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: Jun 20, 2023
Seat belt not working properly, no fix or remedy as of yet. Do not feel safe driving vehicle with passengers. Called Lincoln certified dealer in area and all do not have a fix or availability for months to service vehicle.
Incident date: May 30, 2023
I am a ASE Master Mechanic and I do my own servicing. Recently I had some bad tires and bought new ones. Since I had the wheels off, I performed a wheel bearing and brake inspection. The rear left wheel had some small wobbling. When I took off the bearing cap I noticed hardly any grease. I took the hub off and there was hardly any grease on the inside bearing also. And I do mean hardly. It was lik... Read more
Incident date: Jun 13, 2023
While driving in town or on freeway, the engine shuts off and emergency braking system is engaged. No warning lights come on suggesting anything for a code. The dash only says to place truck in park, restart the truck and disengage the emergency parking system. This has been in the shop and they can not duplicate. Dodge is aware of what is transpiring. How is this safe and have not been recalled b... Read more
Incident date: Jun 20, 2023
while backing out from the garage at speed below 5 MPH I heard loud snapping sound from the front suspension, then immediately rubbing sound of the front passenger tire against the wheel well. Had the car towed to Tesla dealer in Burlingame CA, and upon inspection has been advised that Front Fore link assembly left and right have to be replaced at my expense since vehicle is out of warranty, ye... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2021
1:Brake fail when trying to stop the car after the accident. The car is available for inspection at Arrow towing service Oklahoma City. 2: After the car accident the car keep going can't stop got Tee boned and my passenger broke his legs and ankles, elbow. 3: No, the problem has not be discussed with the dealer or manufacturer yet. 4: No one, including police, insurance have been inspect it. 5: No... Read more
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Jun 20, 2023
I have a Exhaust manifold leaking on the drive side lower back side. I'm scared it could catch my truck on fire if a backfire could happen while with my family with me
Incident date: Jun 20, 2023
Driver side mirror vibrates constantly at highway speeds (65 mph).
Incident date: Jun 10, 2023
Car unexpectedly brakes while using the cruise control. This can occur multiple times on a long drive without warning and for no apparent reason.
Incident date: May 14, 2023
The A/C hasn't fully worked since car was purchased in 2016. Driver side blows hot air and passenger side cool (not cold) air in summer and in winter/cold months it stays warm on driver side and cool (doesn't get warm enough) on passenger side. Car has been taken to dealership and issue has still not been fixed. No recall by Honda regarding this issue, but lots of forums and complaints online ab... Read more
Incident date: Jun 19, 2023
Engine maintenance required light came on. Vehicle was diagnosed with needing a new coolant bypass valve. Researching online and in Toyota groups, this is a widespread issue. Even the dealer said they have had many of these repairs yet Toyota has not issued a recall. This is a repair with a cost of $500-$1000 and a safety concern but Toyota has not addressed it.
Incident date: May 25, 2023
I was just turning right from a stoplight into a store parking lot when I lost power steering & my brakes were ‘difficult’ to push down. I barely got it out of the way of traffic and I turned the car off, got out, opened and closed my door, and got back in and it started back up and drove to the parking spot like nothing had happened. Sensors reset to 0. It happened again 2 stops away while in... Read more
Incident date: Jun 19, 2023
as i was drivim back home from engine started a smoke green, smelling like burn wires electricity ect. the shut off , i ran out the car. in the middle of traffic. i contacted mechanic , has inform me that the engine has siezed .will no longer turn on. and maybe some ECM or electrical but dat the engine is locked.oil looks very clean radiator fluid clean aswell. what could have caused this no ide... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jun 19, 2023
Lemon Law Initiated, Chrysler/Mopar Case #[XXX] Support requested for refund of Ram Promaster fleet purchase from Johnson Auto Plaza via [XXX] Johnson Auto Plaza (originating dealer) 112410 East 136th Brighton, Colorado 80601 [XXX] 06/15/2023 Paonia, Colorado RAM would not turn off--keyless malfunction apparently Roamly RV Insurance did not respond to Roadside Assistant I did not know at the t... Read more
Incident date: Jun 19, 2023
We purchased our 2023 Ioniq5 approximately 7 months ago. We saw an article in the newspaper about the 2022 Ioniq losing power while driving. That has happened to us 3 times in the last several months so it is not strictly the 2022 model. One time was particularly scary as I was entering a busy freeway the car lost power and as much as I pushed on the pedal I could not go more than 20mph. This happ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 19, 2023
We purchased our 2023 Ioniq5 approximately 7 months ago. We saw an article in the newspaper about the 2022 Ioniq losing power while driving. That has happened to us 3 times in the last several months so it is not strictly the 2022 model. One time was particularly scary as I was entering a busy freeway the car lost power and as much as I pushed on the pedal I could not go more than 20mph. This happ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 13, 2023
There is a fault with the ABS sensors. Everyone I know with same year make and model has the same issue.
