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 97,402 complaints for NISSAN
Incident date: Aug 19, 2025
On August 25th around 7:00 PM, the vehicle suddenly caught fire while parked after a short test drive. The car had just been purchased a few days prior and was taken to a mechanic for a precautionary inspection. During the test drive, the mechanic parked the vehicle in a residential driveway. After backing in, smoke was observed coming from the engine bay. When the hood was lifted, the engine area... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Aug 11, 2025
While driving systems start to fualt, pre-collision not available, pre-collition fault, cruise control stops working, hill descent control fault, hill start assist warning. Started happening soon after purchase and happens ramdomly while driving almost every time. Resets after vihicle is turned off and back on. Had dealer inspect promblem and was told there was no fix for it.
Incident date: Aug 26, 2025
While driving systems start to fualt, pre-collision not available, pre-collition fault, cruise control stops working, hill descent control fault, hill start assist warning. Started happening soon after purchase and happens ramdomly while driving almost every time. Resets after vihicle is turned off and back on. Had dealer inspect promblem and was told there was no fix for it.
Incident date: Aug 22, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Infiniti QX50. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V437000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. The check engine warning light was illuminated, and the vehicle jerked while driving and failed ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 26, 2025
While driving vehicle goes into limp mode I lose acceleration but RPMs on dashboard jump into the red zone and various warning lights show up I coast off to the side and put vehicle in park and shut off engine. When I restart everything clears and vehicle is normal again. This happened 3 times so far and dealer had the car 12 days and cannot duplicate the problem saying no codes show up show up o... Read more
Incident date: Aug 23, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that while exiting a ramp and accelerating to 65-70 MPH to merge into traffic, the vehicle lost motive power on several occasions. The message "See Owner’s Manual - Engine Manufactory Power Reduced - Service Now" was displayed. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring intermittently while driving 65-70 MPH. The contact was ab... Read more
Incident date: Jul 13, 2025
Passenger safety restraint failure message came on so I made an appointment and took it to Pleasanton Tesla for repair 3/19/25; was under the 60,000 safety warranty. Then on 5/6/25, 6 weeks later, the passenger safety restraint failure message appeared again. I contacted Pleasanton Tesla and they told me I was now responsible for a different piece to be replaced, which was quoted over $1,000 to r... Read more
Incident date: Aug 25, 2025
The passenger airbag sensor is malfunctioning and does not recognize that a passenger is in the car. The dealership advised that they don't know if the airbag would deploy if an accident occurred, which presents a risk to passengers. The airbag light stays on all the time. The dealership performed the diagnostics on the vehicle on 2/5/2025 and confirmed that the sensor was malfunctioning. They ad... Read more
Incident date: Jun 27, 2025
The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the message for brake and traction control failure was intermittently displayed, causing the cruise control to disengage. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with ha ydraulic control unit failure. The contact was informed that the hydraulic control unit needed to be replaced. The... Read more
Incident date: Aug 22, 2025
PowerShift dual-clutch transmission, slipping, bucking, and shuddering during acceleration. Subject of a class-action lawsuit.
Incident date: Aug 8, 2025
Summary of Complaint: The brake lines on my vehicle failed at highway speed (75 mph on I-65) while my wife and eight children were inside. This sudden failure created an extremely dangerous, life-threatening situation. Fortunately, we were able to avoid a crash, but this could easily have caused multiple fatalities. Details: We purchased this vehicle used at approximately 60,000 miles. I was ne... Read more
Incident date: Aug 8, 2025
Summary of Complaint: The brake lines on my vehicle failed at highway speed (75 mph on I-65) while my wife and eight children were inside. This sudden failure created an extremely dangerous, life-threatening situation. Fortunately, we were able to avoid a crash, but this could easily have caused multiple fatalities. Details: We purchased this vehicle used at approximately 60,000 miles. I was ne... Read more
Incident date: Aug 8, 2025
After coming to a stop, my vehicle does not accelerate. It automatically engages the park brake and the battery light starts flashing. I have to restart my truck multiple times for it to restart. I have taken it to a dealership 2 and each time they are unable to diagnose it, and release it to me with no info.
Incident date: Aug 8, 2024
On July 25, 2025 I was installing a toddlers car seat in the vehicles rear passenger seat. Upon clipping the secure straps onto the rear seat, I noticed the seat slid all the way to the front position - the seat was loose - sliding back and forth. Nothing appeared to be visually broken. I made an appointment with Tesla and they report that they “replaced an actuator” that had failed. The fail... Read more
Incident date: Jun 22, 2025
In January my husband was driving the Kia and it broke down. We took it to the mechanic and they said it was completely out of oil. Spent $5,000 on getting it fixed in a couple weeks later find out there's a recall. Took the Kia to the dealership in Ocala. They and told us there was nothing wrong with it and that they fixed it. It also makes noises when you turn the car on. to this day we still h... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2025
Transmission failure, currently reproducible but car is at dealer to be evaluated/repaired. I was safe as I was still in my driveway, however if I was in traffic I would be at risk of an accident, by the time you realize you are not moving you have already let off the brake and could be rolling, fear is that if it happens at a traffic light other drivers woudl assume I am going to accelerate but I... Read more
Incident date: Aug 21, 2025
I have experienced intermittent transmission issues. Specifically, the car often fails to shift gracefully from first gear, resulting in rough or hard shifts that are jarring and unsafe, particularly during acceleration or in stop-and-go traffic. On multiple occasions, the vehicle has refused to shift correctly, requiring me to pull over, turn the car completely off, and restart it to restore prop... Read more
Incident date: Aug 21, 2025
Steering keeps sticking while cruising down the highway, which is a problem but supposedly not on my vin number. Manufacturer claims it’s a problem just not on mine. This happens constantly not on specific date below.
