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 34,453 complaints for SUBARU
Incident date: Mar 5, 2023
The car horn has stopped working along with my alarm horn. Not the first jetta ive had this issue with. My previous one had the same issue where one day it wud work and then stop working.
Incident date: Mar 5, 2023
The car horn has stopped working along with my alarm horn. Not the first jetta ive had this issue with. My previous one had the same issue where one day it wud work and then stop working.
Incident date: Apr 2, 2023
Sunroof exploded while driving down the highway. There was a loud explosion sound. Nothing struck the vehicle. I wasn't sure what had caused the sound, but when I pulled off the road, I noticed that sunroof was shattered and had exploded.
Incident date: Mar 26, 2023
I have been contacted by Ford that parts to fix the Safety Recall Notice 22S73/NHTSA 22V859 are available at Ford dealers since the letter, dated February 2023. I have called several times to a few Ford dealers and they state that they have not received parts from Ford for that recall. I want to alert the NHTSA that Ford is NOT following through on their responsibility to repair my affected vehicl... Read more
Incident date: Mar 16, 2023
When I BARELY accelerate my car it does a very aggressive bucking motion along with loud noise. I have done put over $3k in vehicle! Nissan fix your shit!
Incident date: Feb 22, 2023
My 2022 Tesla Model Y suddenly stopped on the road with a message on the screen saying “Pullover safely Vehicle Shutting Down”, but the car stopped immediately and would not move. Another error came up saying “Rear motor disabled”. The sudden stopping was very dangerous, and it could have been life threatening had it been on a highway. Luckily for us, I was just pulling the car back fro... Read more
Incident date: Mar 29, 2023
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started to shake without warning. The contact then stated that she attempted to operate the A/C unit, when she heard an abnormal sound inside the unit. The contact also stated that the unit failed to dispense cool air. Additionally, the contact stated that after the accelerator pedal was depr... Read more
Incident date: Feb 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH with the Autonomous Self Driving feature activated, while attempting to make a lane change, the vehicle was independently self-correcting back into the original driving lane. Additionally, while driving with Autonomous Self Driving feature activated, the vehicle experienced phantom braking and the vehicle ... Read more
SUBARU
XV CROSSTREK
(2015) — TIRES:SIDEWALL
Mar 31, 2023
Incident date: Oct 16, 2020
Tire size:225 65/17 While driving the side of a brand new tire blew out. We had three passengers in the vehicle that could have been in danger if we were going at a greater speed. We took the new tire in and was told by the auto shop that it could not be repaired. We had to purchase a new one and I have the invoice. I try to resolve this with Firestone but according to them, the tire was not unde... Read more
Incident date: Mar 28, 2023
Thermostat/coolant sensor malfunctioning causing engine fan to constantly run as if the engine is over heating. Some engine exhaust door/flap is stuck open or closed causing check engine light to come on. And or the actuators doors are broken causing windows to fog and obstruct view. Not sure what would cause this issue but I have had to have work done on my vehicle twice for this issue within 3 y... Read more
Incident date: Mar 29, 2023
Since Purchasing the vehicle, I have taken it to the dealership due to the transmission feels like it is slipping or buckling and not wanting to shift each time they told me there is no issue with the vehicle. This vehicle was purchased in 2019 and has a little over 22 k miles.
Incident date: Aug 12, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side headlight had failed to function as needed. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was informed that water or condensation had gotten into the headlight assembly and that the headlight assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failu... Read more
Incident date: Aug 17, 2022
Auto start/stop kicked it at a stop sign and I could not restart the vehicle.
Incident date: Mar 25, 2023
Vehicle randomly stops on the road, warning power steering low, engine shut off. In the middle of traffic
Incident date: Mar 30, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EUV. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the speedometer failed to operate at an accurate speed and the energy dropped to a zero percent while accelerating. The contact also stated that while shifted into reverse, the rear-view camera failed to alert that someone was present. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 11, 2022
While slowing down (without bringing it to a full stop) to make a left turn, car dies, losses all propulsion power just coasts. First it happened intermittently than more often. First it happened in low speed later even with highway speed. After bringing it to a park position and restarting car it will run fine until another incident.
Incident date: Dec 11, 2022
My car is in park and when I cut the car off, it tells me I need to shift to park. This means I have to restart the car and try again. It happens multiple times and has been occurring often.
Incident date: Jun 24, 2022
I received a Recall notice in April 2022 regarding the PCV valve issue stating there was an issue and no fix was avaliable. The veichle caught fire in the drive way on 1/14/2023 and spred to the garage. 2 weeks after the fire on January 31, 2023 I received a fix is avalible notice.
