily lost power and the car slowed before accelerating normally

Incident date: Jan 15, 2022

While driving the 2019 Toyota RAV4, I found that the steering wheel was getting hard to turn and the car kept making grinding sound when turning. Due to I was short on time, I asked an old mechanic friend to check the RAV4 out before my road trip. He was unable to get the vehicle back; therefore, I used my other vehicle. While I was out of town the Mechanic contacted me, and ask if the car had bee... Read more

Incident date: Jan 14, 2026

while accelerating the powertrain lost power for several seconds and the car slowed before accelerating normally.

Incident date: Jul 22, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Kia K5. The contact stated that there were failures with the spark plugs. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered, and the engine sputtered. The contact stated that fuel spewed out of the filler neck while refueling the vehicle, and the fuel gauge incorrectly indicated that the fuel tank was empty after refueling. Additionally, there was an abnormal egg... Read more

Incident date: Jul 2, 2026

While Driving the car shuts off without warning. Then a check engine light comes on.

Incident date: Jul 18, 2026

1. Steering, yes 2. Momentary hesitation to steer, until sudden release 3. No couldn’t reproduce 4. No have appt July 27,2026 with Honda service dept 5. Tire pressure light came on afterwards

Incident date: Jul 20, 2026

My car is misfiring. It WILL NOT accelerate as it should. It is like bogging down unable to accelerate when it needs to. It’s struggling. Hyundai is aware of the issue and making owners drive regardless while they “wait for a fix”. It’s extremely dangerous. I’ve almost been hit several times trying to merge onto a highway because it will not accelerate. I’ve had total loss of power one... Read more

Incident date: Jul 11, 2026

My 2020 Volvo XC90 T8 plug-in hybrid has been out of service for 78+ days due to a hybrid battery defect covered under an active manufacturer warranty (Claim Type XXX, valid through XXX). The vehicle was towed to Volvo Cars Arrowhead (Glendale, AZ) on XXX after a hybrid battery failure. The dealer confirmed in writing on XXX that multiple hybrid components require replacement and that parts are on... Read more

Incident date: Jul 2, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Wrangler. While the contact's daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the heated steering wheel feature was enabled; however, the heated steering wheel feature failed to function as intended. In addition, the contact became aware of a burning odor. The contact deactivated the heated steering wheel feature. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnos... Read more

Incident date: Jul 12, 2026

Air conditioning system blows very warm air constantly , non stop, at start up when parked under sun, afternoons, even with thermostat settings to low/cool. Restarting engine, still same issue.

Incident date: Jul 21, 2026

The throttle feels like it’s being pressed even when my foot is ONKY on the brake.

Incident date: Jul 19, 2026

2023 Hyundai Tuscon XRT has a dangerous and alarming issue. The Emergency Braking engages at highway speeds where no risk is present. The car groans and pulls dangerously. In addition, the Forward Collision Warning engages on surface streets every 10-15 seconds and there are no risks present. The emergency braking issue has occurred on several occasions. The Forward Collision Warning issue occurs ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 18, 2026

I went to charge my car Sunday morning, and throughout the day it kept showing on the dashboard that the charge door was open. I stopped several times to check, and the charge door was actually closed, which was really strange. Later, I went into a store for less than 10 minutes. I locked my car before going inside, but when I came back out, all the windows were down. It honestly scared me becaus... Read more

Incident date: Jul 10, 2026

I was pushed to complete an update on my 2023 Tesla Y with an over the air update. This happened last week. Following the update i have been getting a slew of errors when driving my car related to the parking break, brake functions, automatic energy braking and steering are affected. The wording on the app / car says, Alerts - Steering & Braking - Parking brake functions degraded / Parking brake m... Read more

Incident date: Jul 10, 2026

Incident date: Jul 21, 2026

Driving on highway no warning lights appeared the car made a loud pop noise and heavy smoke appeared from under the hood. Immediately pulled over and noticed all of the oil poured out and was nasty looking. The car was up to date on oil change. My car was towed home and bone dry no oil and no coolant the engine now had loud knocking and needs to be replaced for failure. The car was looked at by in... Read more

Incident date: Jul 21, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Audi A3. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side air bag occupant sensor failed to identify a passenger seat in the seat. A dealer was contacted. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that PODS had failed and needed to be replaced. Additionally, the engine was consuming an excessive amount of e... Read more

Incident date: Jun 15, 2026

I bought a VW 2019 Jetta used in 2023 from a Volkswagen dealer in Bayside, Queens with about 20k miles on it. There was a recall on the car for a faulty ignition switch and prior to getting my car inspected recently, it needed to be taken care of to pass inspection as well as an oil sensor contributing to a check engine light. Both were taken care of by VW Platinum Service in Hicksville and the ca... Read more

Incident date: Jul 21, 2026

Rear wheels suddenly lock up momentarily during downshift at 30-50 mph (most reproducible 35-40). Transmission in a high gear (8th-10th); any throttle input commanding a downshift can trigger it: as the downshift executes, rear wheels briefly stop, skid with an audible chirp, vehicle jerks violently. Reproducible on demand, multiple times per drive, on video. Highest-speed event ~50 mph, family ab... Read more

Incident date: May 15, 2024

The vehicle has suffered a catastrophic failure of the hybrid drive motor rotor, transmission, and engine clutch, resulting in a $14,993 repair quote. This is a direct consequence of a failed remedy for NHTSA Recall 18V260 (Hyundai Campaign 176).In February 2020, a dealer performed an 'inspection/cap' remedy under Campaign 176. However, this did not permanently fix the manufacturing burrs on the h... 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

Read more from our blog