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: Dec 24, 2024
I have had rust all throughout the frame of the truck
Incident date: Dec 24, 2024
The front upper grille deflector/hood bulge flew off randomly while driving. No signs of it previously detaching or anything. Just came off.
Incident date: Jul 15, 2025
I first had this happen months ago and now I found another place to post about it. The locking and unlocking motor on the passenger sliding door is making a horrible noise and buzzing sound. This happens every time you lock or unlock it. It also happens when it locks automatically when you drive. It is horribly loud that it wakes up the baby and toddler every time. My mechanic has looked at it a... Read more
Incident date: Jul 9, 2025
BMW has not been able to offer a repair for the engine coolant pump recall issued in August 2024. I wanted to register a formal complaint because I would like to get this repaired and off my vehicle record. I have not experienced any problem with the recalled part yet.
Incident date: Jul 27, 2025
While driving, the vehicle suddenly lost power and could not accelerate normally. The speed dropped and got stuck around 12–25 mph even when pressing the accelerator. This happened multiple times, usually during hot daytime conditions. It created a serious safety risk, and one time another car almost hit me from behind because my vehicle slowed down so suddenly. The dealer has inspected the car ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 21, 2025
The contact owns a 2009 Smart Fortwo. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle suddenly lost motive power. The vehicle was turned off, the contact waited, and then restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle operated as needed. The failure had occurred several times while driving. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to brake immediate... Read more
Incident date: Aug 13, 2025
According to the recall which was first stated on 12/20/23, as of today, 8/22/25 Toyota has not provided a remedy and my car is not safe to carry a passenger!
Incident date: Sep 18, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle made an abnormally loud sound. The contact stated that the failure occurred while driving. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and it was diagnosed that the flywheel and the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact was referred to Custom T... Read more
Incident date: Jul 25, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Ford Maverick. The contact stated while the door was closed, the window failed to roll down; however, upon opening the door, the window was able to be rolled up. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was determined that door needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to a Customer Satisfaction Program:... Read more
Incident date: Jul 25, 2025
I own a 2018 Chevrolet Cruze, and the infotainment touchscreen system has completely frozen with the same error screen that many other Cruze owners have reported online. This is not simply a case of an unresponsive touchscreen — the system locks up with an identical error screen across multiple Cruze vehicles (different years and trims). The issue disables all touchscreen functions, including B... Read more
Incident date: May 11, 2015
The Driver Attention warning activates almost every 5 minutes. No glasses are involved. I have tried many different steering wheel positions. There are plenty of other 2025 IONIQ 5 owners with the same issues as seen on forums. There is a setting to turn it off but it does not turn it off.
Incident date: Aug 5, 2025
Fault within the power transfer unit. The vehicle sometimes switches to all wheel drive and struggles to revert to front wheel drive. SVC4WD light comes on
Incident date: Aug 22, 2025
Exhaust manifold bolts on the passenger side of the vehicle (2019, 5.7 Hemi, Larami version) have broken. The exhaust system is leaking. An exhaust smell and taste is readily detectable when standing near the cab doors of the vehicle. There is an unknown, regarding if any amount of the exhaust is being drawn into the cab air intake.
Incident date: Aug 22, 2025
2019 GMC Yukon XL. Purchased pre-owned from a dealership in July 2023. This month, August 2025, my transmission has failed. Apparently this defect is notorious for this particular year of GMC Yukon XL. There was a lawsuit against GMC but it was closed in June 2025. The issue is real and widespread and GMC should ABSOLUTELY be responsible. There’s no reason a six year old vehicle should require t... Read more
Incident date: Aug 22, 2025
Instrument Panel Cluster Failure Vehicle and incident details: Vehicle: Jeep (model year unknown) Date of failure: Evening of April 14, 2025 Symptoms: The instrument panel cluster went completely blank during a 25-mile drive far from home. Functionality lost: The ability to see speed, gas level, headlight status, and all alert lights. Prior warnings: No warning lights or alerts appeared before the... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2025
Water collecting in rear hatch frame. Have to remove the two rubber grommets and move hatch up and down to remove water. hearing water in frame when opening hatch.
Incident date: Aug 1, 2025
Cracked dash. This is an ongoing issue with Hyuandai since around 2009. Please investigate. Do the research. I normally wouldn't even come on here to complain. This is my 3rd Sonata. Same issue.
