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.

2,215,138 Total Complaints
138,663 Reported Crashes
56,255 Reported Fires
8,561 Reported 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

How to Read NHTSA Consumer Complaints › How NHTSA Investigations Work › Used Car: 7 Recall Checks to Run First › The Takata Airbag Recall: Full Story › OBD-II Codes Explained › All Articles ›
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Showing 120 complaints for SPARTAN

SPARTAN HIGHLANDER (2000) — STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS Aug 23, 2000
I HAVE JUST READ AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN "MOTORCYCLE CONSUMER NEWS" ON-LINE THAT DESCRIBES A SUBFRAME FAILURE IN 3 SUZUKI HAYABUSA MOTORCYCLES IN THE UK. IN THESE FAILURES THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT GIVES AWAY AND FALLS ONTO THE REAR TIRE. I ONLY HAVE A LINK TO PROVIDE YOU WITH... HTTP://WWW.MEMBERS.HOME.NET/AAVIGDOR/TEMP/BUSA.JPG I OWN THIS MOTORCYCLE, AND A FRAME FAILURE HAS NOT OCCURRED ON MY ... Read more
SPARTAN HIGHLANDER (2000) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE Aug 23, 2000
Incident date: Jul 7, 2000
CAMSHAFT TENSIONER HAS GONE BAD AT 700 MILES. THIS PART CAN FAIL AT ANY TIME WHEN DRIVING MOTORCYCLE CAUSING MAJOR ENGINE FAILURE ENGINE'S TIMING CHAIN TO SKIP A TOOTH ON THE CAIM SPROKET CAUSING THE MOTOR TO LOCK UP AND LOSS OF CONTROL OF MOTORCYCLE WILL ORCCUR WITH INJURY ORDEATH TO OPERATOR OF MOTORCYCLE OPERATOR. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. *AK
SPARTAN HIGHLANDER (2000) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE Aug 23, 2000
Incident date: Jul 7, 2000
CAM CHAIN TENTIONER ARE FAILING ON THIS MODEL MOTORCYCLE. MINE WENT AT 700 MILES. THIS IS A POTENTAL FOR CAUSING THE MOTOR TO LOCKUP WHEN THE CHAIN SKIPS A TOOTH AND THE VALVES COME IN CONTACT WITH THE PISTONS. THE RESULT WOULD BE THE MOTOR LOCKS UP CAUSING THE RIDDER TO LOOSE CONTROL WITH INJURY OR DEATH RESULTING TO REIDR AND PASSENGER. SUZUKI HAS HAD A RECALL ON THE 1999 MODAL HAYABUSA. BUT THE... Read more
SPARTAN HIGHLANDER (2000) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE Aug 23, 2000
Incident date: Jul 7, 2000
CAM CHAIN TENTIONER ARE FAILING ON THIS MODEL MOTORCYCLE. MINE WENT AT 700 MILES. THIS IS A POTENTAL FOR CAUSING THE MOTOR TO LOCKUP WHEN THE CHAIN SKIPS A TOOTH AND THE VALVES COME IN CONTACT WITH THE PISTONS. THE RESULT WOULD BE THE MOTOR LOCKS UP CAUSING THE RIDDER TO LOOSE CONTROL WITH INJURY OR DEATH RESULTING TO REIDR AND PASSENGER. SUZUKI HAS HAD A RECALL ON THE 1999 MODAL HAYABUSA. BUT THE... Read more
SPARTAN GT1 (1996) — TIRES Aug 22, 2000
Incident date: Apr 15, 2000
THE PREVIOUS PAGE DID NOT ALLOW FOR COMPLETE ENTRY OF THE MODEL OR SIZE. THE PROBLEM WITH TWO BRIDGESTONE ROADHANDLER GT PERFORMANCE H TIRES APPEARS TO BE IDENTICAL TO THE PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN NEWS RELEASES AND YOUR RECORDED MESSAGES ABOUT THE FIRESTONE/BRIDGESTONE TIRES FOR SUVS. THE TIRES WERE ON A 92 ACURA LEGEND. THEY WERE REPLACEMENT TIRES PURCHASED AT SEARS. THE TIRES WERE INSPECTED IMME... Read more
SPARTAN ALPINE (9999) — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE Dec 14, 1999
WHILE FUELING THE RV IT HAS TO BE FUELED SLOWLY OTHERWISE THE FUEL WILL BLOW BACK INTO CONSUMERS FACE, REFUELING TAKES TWENTY-FIVE TO THIRTY-FIVE MINUTES. NLM
SPARTAN GLADIATOR (1996) — SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST Apr 29, 1999
Incident date: Jan 10, 1999
