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 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. The check engine warning light and the ABS warning light illuminated immediately. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Ho... Read more
Incident date: Mar 10, 2023
Hi my car start making this thiking noise on the engine out of nothing i have heard that there was a recall for 1.6 turbo engines but sadly my car donst have any recalls at the moment and the engine replacement is a kind a expensive 8500 dollars to be precise so what can i do if the engine has exactly the problem that kia described a problem with the pushrod thanks
Incident date: Mar 10, 2023
Backup camera system inoperable. Results in inability to see when backing up vehicle. Dealer diagnostic procedures pointed to defective camera. Display screen has message "System Inoperable," otherwise blank. Camera was replaced but did not solve the problem. Not offered any other remedy. Recall 21V411addressed this problem in 2020 and 2021 Mercedes (this chassis is 2021). Called MB support severa... Read more
Incident date: Feb 5, 2023
My 2022 Ram 5.7 with etorque (25k miles) decided to park itself in the middle of a state Highway. I was coming to a stop at a light and heard some beeping noises from the truck, I looked down and it was trying to put the truck into park while my wheels were still turning. Once I was around 2-3 mph it jammed into park and applied the parking brake. I couldn’t move the knob to drive, and my batter... Read more
Incident date: Mar 8, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle would not properly accelerate. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted or notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 76,000.
Incident date: Mar 9, 2023
March 9, 2023 at 7 AM, I was driving in Philadelphia and traffic had slowed slightly and I was going 5 MPH, coming to a stop in traffic when my car completely "froze", and all the lights on the dashboard came on and it said "auto start disabled" and my car would not move. I tried to hit "start/stop" button but nothing worked and I tried to hit my blinkers so I could warn the cars behind me, but n... Read more
Incident date: Mar 9, 2023
On7/2022 when I came out of my house in the evening my 2018 4Runner was not been running for hours But I heard my Fuel pump running with no keys in the switch Would not stop running until I turned the switch on and then turned it back off and then fuel pump stopped running I reported to my dealer but they didn’t seem interested so I am Sending this to you any thing I tell the dealer where... Read more
Incident date: Mar 9, 2023
On7/2022 when I came out of my house in the evening my 2018 4Runner was not been running for hours But I heard my Fuel pump running with no keys in the switch Would not stop running until I turned the switch on and then turned it back off and then fuel pump stopped running I reported to my dealer but they didn’t seem interested so I am Sending this to you any thing I tell the dealer where... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2023
The Fuel Lines needed to be replaced because gasoline was leaking from the lines. Zaabs Full Service Auto Repair of Bloomington, IL 61701 at 711 E. Lincoln Street replaced the Fuel Lines. We noticed a bad fuel/gasoline smell and finally saw it leaking. No warnings other than the smell. We took the vehicle 2010 Chevrolet HHR LT into Zaabs for diagnosis and replacement. We leave on a busy street and... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2023
My lug nuts have swollen and cannot be removed using the proper size socket. The chrome outer coating is separating from the inner steel lug nut. This means that the chrome coating could fall off and cause an imbalance on each wheel which could lead to disastrous effects including the lugs breaking off and causing a tire to come off.
Incident date: Mar 5, 2023
Car: Tesla Model S (and, I think, Model X). Year: 2020 (and, I think, prior and later) After a battery power loss (as can...and did...happen in an accident), many doors/compartments CAN NOT BE OPENED. Four safety problems: 1. Rear passenger doors: can not be opened without power. The car manual briefly describes how to open them (pulling up the carpet, finding a secret cable, and pulling it).... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Mar 9, 2023
They EyeSight continuously disables. Dealership cannot find any codes or issues with it. They say it is the weather, dirty windshield, clouds. It has been happening since week 3 of ownership. I clean the windshield all the time, there is no clouds. I have another Subaru with EyeSight and it doesn’t disable like this one. 90% of the time the system disables itself as soon as I turn it on.
