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: May 8, 2023
Driving on highway at 65 mph and engine just died with no warning. Almost got hit trying to get off the expressway to the side of road. Had car towed home and checked engine. Engine is seized up completely.
Incident date: Apr 30, 2023
My wife was driving the car through a twisty road, and she heard a clunking noise come from the front passenger door, and then the door opened. A warning came up that the emergency door release was pulled and that the door was open. My wife was the only person in the car and could not have pulled the emergency door release on the passenger side door. I took the car to Tesla, and they were able ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 12, 2022
Vehicle downshifted into 2nd gear at 65 mph. It only stayed in the lower gear for 1-2 seconds before shifting back up into 6th gear. Second incident involved downshifting to a lower gear at 55 mph. Also for 1-2 seconds before shifting up. I was unable to determine what gear it shifted down to since the display disappeared. Shifter display sometimes flickers and disappears. It has also shifte... Read more
Incident date: May 3, 2023
Coolant leaking, could be water pump issues? Also foul order inside vehicle. I just bought this so I don't know when these problems started. I have not taken it to a shop yet
Incident date: May 6, 2023
I was researching recalls on my 2021 Honda Pilot and came across NHTSA Campaign number 20V725000. When i inspected my tires I can confirm that they are the ones in question as they are the Continental CrossContact LX Sport tires with tire size 245/50 R20 102H and DOT serial number of A376. When I brought the vehicle into the dealership over the weekend they were dismissive and stated they only hav... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2023
The ABS system has been damaged since September 23, 2022 and I went to the dealer in West Palm Beach and the one in Ocala Fl and none of them have the part. And it's not just me, there are many people with the same problem.
Incident date: Apr 22, 2023
Brake pedal is hard and hard to stop. Also making a hissing noise
Incident date: Apr 22, 2023
2nd ram tradesman 2500 2022. Front end shakes and goes all over. Shimmer is normal at 65 but it's actually doing it at 35. Brakes are to the floor
Incident date: Apr 22, 2023
2nd ram tradesman 2500 2022. Front end shakes and goes all over. Shimmer is normal at 65 but it's actually doing it at 35. Brakes are to the floor
Incident date: Feb 20, 2023
The automatic dual clutch is shaking my steering wheel and whole car.
Incident date: May 6, 2023
Driver was driving on a clear road on a straight level Road went to go make a turn as he tried to break the car would not break, causing him to skid and slam into a culvert and hit a tree resulting in a concussion
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: May 6, 2023
The infotainment system randomly starts changing stations rapidly. After resetting the system by disconnecting the battery, it now has the "would you like to change your clock settings" dialogue box pop up and no matter what you do, it pops right back up and you cannot control anything. I believe this is dangerous as it is distracting, and more importantly, there are many systems in this vehicle... Read more
Incident date: May 5, 2023
The inner left tie rod in my truck bent and then completely snapped while I was backing out of my driveway. The tie rods are available for inspection. I was unable to steer the vehicle after the tie rod broke, and the vehicle was unable to reverse or move forward. I could've crashed on the side of the road had I gone at higher speeds. The problem has not been reproduced, but has been confirmed ... Read more
Incident date: May 5, 2023
Drivers side seatbelt won’t work. Won’t retract. Just hangs there
Incident date: Aug 12, 2022
The contact owns a 1997 Infiniti QX4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V244000 (Steering, Suspension). The contact stated while driving at 35 MPH and other various speeds over bumps in the roadway, the vehicle was shaking abnormally with the steering wheel becoming difficult to turn to the left or to the right. Additionally, the contact heard abnormal metal on metal gr... Read more
Incident date: Apr 21, 2023
Cvt transmission jerking , engine is always idling hard sometimes wants to even shut off , accelerating sometimes takes a lil while to respond , rack and pinion assembly faulty I would like for nissan to fix my car or get a lump sum check for all faulty errors these cars have
Incident date: Apr 13, 2023
The problem appears to be the power module. My van is psychotic. Problem usually occurs when headlights are on, although sometimes AC will also do it. Headlights and/or wipers will randomly turn off (or on, though the off is what is scary and dangerous.) Entire electrical system is unreliable. Sometimes engine just shuts off, dash lights randomly blink, TPMS light illuminates randomly when pressur... Read more
Incident date: Apr 13, 2023
The problem appears to be the power module. My van is psychotic. Problem usually occurs when headlights are on, although sometimes AC will also do it. Headlights and/or wipers will randomly turn off (or on, though the off is what is scary and dangerous.) Entire electrical system is unreliable. Sometimes engine just shuts off, dash lights randomly blink, TPMS light illuminates randomly when pressur... Read more
Incident date: Apr 13, 2023
During a ride my speedometer/tachometer failed due to water intrusion. From what I have seen this is a very common issue. When this happened it caused me to loose my ABS, loss all other gauges. This was a huge saefty concern as I could not monitor anything and could have been potentially dangerous or deadly! This is a huge safety concern that I feel like harley is brushing under the rug! They need... Read more
Incident date: May 5, 2023
My ABS (Anti-Locking Braking System) module on my brakes has failed for the second time with only 26,900 miles on the truck. The dealer replaced the ABS Module and pump in 2020 and just inspected it on May 3, 2023. I was told i will have to drive it as is until it is possibly fixed in August 2023, when part might be available with no guarantee on date.
