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 2,780 complaints for PORSCHE
Incident date: Apr 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V406000 (Fuel System/Diesel) 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 experie... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2023
On 05/04/2023 the outside temperature was 58 degrees. The vehicle in question had been sitting for approximately 5 days without being operated. When I depressed the ignition button, the vehicle shuttered slightly and started. Immediately a high coolant temperature alarm was displayed on the dashboard. When I placed the vehicle in reverse it slowly moved backwards. When I placed the vehicle in dri... Read more
Incident date: Apr 16, 2023
Water is leaking out of the trim of the hatch from inside of the vehicle when the hatch is in the open position.
Incident date: Apr 16, 2023
The HCU and ABS module for 2018 and 2017 model years of the ram 3500 and 2500 are a known issue that should be recalled. There's some type of issue where the ABS and the traction control lights will turn on affecting the safety of the vehicle. Many people have the issue if you do a quick search on any RAM forum. From my understanding there was a design change on the replacement part. The easiest ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Nissan Leaf. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the defroster was activated; however, the defroster fan motor became inoperable, causing the front and rear windshields to become foggy. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The dealer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V048000 (Equipment, Visibility). No further a... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2023
Please note that I have my car regularly inspected for oil changes and maintenance. The adaptive cruise control stopped working August 2022. The car displays "malfunction" on the dashboard. This was inconvenient and at first intermittent, but I did not think it was putting any persons safety at risk. I went to a local Nissan dealership in NJ and they stated it would cost $600 to replace, but no s... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2023
Please note that I have my car regularly inspected for oil changes and maintenance. The adaptive cruise control stopped working August 2022. The car displays "malfunction" on the dashboard. This was inconvenient and at first intermittent, but I did not think it was putting any persons safety at risk. I went to a local Nissan dealership in NJ and they stated it would cost $600 to replace, but no s... Read more
Incident date: Apr 12, 2023
Q, What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Alcoa Aluminum rim manufacturing defects part number 167041. At the moment I do have the rim available for inspection but Alcoa wants it returned for warranty. Q: How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The defects have shown up in the drop center of the rim allowing air to r... Read more
Incident date: Jan 23, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle was not shifting correctly. The contact stated that the service transmission warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to pull over and turn off the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the dealer stated that the transmission needed to be replaced and that NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V41300... Read more
Incident date: Apr 14, 2023
Tesla mentioned the seat alga’s a sensor malfunction. It is a 2019. The sensor malfunction impacts the airbag deployment. They will not fix and requires $4100 replacement of the seat.
Incident date: Apr 11, 2023
My car shifts into neutral while I’m driving. This is the same issue that I see recalls for but it’s stating that my car is not effected. Also, the rear suspension makes a loud grinding noise for no reason. It’s weird because other 2014 Land Rovers have these exact same recall warnings and my vin number comes up clear on the internet. This vehicle only has 45k miles on it.
Incident date: Mar 29, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 GMC Terrain. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V137000 (Exterior Lighting) 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 not made aware of the issue. The contact had not e... Read more
Incident date: Apr 4, 2023
Car started making a loud noises from the back of the car when sitting idle in traffic. Noise got louder when opening gas cap. Once refueled the car failed to restart (turn on then shut off right away) and gave run, power, active message and engine light came on. After several tries and leaving foot on brake after pushing start and putting into gear right away the car stayed running. This leads me... Read more
Incident date: Mar 28, 2023
The tire pressure monitoring system light came on. I took it to the dealership and they said there is currently no fix for this problem. The front driver side tire also no longer registers on the warning screen. They said if a tire loses air while I'm driving, it's very possible that I will have no warning that it's happening.
Incident date: Mar 28, 2023
The tire pressure monitoring system light came on. I took it to the dealership and they said there is currently no fix for this problem. The front driver side tire also no longer registers on the warning screen. They said if a tire loses air while I'm driving, it's very possible that I will have no warning that it's happening.
Incident date: Mar 28, 2023
I love my Civic and I debated if reporting the issue, but in the interest of safety here it is: When you have to brake hard and suddenly (someone cuts you off) the car loses power (will not accelerate just coasts) for a second or two, but it seems like an eternity if you are in an intersection trying to get out of the way of aggresive traffic. After that power is back and the car is as excellent... Read more
Incident date: Mar 19, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Sienna. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the "Pull Over - Take to Dealer" message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The ma... Read more
Incident date: Feb 15, 2023
Informed that the water pump on my 2016 Explorer is going out. This seems to be an ongoing problem that Ford is not addressing.