Incident date: Aug 6, 2025
Driving to work and my truck lost all electrical power. All display lights turned on and hazard light signal started blinking but the hazard lights were not actually on. I then lost all electrical power; power steering, hazard lights would not turn on, all dash lights and display lights, head lights at first and then the battery died a couple minutes after that started. I could not put the truc... Read more
Incident date: Aug 6, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Transit. The contact stated that while his brother was driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the fuel pump module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileag... Read more
Incident date: Aug 6, 2025
As we drove on I70, our bike rack's locking system to keep the rack upright failed, causing the rack with 2 bikes strapped on to drop and drag on the highway. As I moved into the shoulder, the rack snapped off the back of the car, flew 10 feet up, flipped with the bikes, & crashed on the pavement. We were lucky that the rack and bikes didn't hit a car behind us. The impact was so hard it bent the... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2025
-Nissan made their Altimas and other vehicles using a CVT transmission that was of poor design and quality. -Nissan has admitted to this in several class action lawsuits, [XXX] ) and has extended their powertrain warranty and time period as a result. -The extended powertrain warranty is to cover up until 84k miles, the mileage on the Nissan Altima in question is just over 82k, well under the mil... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2025
The headlights stopped working due to water entering the assembly unit. First one side went out and then eventually the other side went out. The car was brought in to the dealership to fix and they stated it wasn’t covered. I’m recently learning about a recall of this issue with my type of car and I’m being told that my vehicle is not included in the recall.
Incident date: Aug 20, 2025
Follow-Up Complaint – Engine Failure on 2020 Hyundai Palisade (VIN: [XXX] ) I am following up on a previous complaint regarding a complete engine failure in my 2020 Hyundai Palisade. I purchased the vehicle from CarMax in 2023 and was never made aware of any known engine issues. I also signed the required Lemon Law disclosure form at purchase, which did not indicate any concerns with the engine... Read more
Incident date: Aug 20, 2025
There is already an active recall , OHB 24V-064, on this vehicle for a seat weight sensor circuit board. I have made numerous inquiries at two local Honda dealerships in Phoenix over the last 9 months about getting this fixed, but they never have the part(s) available. One dealership, Bell Honda, promised six months ago to call me when they got the parts; I have not heard back from them. I went to... Read more
Incident date: Aug 20, 2025
I have had an open recall for BRAKING since February 12. Both BMW USA and my local deal say they cannot or will not fix the issue. Again, this is for braking. BMW USA has not responded to multiple emails. I no longer feel safe driving this vehicle. It is on a lease and I wish to terminate the lease with no penalty.
Incident date: Aug 20, 2025
I was driving on a highway when my car began to stutter. It felt like the vehicle was struggling to accelerate, so I attempted to pull over to a side street for safety. However, before I could do so, the car completely lost the ability to accelerate and gradually came to a full stop. I managed to get it onto the shoulder just in time, but this occurred on a bend in the road, where visibility was l... Read more
Incident date: Aug 11, 2025
I was on my way to a 7-Eleven to get gas once I filled it up. Those engine started sputtering and it did that for a minute until it finally started. I got to my school and then once I needed to go to school to school, my car was not going above 11 mph and when I was trying to reverse, it would not accelerate while reversing.
Incident date: Jul 9, 2025
Bought with 63000. Miles, have driven 40000 miles. Engine seized. Will not Start. Told by mechanic that engine is dead and happens frequently with this car. What are my options?. ALL UPKEEPS PERFORMED. NO WARNING.
Incident date: Jul 13, 2025
The contact owned a 2024 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH on the freeway, the central touchscreen interface displayed a blank screen. The contact mentioned the autopilot engaged independently, causing the vehicle to merge to the left and collide with another vehicle in front of the driver's side. No air bags deployed. The contact stated that she sustained injuries on the... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Aug 14, 2025
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 GMC Terrain. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 87,000, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 200,000.
Incident date: Aug 21, 2025
The contact owns a 2023 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle started to lose motive power. The contact stated that the check engine and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated. There was an abnormal metallic grinding sound coming from the engine compartment before the vehicle stalled. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The... Read more
Incident date: Aug 21, 2025
October 24 breaks dud y work and caused a crash. August 11th breaks didn’t engage and caused a crash
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Aug 11, 2025
I was driving down a heavy traffic expressway with a lot of semi traffic and the SUV started puttering. All of a sudden it died, the check engine light came on and I started to slow down quickly. I was in the middle lane of 3 lanes going 70 mph. VERY LUCKILY, I was able to pull to the right and barely made it onto the shoulder. The SUV had $28,972 miles on it. It was more that 100 degrees outside ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 11, 2025
Front passenger wheel cracked, daily driving route does not have potholes or any other debris that could have cause the rim to crack randomly.