Incident date: Jun 13, 2023
Inconsistent braking, extended stopping distance and unexpected soft rear brake pedal when applying the brakes.
Incident date: Jun 13, 2023
Rear view camera would not display on head unit while vehicle is in reverse. Has happened multiple times.
Incident date: Jun 13, 2023
2019 wrangler jl sport 2 door manual. 68,000miles. started with flashing abs light 2months ago with then start stop not working given i replaced the aux battery 3 months before this happened delearship said both batteries needed replaced so i did that. moving forward 2 weeks agos i got all these codes ,picture attached ,ran the scanner because i got my dash lit up with every warning you can possib... Read more
Incident date: May 17, 2023
It wont go in reverse and comes out of gear transmission?
Incident date: Jun 17, 2023
This is an intermittent problem sometimes this problem will happen as far apart as a month, Then for two days then go away. When accelerating the truck will starting bucking, not getting to enough fuel, this will sometimes not stop the next day I take it to the mechanic it is running fine no check engine light comes on. He runs a diagnostic, no error readings this has been going on for 6mos.. ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 13, 2023
Tire wobble and stutter on left hand turns. Throws VSS fault code C600c and C60063
Incident date: Jun 3, 2023
This truck has an intermittent problem that causes it to shut down and leaving me stranded in traffic. This shutdown has happened 8 times. It first happened on Jan-10. This is two weeks after I purchased the truck. Since then, there have been 4 attempts to fix it at dealerships. They were not been able to identifying the causes of these problems or fixing them. The Truck was out of service for 47 ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 17, 2023
When we turn to the left, there's a "popping" noise from the front suspension When the vehicle is turned back to straight the same pooping sound is made. I found a recall for this same vehicle but the years 2014-2016 (NTB15-062c).
Incident date: Jun 16, 2023
First and foremost I am the 2 owner of this vehicle with only 38,000 miles, my 82 mother gave me the car with 22,000 miles on it b/c she barely drives anymore. The car is in excellent condition until I started noticing that the steering wheel was sticky and it is difficult to control the vehicle, the oil pressure and the traction control light would come on and off intermittently. In addition, whi... Read more
Incident date: Feb 10, 2023
Engine began smoking and had to be replaced 2 days after purchase (in 2020- covered under warranty.) Failed inspection for front end suspension problems which was covered under warranty at first but a year later needed struts and tie rods replaced.. In 2021 the transmission suddenly failed, cost $5,000 to repair out of pocket. The other day the power steering assist suddenly stopped working and I ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while depressing the accelerator pedal from a stop sign, the vehicle began to hesitate and jerk abnormally. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving to her destination. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manu... Read more
Incident date: Jun 15, 2023
The contact owned a 2017 Ram 2500. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle in the parking lot of a residential building and turning the engine off, approximately 36 hours later the contact was alerted by the property manager that the vehicle was on fire. The fire department was called to the scene and extinguished the flames. During the failure, the vehicle was destroyed. A fire report w... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jun 12, 2023
Everytime I trun the car off, all the lights, Nav, radio stays on as the car display a message "Shift to Park". This message stays on for sometimes 2 minutes, sometimes 10 minutes. Untill the message gone the car still thinks is on. In 2 occasions I had to jump the car as the battery depelted. This is a major safety issue if my son who drive the car to Detroit and had to stay wait for the car to ... Read more
Incident date: May 18, 2023
* After parking on a hill (with the car facing uphill) and putting the car in Park, as my wife was gathering her things to exit the car, the car suddenly released from Park and lurched backward, rolling into the parked car behind it. This caused a dent on the back of the ID4, fortunately no damage to the other car. And especially fortunate that no people were hurt. * We called the dealership and a... Read more
Crash
Incident date: May 18, 2023
The component I will be writing about is the front, passenger door locking feature (interior side). I have taken my vehicle to the Honda dealership for inspection. I have also checked New Honda Ridgelines on the lot and found this same locking feature doesn't work the same in each vehicle. This means, in my opinion, that this issue is coming right out of the factory. This problem is easily reprodu... Read more
Incident date: May 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Audi Q7. The contact stated that at the initial start-up, there was a warning message flashing on the instrument panel that the “Front Driver’s side marker light was defective”. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 81,000.
