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: May 24, 2001
PRESSURIZED FUEL LINE LEADING TO FUEL RAIL ON TOP OF ENGINE DEVELOPED A LEAK AT THE CRIMPED UNION BETWEEN THE HARD LINE AND THE FLEXIBLE LINE. CONSTANT LEAK WITH ENGINE RUNNING SPILLED GASOLINE ON TO CAM TOWER, CYLINDER HEAD, SPARK PLUG CONNECTOR AND DOWN INTAKE SIDE OF ENGINE. PHOTOS TAKEN BEFORE REPAIR HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO PORSCHE CARS NORTH AMERICA. DEFECTIVE PART ALSO PROVIDED TO PCNA.*AK
Incident date: Jun 13, 2001
CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE SERVICED BECAUSE OF WHITE SMOKE FROM TAILPIPE. DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE HOME FROM DEALER. AFTER ABOUT 35 MINUTES, HE WAS STOPPED BY GUARD OF HIS COMMUNITY, WHO SAW FIRE COMING FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT OUT FIRE, VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. CAUSE OF FIRE UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. CONSUMER NOT INJURED. *AK
Fire
I RAN MY AUTOMOBILE THROUGH YOR RECALL SYSTEM AND IT CAME UP THAT I HAD 2 RECALLS ONE THE REAR SUSPENSION OR FRAME ON DRIVER SIDE REAR & 2 THE REAR SAFTEY BELTS PLEASE NOTIFY ME THAT THE RECALLS WERE TAKEN CARE OFF. *AK
I RAN MY AUTOMOBILE THROUGH YOR RECALL SYSTEM AND IT CAME UP THAT I HAD 2 RECALLS ONE THE REAR SUSPENSION OR FRAME ON DRIVER SIDE REAR & 2 THE REAR SAFTEY BELTS PLEASE NOTIFY ME THAT THE RECALLS WERE TAKEN CARE OFF. *AK
Incident date: Nov 23, 2000
CONSUMER PRESSED THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO CHANGE GEARS, HOWEVER PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR AND IT HAD TO BE DRIVEN IN ONLY 1 GEAR, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER AND FIXED, HOWEVER IT FAILED AGAIN, THIS TIME WHILE IN FIRST GEAR, VEHICLE LURCHED BACKWARDS CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AND CONSUMER TO BE INJURED, CONSUMER IS ALSO WORRIED BECAUSE VEHICLE DOESN'T HAVE THE SAFETY FEATURE OF CLUTCH HAVING TO BE PRESSED BEFORE S... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Nov 23, 2000
CONSUMER PRESSED THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO CHANGE GEARS, HOWEVER PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR AND IT HAD TO BE DRIVEN IN ONLY 1 GEAR, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER AND FIXED, HOWEVER IT FAILED AGAIN, THIS TIME WHILE IN FIRST GEAR, VEHICLE LURCHED BACKWARDS CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AND CONSUMER TO BE INJURED, CONSUMER IS ALSO WORRIED BECAUSE VEHICLE DOESN'T HAVE THE SAFETY FEATURE OF CLUTCH HAVING TO BE PRESSED BEFORE S... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Feb 4, 2001
ENGINE WIRING HARNESS EXHIBITS DRY ROT AND INSULATION BREAKDOWN (CRACKS) THROUGHOUT. THIS MAY BE CONTRIBUTING TO THE FAILURE OF AN ENGINE COOLING FAN. MECHANIC (A PORSCHE CERTIFIED MASTER TECNHICIAN) EXPLAINS THAT THIS CONDITION WILL BE PROGRESSIVE, WILL LIKELY CAUSE DRIVEABILITY PROBLEMS IN THE SHORT-TERM, AND COULD CAUSE A FIRE. HE THUS RECOMMENDS REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF AROUND $1800. STEVE CHA... Read more
