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.
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
Showing 96,425 complaints for NISSAN
Incident date: Dec 31, 2023
Dear NHTSA, I am writing to report a serious safety incident involving my vehicle. On [XXX] at approximately [XXX], while driving to an extracurricular activity for my [XXX] child, my vehicle displayed the following warning messages: “Service Engine,” “Service Electronic Throttle Control,” and “Start/Stop Unavailable.” Immediately after these warnings appeared, the vehicle shut off a... Read more
Incident date: Dec 31, 2023
The video for my backup camera became intermittent, then stopped working. I brought it into the shop. They say the camera is not the problem and that it is either a connection under the dash or a radio problem. The next diagnosis step will take 3 hours and $675 just to take the dash apart. This is a safety issue, a defect in manufacture, and not related to wear and tear. In researching online... Read more
Incident date: Apr 10, 2025
Front collision isn't working. Warning on dash
Incident date: Jul 20, 2024
Front collision isn't working. Warning on dash
Incident date: May 4, 2025
Starting at 300 miles, the vehicle displayed a warning message that said Automatic emergency braking system unavailable service required. The Jeep dealer in Austin, Minnesota inspected this vehicle and gave us paperwork saying there is no fix available for this safety system and Stelantis engineers are aware of complaints and investigating. This fault/error shuts off this safety feature which pu... Read more
NISSAN
PATHFINDER
(2013) — FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
May 18, 2025
Incident date: May 15, 2025
On my way home from work it started to rain, and my pre-collision light came on. The rain slowed down as I was home put the vehicle in park to take a picture of the pre-collision light, and the light went off. This happens around October to December of 2024. I checked and cleaned Front windshield and front Toyota emblem. I couldn't find anything wrong. One day in January 2025 after church on a sun... Read more
Incident date: May 13, 2025
About 8 months to a year ago my car started losing power and started using a lot of oil without an oil leak. Now it has a loud knocking noise in the engine. I have taken it to a mechanic and they said they some vehicles have recalls.
Incident date: May 11, 2025
Pant is flaking off roof and tail gate in 1/8 to 1/4 inch pieces. Offord white paint. Clearly a manufacturing defect . 2018 F150 has approx. 27,000 miles on it, Filed a claim with ford dealer Gosch in Murrieta Ca 92563.
Incident date: May 11, 2025
I have found countless problems with broken bolts on the exhaust manifold on the web. Technical service bulletins have been written involving the problem. It is a known problem and continues.
Incident date: May 11, 2025
I have called nissan usa and the nissan in newburgh to schedule an appointment for lamp switch recall and have not recieved any calls or communication back. At this point im scared that the lamp switch is affecting my transmission and I'm just getting the runaround from nissan so they don't have to take care of it. My car has episodes where is now doesn't start and I need to get a jump. My car als... Read more
NISSAN
PATHFINDER
(2023) — FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
May 17, 2025
Incident date: May 4, 2025
I’ve inserted the question and their answer: What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Lifter valve number six failed causing it to shatter and send pieces of it throughout the engine along with other debris into the cylinders. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Vehicle had loud engine knock, pulsation of power, had... Read more
Incident date: May 16, 2025
The fuel pump sensor electrically shorted. The assembly failed. (tube assembly, fuel suction w/ pump and gage), gasket, fuel suction tube set. It is available for inspection. The car could stall at any time because the fuel pump sensor cannot accurately determine the fuel level or how much fuel is being injected into the engine. There was a warning light. Lexus covered two other fuel pump safety ... Read more
Incident date: May 13, 2025
When you start engine, and it's below normal temp, the engine maintains a high idle rpm and upon shifting to fwd or reverse the truck overpowers the brakes and accelerates rapidly. In reverse it's startling. It's unsafe in parking lots and on street parking.
Incident date: May 13, 2025
The transmission, when slowing down from 3rd to 2nd gear is shifting really hard and jerking. I haven't noticed this when it upshifts, only downshifting. There are times when backing up it will also act like the brake isn't completely off. It will jerk and scoot until you put it in park and let it set for a minute and then start backing up again.
Incident date: May 16, 2025
I was driving 65 mph on a major highway (I-95) at 7:40am on a clear morning when my tire blew out completely. There was no debris on the road. There were no warning signs. I put on my hazards and was able to cross the lanes to pull over on the shoulder. Fortunately no one was injured, but this is how deadly accidents happen. I waited for an hour but my roadside assistance never came. A road ranger... Read more
Incident date: Mar 5, 2025
Fuel purge valve not working properly causing the vehicle to not start after filling with gas, needing to keep vehicle running while filling with gas, safety issue. Turbo faulty causing car to loose power while driving and towing. Safely concern for multiple reasons. Flex exhaust pipe broken and mesh ripped causing burning smell and dangerous debris.