Incident date: Mar 9, 2023
The stable link light came on with the engine light and showed the car symbol with tread lines. This is the second time the stable link came on since my ownership. On accelerating the gas pedal, the car starts to studder, and the engine will not pick up speed on the highway. So cars are held up behind you, until it accelerates slowly to the highway speed limit. Between 44mph it starts studderin... Read more
Incident date: Mar 9, 2023
The car is currently in the shop at Jim Shorkey Gainesville Kia and is available for inspection. They have contacted me to tell me the transmission/engine failed. I was driving on interstate when I suddenly lost the ability to accelerate and was forced to get off of the highway. After coming to a complete stop I pressed on the gas pedal but the car would still not accelerate. I tried putting into... Read more
Incident date: Mar 9, 2023
3.09.2023 I received a 2nd recall notice letter from Ford last week that the parts are now available and to contact my dealer to schedule an appt. I just contacted my dealer, and was told that the parts are extremely constrained from Ford TO the dealers, with them stating they are only getting 2-3 repair kits per week. I was placed on a list, and apparently am number 65 in the waiting queue and ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 17, 2023
2022 2.5L HTRAC Tucson (Current Mileage: 27,088) This issue became notably clear roughly around the 12,000-to-15,000-mile mark on the vehicle. It's also worth mentioning that since month one of ownership, the vehicle has displayed some unnatural characteristics. Under hard throttle the engine created a tone that was very much discomforting and not confidence inspiring. It was abundantly clear the ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2023
While driving down the road, the power door steps will spontaneously extend. This extends close to the ground and out to the side, and could catch on a curb, pothole, another vehicle, etc. This could cause an accident many different ways. It has been to the dealer for service multiple times, details below. The issue persists. I have learned from Facebook groups that this issue is quite wi... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2023
While driving down the road, the power door steps will spontaneously extend. This extends close to the ground and out to the side, and could catch on a curb, pothole, another vehicle, etc. This could cause an accident many different ways. It has been to the dealer for service multiple times, details below. The issue persists. I have learned from Facebook groups that this issue is quite wi... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2022
When the vehicle has the auto start-stop activated it will randomly kill the engine entirely when you go to drive forward from an auto start-stop stop. You then need to put the vehicle in park and restart the engine. I've taken this into the dealership twice now for this issue, as the first time they tried to fix it with a new battery, which did not fix the issue. It's currently at Ford Service b... Read more
Incident date: Dec 26, 2022
My car has stopped working while driving 70 mph on the interstate in so separate occasions. Both times it has been driving fine, with fuel in the tank, and all of the sudden it shuts off and completely loses power. All of the warning lights on the dash light up and the only thing to do is to coast to the shoulder of the highway. Couldn’t start the car back up (cranked, no start). Battery is fine... Read more
Incident date: Dec 26, 2022
My 2018 Ford Focus has a recall, it has been in the service center since November for non-repairable issues. Ford Motor company has lacked transparency and disclosures by lying about the recalls and defects as more than one the Ford certified dealership confirmed my emissions warranty and recall on parts but the manufacture continues to deny any sort of warranty and recall which is “VIN” speci... Read more
Incident date: Dec 26, 2022
My 2018 Ford Focus has a recall, it has been in the service center since November for non-repairable issues. Ford Motor company has lacked transparency and disclosures by lying about the recalls and defects as more than one the Ford certified dealership confirmed my emissions warranty and recall on parts but the manufacture continues to deny any sort of warranty and recall which is “VIN” speci... Read more
Incident date: Feb 19, 2023
This week when I started my car, a yellow caution light appeared on my dash and a “check SRS warning light” appeared next to it. It would turn on and off, so i am unsure of what the problem is. I brought my car in for an inspection on January 28th, and they didn’t detect any issue regarding airbags or anything related to it. One thing i noticed is whenever the passenger seat is pulled forwar... Read more
Incident date: Feb 19, 2023
Frame is rotted from front to back
Incident date: Feb 19, 2023
The airbag sensor light is indicating a sensor needs replacement. I have replaced airbags on both the driver and passenger side due to recall. Diagnostics state it is the sensor, passenger side. I have attempted to have repaired, and after 5 weeks and 4 mechanics, no one can seem to get the new sensor to connect to the system and work properly. I did not have a vehicle for weeks! PLEASE HELP!
Incident date: Mar 7, 2023
We were driving at 75 mph in the left lane when our car suddenly dropped in speed to 40 mph as though the transmission had dropped into neutral. There were no warning lights or any indication about what was happening. We were in heavy traffic, with trucks and car hitting their brakes. This could have caused a very serious accident. We managed to move our car to the right shoulder. The car's transm... Read more
Incident date: Mar 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an unknown speed, the brakes became inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the brake master cylinder needed brake fluid added. The mechanic failed to locate a leak. The mechanic added dye to show a possible brake fluid leak. T... Read more
Incident date: Mar 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an unknown speed, the brakes became inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the brake master cylinder needed brake fluid added. The mechanic failed to locate a leak. The mechanic added dye to show a possible brake fluid leak. T... Read more
Incident date: Feb 10, 2023
Charging with level 2 / 240 vac charger stops frequently after 5 months of ownership. Car will not complete charge. Seeing on message boards that this is common problem with this model.
Incident date: Feb 10, 2023
This is happening to my car. Would like them to fix it . Manufacture defect and it is a huge safety issue. Effect pedal function. Some customers may comment on an intermittent malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) being Illuminated with a message or an indicator that displays Reduced Engine Power. The technician may observe on a scan tool DTC P2138 - Accelerator Pedal Position (APP) Sensor 1-2 Correla... Read more
Incident date: Mar 6, 2023
The first incident occurred when I drove into a parking space, applied the brakes, and the car suddenly sped forward, so I had to repeatedly jam on the brakes to make the car stop. Fortunately, no person or vehicle was directly in front of me. In the past week, we have experienced problems with the ADAS. We were backing into a parking space at night and made contact with a parked car. Our car ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2012 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer where the gas cap was replaced; however, the warning light returned. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer for a diagnostic test and the contact was informed that the timing belt cover, cam carrier, and O2 sensors n... Read more
Incident date: Mar 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Incident date: Aug 10, 2022
I bought this Tesla model y in less than a month to be specific February 23th, I was forced to park the car due to rear motor failure. I had barely any time to find a parking lot before the car shot down on me. Until today, I have not gotten the car yet from Tesla due to long delay repair time.
