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 29,025 complaints for RAM
Incident date: Jul 12, 2024
Engine is the big problem. When I drive the engine randomly shuts off without any warning. I’ve been on the freeway when it shuts down and I don’t have enough time to get over to safety. And I fear for my life every time it happens. It’s a safety hazard for others around me as well because my car stops without warning and others are going full speed around me. We have taken it do the dealers... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2024
I have a 2018 RAM 3500 with ONLY 20,000 miles on it. ABS and HUC critical parts are faulty, and I have no way to even purchase one until a recal is issued. Class Action Says 2017-2018 Ram 2500, 3500 Equipped with Defective Anti-Lock Braking Systems. No current part that resolves this issue. Ram 2500 and 3500 pickups are unsafe because they’re equipped with defective hydraulic control units (... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2024
Was in a vehicle collision to which no air bags deployed.
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: May 1, 2024
While we (Husband, Wife, [XXX] old & [XXX] old daughter) were doing a cross country road trip from Olympia, WA to Raleigh, NC, we experienced a serious safety issue while driving in the State of Iowa on [XXX] The incident happened around 5 PM local time on [XXX] just before [XXX] in the outskirts of Davenport, IA. The GPS location of the incident is (XXX) While I was driving in this freeway on t... Read more
Incident date: May 18, 2023
While driving the vehicle, the cruise control disengages, the traction control light comes on, and the ABS light comes on along with a warning bell dinging incessantly! It may stay like this for hundreds of miles or may be intermittent. Sometimes I can restart the vehicle and it will reset and sometimes it won’t. I haven’t been able to replicate it for the dealership…although it’s been occ... Read more
Incident date: May 18, 2023
The transmission suddenly failed on this vehicle. I was later informed that it was the clutch piston. Fortunately, the failure occurred at a stop light when I attempted to accelerate from a stop. The vehicle initially did not move as expected. If this had happened when turning into traffic, or merging onto a highway, it could have been dangerous. There was no warning light or indication at first. ... Read more
Incident date: May 18, 2023
2024 Model 3 Highland LR, right and left blinker buttons stuck occasionally.
Incident date: Jul 9, 2024
Low beam headlights keep burning out, no repair information on Alldata and no recall for this safety problem.
Incident date: Jul 9, 2024
Vacuum Pump exploded, my breaks went out on the freeway. Metal pieces from the pump went into engine. Broke the camshaft. Now having to pay hundreds and hundreds of dollars to repair. I am missing out on work u til this can be fixed.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2023
Vehicle loses power, then shifts to park and applies the parking brake. This has happened several times in different driving scenarios. Once this happens, the battery fault light appears on the dashboard.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2023
Vehicle loses power, then shifts to park and applies the parking brake. This has happened several times in different driving scenarios. Once this happens, the battery fault light appears on the dashboard.
Incident date: May 15, 2024
Upon getting a flat tire on the front passenger side tire, two of the vehicles wheel studs and lug nuts were seized together and broke off when using hand tools to remove the lug nuts. The metal was extremely soft and broke off easily. All 5 lugs and nuts needed replacement.
Incident date: May 15, 2024
Upon getting a flat tire on the front passenger side tire, two of the vehicles wheel studs and lug nuts were seized together and broke off when using hand tools to remove the lug nuts. The metal was extremely soft and broke off easily. All 5 lugs and nuts needed replacement.
RAM
1500
(2013) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
Jul 26, 2024
Incident date: Oct 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that the engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the catalytic convertor and active grill shutter assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approxima... Read more
Incident date: Jul 26, 2024
Vehicle was driven on a highway approximately 45-50 mph when a loud knocking sound occured. The vehicle began to shake erratically and a bunch of lights displayed. I pulled over at a safety point and turned the vehicle off to inspect it. A large amount of smoke poured from under the hood. The vehicle sat for about 45 minutes to cool down before I attempted to start it again. The engine continued t... Read more
Incident date: Jun 5, 2024
The tire pressure guage reads the opposite tire. Causes allot of confusion and is a safety concern for anyone who owns the car.
Incident date: Jun 5, 2024
All vehicle alerts came on, vehicle randomly started braking hard while driving. We brought it to the dealership, told it needs all new fuel injectors and a VSA module. VSA module is on backorder, no timeline for a new one. Told vehicle is unsafe to drive without VSA module.
Incident date: Jul 23, 2024
I was driving around 30 MPH when the vehicle suddenly turned off. The engine stopped running, all instrumentation turned off, no power steering and no brakes. The car became uncontrollable until it coasted to a stop.