Incident date: Mar 5, 2025
Fuel purge valve not working properly causing the vehicle to not start after filling with gas, needing to keep vehicle running while filling with gas, safety issue. Turbo faulty causing car to loose power while driving and towing. Safely concern for multiple reasons. Flex exhaust pipe broken and mesh ripped causing burning smell and dangerous debris.
Incident date: Jan 24, 2024
An error message saying "Engine Malfunction Power reduced Service now" and suddenly stops in the freeway or road. This is very dangerous for our Fleet drivers. This the sixth incidence. The five deferent vehicles were already reported and have a record in your system.
Incident date: Jan 24, 2024
An error message saying "Engine Malfunction Power reduced Service now" and suddenly stops in the freeway or road. This is very dangerous for our Fleet drivers. This the sixth incidence. The five deferent vehicles were already reported and have a record in your system.
Incident date: May 5, 2025
While driving on the highway at 55 mph during a long-distance trip, the engine of my 2022 Chevrolet Suburban (6.2L V8) failed suddenly without any warning lights, messages, or prior symptoms. The vehicle lost power unexpectedly, creating an extremely dangerous situation. I was traveling to a national wheelchair basketball tournament and had a passenger in the vehicle at the time. Our safety was im... Read more
Incident date: May 16, 2025
I bought my car brand new in July of 2020. In Spetember of 2023 roughly around 60,000 miles the engine started consuming large amounts of oil. The dealership put me through the so-called warranty process 3x over a years' time. They refused to file warranty paperwork within the year I was going through the process. I have documentation clearly showing the engine burning 2 qtrs. every 1000 miles. ... Read more
Incident date: May 16, 2025
My a/c has been giving me issues for about a year and a half to two years now. I have a 2021 Kia k5. When I first told Kia about it they told me it’s from the rain, if that’s the case then every car on the road would have this issue. Then they later told me it was my motor blower when I went back. There was a thousand dollar difference between two quotes they gave me for the same issue also. T... Read more
Incident date: May 16, 2025
This vehicle suffered a flat tire on the left rear at 20,000 miles. It was discovered that the tire had worn out on the inside prematurely due to a faulty negative camber alignment. The other tire on the right rear was examined and found to be worn down to the treads on the inside as well. I informed Tesla and they said this is normal for the make and model. You cannot see the inside of these tire... Read more
Incident date: May 16, 2025
The contact owns a 1990 Chevrolet GMT-400. The contact received notification of Manufacturer Recall Number: N930018 (Power Train); 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 notified of the failure and referred the conta... Read more
Incident date: May 8, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Cadillac XT5. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that the power steering assist message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the power steering assist had failed. The contact was informed that the part w... Read more
Incident date: Apr 14, 2025
I was driving on the highway passing an 18-wheeler, my truck started making a noice. I hit my hazards and heard others hitting their brakes as I moved for the shoulder. My engine failed and my truck is at the dealership waiting for a new motor and radiator. No warning lamps or messages.
Incident date: Mar 8, 2025
3rd row seat headrest will not stay up. This is a problem with 2021 and some 2022 suburbans Dealer is charging me to replace it. This is a safety issue that should be apart of the original recall # N2022316750
Incident date: Mar 8, 2025
The tire rod assembly disconnected and caused a near miss accident. The steering was no longer intact. The car had to be towed and repaired to the nearest auto repair shop.
Incident date: Apr 28, 2025
as of 3/25/2025, Started having sudden intermittent power steering loss along with, 'service power steering' code. I haven't been able to use the truck due to being unsafe. I am on call all month and will have to tow it to dealership afterwards. I see that there was a recall way back in 2019. It's nice that you want to know if a dealership can confirm the problem. So far, when I tack this trjck or... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2025
While driving on the highway, the skid plate of my vehicle suddenly detached and crumpled underneath the car, creating a loud scraping noise as it dragged along the road. All maintenance and service for the vehicle have been performed at Honda of Cleveland Heights. I am concerned that this incident may be the result of a design failure or an oversight during recent maintenance.