Incident date: Feb 4, 2021
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the PHEV mode failed to function as designed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.
SUBARU
IMPREZA
(2018) - POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
May 4, 2023
Incident date: Aug 12, 2022
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15-20 MPH, the gear shifter became inoperable. The vehicle was rocking forward and backwards. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the clutch assembly needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the repair was not c... Read more
Incident date: Aug 12, 2022
According to Toyota, the wire harness needs to be replaced due to damages caused by animals (rodents). My main concern is, this vehicle is not safe to drive. Because if a midsize animal could find its way inside the engine compartment and caused so much damages to a car I drive every day, what would happen if a snake or a rat shows up inside the cabin while driving at 65 or 70 mph. Secondly, what... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKC. The contact stated that the engine fault message was displayed and there was a misfire in cylinder #4. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the engine needed to be replaced and recommended he contact the dealer. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was rep... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2023
Engine temporarily shut itself off by itself in the freeway as I was slowing down pressing my brakes because of the cars in front of me in traffic hour. The car flashed a “coolant temperature too high” message then immediately turned itself off for a minute. The engine/coolant temperature gauge was normal the whole time I was driving (in between the cold and the high sign). But even then it f... Read more
Incident date: Apr 5, 2023
There was a problem with the steering, so thought may be my wife hit a pothole found out the sub frame was severely corroded rusted and falling apart. My family could seriously got hurt. There was no accident, But there very well could have if she continued to drive ,there has to some form of responsibility of Hyundai add vehicle since it was brand new only 67,000 miles
Incident date: May 1, 2023
For the last year on several occasions the power steering locks up and I am unable to control the vehicle. The lights on my dash start flickering and the vehicle starts stuttering like it is out of gas. It seems like an electrical issue where the vehicle is getting mixed signals so the power steering locks up. On 2 occasions while in motion I tried to turn off the road causing the vehicle to stal... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2019
Getting transmission error: secure vehicle when stopped. This will not turn off.
Incident date: Aug 1, 2019
Lifter failure at 24,500 miles
Incident date: May 3, 2023
I noticed the problem when my change oil light started coming on several thousands miles before my oil change was due. I checked the oil and it was very very low. Much lower that it should have been at that point during the maintenance period. We added oil thinking maybe something had happened with the previous oil change. Made it to the next round of maintenance and a few thousand miles into that... Read more
Incident date: May 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that after the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V348000 (Electrical System), the feature became inoperable. The START/STOP feature warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where an unknown repair was completed; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that while attempting to ... Read more
Incident date: May 2, 2023
My rpm’s were running very low after putting gas to the point the car felt like it would turn off when at idle. I was stopped on a highway at a light when the car revved low and shut off completely. The light was green and I had to sit and try to get it back on, it started right up. Brought it to the dealer and they found no issue with the car. Rpm’s have still been low to the point the car se... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while making a left turn a second vehicle crashed into the passenger side of the vehicle. During the crash no air bags deployed. The driver sustained a minor neck injury which did not require medical treatment. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. In a second incident, the vehicle crashed down an embankment... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Apr 26, 2023
Suddenly had difficult time stopping the vehicle without "pumping" the brakes. Brake pedal went to the floor, and car would not hold stopped. There were no warning lamps during the 400 miles of driving from western NY to Michigan for a Holiday with family. Had this happened as I was waiting in line on the downhill side of the Blue Water Bridge in Michigan, it would have been quite difficult to... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2023
I've experienced "phantom braking" about 5 times in the last 3 months, where the vehicle automatically braked aggressively when on Autopilot without another nearby object in front of it. Some of the cases are re-producible, especially going West on Route 66 near coordinate 38.84779147045726, -77.42673470607882, where there are overlapping bridges above the highway. The aggressive braking of my v... Read more
Incident date: Apr 21, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that the tailgate independently opened while driving. The tailgate warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the wheel well molding had detached. The vehicle was repaired at an auto body shop. Additionally, the contact stated that there was water intrusion into the headlight housings, and there was a sharp plastic part coming through th... Read more
Incident date: Apr 26, 2023
Cat transmission when out for the second time
Incident date: Apr 10, 2023
I'm experiencing “sticky steering.” I feel momentary increases in steering effort while driving the vehicle at highway speeds. I fear that I may over correct one day and cause an accident.