Incident date: Aug 21, 2025
My car went completely dead while stopped in traffic on a busy street. My kids were in the car and thankfully I was able to crank it by pressing the start button. This issue has already been “fixed” and the dealership “cannot replicate”
Incident date: Jan 7, 2024
From my Internet search using Google Gemini, (and Google AI has a disclaimer it can make errors), I have replaced my distributer on my 2000 Nissan Frontier three times now due to a stalling problem I have experienced on hot days. My 2000 Nissan Frontier is VIN [XXX] . Let's see how much Gemini info I can paste here: "The distributor on your KA24DE engine contains the camshaft position sensor, w... Read more
NISSAN
PATHFINDER
(2017) - ENGINE
Aug 25, 2025
Incident date: Jun 28, 2024
According to Cleburne Ford, my 2016 Ford Escape had a coolant leak that makes the engine malfunction and they quoted me a price for a new engine installation. My safety had been impacted because now I don’t know when my engine will stop working but I need a car to get to work. An independent mechanic I took it to told me he could not find a leak or see anything wrong with it, but of course he is... Read more
Incident date: Oct 30, 2023
While driving the shifting became sluggish and the vehicle would surge/catch when shifting then while driving home the Escape just quickly slowed and stopped on a busy road. We could not get it to go forward, so we shifted to reverse in traffic to get the car off to the side of the road. The car was towed to a local shop who let us know the transmission had failed. The fluid was burnt/black eve... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2025
Car broke down first time about 2.5 months ago. It was towed to Fred Beans Hyundai of Doylestown PA and they did oil testing on it and I was told that the car was burning oil too fast. They told me under warranty they needed to do a carbon combustion cleaning. So that was down, and less than 24 hours of having the car back, the check engine light came back on, the car wouldn’t drive above 50 mil... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2025
The drive shaft and both sides of the front half shaft are bad creating damage to front tires. Mechanic said it seems to be a big problem arrising with Rams that shouldn't be going bad.
Incident date: Jan 28, 2025
I front passenger window stop working and does not roll up and down. I had this issue and reported the issue since I bought it brand new from the lot. I main main audio console has been replacement 2 times already from defectives. My tires TMPS is flashing now but my tire pressure are fine. My incline break button comes on by itself from time to time and does not allow for me to move the car.
Incident date: Aug 25, 2025
Ongoing problem already had 2 repairs done to transmission. Gears o not shift properly when the gears go from 3-4 and 6-7. If I am not careful when I press on the gas and try to accelerate it does not shift gears and gets stuck on and my truck will not move more than 5-10 mph while I am trying to get on the highway at times with trailers coming full speed ahead behind me. I have reported this i... Read more
NISSAN
PATHFINDER
(2025) - ENGINE
Aug 25, 2025
Incident date: Jun 15, 2025
Coolant Intrusion of Cylinder 3, car has less than 50,000 miles total and has been very well taken care of. Has had over a gallon of coolant added within the month of Aug
Incident date: Jun 18, 2025
The engine issue first started as a small knock and hesitation during acceleration, which has now progressed into full misfiring and loss of performance. Diagnostic documents indicate internal mechanical failure. Hyundai has failed to timely fix the issue, and the vehicle remains unsafe to drive. I was issued a loaner vehicle but told not to drive it out of town. This left me and my family withou... Read more
Incident date: Jun 18, 2025
Backup camera malfunctioned, and went black. It also didn’t stop me from backing into a car.