Incident date: Apr 28, 2025
On [XXX], I was slowly pulling into my driveway, took my foot off the accelerator and turned the steering wheel slightly to the right as the driveway is L shaped. Suddenly, the car sped up towards the garage door. I looked down quickly to see if I’d somehow pressed the accelerator by accident but I had not. I slammed on the brakes as hard as I could but the car kept going and smashed into the ga... Read more
Crash
Incident date: May 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2023 Land Rover Range Rover. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked abnormally. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. In addition, the contact stated that the rear passenger’s... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2025
Front seatbelts on 2002 Ford F-150 become unlatched unexpectedly while driving. This has been noticed over the last two or three years occasionally, but has been getting worse. Seat belt has become unlatched about 5-6 times during a 600 mile road trip. Seat belt was confirmed by two passengers that it was indeed latched correctly and nothing pushing the release button. Seatbelt was confirmed to be... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Ford Transit. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V242000 (Back Over Prevention) and 25V315000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The contact stated that while in reverse and attempting to use th... Read more
Incident date: May 2, 2025
The issue I’m having is that the break red light in the orange brake system just appears randomly without me activating the break. on one occasion I parked the car without seeing any of those signals, then upon me coming out of the store, both signals appeared on the dashboard. my car was stuck in break four hours. After continuously, activating the electronic brake and inactivating it I was abl... Read more
Incident date: Apr 30, 2025
The ABS, Trac control & Brake lights are all illuminated on the dashboard. I took it to have a professional check it out. It turns out the ABS Modulator is faulty, causing my Jeep to not have ABS, or traction control. This is a safety hazard as the Jeep is not known for its great handling during any emergency braking situation. Here's the worst part. Jeep has known about this for over a year w... Read more
Incident date: May 14, 2025
We leased this car in April of 2025. When we got the car it had a strong smell like gasoline. The dealer said it would go away in a few days. The smell only got worse, so the dealer picked it up to “clean it” He returned the car 2 days later in which the gas smell was even worse and made me dizzy/nauseous. The dealer took it back for a more involved “cleaning” and it’s been over 2 weeks... Read more
Incident date: May 8, 2025
The contact owns a 2013 Mini Cooper Clubman. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were occasionally remain illuminated while it was raining and while the vehicle was being washed, simultaneously causing the brake lights, turn signals, power windows, and other electrical components to malfunction. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact ... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2025
Headlight on passenger side is no longer working causing unsafe visibility issues. While under warranty, the car was taken in for service at a Kia dealership twice for the same problem but during this time frame, the headlight issue was only occurring intermittently. Both times no repair or replacement was made and I was told the headlight was fine. The headlight ended up experiencing complete fa... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2025
The 3.3l v6 failed with no warning
Incident date: May 9, 2025
The contact owns a 2023 Nissan Ariya Engage. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 2 MPH in a parking lot, as he depressed the brake pedal and was about to shift the vehicle to park (P), the vehicle inadvertently accelerated. The contact stated that the vehicle jumped the curb and crashed into a building head-on. The contact stated that the air bags did not deploy, and the front c... Read more
Crash
1 injured
NISSAN
ROGUE SPORT
(2020) — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
May 14, 2025
Incident date: May 9, 2025
My car is about 1.5 yers old, bmw 740i. I have been towed back to the dealer twice now for the same issue.i live in Illinois and work in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, so I drive on the expressway a lot. I received the following message on my display while driving at 75-80 mph. The message is “ inability to drive.” I have received this 3 times. When it occurs the steering is more difficult and, I ... Read more
Incident date: May 5, 2025
Virtual dashboard where speedometer and safety warning are displayed has stopped working. Display has completely shut down. I cannot see any critical information to drive vehicle. I contacted the dealership to address a serious safety concern that mirrors an issue already under active recall for other models by the manufacturer. Despite this, the dealership has refused to perform any inspection or... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2025
Rear tire leaking air, took it to shop and they stated i have a one inch crack in my wheel
Incident date: May 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Accord. The contact stated that occasionally, while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle took an abnormally long time to start. The contact stated that occasionally while driving at various speeds, the vehicle experienced a light shudder before losing automotive power. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where the ... Read more
Incident date: May 14, 2025
Mercedes-Benz E300 is affected by a Transmission Control Module (TCM) recall, you might notice these symptoms: - Delayed or rough shifting: The transmission may hesitate or struggle to change gears. - Slipping gears: The car might unexpectedly shift out of gear or fail to stay in the correct gear. - Unresponsive transmission: You may experience difficulty accelerating or feel like the car is stuck... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the exterior trim was had fractured. The contact used tape to secure the fractured trim piece. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); 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 reason... Read more
Incident date: Apr 26, 2025
The vehicle would stop accelerating despite still applying pressure to the gas pedal. Feeling as if no field was being allowed to flow through.
Incident date: Apr 26, 2025
I have had to have the starter replaced twice, I have had to change the spark plugs 5 times. I have to put oil in it about every 3 weeks. White smoke comes out of the muffler. The mechanic said I need to have an oil consumption test, which Hyundai will not covet.