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 30,183 complaints for RAM
Incident date: Aug 26, 2023
The transmission failed on my 2020 Ford Explorer with only 66,000. Ford knows there is an issue with the snap ring inside of the tranmission but won't do anything about it. This is a vehicle that is less than 5 years old and 6,000 out of warranty. There was no warning to the transmission going out, I was on my way to work and my car downshifted very hard and lost all power. I was on the 4 lane hi... Read more
Incident date: Sep 21, 2024
Key ignition don’t engaged when turning.
Incident date: Sep 21, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 BMW 530I. The contact stated that the edge of the air bag leather cover was folding in, which enlarged the split between the air bag cover and the steering wheel. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer, where it was inspected, and the dealer informed the contact that the air bag leather cover was of poor quality. The dealer recommended the air bag replacement. The vehic... Read more
Incident date: Jun 14, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Legacy. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V227000 (Air Bags); 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 experie... Read more
Incident date: Sep 26, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated with the engine coolant warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the head gasket had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dea... Read more
Incident date: Sep 4, 2024
Case number 240821-000271 was opened on 8/21/24 with Volvo Car USA Support. I have three main concerns: 1) The infotainment system losing the favorites that I have saved in the Sirius application. This had been an intermittent problem that I had been having since I purchased the car. I finally took it into the service department at Volvo Cars of Gilbert on 1/7/23 for this problem (Invoice Numb... Read more
Incident date: Aug 21, 2024
Car keep braking when I go under low bridges or shadows on the road from overhanging trees.
Incident date: Aug 24, 2024
Quote: Report Receipt Date: NOV 12, 2013 NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V564000 Component(s): AIR BAGS Potential Number of Units Affected: 76,565 Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC The Problem: The front passenger seat occupant detection mat that determines if and how the passenger frontal air bag should deploy in a crash may fatigue and develop cracks which could lead to a system failure. Shoul... Read more
Incident date: Aug 24, 2024
7 years after buying the car, the headlights went out with no warning. They were replaced at the dealership. 2 years after replacing the bulbs, the headlights became dim and create a major safety risk driving on roads at night, as brights must be used to see. No warnings have been received through the car and the dealership is able to reproduce the issue.
Incident date: Sep 18, 2024
•What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? [Presumably an issue with electrical (alternator failure on 8/15/2024, then again on 9/3/2024, dead battery)] •How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? [On both dates described above, the vehicle lost complete power and was unable to be restarted. The loss of power occurred in ve... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2024
Electrical power steering goes in and out and the dash displays “steering assist fault” warning, and the power steering goes out entirely. You can still turn, but it takes a lot more physical effort to do so. Since it goes in and out, it can happen at any time and is very hard to get diagnosed through a diagnostic if the mechanic or dealer cannot replicate the issue.
Incident date: Aug 1, 2024
Electrical power steering goes in and out and the dash displays “steering assist fault” warning, and the power steering goes out entirely. You can still turn, but it takes a lot more physical effort to do so. Since it goes in and out, it can happen at any time and is very hard to get diagnosed through a diagnostic if the mechanic or dealer cannot replicate the issue.
Incident date: Sep 24, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the back-over prevention camera screen was blue and there was a beeping sound coming from the camera. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V575000 (Visibility, Back Over Prevention). There was a DTC trouble code sent to the manufacturer regarding the backove... Read more
Incident date: Jul 25, 2024
Drove the car and parked it. Went into the store and got back into the car. Turned the car on and it had an emergency light saying a drive train malfunction had occurred and that the car could not drive and had to be towed to the dealer for repair. Turned on and off the car. It still had the malfunction. Had the car towed to the BMW dealer. They tested it and came up with 7 codes of malfunction: c... Read more
Incident date: Jul 25, 2024
I was driving on the highway when my SRS light came on. I lost all functionality of my horn and cruise control system. I did some research and found that the clockspring/cable reel is what sends power to the airbags, horn, and cruise control system. Upon inspection, I found that I was getting a “1-1” SRS code, indicating that the clockspring/cable reel was not sending power to any of the above... Read more
Incident date: Sep 21, 2024
Brake actuator failure, coded as C1391. known issue by Toyota which can result in loss of brakes if not repaired. symptoms of problem: pulsing air sound from master brake cylinder, and/or all braking system lights illuminate on dash.