Incident date: Mar 19, 2023
While driving the vehicle at highway speed, the check engine light came on at just under 28,000 miles. I took the vehicle to AutoZone, who did not come up with a code; however, I took it to the dealer with engine code P0126, which stands for insufficient coolant temperature. Apparently, there is a flaw in the coolant control valve, but the part is on backorder until June or July. In the meantim... Read more
Incident date: Feb 21, 2023
When the car engine is cold, upon first acceleration, the car hesitates badly and has the tendency to lunge forward. It feels like it may stall. When I say cold, I mean when the engine has cooled down. This does not have to do with outside temperature. It happens when it's warm outside as well and the engine has cooled down. This issue appeared when I first took ownership of the vehicle in July of... Read more
Incident date: Jun 9, 2021
ABS module/ HCU. Abs light & traction control light is on. Was driving down the road when they lights started flashing. Have been waiting for parts for 4 months because its on national backorder.
Incident date: Jun 9, 2021
ABS module/ HCU. Abs light & traction control light is on. Was driving down the road when they lights started flashing. Have been waiting for parts for 4 months because its on national backorder.
Incident date: Jun 9, 2021
Emergency break malfunction, will turn on while driving and will not turn off, it will show service break engine light and check engine light
Incident date: Mar 15, 2023
The problem is with the whole DEF System in the truck. for the last 6 months I can't go a week or less without getting some kind of code. Every time it effects the electronic throttle control and the truck goes into limp mode, I can be going 70 mph and it drops down to 30-40 mph no matter where I am at. I have almost been rear ended several times. I fix that code and a week later another code pops... Read more
Incident date: Mar 14, 2023
Driver seat frame bar broke. Is weld and the weld broke when I was on the road. Safety concern when I turn left or right driver seat moves a lot. I can’t drive my malibu like that, Im putting myself in risk and other drivers. First time happens to me this kind of situation. I had other oldest vehicles and driver seat never broke. Not good for a 2012 malibu with a broken frame bar driver seat. GM... Read more
Incident date: Mar 14, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V859000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The m... Read more
Incident date: Mar 11, 2023
Last night, driving home from the airport, I stopped for a charge at an Electrify America charging station in San Diego, CA. Charging station ID is 200143-03. At the start of the charge, the port caught on fire, shot flames about a foot from the car. Obviously, after the flames subsided, I unplugged it. The DC high voltage pins are melted. I drove home without charging, driving slowly to maximize ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Mar 14, 2023
On 4 occasions, months apart, my 2020 Jeep Compass has given me a dashboard alert stating “coolant temperature too high” and the engine immediately stalls and shuts down. The first 3 times this occurred, the check engine light would come on and the vehicle would not restart and other alerts such as “service 4WD system” and “EBS not available” would display. At no time was the vehicle o... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2023
The a25a-fks engine fails to idle properly and will stall at times due to a cylinder imbalance. ICS malfunction light comes on as well. This puts other people at risk because a vehicle stalling or malfunction of the Toyota Safety Sense system can lead to car accident. Vehicle was taken to two independent mechanics and couldn’t find the root of the problem. Was told to go to a Toyota Dealership. ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds with the cruise control engaged, the vehicle experienced phantom braking, without warning. The contact attempted to reach out to the manufacturer but was unable to reach a representative. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was unknown. The contact stated that the manufact... Read more
Incident date: Mar 7, 2023
My airbags deployed while my truck was parked overnight. No known cause, no collision. Also when I put the keys in the truck all my dash lights were on no power steering. The truck is currently sitting at the dealership.
Incident date: Mar 7, 2023
My airbags deployed while my truck was parked overnight. No known cause, no collision. Also when I put the keys in the truck all my dash lights were on no power steering. The truck is currently sitting at the dealership.
Incident date: Mar 5, 2023
Reverse and 360 degree camera system stopped working at 818 miles, 1-1/2 months. Unable to utilize safety features the camera system provides (e.g., items in rear of vehicle when backing up, items at sides and front of vehicle when going forward.
Incident date: Mar 5, 2023
Reverse and 360 degree camera system stopped working at 818 miles, 1-1/2 months. Unable to utilize safety features the camera system provides (e.g., items in rear of vehicle when backing up, items at sides and front of vehicle when going forward.