Incident date: Jul 22, 2025
While driving to work on I-26 in the far left lane at approximately 55 mph, my vehicle suddenly and completely shut off without warning. The engine power was lost instantly, forcing the car to come to an abrupt stop in live interstate traffic. I had no prior indication of a problem—no warning lights, no messages, no abnormal performance. It took three attempts to restart the vehicle. When it fi... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2025
Am concerned about theses vehicles even being on the roadways with no resolution to the safety recall being resolved. Reported in Jan 2025, no resolution yet. for 8 months? "Parts are not available". It appears by documentation that if you are in the states you can get a dealer to check via software to detect and monitor for excessive wear within a PTU. If PTU failure is confirmed by software, F... Read more
Incident date: Feb 21, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V236000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). 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 contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the transmission vibrated and downshifted before... Read more
Incident date: Aug 14, 2025
The contact's husband owns a 2019 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while entering a parking space at less than 5 MPH, the vehicle independently accelerated forward. The vehicle accelerated over the concrete parking block and crashed into the grocery store's front window. The contact stated that the incident happened so quickly that they were uncertain if any warning lights appeared on the instrum... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Aug 14, 2025
The component that failed/malfunctioned is the rear hatch. The hinges seem to have misaligned and result in the rear hatch not closing properly. Safety is put at risk because the vehicle notifies the driver through a beep system that the rear door is not fully closed properly and does not shut off until forcefully closed manually. The problem has been produced both by the dealership at an AutoNati... Read more
Incident date: Aug 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that the vehicle was involved in a crash that damaged the driver's side headlight. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for repair; however, the contact was informed that the headlight Part Number: 5NL-941-113-D was on a national back order. The vehicle was not repaired and remained with the dealer. The manufacturer was contacted for ass... Read more
Incident date: Aug 20, 2025
while driving in raid the wipers slowed drastically, like it wasn't connected well to the motor, then ultimately stopped. This made it difficult to see while driving and we can no longer drive in the rain until we can get it repaired. Dealer was unwilling to come remotely to inspect and repair.
Incident date: Aug 20, 2025
The contact owns a 2025 BMW X5. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V104000 (Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact was informed by the dealer that parts for the recall repair were only available for newer vehicles. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and informed the contact that parts were not yet available for the vehicle. ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2022
I was driving my 2007 Toyota Avalon returning home from work and was driving on a local road at approximately 25 MPH and turning my vehicle towards right on a curved road and the steering wheel seized and car veered and jumped the curb causing the passenger side bottom of car protection plastic guard clips damaged. No other damage to car observed other than minor scratches to front bumper due to ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2022
My car has a recall NHTSA #25V025 for the rear shock absorber external reservoir corrosion since1/21/2025. A few weeks ago the recall status shows remedy available so I brought it in to a Ford Dealership on 8/15/2025. The tech inspected the car and both absorbers showed signs of oil leaking and they need to be replaced. The pictures also showed the reservoirs are close to be separated from the veh... Read more
Incident date: Aug 8, 2025
The contact owns a 2014 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling, the contact's wife sat down in the front passenger’s seat, and several minutes later, the front passenger's seat headrest deployed. The headrest struck the contact's wife on the back of the head; however, no injuries were sustained. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to... Read more
Incident date: Aug 8, 2025
There was a recall in 2019 (NHTSA Recall No. 19V645000) on certain GM vehicles for vacuum pump failure, which could affect braking and engine performance. The fix usually involved reprogramming the ECM to improve how the brake assist system operates - not necessarily replacing the vacuum pump unless it had already failed. My local dealership did the reprogramming but in 2025 the vacuum pump totall... Read more
Incident date: Mar 15, 2024
Complaint Summary: The passenger-side airbag sensor in my 2022 Porsche Taycan GTS has been malfunctioning continuously since I purchased the car as a Certified Pre-Owned vehicle from Park Place Porsche Dallas. The car displays repeated warnings to “Contact your dealer for assistance,” and the passenger-side airbag has been confirmed as non-functional. Details of the Defect: Porsche has acknow... Read more
Incident date: Mar 15, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V347000 (Structure). The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the driver’s B-pillar trim detached from the door and flew off into traffic, almost causing a crash. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and inspected. The contact used duct taped to secure the B-pillar tr... Read more
Incident date: Aug 20, 2025
I have a 2019 Nissan Altima SR 2.5. I have currently had the car for about 3 or 4 years now. For most of the time I have had the car, the check engine light stays on. I have had it tested, and it always states that it is the Mass Air Flow Sensor. When sitting in park idling, it will "malfunction" and state that the engine is reducing power. During this, the automatic emergency brake warning light ... Read more