Incident date: Feb 4, 2001
ENGINE WIRING HARNESS EXHIBITS DRY ROT AND INSULATION BREAKDOWN (CRACKS) THROUGHOUT. THIS MAY BE CONTRIBUTING TO THE FAILURE OF AN ENGINE COOLING FAN. MECHANIC (A PORSCHE CERTIFIED MASTER TECNHICIAN) EXPLAINS THAT THIS CONDITION WILL BE PROGRESSIVE, WILL LIKELY CAUSE DRIVEABILITY PROBLEMS IN THE SHORT-TERM, AND COULD CAUSE A FIRE. HE THUS RECOMMENDS REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF AROUND $1800. STEVE CHA... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2000
CONSUMER PURCHASED POWER FORCE BATTERY MAY 2000, IN JUNE THE BATTERY EXPLODED CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, CONSUMER REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FOR DAMAGES BUT WAS DENIED. NLM
Fire
Incident date: Oct 13, 2000
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE, THE ENGINE SIEZED. *MJS
FUEL TANK LEAKS AT THE CREASE AT THE TOP OF THE TANK. NLM
Incident date: Oct 8, 2000
THE FRONT RIGHT OF THE CAR COLLAPSED WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY. THE FRONT AXILE/SUSPENSION WAS BROKEN RESULTING IN TOTAL SEPARATION OF THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL FROM THE CAR. THE POLICE REPORT CONFIRMS THAT THE ACCIDENT "WAS CAUSED POSSIBLY BY METAL FATIGUE." THE ACCIDENT CAUSED THE TOTAL LOSS OF THE CAR & SUBSTANTIAL INJURIES TO THE DRIVER. A LIKELY DESIGN DEFECT FROM PORSCHE.
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Oct 1, 2000
FRONT RIGHT WHEEL BEARING FAILED, DEALER REFUSES TO FIX BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY.*ET
Incident date: Sep 19, 2000
SOME WIRE INSULATION HAS BECOME BRITTLE AND BROKEN AWAY, EXPOSING BARE WIRES. AS THIS COULD LEAD TO A FIRE, I FEEL AN INVESTIGATION IS WARRANTED. THE EFFECTED AREA IS WITHIN THE WIRE HARNESS, NEAR THE ALTERNATOR. ALTHOUGH IM HAVING MY CAR REPAIRED AT AN INDEPENDENT SHOP, A NUMBER OF PORSCHE DEALERS (VERIFIED BY AN INTERNET PORSCHE BOARD AND MY MECHANIC) HAVE CONFIRMED THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTS,... Read more
Incident date: Aug 31, 2000
BUBBLE DEVELOPED IN SIDEWALL IN LESS THAN 1000 MILES. I HAVE BEEN USING THIS TYPE OF TIRE ON THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE FOR OVER TEN YEARS WITH NO PROBLEM.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 22540ZR18 )
DRIVER WAS INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT DUE TO WHEEL LOCK UP. (THIS IS VERY SIMILAR DESCRIPTION WITH RECALL 93V-205). YH
Incident date: Nov 11, 1999
THE TREAD FROM THE LEFT REAR TIRE, WHICH HAD ABOUT 12,000 MILES ON IT, CAME OFF IN THE FAST LANE ON THE FREEWAY AT ABOUT 70 MPH. TRAFFIC WAS FAIRLY LIGHT AND ALTHOUGH WE FISHTAILED A BIT, I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE FREEWAY. THE TIRES HAVE A "RIM SAVER" FEATURE THAT ALLOWED ME TO DRIVE SLOWLY ON THE REMAINS OF THE TIRE. I HAVE HAD THREE OTHER FAILURES WITH THESE TIRES, TWO OF WHICH WERE UNEXPLAI... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2000
