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 35,035 complaints for SUBARU
Incident date: Oct 10, 2023
The passenger side head rest basically exploded it felt as if we had been rear ended but were not. It threw my head forward my seatbelt locked around my chest and neck we were in stop and go traffic so moving very slowly. My husband was driving he and I had no idea what happened we pulled over and examined it then i used my phone to look it up online. The head rest is supposed to have a safety me... Read more
Incident date: Oct 7, 2023
I bought it in 2018 & 1 month later no radio, gps, backup any of the stereo system worked. The only thing that worked was volume. I took it in & they charged me $125 diagnosis & was gonna be over $600 for new system. I never got it fixed. In 2022 with only 122000 miles it had to go in the shop for an engine overhaul because of the problem with missing on 5th cylinder. I have never owned a Dodge R... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Oct 10, 2023
See attached document from complainant
Incident date: Oct 4, 2023
I have 2 Jeep gladiators and both are gasoline powered. The problem is the fuel nozzle cannot go fully into the receptacle to add gas. This causes the fuel nozzle to not sense when to click/stop the fuel coming from the gas station pump when the tank and filler hose of the Jeep are full. The result is that gasoline splashes out of the refueling receptacle and then both onto me and also down the si... Read more
Incident date: Sep 29, 2023
The air bag light came on for the front passenger seat. I took it to Grayson Hyundai & they tried to get part #88840-3L500-J9 which is the latch right front buckle assembly. I was told there was no part available because my car is a 2006 & manufactures are only required to carry parts for 10 years. I was also told if the air bags worried me to trade cars. I would think the seat belt buckle for... Read more
Incident date: Oct 6, 2023
For the last few months, my audio system has been making static and crackling noises. It is intermittent. I would estimate the noise to occur around 25% of the time I am driving. At times, it is extremely loud and nerve wracking. When that noise amplifies, hearing surrounding traffic or other community sounds, sirens, train horns, etc is not possible. This occurs with the audio system turned eith... Read more
Incident date: Mar 10, 2023
Failure point - Cracked back glass frame and gasket which allowed water to leak into the cab and onto the radio frequency module causing it to corrode. When raining the vehicle started on its own while I was sitting inside it. While driving to the mechanic the vehicle wouldn’t shift out of first gear. While driving multiple service systems lights came on along with service airbag system warning... Read more
Incident date: Oct 10, 2023
The motorcycle was started and was idling in neutral, on the side stand. The rpm suddenly increased to red line with no rider input. Not on the motorcycle at the time. This motorcycle has semi ride by wire throttle system. Two cables go from the accelerator grip to an electronics box. This would obviously be a serious safety condition if it occurs while being operated.
Incident date: Oct 10, 2023
I believe the recalls for the ‘Engine’ and the ‘Engine and engine cooling: Exhaust system: Emission control: Catalytic convertor’ apply to the continuouse issue I’ve been having with my car. I was told it’s not affected but I believe it is. I have an oil leak somehow but its not leaking outside the car, there are no oil stains in the driveway. When the oil starts to get just a little l... Read more
Incident date: Oct 10, 2023
I believe the recalls for the ‘Engine’ and the ‘Engine and engine cooling: Exhaust system: Emission control: Catalytic convertor’ apply to the continuouse issue I’ve been having with my car. I was told it’s not affected but I believe it is. I have an oil leak somehow but its not leaking outside the car, there are no oil stains in the driveway. When the oil starts to get just a little l... Read more
Incident date: Oct 10, 2023
Radiator having to be replaced on a vehicle that is only 2 years old.
Incident date: Sep 27, 2023
The front driver door started to make large popping sounds and becoming difficult to close. The arm inside the door is now loose, grinding, and visibly not connected to the door. The drive window can also not be lowered now.
Incident date: Sep 27, 2023
Driver side door panel, and gearshift panels on both side are unbuckling
Incident date: Oct 7, 2023
UNKNOWN... I JUST GOT THIS CAR I HAVEN'T EVEN HAD IT PUT IN MY NAME YET BUT WHEN I DRIVE IT THERE'S A REALLY BAD GLARE I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING STICKY FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER THAT WAS ON THE DASH BUT IT'S NOT I GOT SOME GOO OFF AND TRIED TO CLEAN IT OFF AND TRIED TO USE A SCRAPER AND IT'S NEVER ENDING STICKINESS SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS KIND OF WEIRD SO I LOOKED IT UP ONLINE FLORIDA HAS A RECALL O... Read more
Incident date: Sep 15, 2023
Safety recall N232404980 was issued on my vehicle on May 10, 2023. As of today, October 9, 2023, GMC is still not able to make the repair for the safety recall, which as stated, can result in serious injury or death if the airbag deploys. It has also rendered my vehicle almost worthless. I feel like 5 months is way too long to wait for a safety recall such as this. This is not timely.
Incident date: Sep 15, 2023
Gas gage is very inaccurate. Miles to empty falls dramatically faster than actual miles driven and then resets itself when car is turned off and back on. I have no confidence in the accuracy of fuel gage.