Incident date: Feb 25, 2023
The timing chain jerks two teeth because of engine oil consumption. The chain guide was damaged. The engine light is on and indicates the reduction of power. The engine failure also causes the StabiliTrack light to be on.
Incident date: Nov 18, 2021
The ioniq 5 has a one pedal driving mode, where the car will come to a complete stop without needing to press the brake pedal, similar to other EV's. In this mode, the gas pedal operates differently then in a conventional car - pressing the pedal approximately 1/3 of the way down represents neutral, where the car coasts. Pressing the pedal less then that - between 1/3 and not pressing it at all,... Read more
Incident date: Feb 8, 2023
During the past raining season, car battery compartment flooded creating a fire/electrical hazard during operation and addition total malfunction of instruments, lighting, warning systems in general, airbags, rendering the vehicle useless. The issue is well documented online by various owners, BMW stop assisting owners of vehicles that have the same issue of flooding. Please assist with any possib... Read more
Incident date: Feb 8, 2023
During the past raining season, car battery compartment flooded creating a fire/electrical hazard during operation and addition total malfunction of instruments, lighting, warning systems in general, airbags, rendering the vehicle useless. The issue is well documented online by various owners, BMW stop assisting owners of vehicles that have the same issue of flooding. Please assist with any possib... Read more
Incident date: Feb 8, 2023
During the past raining season, car battery compartment flooded creating a fire/electrical hazard during operation and addition total malfunction of instruments, lighting, warning systems in general, airbags, rendering the vehicle useless. The issue is well documented online by various owners, BMW stop assisting owners of vehicles that have the same issue of flooding. Please assist with any possib... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2023
after completing a routine oil change earlier in the day, the engine seized and the car had to be towed. When contacting Kia I was told their was a recall and if the knock sensor wasn't installed we are responsible. I communicated that we were unaware of a recall and were never notified of one as we are the 2nd owners of the vehicle. I later received in the mail a re-issue of what they claim to ha... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the steering wheel seized, with the power steering assist fault and two other unknown messages displayed on the instrument panel. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V632000 (Steering) which she linked to the failure. Both the dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2022
I was pulling out into 4 lanes of traffic and the truck shut off. Dash had message "Auto StartStop Shift to P, then Restart Engine". I am stuck blocking 4 lanes of traffic on a busy street with cars coming fast. I put in park and restarted the engine. It died and gave the same message 4 more times. Finally revved the engine way up and was able to move the truck. It died twice while approaching th... Read more
Incident date: Feb 21, 2023
Stopped at a red light then proceeded to drive through the intersection on the green light. No cars or pedestrians in front of the car. Driving about 15 - 20 mph when the automatic braking system engaged and slammed on the brakes for no reason. The jeep behind me rear-ended me then drove off.
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Feb 21, 2023
Side Object Detection Indicator failure. This was a recall in 2019 after my system failed causing the entire electronic dashboard to go black while driving on the highway. I had no indication of speed while driving. Once I pulled safely off the road and turned the vehicle off, it would not start and needed to be towed. I had it fixed and within months GMC recalled the module kit due to poor design... Read more
Incident date: Feb 21, 2023
Side Object Detection Indicator failure. This was a recall in 2019 after my system failed causing the entire electronic dashboard to go black while driving on the highway. I had no indication of speed while driving. Once I pulled safely off the road and turned the vehicle off, it would not start and needed to be towed. I had it fixed and within months GMC recalled the module kit due to poor design... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2023
Brake warning lights flashed and brakes failed
Incident date: Dec 29, 2022
I was notified of the Particulate Matter (PM) Sensor not being installed in the exhaust aftertreatment system of my vehicle on a post delivery survey I received. The dealership's service department has no idea about this sensor not being installed by the factory, and the response from the letter stated there would be a recall soon to have the PM sensor installed, but that has not happened over a y... Read more
Incident date: Dec 29, 2022
I was notified of the Particulate Matter (PM) Sensor not being installed in the exhaust aftertreatment system of my vehicle on a post delivery survey I received. The dealership's service department has no idea about this sensor not being installed by the factory, and the response from the letter stated there would be a recall soon to have the PM sensor installed, but that has not happened over a y... Read more
Incident date: Feb 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2003 Ford Windstar. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the contact started losing control of the vehicle. The contact was able to pull over and had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic. The independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and stated that the vehicle was experiencing the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V608000 (Suspension) and advised the conta... Read more