Incident date: Mar 1, 2022
November 18, 2022 had my car for 22 months when I took it for oil change I reported a noise when turning the steering wheel. Ford mechanics decided it the front shocks. Part # LX6Z18124EQ was ordered at that time. As of today 3/8/2023 it is still on back order. The noise is getting louder. I have been in contact with Ford which has expedited the part about 3 - 4 weeks ago. Still not at dea... Read more
Incident date: Mar 5, 2023
I have purchased a 2022 Evoque as a certified preowned vehicle. Only a few days after the delivery, the car had to be towed back to the dealership due to multiple error messages that caused the vehicle to shift into Neutral on its own, and it did not allow changing gears after that -- it was not possible to move the vehicle. Check engine light also came on. Errors displayed were; "Emergency Brakin... Read more
Incident date: Feb 2, 2023
2022 FORD F-150. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO TWO NHTSA SAFETY RECALLS. THE CONSUMER SCHEDULED REPAIRS FOR THE RECALL, BUT WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER, FORD ISSUED A MEMO NO REPAIR WORK SHOULD BE DONE.
Incident date: Mar 7, 2023
I was driving in rain and the wipers were initially working fine. Then for no reason they just started slowing down. The rain was still heavy and the vehicle does not have rain sensing wipers so there is no reason they should have slowed down. I had to keep changing the wiper speed from high to low to high to get it back to the necessary speed. This is a major safety issue that the wipers do not w... Read more
Incident date: Feb 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer and the contact informed that the system was being updated and was interrupted while attempting to start-up. While driving approximately 25-30 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The message “No Key Detected” was displayed. The che... Read more
Incident date: Mar 6, 2023
Tried to Auto Park the car and almost hit my other car. It didn't recognize the fender of the Tesla. I had to push on brake. I have only tried auto park once. I am pretty sure it would have hit my Tesla. With highway drive assist and steering Icon yellow, the car doesn't maintain the lane and swirl and drifts into the next lane without warning. The color of the steering Icon does change white. T... Read more
Incident date: Feb 28, 2023
Stereo screen is delaminating, sometimes I am completely unable to use radio, temperature controls, hands free calling etc. Screen presses buttons and goes crazy and I am unable to do anything. That is definitely a safety hazard. From what I have researched this is a very common problem with Jeeps.
Incident date: Feb 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Acura RDX. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the rear tailgate glass shattered when the front driver’s side door was opened. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact stated that no object had struck the window to cause the failure to occur. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The fai... Read more
Incident date: Mar 7, 2023
I bought a new GMC, I received 3 vouchers for computer chips to be installed at a later time years ago. They have not provided them. They are selling new fully equipped vehicles with computers chips just fine. Can you handle and have GMC install their backlog of computer chips? There are many safety features that DO NOT work, like parking assit and basically all warnings like when backing up etc. ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Harley Davidson Tri Glide Ultra FLHTCUTG. The contact stated while riding approximately 10 MPH and pulling into his driveway, the front hand brake was very soft and was not as firm as usual. The contact stated that the front hand brake had a mushy feel when he squeezed. The contact was pulling into his garage when the hand brake completely failed. The contact was able to us... Read more
Incident date: Mar 6, 2023
2015 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULE SAFETY RECALL.
Incident date: Mar 1, 2023
The vehicle drops out of gear unexpectedly. Has interrupted the operation of the vehicle on the highway and city streets. Have had to move to the side of the highway or street to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was submitted to the dealership for inspection and repairs. Several images were provided the dealership of failure indicators that were presented on the dash panel.
Incident date: Mar 4, 2023
unexpected down shifting of transmission and sudden exceleration and loss of some control their was no warning light or check engine light
Incident date: Mar 5, 2023
2014 Kia Cadenza Continuous knocking and rattling sound since car purchase and now engine started smoking and from what mechanic states, the engine is now blown after just paying off vehicle. There was a Class Act settlement in other Kia models but not for the Cadenza. After researching & finding out this make of car has numerous engine issues, I contacted the Settlement Dept but was told my model... Read more
Incident date: Mar 5, 2023
*1. The Fuel Tank and components and/or system failed or malfunctioned. *2. After filling the gas tank, the odor of strong pungent gasoline fumes fills the cabin of the and lingers for some time in the car and garage until the gasoline level goes down after being driven for a few miles. *3The car has been taken to a certified Mercedes Benz Dealership Service Center and was told that the problem wa... Read more
Incident date: Mar 5, 2023
Heated and Cooling seat buttons for the front seats and Heated Seats for the rear indicates power being fed and luminated. Fuse for the climate control on seats is operational, however NO Heat and NO Cooling. Checked the Heated and Cooling Module under passenger front seat and disconnected harness to find the Top wiring pig tail as you look at it burnt. Terminals on module burnt. Apparently on th... Read more