THIS FAILURE HAS OCCURRED ON OVER 100 OTHER PORSCHE 968 OWNERS (LIST ON INTERNET UNDER 968 CLUB). PORSCHE REFUSES TO IDENTIFY THIS WIDE SPREAD MANUFACTURING DEFECT AS A RECALL. THIS INHERENT FAILURE DUE TO MANUFACTURING MIS ALIGNMENTS IN THE PINION BEARINGS THAT OCCURRED DURING MANUFACTURING COULD LEAD TO SERIOUS INJURIES.*AK
THE REAR WINDOW OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HAZE AND BECOME DIFFICULT TO SAFELY SEE THROUGH IT USING REAR VIEW MIRROR. YH
Incident date: Mar 27, 2000
NO POWER ON HIGHWAY; THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY MATTER. PLEASE REVIEW NUMBER OF ENGINE FAILURES IN THIS MODEL. ANY FATALITIES AS A RESULT OF THIS PROBLEM? MANUFACTURER RECALL ON THE FAILED PART--OBVIOUSLY AN INEFFECTUAL REPAIR OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
Incident date: Mar 15, 2000
PINION BEARING, FAILED RESULTING IN $1,800 REPAIR TO TRANSMISSION; ACCORDING TO PORSCHE DEALERSHIP THIS FAILURE WAS A RESULT OF A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, AND IS PRESENT IN MOST 968'S. *AK
Incident date: Aug 1, 1999
THE HOSE MATERIAL USED IN BOTH THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL LINE HOSE, AND THE HIGH PRESSURE RETURN FUEL LINE HOSE, LOCATED ABOVE THE ENGINE AND ATTACHED TO THE METAL FUEL LINES, ARE SUBJECT TO HARDENING, AND HAS CAUSED FUEL TO LEAK AND SPRAY AT HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT INCLUDING THE HOT EXHAUST SYSTEM AND IGNITION COMPONENTS, THAT COULD HAVE IGNITED AND RESULTED IN AN ENGINE COM... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 1998
ENGINE HEAT SENSOR FAILED CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK FROM VEHICLE. YH
Incident date: Feb 27, 2000
I CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALER AS WELL AS PORSCHE(ATLANTA OFFICE). ALMOST EVERYONE WITH A 944S OR 1989-91 944S2 HAS REPORTED THIS FAILURE OR DEFECT. THE CAM CHAIN TENSIONER HAS A PLASTIC RAMP WHICH CRACKS AND FAILS CAUSING CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. PLEASE LOOK ON WWW.RENNLIST.COM UNDER 944 SITE. DO A SEARCH ON CAM TENSIONER AND YOU WILL SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. PORSCHE S... Read more
Incident date: Jan 2, 2000
DRIVER WAS DRIVING AT APPROX. 40 MPH, GRADUALLY COMING OFF A RAMP, WHEN LEFT REAR TIRE AND RIM SEPARATED AND CAME COMPLETELY OFF WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SKID WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. DEALER CLAIMED TIRE WAS PUNCTURED. *AK *ML
Incident date: Jan 2, 2000
TAKING RIGHT HAND GRADUAL OFF RAMP TURN, SPEED APPROX 40 MPH, LEFT REAR TIRE COMES OFF RIM, CAR SLIDES AND COMES TO UNEVENTFUL STOP. NOW, I'M VERY CONCERNED. *AK
FUEL/EXHAUST FUMES INSIDE CAR WITH ENGINE COLD, RETURNED VEHICLE TO DEALER. MJS
Incident date: Nov 30, 1999
NO SUMMARY
Incident date: Dec 1, 1997
PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED. NLM
CONVERTIBLE TOP WOULD NOT GO UP OR DOWN. NLM
WINDOWS WILL NOT GO DOWN. NLM
Incident date: Nov 8, 1999