Incident date: Sep 15, 2023
HVAC problem when Defrosting windshield. When selected 100% Defrost. 85% airflow to feet and 15% to windshield. This does not clear the windshield creating a dangerous situation. I have even had the Defrost during heavy rain, it blows humid air onto my windshield fogging the windshield, then the a/c kicks in and dries the windshield and then the a/c shuts off and the windshield gets all fogged ba... Read more
Incident date: Sep 28, 2021
While driving, the engine suddenly turned off on its own showing a safety alert on dashboard "Engine is off. Shift to P or N." I had to pull the vehicle over with coasting for safety, stop the vehicle, and start the engine again.
Incident date: Oct 1, 2023
On Sept. 21, 2023, I was in my 2019 Beetle and pulled into a parking place at a store. When parked, I pressed the electric start button to shut off the vehicle. When the vehicle was shut off, I got out of the car to go into the store. Luckily, I turned my head in the direction of my vehicle and saw it rolling backwards out of the parking space. In a panic, I raced back to the vehicle and jumpe... Read more
Incident date: Oct 8, 2023
When putting the vehicle in reverse the backup camera will cut out to a blue screen randomly. A recall was issued in May of 2023 and it is now October with no fix at all.
Incident date: May 1, 2023
1st problem happened when I was at a complete stop, at a traffic light, in rush hour traffic. All the sudden steam started coming out from underneath my hood. I instantly looked at my temperature gauge and it did not show anything however I knew something was wrong when the light turned green I immediately pulled over, out of the street as far as I can get without being hit by other cars. I put on... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2023
1st problem happened when I was at a complete stop, at a traffic light, in rush hour traffic. All the sudden steam started coming out from underneath my hood. I instantly looked at my temperature gauge and it did not show anything however I knew something was wrong when the light turned green I immediately pulled over, out of the street as far as I can get without being hit by other cars. I put on... Read more
Incident date: Oct 6, 2023
Ul_a022_ApeFusesEtc Audience [service-fix, factory) Description Driver Assistance ECU (APE) is not fused or not locked or missing credentials Set Condition Driver Assistance ECU is not fused or not locked or missing credentials Clear Condition Driver Assistance ECU is fused, locked and has proper credentials Potential Impact Driver Assistance ECU is in an unsecured state (unfused)
Incident date: Oct 7, 2023
I had my 2020 Kia Sportage in for the anti-theft recall. They installed the necessary information. My concern is I would also like the steering wheel lock harness free of charge to me. How do I go about receiving one of these? Also my SUV insurance has gone up because of this and I would like it to go down next year with me having this on my SUV. Thank you for your help, [XXX] INFORMATION REDA... Read more
Incident date: Oct 5, 2023
I am writing to inquire about a issue I have with my 2016 Toyota RAV 4. It only has 120800 miles on it and the transmission has malfunctioned and had to be replaced, costing me $6000 to replace. I believe their transmissions are defective and Toyota should take responsibility for the defects of their transmissions in the RAV 4. I have researched and found that many others have the same issue with ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 5, 2023
The roof is bubbling and peeling up. Water gets in it when it rains, then it bubbles greatly. BMW won’t fix it, repair shops don’t want to fix it because it’s an obscure roof. They recommend I take it to BMW which won’t fix it (roof replacement suggested). I just bought this car and drive it as normal, and the special carbon fiber roof is degrading too fast.
Incident date: Oct 5, 2023
Pulled into driveway and saw smoke coming from engine. Popped hood and saw engine block was on fire. Quickly closed the hood and called 911. Within a few minutes the car was completely engulfed. I just had the car serviced a few days earlier and prior to that i had the 60k mile maintenance service done. There was around 63k miles on the car.
Fire
Incident date: Oct 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the message "Coolant Overheating" was displayed, and the vehicle started to overheat. The contact drove to an independent mechanic, where she was informed that there was no coolant in the vehicle, and that coolant had leaked due to the water pump failure. The mechanic added coolant to the vehicle and referred the conta... Read more
Incident date: Oct 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2005 Cadillac Escalade ESV. The contact stated that each time the doors were manually locked or unlocked, the vehicle started and turned off. The alarm alert warning light and the tire pressure monitor warning light were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the electrical system malfunctioned, and the steering column failed an... Read more
Incident date: Oct 2, 2023
I'm [XXX] and I brought my Ford Edge to Lucas ford on Columbus Road in Burlington, NJ 08016 for Lube and a Tire Rotation. After an hour they said the Ford Edges wheel lugs were swollen and could not be removed under normal conditions. They wanted $300.00 to replace nuts, and with the same ones from FORD. I thought this was a scam and did not have the car dealer replace them. I researched the ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 30, 2023
On 9/13 my engine stopped as I was coming to a stop at an intersection. I put the vehicle in park and restarted the engine. This happened three more times within a 2 mile drive. The vehicle was towed to the dealership. On 10/6 I was told my vehicle was repaired. I drove it approximately 3 miles and the engine stopped as I pressed the break approaching an intersection. It then occurred twice more... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle independently jumped forward without the accelerator pedal being depressed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,329.