RAM
2500
(2018) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
Sep 25, 2024
Incident date: Sep 21, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Patriot. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled and jerked abnormally. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the catalytic convertor had failed and needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was not... Read more
Incident date: Jul 15, 2024
At approximately 1500 miles on the odometer, I started to receive a warning roughly one out of every 3 times I started my 2024 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. The warning would flash red and read "Transmission System Error!, Check transmission oil immediately" and would refuse to move out of first gear, revving to approximately 5000 RPMs. The onboard vehicle diagnostic system reads all systems NORMAL when perfo... Read more
Incident date: Apr 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not... Read more
Incident date: Sep 14, 2024
2020 Chevy Blazer - Shift to Park while Gear is already in Park: While putting the gear in park, the warning chime to shift it into park is initiated. It has happened 3 to 4 times in the past three days. I took the vehicle to the Local Chevy Dealership. The Service Team/Dept. diagnosed that the Transmission Shifter Unit Assembly must be replaced. The 2019 Chevy Blazer had these issues which p... Read more
Incident date: Sep 20, 2024
Driving into my garage the vehicle is swerving the wheel and sounding alarms that I am “departing a lane” even though I do not have a lane departure Alerts or assistance enabled. Unlike Tesla response to my reports, this is when I am driving manually auto pilot is not engaged like they keep asserting
Incident date: Aug 1, 2022
Abs light goes on and off intermittently. Caused my truck wheels to lock up in fast stop maneuver. Dealer said ABS module needs to be replaced but there is no recall yet.
Incident date: Aug 1, 2022
At 30k I noticed the transmission start shifting hard especially when down shifting. I called the dealer and expressed by concerns when doing my normal oil changes. The dealer said it was normal. Now at 42k the truck skips 2nd gear and when shifting between 3rd and 4th it hits hard. Also an independent mechanic shop said the engine is making a weird winding sound. Sounds like the barring in the tu... Read more
Incident date: Aug 14, 2024
Mutilple oil leaks and coolant leak from faulty parts into engine causing engine premature faliure.
Incident date: Aug 14, 2024
Mutilple oil leaks and coolant leak from faulty parts into engine causing engine premature faliure.
Incident date: Jan 24, 2024
I went to replace my low beam and high beam bulbs on the passenger side and found that the wiring for the low beam had 0 insulation on it and I installed the new high beam bulb and the wires starting arcing causing the car to turn off the high beams and start smoking from the headlight assembly.
RAM
PROMASTER 2500
(2023) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Sep 24, 2024
Incident date: Sep 24, 2024
My hyundai elantra 2022 hybrid abruptly told me to pull over after driving on the highway for 30 minutes. The Hybrid Warning System light came up on dash and told me to pull over. After pulling over the car lost power and had to be jumped with the 12V battery reset button. Car is able to be driven again but will continue to have the same problem every 30 minutes unless the air conditioner and appl... Read more
Incident date: Sep 24, 2024
The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 - 70 MPH, there was a message that the driver’s side front headlight sensor had failed. The vehicle was taken to a body shop where the contact was informed that the driver’s and passenger’s side bumper bracket clips had slightly detached and was protruding outwardly at high speeds. The cont... Read more
Incident date: Sep 14, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while depressing the hatchback release button to open the hatchback, the hatchback failed to open. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the fuse box had failed and needed to be replaced. The mechanic contacted the dealer to order the parts and was informed that the parts were not available. The vehicle... Read more
Incident date: Jun 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated while attempting to reverse, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated while attempting to stop the vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. There was no warning light... Read more
Incident date: Aug 25, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Mazda MX-5. The contact received notification of the NHTSA Campaign Number: (Air Bags); 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 experienced a failur... Read more
Incident date: Aug 25, 2021
Jeep uses a transmission manufactured by ZF. Jeep claims the transmission is "filled for life" and does not require any maintenance, and never requires the oil to be changed. ZF recommends the oil be changed every 50-75,000 miles. Many other car manufacturers that utilize ZF transmissions recommend that same interval. In fact, if you push Jeep to change your transmission oil, they suggest it will ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 18, 2024
I purchased a brand new 2024 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid on September 23th 2024. It was delivered the next day and after driving just for 2-3 miles, the vehicle gave me a warning that the was serious issue and the vehicle will shutdown in 1/2 minutes. I was fortunately slowing down to stop at a light when the incident occurred and barely managed to pull the vehicle over to an island to let the traffi... Read more
Incident date: Sep 18, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Renegade. The contact stated that while his wife was attempting to make a right turn, another vehicle collided with the driver's side of the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The contact stated that his wife sustained unknown injuries and medical attention was needed. The contact also received medical attention. The vehicle was towed to a collision center where the... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Sep 16, 2024