FRONT DRIVERS POWER SEAT BROKE OFF THE POWER DEVICE SO THE WHOLE SEAT SLIDES OFF THE RAILS COMPLETELY. IT IS CURRENTLY TIED ON WITH HOSE CLAMPS AND TIE WRAPS, BUT IS NOT SECURE. THE CHEV DEALER WANTS TO REPLACE THE WHOLE SEAT. GLAVAL CORP., THE INSTALLER OF THE SEATS ADMITS NO RESPONSIBILITY. NO BODY SHOPS ARE WILLING TO TRY WELDING IT BACK ON. WE ARE LESS THAN TWO YEARS INTO A FOUR YEAR LEASE, S... Read more
SPARTAN MOTORHOME CHASSIS (9999) — EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:SLIDE-IN CAMPER Feb 10, 1999
SLIDE OUT ROOM SLIDES OUT WHILE THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER).
SPARTAN MOTORHOME CHASSIS (9999) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Oct 20, 1998
RECALL WORK ON THE CRUISE ACTICUATOR CAN NOT BE PERFORMED DUE TO LACK OF PARTS.
SPARTAN FIRE TRUCK (9999) — UNKNOWN OR OTHER Sep 14, 1998
FERRARA UNVEILED THEIR NEW CHASSIS AT THE INT. ASSOC. OF FIRECHIEFS IN LOUISVILLE, KY, IN SEPT. THIS CHASSIS HAD NO VIN NUMBER VISIBLE IN THE CAB AND NO FINAL STAGE MANUFACTURERS TAG VISIBLE. THEY CLAIM TO HAVE BUILT THE CHASSIS THEMSELVES AND DROVE IT FROM THIER OWN PLANT TO THE SHOW. THE DRIVERS SEATBELT TETHER MOUNT DID NOT SEEM TO BE MOUNTED CORRECTLY. THE HEATER CONTROLS WERE NOT COMPLIANT... Read more
SPARTAN EUROPREMIER (1993) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING Mar 2, 1998
Incident date: Apr 1, 1993
FAN MOTORS SEIZED, THE SUPPLY WIRE OVERHEATED AND STARTED A FIRE THAT DESTORYED OR MELTED THE INSULATION ON A NUMBER OF WIRES IM THE HARNESS.
SPARTAN SPARTAN (9999) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL May 27, 1997
Incident date: Feb 1, 1997
DIFIFCULTY OBTAINING CRUISE CONTROL RECALL REPAIR.
SPARTAN MOUNTAIN MASTER (1996) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL May 7, 1997
Incident date: Nov 1, 1996
RECALL RELATED, 96V201, THE ECO CRUISE CONTROL ACTUATOR, DEALERSHIP HAS FAILED REPLACE PARTS, CONTACTED MFR. 1-MAY-97, NO KNOWN DATE WHEN PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE. *AK
SPARTAN EC 2000 (1994) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Apr 15, 1997
RECALL #96V201000, WHEN CONTACTING DEALER, HE STATED THAT THE CONSUMER WOULD BE THE 47TH PERSON ON WAITING LIST AND THAT OTHER CONSUMERS HAVE BEEN WAITING SINCE DECEMBER OF 96. *AK
SPARTAN IC CHASSIS (1994) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Mar 14, 1997
Incident date: Mar 14, 1997
THE MAN RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER IN NOVEMBER OF 1996 FOR A CRUISE CONTROL. THE MANUFACTURER STIL HAS NOT RECEIVED THE PARTS TO FIX THE MOTORHOME, AND NOW THE CRUISE CONTROL IS INOPERATIVE. *AK THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED. MANUFACTURER REPLACED CRUISE CONTROL FOUR MONTHS AGO.*YH
SPARTAN MOUNTAIN MASTER (1996) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Mar 5, 1997
Incident date: Nov 10, 1996
THE MANUFACTURER HAS NO IDEA WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE BECAUSE THE PARTS ARE MADE IN ENGLAND AND THE USA HAS NO PARTS AND CANNOT BUILD THE PARTS IN THE USA. *AK
SPARTAN EC 2000 (1994) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Mar 4, 1997
HAS BEEN WAITING AN UNREASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME(2 MONTHS) FOR A NEW CRUISE CONTROL. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
SPARTAN SPARTAN (1994) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE Feb 20, 1997
NO PARTS. *AK
SPARTAN MOUNTAIN MASTER (1995) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Feb 4, 1997
RECALL # 96V201000, CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, MANUFACTURER STATED THATPARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. SPRATAN MOTORS- 800-543-4277. *AK
SPARTAN EC 2000 (1995) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Dec 11, 1996
SPEED CONTROL RECALL REPAIRS REFUSED DUE TO UNAVAILABILITY OF PARTS. 96V-201. *AK