Incident date: Sep 13, 2023
Car stopped without warning in middle of road. Would not start. NO Warning lights on dash. Answer: Low oil level, car just turned engine off. NO dash warning for low oil. Happened multiple times. Now: After filling with gas, stopped at light, warning messages "Put Car in park" then drive. When put in Drive, rough and huge thunk. Almost got hit, but was able to pulled over. Called AAA., waited 45,... Read more
Incident date: Aug 4, 2023
See Attached Document
Incident date: Aug 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Grand Design Reflection RV. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the RV drove over a slight ditch in the road and a loud clunking noise was heard. After stopping to inspect the RV, the contact discovered that the front frame of the RV had failed and was bent due to metal fatigue. The RV was taken to the local welder who re-welded the front frame, and ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 25, 2023
The acceleration stalls and sometimes stops. Sometimes the Car has to be put in park and restarted. This stalling or lack of acceleration happens at stop signs, stop lights when I am accelerating and it does not want to go. Which when turning into on coming traffic is very scary if I am not able to get up and go. I feel very unsafe operating the vehicle when this occurs. The acceleration stalling ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 18, 2023
ABS / TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ON IN THE DASH. CRUISE CONTROL INOP. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE, IN FACT 2019-2022 TRUCK HAD A RECALL ISSUED. RAM NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS SAFETY ISSUE
Incident date: Oct 5, 2023
While driving 35 mph car electrical system started to shutdown. Red warning message came on immediately followed by car turning off while in drive and car was moving.
Incident date: Jun 16, 2023
2011 Kia Sportage engine stalling/failure. Has been having oil pressure/heating/oil feed line/consumption issues. Taken to a Kia dealership on multiple occasions for all routine maintenance, including every 3000 oil changes. Owner was told that a catalytic converter was needed in 2021 due to engine stalling/ failure while driving 55-60mph on highway to a rapid deceleration and vehicle would go >20... Read more
Incident date: Jun 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLS450. The contact received notification of 23V445000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time to for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool showed no open rec... Read more
Incident date: Jun 14, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V342000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and determined that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 10, 2023
Upon starting our 2024 GMC Sierra 2500HD after towing a camping trailer for approximately 200 miles, the following error notifications would cycle every 20 seconds to 5 minutes: "Check Trailer Wiring" "Service Trailer Brake System" The trailer brake would become disabled after these errors, and sometimes would connect with a "trailer brake connected" message, only to repeat every 20 seco... Read more
Incident date: Sep 10, 2023
Yesterday While I was driving down i270 in Maryland without any car around the car hit the break and made the emergency break sound as well as saying “BREAK” in the driver dash. This has happened ~5 times in the past 3 years or so. It’s pretty scary thinking how lucky I have been so far with no one rear ending me when it happens. Also, this has happened a few times while in adaptive cruise ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 10, 2023
Yesterday While I was driving down i270 in Maryland without any car around the car hit the break and made the emergency break sound as well as saying “BREAK” in the driver dash. This has happened ~5 times in the past 3 years or so. It’s pretty scary thinking how lucky I have been so far with no one rear ending me when it happens. Also, this has happened a few times while in adaptive cruise ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 14, 2023
Engine failure I can't afford to pay ford to fix it for 7500
Incident date: Oct 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the contact became aware that the low oil pressure and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated allowed the vehicle to run for approximately 10 minutes waiting for the lights to turn off however, the lights remained illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer, w... Read more
Incident date: Oct 2, 2023
Driver side door makes an unusual sound when opened all the way. Until it got to a point that it makes a popping sound when opened/or closed. The door check bracket is loose. Called the dealership and they said they’d have to change the entire door?? That would cost thousands of dollars for something that’s out my control. This has to be investigated and recalled for free. I’m very concerned... Read more
Incident date: Oct 3, 2023
Switch assy don't work don't turn on the switch flash on and off i AM scary that i can get in a accident if the car turn off that other problem that i got is the paint is coming out that is not the original paint it be a recall for pilot for the switch i think the years is 2016-2017
Incident date: Oct 3, 2023
I have a 2018 chevrolwt Traverse which needs repairs matching the TSB PIP5681C. This issue is on every traverse from 2018, and they have since created a special coverage to fox the issue for every vehicle from 2019 until now. One of the special coverage#'s is - N222385510. This is an emissions issue and a safety issue as the bracket that breaks actually punctures the exhaust pipe causing exhaust... Read more
Incident date: Oct 3, 2023
I am writing to report a concerning issue related to the water pump in my 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Recently, I discovered a significant coolant leak originating from the water pump, which has raised concerns about the safety and reliability of my vehicle. I would like to bring this matter to your attention for investigation and potential action. While this issue may be isolated to my vehicle, I ... Read more