Incident date: Jun 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling, the vehicle shuddered. Additionally, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the contact that there was coolant intrusion into the cylinder and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the... Read more
Incident date: Jun 13, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Ram 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V406000 (Fuel System, Diesel) 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... Read more
Incident date: Jun 10, 2023
UNKNOWN 35+ MPH noticeable bounce in front end also 70+ left then front end sometimes begins to wobble and becomes unstable. Dealer 1 checked and found wheels not balanced properly front the factory. Both front and rear wheel had three weights added for balance. Advised bunch is still present and is “normal”. Issue persists. Dealer 2 inspected. Found no issue with wheel or tire with mea... Read more
Incident date: Jun 14, 2023
I purchased this vehicle new off the lot with only 11 miles. At approximately 10,000 miles the ABS system started to malfunction intermittently. System checks via OBDII scan tool indicated a hydraulic control unit failure. This part is impossible to obtain as all dealerships contacted in a 100 mi radius report a backorder with prices for repair inflated due to demand. Limited research has yielded ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 14, 2023
Every time it rains, the inside of my vehicle floods through the ceiling and floors. This is a manufacture defect that is outside of my control. This is a safety issue because it causes mold and mildew in the vehicle which is a hazard to inhale. I'm also concerned that the possibility exist for an electrical hazard.
Incident date: Jun 13, 2023
This 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid, and all first and second generation (2001-2012) Escape models, were designed and built with a significant, known defect in the mating area and materials used for the rear floor pan, rear sub-assembly/rails, and rear inner fender liners/upper shock absorber mounts, all made of pressed steel. The design of the components renders them subject to trapping road debris/salt... Read more
Incident date: May 4, 2023
I own a 2013 Nissan Sentra SR with only 69,000 miles. The vehicle has been meticulously maintained with all recommended services being performed. The vehicle has had the factory/dealer recommended CVT reprogramming as well as CVT fluid exchange and coolant flush services. On May 25, 2023, my daughter was driving home from work when without warning the vehicle went into limp mode on the freeway cau... Read more
Incident date: Jun 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Maxima. The contact stated while driving at night, the driver’s, and passenger's side headlights were very dim, failing to properly illuminate the roadway, causing a visibility hazard for the driver. The contact stated that the light bulbs were replaced but the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The man... Read more
Incident date: Jun 7, 2023
The airbag located in the steering wheel has cracked the steering cover and is exposed. If this were to deploy prematurely or while driving it would pose serious safety risks. I have contacted Ford corporate in regard to this and their only suggestion was to take the vehicle to our dealer to have this replaced, at my own cost, which is missing the point of this needing to be reported and/or recal... Read more
Incident date: May 27, 2023
UNKNOWN. Since I purchase this vehicle in 2010, the backup camera does not always work. I took it in to the dealership and they stated that in order to diagnose it, it must happen while I am there. At this time, the backup camera only works sometimes and it is not safe to back up. Is there a manufacturer recall?
Incident date: Jun 13, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Bronco. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V021000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. 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 experienced a failure. Parts di... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2023
The vehicle was proceeding on the freeway when the drivers side rear tire blew out and went completely flat. The low pressure tire warning system that alerted us never indicated that the air pressure was low or getting low, but rather it had instantly dropped to 0 PSI. There was no integrity left to the tire which posed an extreme safety hazard to the stability of the vehicle. Upon contacting Brid... Read more
Incident date: May 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an unknown speed and depressing the accelerator pedal, there was black smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated she had experienced the failure on two separate occasions. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer in March of 2023, where it was diagnosed... Read more
SUBARU
XV CROSSTREK
(2015) - STEERING
Jun 13, 2023
Incident date: Jun 11, 2023
While driving at > 40 mph, the steering wheel constantly gets stuck and is jerky. There is a recall issued by Honda for the exact same issue, however, the recall is vin locked and only includes 54 cars. Looking online, this looks to be a widespread problem. I took it to a Honda dealership for a diagnostic and the service department diagnosed it to the TSB about the recall, however, my car doesn't ... Read more
Incident date: May 5, 2023
I stopped my 2021 Chrysler Pacifica, placed the transmission knob into park, opened the driver's door, leaving it opened with the engine running, and walked to the rear of the vehicle. I opened the tail gate and removed some boxes, threw the boxes into a dumpster, which was approximately 20 feet away and forward of the vehicle. I then returned to get two additional boxes from the rear of my vehi... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jun 11, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that upon cleaning her rear windshield, she noticed that the third rear brake light plastic housing had cracked on both sides. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was informed that the third brake light needed to be replaced to avoid future water intrusion that might enter through the roof of the vehicle. The vehicle wa... Read more
Incident date: Jun 6, 2023
At 38,000 miles I got into my car and it started making a popping noise on my drivers side door when opening it and closing it. After further inspection, I cannot put my window down and I am met with resistance whenever trying to open or close it. This poses safety concerns in the event of a car crash. Apparently this is not a recall item at this time and I am awaiting my dealership to even see if... Read more