Fire
Incident date: Jun 24, 2022
This vehicle has started to lose power was taken to firsteam Norfolk Va where purchased took for oil change and tire rotation also loss of engine power at speeds of 20-32 mph and 50-62 mph. Dealership at Norfolk Va sent to firstteam Hampton VA Chevrolet for diagnosis and came back no engine light and small misfire 3/4 sparkplugs needed changed 177.00. After plugs were changed still had misfire the... Read more
Incident date: Mar 28, 2023
Seat belt buckle had outer case fall apart now buckle doesn't stay latched and is unsafe. Cannot keep buckle properly latched and snug
Incident date: Mar 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the oil warning light was illuminated and there was black smoke coming from underneath the rear end of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who informed the contact that the EGR cooler needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 20-2234. The manuf... Read more
Incident date: Mar 28, 2023
While driving at highway speeds the vehicle wonders to either side and when trying to adjust the steering wheel sticks to that position making it hard to keep the car stray in the line. When it happens the cars feels loose and unsafe to drive since I have to constantly adjust the steering wheel and literally fight against the car to keep it stray.
Incident date: Feb 1, 2023
I've had the vehicle less than 6 months and have already had 3 Safelite repairs for cracks and chips from road debris hitting the windshield. Windshields are fragile and prone to cracking. Attached the latest example, dead-center of photo.
Incident date: Jan 30, 2023
I've had the vehicle less than 6 months and have already had 3 Safelite repairs for cracks and chips from road debris hitting the windshield. Windshields are fragile and prone to cracking. Attached the latest example, dead-center of photo.
Incident date: Jan 15, 2023
I was loading my dog into the driver's side door of my Grand Caravan when I heard a pop next to my head. When I started looking around I discovered that my driver's seat headrest had split apart. I was seconds away from driving. This just happened this morning before work so I have not had a chance to take it to a dealership. There were no warning lights prior to this event.
Incident date: Jan 10, 2023
Right engine mount fluid leaking under factory warranty(diagnosed at 50k service, 44k actual mileage). The leaking is not obvious and cant be identified unless lifting the car up.
Incident date: Mar 14, 2023
I was driving my Audi on the Interstate with my husband and daughter in the vehicle when the tire blew making a loud boom. I gripped the wheel as we almost flipped the vehicle driving off the road.
Incident date: Feb 5, 2023
The check engine light illuminated and the thermo control valve failed at 3 years old. The defrost and heater stopped working immediately making visibility extremely difficult . The eyesight and automatic braking system were also disabled due to the TCV issue. My Forester mpg dropped to under 20 mpg. The Subaru dealer inspected and confirmed code P26A3 and stated the thermo control valve needs to ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 5, 2023
I shift the car into park but the vehicle tells me the car is not in park and won't shut off. GM charged me $656.00 to replace the switch and harness.
Incident date: Feb 5, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Edge. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard a loud abnormal sound while attempting to open the rear sunroof. The contact then stated that the sunroof failed to open and became stuck. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the sunroof needed to be lubricated. The vehicle was repair... Read more
Incident date: Dec 31, 2022
My vehicle dies while going 60 MPH or at red lights, creating a dangerous situation in traffic or on the highway. At times when yielding it feels like I've been hit by another vehicle from behind, the transmission does not downshift normally, and the TSB (see attached) proves that General Motors knew about this issue and did not notify customers or recall the vehicle for repairs. I have 2 issues ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 27, 2023
Steering becomes "sticky" after driving 15-20 min+ and is worse at highway speeds. Difficulty is maneuvering and keeping vehicle in lane.