Incident date: Jul 25, 2024
July 11, 2024 – Odometer – 7,604, Gas – Full, Electric – 19 Miles range - From work to Home, Receive the following errors “Engine Malfunction, Have Vehicle Inspected” and “Hybrid System Malfunction, Have Vehicle Inspected” warning lights come on. Cars behavior – Air conditioning motor running but not cooling air, Loss of power and car very sluggish (have to be careful at intersec... Read more
Incident date: Jul 20, 2024
Driver’s headrest deployed, popped open while vehicle was turned on but in park. My safety was at risk , had I been driving not exactly sure how I would have reacted. Especially since when it deployed ( exploded open) it did so to the back of head causing blunt pain from back of head down neck. Initially thought I had been rear ended due to loud noise and force of head being pushed forward. The... Read more
Incident date: Jul 8, 2024
Fuel gauge automatically resets to full giving a false reading. Unknown fuel level creates travel hazard, because vehicle can shutdown during travel.
Incident date: Jul 8, 2024
Fuel gauge automatically resets to full giving a false reading. Unknown fuel level creates travel hazard, because vehicle can shutdown during travel.
Incident date: Jul 21, 2024
I started to pass a vehicle, when I tried to accelerate the vehicle lost all forward momentum like it was in neutral, I pressed the gas to the floor and then engine did not raise the rpm’s and no forward increase in momentum, I then let off the gas, and then reapplied full gas and it very slowly started to move forward again. This almost caused an accident as I was passing on a 2 lane road over ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 25, 2023
Coolant leak into the engine. Problem confirmed by Ford Dealer and repaired.
Incident date: Jul 15, 2023
Fuel pump modulator, which has a recall for other vehicles for same part, malfunctioned which caused the vehicle to cut off while my son was driving on the highway without notice, where he had to avoid being hit while trying to make it to the shoulder for safety. The fuel pump module was tested by a service mechanic and was found to have corroded due to moisture. Prior to vehicle cutting off, ther... Read more
Incident date: Jul 15, 2023
I bought this car for my daughter we bought used low miles in May 2023. She got her first oil change in August 2023, in November on her way back to college her car seized up and stop working on the highway. Dealership said missing oil plug. Had to replace with new engine. Insurance company drops us, and new insurance is double. Second oil change July 2024. I noticed oil spots on my new driveway, s... Read more
Incident date: Jul 3, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the passenger's side windshield exterior A-pillar trim detached and flew off, causing the rubber seal underneath to also detach. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle... Read more
Incident date: Feb 5, 2018
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 25-26 MPH, the message "Engine Fault" was displayed, and the contact noticed an abnormal burning odor. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that upon inspecting the vehicle, there was coolant leaking onto the ground. The contact drove to the residence and parked the vehic... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2023
The vehicle has stalled multiple times while slowing down into a light and does not restart. The vehicle is equipped with the e - torque system that is supposed to restart the vehicle after coming to a full stop in the engine shutting down to conserve fuel. The vehicle will sometimes shut down at a slow speed and will apply the parking brake automatically. The vehicle then has to be restarted the ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact's son stated that while driving 50 MPH, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from under the hood, and the "Low Engine Oil Pressure" message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact's son was able to pull over to the shoulder and check the oil level. The oil level was normal, and the vehicle was driven to a local dealer, but the ve... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2023
I rented this 2024 Chevrolet Malibu from Enterprise Rent A Car in Union City, GA. While driving the vehicle on the highway early on [XXX] a vehicle came to a complete stop and in front of the vehicle directly in front of me. This action almost caused a multi-car pile-up. I immediately engaged the brakes. I was met with force and pressed down as hard as I could to stop the vehicle. The brakes ... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jul 5, 2023
Abs control module & HCU module not working properly. Ram brand knows about these problematic modules on the 2014-2018 rams trucks. Now, I can’t drive my truck since Ram fixes this issue.
Incident date: Jul 5, 2023
Abs control module & HCU module not working properly. Ram brand knows about these problematic modules on the 2014-2018 rams trucks. Now, I can’t drive my truck since Ram fixes this issue.
Incident date: Jul 25, 2024
Abs control module & HCU module not working properly. Ram brand knows about these problematic modules on the 2014-2018 rams trucks. Now, I can’t drive my truck since Ram fixes this issue.
Incident date: Jul 25, 2024
My truck randomly stalls, and which point the parking brake engages, sometimes in the middle of a turn or at a stop sign, This issue was the topic of a recall for the 2021 model year. Mine is a 2022 and is experiencing the same exact symptoms and issue.