Crash
Incident date: Jun 18, 2025
Vehicle brakes stopped working while driving. Dash board lit up and stated system brake failure. Also stated “do not exceed 43mph”
NISSAN
PATHFINDER
(2025) - ENGINE
Aug 25, 2025
Incident date: Jul 16, 2025
On Thursday August 14 while driving our traction control light and engine light came on along with the ESC light while traveling out of state. The car felt like we were driving on a rumble strip. We immediately took it to the nearest auto repair shop, only a few minutes away. They reset the battery and dash lights and we took it for a test drive. All the lights came back on after a couple of fee... Read more
NISSAN
PATHFINDER
(2025) - ENGINE
Aug 25, 2025
Incident date: Jul 16, 2025
NISSAN RECALL CAMPAIGN KR15 engine bearing NHTSA Campaign # 25v-437
Incident date: Aug 22, 2025
The contact owns a 2009 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, the vehicle stalled. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the ABS module ha... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2025
2019 Ford Edge with 8F35 transmission, there were no warning lights or codes. Shuddering and jerking both while accelerating and at cruising speeds. At steady highway speed, engine speed would jump by hundreds of RPM a few times times per minute. Problem started at about 70,000 miles and gradually got worse. Changed transmission fluid at 85,000 miles, despite owner's manual recommendation to chang... Read more
Incident date: Aug 15, 2025
My Acadia, 2021 has just 36011 miles. Car sputtered a few times like it was running out of gas and stalled as I was driving home in rush hour traffic. I couldn't even get it off the road. No warning lights or advance warning. Waited 3 hours for AAA (told 20 minutes) and then towed to dealer. Tow person could not get it into neutral so they used the sleds to ramp it up onto the flatbed. The ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 21, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH, after making a left turn at a traffic signal, the rear wheels locked up. The contact stated that there was an abnormal screeching sound while depressing the brake pedal in a panic stop, and the vehicle jolted violently. The contact stopped the vehicle with the engine still running and obse... Read more
Incident date: Aug 21, 2025
While driving the active fuel management changed my truck from 4 cylinders to 8 cylinders. This is when I heard a loud bang and a bunch of lights came on the dash and my truck started shaking and shuttering. I was able to regain control of it, but I came close to crashing. I now require a whole new engine at 100000 miles. After talking to multiple shops this ks a known issue. While they dont alway... Read more
Incident date: Aug 21, 2025
White smoke was coming out the car and my car eventually sat on fire. I had to call the fire department.. fire department stated that it was a electrical issue
Fire
Incident date: Jun 9, 2025
Sun roof snaps cheap plastic parts. They produced a tbs for it yet expect people to pay over 4k in repairs for a common issue which is a major safety issue. (TSB) 23-BD-003H Occurred 3 months after buying it certified
Incident date: Aug 20, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated to respond while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that while making a turn from a complete stop, the vehicle temporarily stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact attempted to contact the local dealer several times, but the dealer was unreachable... Read more
Incident date: Aug 16, 2025
The video processing unit in my vehicle stopped working. I lost all cameras all safety equipment in my vehicle. All radar stopped working. I took my car to the Chevy dealership after three days. They advised multiple vehicles have this problem and they were ordering the part. They told me it was OK to drive my car. on my way home from the dealership I was involved in a head-on collision. My car is... Read more
Incident date: Aug 16, 2025
The video processing unit in my vehicle stopped working. I lost all cameras all safety equipment in my vehicle. All radar stopped working. I took my car to the Chevy dealership after three days. They advised multiple vehicles have this problem and they were ordering the part. They told me it was OK to drive my car. on my way home from the dealership I was involved in a head-on collision. My car is... Read more
Incident date: Aug 16, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the battery, ABS, and brake warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle stalled on several occasions. The vehicle was jump-started, and the vehicle operated normally. Additionally, the steering wheel became difficult to turn on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the local Auto Zone which replaced the... Read more
Incident date: Aug 16, 2025
While attempting to cross a busy street, I picked an opening in the coming traffic to cross, released the brake to allow the car to start rolling slowing, but when I pressed the accelerator , I got no response from the car and no acceleration at all for about 3 seconds. Leaving me and my family stuck in the middle of the street with oncoming traffic just seconds away from hitting us. In the 3 se... Read more
Incident date: Aug 16, 2025
Was in a bad wreck, other drivers car deployed airbags, mine did not but engine shut off and hazards stayed on. Crash was about 30 miles an hour or so at impact.
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Aug 6, 2025
VW Tiguan lost significant acceleration while driving on the highway. Vehicle check engine light came on. Felt like vehicle was going to stall and decelerated to a below highway required speed. Vehicle was inspected by a VW authorized service center and . Verified GFF found DTC's P0431, P04F0, P24D6, and P2101 were in fault mode. Significant oil leak also occurred. Failed component was crankca... Read more
Incident date: Aug 6, 2025
In reference to the recall R2582 and NHTSA recall 25V-437. I had made an appointment for an engine inspection for my 2022 Infiniti QX50 for August 15, 2025. I delivered my vehicle to the dealership at 7:00 am and was called by the dealership at 8:13 am and was told that they were told by Infiniti not to inspect my vehicle. They asked me to come and get it. They noted on the invoice that the recall... Read more
Incident date: Aug 6, 2025
The power steering on my truck randomly went out this week, after working forever without any kind of issues. After doing a bunch of research and looking into the issue, I have tried to troubleshoot this in every way possible. I've looked at electrical, the belt inside the Electric Power Steering unit, checked connections and fuses, and I've come to the conclusion that these units are faulty, base... Read more
Incident date: Aug 22, 2025
The rear struts are failed within a very short amount of mileage driven. Warrantied twice, but fail again after 20-30k miles. Safety concerned because boucy ride can result in lost of control when hitting bump in the corner. No warning lamps or messages appeared. However, clunking noise from the back.
Incident date: Aug 24, 2025
Both right and left cv axle joints had a rough spot in the bearing. Both had to be replaced in November 2023. Now (August 2025), the same issue is happening again. Current mileage as of 8/24/25 is 35,844. Calling dealer to schedule repair first thing Monday morning.