Incident date: Mar 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2010 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering became inoperable. The steering wheel failed to move. The power steering failure and “Service Now” message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2019
Vehicle stalls when idling or coming to a stop, mainly at low RPM. No codes are thrown. Gas tank has been replaced and fuel pump is new, still stalls. There are many reports on the Chrysler 300 Forum regarding the same situation. Many people have thrown good money after bad towards parts and still there's issues. I have my car at the Moss Bros Dealership in Riverside Ca. now for 5 days to try and ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 28, 2023
On my 2013 Lexus ES 350, three out of the four doors do not function properly and will not lock or lock with the key fob. my driver’s side front door, my driver’s side rear door, and my passenger’s side front door does not work. The doors also will not lock or unlock with the interior lock/unlock button. When the all the doors are locked, I must go to the passenger’s rear door to unlock th... Read more
Incident date: Mar 10, 2023
Moved car 30’ from gas pumps to air pump. Slowed to almost complete stop to move closer to air tank. Car accelerated at extremely high speed over curb, knocking over air pump. Car proceeded to smash through landscaping shrubs and hit a tree and nearby pole which stopped the car dead. Felt like a fighter plane pushed me. Entire incident probably lasted a minute. Air bags failed to deploy. Car was... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Mar 10, 2023
There is a recall with this vehicle issued in June of 2022. Manufacturer has been very slow and unbale to address this issue - required replacement parts are not available Manufacturer Recall NumberZ46 NHTSA Recall Number22V-406
Incident date: Mar 10, 2023
On March 23, 2023 ABS Extended Stopping Distance on snow / slush surface proceeding downhill on a 4 lane highway (7200 South Wasatch Blvd. Midvale Utah). Other vehicles around me were stopping without issue. I noticed my ABS brakes were making the (typical operating sound a type of grinding) and I wasn't stopping. I changed lanes twice to provide for more stopping distance and eventually stopped i... Read more
Incident date: Mar 27, 2023
I HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED BY PERSONAL MECHANIC BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD TIGHTEN AND THEN RELEASE WHENEVER TURNED TO RIGHT AND RELEASE ON LEFT TURN. THIS WOULD HAPPEN ON A REGULAR BASIS WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL. THE MECHANIC DID RECOMMEND THAT I CALLED THE MANUFACTURER TO CHECK IF THERE WAS ANY RECALL FOR THE PROBLEM. WHICH I DID. RESPOND WAS NO AND SO I EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM TO THE REPRES... Read more
Incident date: Mar 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle stalled inadvertently. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where the failure could not be duplicated; however, the failure recurre... Read more
Incident date: Mar 27, 2023
BMW issued a Recall 15V-205 Safety Recall, to cover the Airbag sensor in the passenger seat of my vehicle, a 2006 Mini Cooper S. The failure error was in the airbag sensor in the passenger seat, and the system warned of potential hazard with the passenger airbag. My car had a recall fix in 2018 for this fault. Now some 4 years later the same fault has arisen in the same sensor and system. I return... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Bronco. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the windshield wipers stopped functioning. The contact disengaged and reengaged the windshield wipers; however, the failure persisted. An unknown dealer was contacted and informed the contact that they were unsure of the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 23, 2023
When running on a highway and you press down on the accelerator hard to merge onto a highway or go around a vehicle to move out of the way of vehicles quickly coming up behind you, the engine takes over and speeds up on its own. It has occurred three times on a newly purchased used car and it will increase speed up to 100mph. You have to press intermittently on the brakes to pull over to the shou... Read more
Incident date: Mar 23, 2023
My Air bag Failure light is on and continuously dings and tries to call emergency services over and over every few seconds while I am driving. This is a distraction to my driving and the only way to shut it off is to select the OK button on the infotainment screen. My active lane management has not worked since the dealership last updated my vehicle back on January 5th and Wagoneer is aware of th... Read more
Incident date: Mar 23, 2023
My Air bag Failure light is on and continuously dings and tries to call emergency services over and over every few seconds while I am driving. This is a distraction to my driving and the only way to shut it off is to select the OK button on the infotainment screen. My active lane management has not worked since the dealership last updated my vehicle back on January 5th and Wagoneer is aware of th... Read more
Incident date: Mar 23, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle was jerking. There was o warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the torque converter needed to be replaced. The contact was made aware that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V427000 (Power Train). The vehicle was n... Read more
Incident date: Sep 27, 2022
Catastrophic "Critical" coolant system failure. Resulting in vehicle completely disabled on the roadside. Police and Fire Dept. responded. I have been communicating with Jaguar North Scottsdale and Jaguar Land Rover North America LLC for resolution. The Coolant System defective parts were identified in 2017, newly designed "y" pipe and outlet pipes, single extruded pipes, have been available since... Read more
Incident date: Mar 25, 2023
Date above is approximate. The airbag sensor in the passenger side of the vehicle is faulty and causes a constantly cycling alarm when there is a passenger present. I believe this means that it is not accurately sensing the passenger and is turning the airbag on and off, making for a safety issue in the event of a crash. This is apparently a frequent issue and customers should not need to pay t... Read more
Incident date: Mar 26, 2023
My 10 speed transmission is failing, problem is a shutter in the transmission at various speeds. Have the shutter verified as not wheel balance problem, as all wheels were spin balanced. Upon looking up info online they said it could be dangerious and cause an accident.... My 2018 Silverado with the 6.0 engine and 10 speed transmision has only 42,000 thousand miles on it...
Incident date: Mar 23, 2023
When driving vehicle it randomly goes into Limp mode and gives an “electronic throttle module error”. This in turns decreases the power of the vehicle significantly and causes you to move over lanes as to not cause traffic. This issue is common for a lot of Alfa Romeo Guilia owners.