Incident date: Jul 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2023 Suzuki V-Strom 800 Motorcycle. The contact stated while riding at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware that the headlight did not function as intended. The contact stated while riding at night, the headlight illumination was extremely dim and failed to provide adequate illumination to safely operate the motorcycle. The motorcycle was taken to the dealer. The motor... Read more
Incident date: Jul 23, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made a rattling sound with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle failed to accelerate properly. The vehicle was taken to a nearby independent mechanic; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the contact was i... Read more
Incident date: Jul 25, 2023
Seat Belt Tensioner: Seat belt tensioner is not retaining tension. Inordinate amount of slack when taking off belt coupled with slow retraction. Also have noticed lack of tension during sudden stopping. The belt will also not retract up exiting the vehicle. I’ve reported to the dealer and they commented they’ve seen this plenty of times. This seems like a major safety concern.
Incident date: Jul 25, 2023
I used this carrier 3x (last was in Aug 2021), primarily due to Covid-19, or other travel that did not include use of the carrier. The fourth and last use was on [XXX]. The carrier was securely mounted to the A-frame of my travel trailer, as per the mfg's instructions. I had driven 150 miles from my home (via U.S. Interstates XXX and XXX), when I stopped at a rest area near Gila Bend, AZ, to stret... Read more
Incident date: Mar 13, 2024
I have a 2013 ford edge. When I press on the brake sometimes it goes down smoothly and I hear a hissing noise and then the next time I brake it is stiff, hard as a rock and I can barely get the vehicle to stop. This is dangerous! A major safety issue but for some unknown reason my 2013 is not showing a recall. I heard that the brake boosters could be the problem. Also my check engine light came on... Read more
Incident date: Mar 13, 2024
From the information I have gathered, this is a common issue affecting many Mazdas ranging from 2014 to 2018. The issue is what the Mazda Community calls "Ghost touch" Our infotainment screens will start clicking buttons on its own including increasing the volume or switching screens. Additionally songs will switched. Why is this a safety hazard? This causes a distraction that can occur at any mom... Read more
Incident date: Jun 18, 2024
1. Engine stalled and complete loss of power at low speed/during acceleration at a stop sign, traffic signal, crossing, etc. 2. Engine stalled and complete loss of power at low speed (under 35 mph) during acceleration and/or deceleration. 3. I've noticed over the last several incidents that upon initial startup the engine did not feel or sound normal to the point I have been abl... Read more
Incident date: Jun 18, 2024
ABS and Traction control warnings intermittently go off and sometimes stay on for a while. This causes the truck to not have abs and traction control. Had a bucking issues sliding down a boat ramp yesterday. Truck is under 40,000 miles. This is a well known issue for years now.
Incident date: Jun 18, 2024
ABS and Traction control warnings intermittently go off and sometimes stay on for a while. This causes the truck to not have abs and traction control. Had a bucking issues sliding down a boat ramp yesterday. Truck is under 40,000 miles. This is a well known issue for years now.
Incident date: Jul 20, 2024
After having my vehicle inspection was completed I learned that there was a manufacturer’s recall on the vehicle. I called Unique Ford in Goffstown, NH to schedule the software update. They were very good about scheduling the appointment, however, after they began work on the vehicle I was told their system could not connect to the computer on my vehicle and therefore they could not complete th... Read more
Incident date: Jul 20, 2024
The transmission started to fail at around 65k miles. There were no warning signs, it just began shifting hard and then began slipping. It was taken to a transmission shop and the fluids were replaced, but this did not change anything. It was at this time we were told the transmission would need to be replaced, but they had no means to obtain a replacement. It has been over two years since the pro... Read more
Incident date: Jul 21, 2024
I received a letter in the mail that my Jeep had a recall for some type of sensor that affects the brakes and brake lights. I’ve read that a malfunction in this sensor can cause my brake to not work and can cause me to crash into someone or something. The fact that this issue hasn’t been resolved yet is beyond me. This recall came out in 2022. It had been 2 years. What’s going happen when a ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 24, 2024
ABS Pump failure: First occurrence July 18 2022. Mileage 24268 ABS pump replace under warranty by dealership. Second occurrence: July 23 2024 Mileage 45907 ABS pump not replaced as of yet, parts out of warranty by one week. OEM warranty out by 25 months. I am the original owner and this vehicle has been gently used and not abused. The ABS pump failure, two occasions, of a part which should be... Read more
Incident date: Jul 24, 2024
Barber Ford in Holland reported that the transmission has failed at 66,000 miles. Looking online this seems to be a common issue.
Incident date: Jul 24, 2024
The vehicle, without any warning, suddenly stopped. I was unable to restart and unable to put the vehicle in Neutral for pushing to a safer location. Had to be towed to the dealership.