ENGINE FAILURE/BREAKDOWN; NO REAL EXPLANATION FROM PCA, MANY OTHER BOXSTER OWNER WITH ENGINE FAILURE, SEARCH AT-- WWW.986BOARD.COM/BOARD/986BOARD.HTM --. ALL OF THE SUDDEN BOXSTER ENGINE SUDDENLY FAILS/BREAKDOWN, DEALER REPLACED THEM BUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER ENGINE WARRANTY IS OVER AND THE ENGINE FAILS DUE TO THE SAME PROBLEM. IN VIEW PCA OFFICES DOES NOT GIVE A REAL ANSWER, PROBABLY THEY ARE AV... Read more
Incident date: Aug 11, 1999
CATASROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC RESULTING IN LOSS OF BREAKS AND VERY HEAVY STEERING. HAD THIS HAPPENED ON THE FREE WAY THE RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL. FURTHER MORE MANY OTHER PORSCHE BOXSTER OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. ENGINE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. *AK
Incident date: Oct 7, 1999
POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL FAILURE CAUSED VEHICLE TO CATCH FIRE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. *YC
Incident date: Aug 21, 1999
ENGINE LOST POWER AND FAILED. DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT #3 CYLINDER "BLEW OUT." DEALER REPLACED FAILED ENGINE WITH REMANUFACTURED ENGINE UNDER WARRANTY. *AK
SENSOR PLATE FAILURE CAUSED OIL TO LEAK. YH
Incident date: Jul 15, 1998
LEFT AND RIGHT SUN VISOR LIDS BROKE TWICE. YH
Incident date: Feb 1, 1998
CONVERTIBLE TOP GLIDE PLATES FAILED. YH
Incident date: Jul 1, 1999
IN THE REVERSE POSITION BRAKES LOCK UP AND CAUSE THE REVERSE TO IDLE LOW. THEN THE IDLE RETURNS TO NORMAL. ALSO, COMING AT A STOP, THE VEHICLE SEEMS IT SEEMS AS IF VEHICLE WOULD STALL AND SHAKE, BUT DOES NOT ACTUALLY STALL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Incident date: Jul 1, 1999
IN THE REVERSE POSITION BRAKES LOCK UP AND CAUSE THE REVERSE TO IDLE LOW. THEN THE IDLE RETURNS TO NORMAL. ALSO, COMING AT A STOP, THE VEHICLE SEEMS IT SEEMS AS IF VEHICLE WOULD STALL AND SHAKE, BUT DOES NOT ACTUALLY STALL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
PORSCHE
BOXSTER
(1999) - SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
Sep 17, 1999
Incident date: Jul 1, 1999
IN THE REVERSE POSITION BRAKES LOCK UP AND CAUSE THE REVERSE TO IDLE LOW. THEN THE IDLE RETURNS TO NORMAL. ALSO, COMING AT A STOP, THE VEHICLE SEEMS IT SEEMS AS IF VEHICLE WOULD STALL AND SHAKE, BUT DOES NOT ACTUALLY STALL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Incident date: Jan 1, 1998
FAILED DISTRIBUTOR ROTOR, BRAKE LIGHT; OILE LEAK; DEFECTIVE CYLINDER GASKETS AND WINDSHIELD.
Incident date: Jan 1, 1998
FAILED DISTRIBUTOR ROTOR, BRAKE LIGHT; OILE LEAK; DEFECTIVE CYLINDER GASKETS AND WINDSHIELD.
Incident date: Jan 1, 1998
FAILED DISTRIBUTOR ROTOR, BRAKE LIGHT; OILE LEAK; DEFECTIVE CYLINDER GASKETS AND WINDSHIELD.
Incident date: Feb 1, 1998
TURN SIGNAL LIGHT FAILED. YH
ENGINE EXPERIENCING HESITATION. *YC
Incident date: Jun 27, 1999
DIAGNOSED PROBLEM WAS A SLIPPED CYLINDER SLEEVE. HEAT EXCHANGE BETWEEN ALLOY BLOCK AND STEEL SLEEVE HAS BEEN PREVALENT IN FAR TO MANY OF THESE CARS. CHECK OUT WWW.986BOARD.COM AND SEE FOR YOURSELF.