The contact owns a 2024 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that upon coming to a complete stop, the vehicle began to hesitate and idle abnormally rough. Upon resuming driving, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was able to duplicate the failure. The dealer deemed the ... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2024
Radio Uconnect resets every 3 to 5 minutes. When this happens screen goes black. If backing no warning on what is behind you. GPS is resetting with wrong location. Wireless calls stop. This has been a problem across all FCA brands and an issue since 2017. I had 2018 Pacifica with same issues. I believe there are two class action lawsuits over this problem. I had to pay $650 to replace radio. No he... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2023 Acura Integra. The contact stated while driving at 55 MPH, the steering wheel seized, and the brake pedal was depressed to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was turned off and restarted and the steering failure message was displayed; however, the power steering functionality had not returned. The vehicle was driven to a local dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer had confirmed tha... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
Passenger headrest exploded suddenly while driving on highway at highway speeds. Loud bang which made me swerve. No accident or incident preceded, it just exploded. if someone like my wife with neck problems was in the seat she could have been injured. I was told that Jeep has extended the warranty on this item and it appears this happens often. Had this happened to the drivers one I may... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2024
Unexpected sudden acceleration when braking at low speed
Incident date: Jan 14, 2024
I was driving my vehicle, and it began to sputter, and steering wheel lock up almost causing an accident, plus I started the vehicle at home and within a few minutes I became unconscious from carbon Monoxide fumes and had to be rushed to the hospital and treated for carbon monoxide poisoning, also my family was in harm in which I was instructed to open all the windows and doors at home because th... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2024
I was driving my vehicle, and it began to sputter, and steering wheel lock up almost causing an accident, plus I started the vehicle at home and within a few minutes I became unconscious from carbon Monoxide fumes and had to be rushed to the hospital and treated for carbon monoxide poisoning, also my family was in harm in which I was instructed to open all the windows and doors at home because th... Read more
Incident date: Jul 15, 2024
Eco boost engine causes coolant to leak into cylinders causing significant damage and engine failure. Check engine light was on and vehicle is a 2018 with only 28,000 miles. Vehicle is at Ford dealer now so this has been confirmed as they want me to pay $9200 for the repair. Research shows numerous TSB’s and consumer complaints as well as a class action law suit regarding this issue.
Incident date: Sep 19, 2024
Vehicle has an error stating: “Warning and Information not Available. Drive with greater care!” Key safety features including speedometer and back-up camera are not available. Issue is not due to delayed boot-up. Speedometer and cameras did not return during a long drive. Error remained after vehicle was shut off and restarted. See photos of error message and note lack of speedometer and c... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2023
Rear high mount brake light is loose allowing water to leak I. And around the electrical connections, rear speakers in vehicle have moisture around them, potentially causingin a short and fire hazard
Incident date: Dec 23, 2023
The contact filed the complaint on behalf of her son who owned a 2013 BMW M3. The contact stated the vehicle was parked in a school parking lot, and the contact's son was sitting in the driver's seat of the vehicle when the vehicle was crashed into violently by four vehicles. The vehicle was damaged in the front end, passenger's side, and rear. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. Th... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Sep 10, 2024
Only have 81000 miles on my versa took to shop and did diagnose on it said I need a new transmission I don’t even drive that much and quoted $8000 to replace it I called a transmission shop and they told me those cars are known to have bad transmission Nissan needs to step up and admit the transmission or faulty
Incident date: Sep 1, 2024
The state investigator indicated that while the 2022 Honda Pilot was being driven by the owner, the accelerator pedal had malfunctioned and the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration. During the incident, the vehicle's speed had increased above 100 MPH. The driver was unable to stop or slow the vehicle when pressing the brake pedal or when activating the emergency brakes. A State Tro... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Sep 13, 2024
I am the original owner and have regularly maintained my vehicle. Current miles is around 69k, now needs a new engine. Early engine failure, something about a rod. This is the same problem the 2016, 2018, and 2019 Pilots have been recalled for. Original quote from dealer (Norm Reeves Honda in Vista, CA) to repair was over $10k. I have gotten an offer from Honda America to repair it for $1982 now... Read more
Incident date: Sep 19, 2024
The contact owns 2017 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle failed to turn off while turning the key to the off position in the ignition switch. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and a dealer and was diagnosed, and it was determined that the cylinders in the engine was rusted. The vehicle was not r... Read more
Incident date: Sep 19, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the electronic throttle body had failed, and the engine needed to be replaced. T... Read more