Incident date: Apr 29, 2023
I had issues with the electrical systems on various occasions. There were times when the vehicle shut down in middle of driving while other times some functions such as keyless entry or auto braking didn't work. I took the vehicle to the dealership on 3 separate occasions and they said that they could not recreate the issues but rewired the system. I still had issues and was told that as long as t... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Apr 27, 2023
The suv uses large amounts of oil, no matter what brand. Also an electrical issue is present. The radio stops working, thr check engine light stays on. And the headlights dim way down. This happens randomly. The engine code reappears for p420, and i have fixed every component related to the code. The suv consumes approximately 2 quarts of oil in a months driving. The headlights dim so low, even wi... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2022
On APRIL 23 2023. I GOT A CRITICAL WARNING MESSAGE ON MY CARS DASH PANAL. SAYING WARNING THERE IS A CRITICAL PROBLEM WITH YOUR CAR ELECTRICLA BATTERY. CALL ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE ASAP. ON APRIL 24 202E. I WAS ABLE TO GET MY KIA EV6 TO STOCKTON KIA FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON CARS ELECTRICAL BATTERY MALFUNCTION. THEY HAD MY CAR UNTIL 3:00 PM. THEY GAVE ME MY CAR BACK STATING THEY DONT KNOW WHATS WRONG WI... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2022
Car steering is very stiff as if the steering is locked, and the car is hard to steer at the start of the car or when driven at low speeds below 30mph.
Incident date: Aug 12, 2022
I cannot cut the car off without turning off the battery to release the key.
Incident date: Oct 15, 2018
The contact owns a 2010 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while attempting to make a right turn, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist with the power steering fault message displayed. The contact made a local dealer aware of the failure; however, the vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure m... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2022
When the clutch is depressed the engine kills without indication anything is happening. All the dash lights come on and the power steering goes out. It has been happening repeatedly since last June. More frequently over time. If it happens on an off ramp or at an intersection the engine will not start for up to 5 minutes creating a safety hazard.
Incident date: Aug 21, 2022
The contact owns a 2023 Buick Envision. The contact stated while parking the vehicle, the vehicle launched forward without warning, causing the vehicle to drive over the curb. The contact desperately depressed on the brake pedal and the vehicle came to a complete stop, causing damages to the front bumper and underneath the vehicle. The contact was able to park the vehicle. The vehicle was not diag... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2022
Car is a Safety Hazard from October 2022 to current. I have had this car at the Beau Townsend Nissan Dealership Service Center, Vandalia, OH multiple times, about the safety issue of the car slowing down with floor acceleration then shutting off on 4 lane highways just barely escaping severe accidents. Each time dealership isn’t able to fix issue, had me spend $800 to fix what they thought it wa... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2023
Frame rotting, brake line connections rotting
Incident date: Apr 27, 2023
I purchased this vehicle used and out of warranty in February of this year 2023. I've had continuous issues with the steering. I have contacted my local dealerships explaining my issues. I've contacted FCA explaining my issues. By both I'm told I need to bring my vehicle in for a diagnostic test that will cost me $250 plus dollars and then ANY REPAIR will cost out of pocket. The vehicle wonders wh... Read more