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: Apr 1, 2026
Here is an update to the issue I had raised with your office in March-April 2026: Honda Van Nuys performed the 35,000-mile routine maintenance on the Honda Clarity on February 24, 2026. At that time, Honda Van Nuys recommended (and I approved) that they clean the throttle. The odometer read 33,882 miles. I drove the car 337 miles when the unintended acceleration accident occurred on March 18... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Jun 8, 2026
The following are issues; -Adas disables mid drive (no warning lights) at highway speeds -steering angle sensors shows not calibrated in live data feed of bscm -air ride stuck in aero mode -select terrain drive modes not functioning as intended -loses all power engine dies at stoplight and eps warning light on -
Incident date: Sep 5, 2025
I was driving on a highway and all of a sudden, I see three warnings appearing on my dashboard - "Emission System Problem", "Blind Spot Info System Problem", "Transmission System Problem". I continued driving but then my vehicle started behaving weird. It started shaking while driving. Luckily, I was close to my exit and l somehow managed to take the exit but I wasn't able to move forward when the... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2022
Vehicle was sold to me with a bad transmission. Dealer is refusing to fix it or buyback the vehicle. There is a recall for potentially cracked fuel injector which poses a significant risk of fire under the hood, however it’s been almost a year and Ford still doesn’t have a fix for it.
Incident date: Jan 1, 2022
Vehicle was sold to me with a bad transmission. Dealer is refusing to fix it or buyback the vehicle. There is a recall for potentially cracked fuel injector which poses a significant risk of fire under the hood, however it’s been almost a year and Ford still doesn’t have a fix for it.
Incident date: Jun 6, 2026
On May 21st , 2026, while waiting in line to make a right turn (positioned 3rd in queue), the vehicles ahead moved forward. As I transitioned from the brake to the gas pedal to follow, the vehicle experienced an instantaneous engine stall and total electrical failure (NOT an i-Stop event). Pressing the gas caused the vehicle to slowly roll backward. When I immediately tried to reapply the brakes, ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
Vehicle experienced sudden loss of motive power while merging onto interstate I accelerated to enter traffic and all dashboard warning lights illuminated at once. Engine shut off immediately with no prior knocking,smoke, or warning. Car coasted to shoulder with complete loss of power steering and power brakes. After incident vehicle will not crank or restart , push -button start activates accessor... Read more
Incident date: May 22, 2026
While driving on Thursday, June 4, 2026, the vehicle experienced a sudden and complete failure of the electronic braking/power brake assist system. Simultaneously, multiple safety warnings illuminated on the dashboard display, including a persistent service wrench icon, a traction control warning light, and a lane-keep assist indicator light. Due to the loss of brake assistance, the vehicle was un... Read more
Incident date: May 22, 2026
While driving on Thursday, June 4, 2026, the vehicle experienced a sudden and complete failure of the electronic braking/power brake assist system. Simultaneously, multiple safety warnings illuminated on the dashboard display, including a persistent service wrench icon, a traction control warning light, and a lane-keep assist indicator light. Due to the loss of brake assistance, the vehicle was un... Read more
Incident date: Apr 4, 2026
when driving I was approaching a curve and lost all steering for several seconds. I could turn the wheel completely all the way around and there was no control. After about 8 seconds steering was available again. This was not caused by hydroplaning as the roads are dry. speed was about 30 mph.
Incident date: Jun 4, 2026
While driving, the power steering stopped and basically locked up the steering wheel almost causing an accident. At the same time, multiple warnings flashed on the dash. After restarting, the vehicle operated as should until the following day when it occurred again and we had to have it towed to the dealership. Water intrusion and corrosion damaged a wiring harness and rack and pinion. The cost to... Read more
Incident date: Jun 5, 2026
When driving, my vehicle recieved multple warning messages at the same time. The first message was that my brake was malfunctioning, and when I went to brake, the brakes did not work. Thankfully, I wasn't going too fast when this happened and I was able to bring it down to a slow and turned into a lot. I could've easily hit another vehicle or totaled my car because the brakes simply stopped work... Read more
Incident date: Feb 19, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, and approaching a red traffic light, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the braking system became inoperable. The vehicle eventually regained braking functionality. During the failure, the regenerative braking and stability control warning lights were illuminated. The dealer was contacted; howev... Read more
Incident date: May 31, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Tow Blazer KSR Motorcycle Trailer. The contact stated that upon inspection it was discovered that the driver’s side wheel hub had leaked grease from the wheel bearings. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 3,000.
Incident date: May 31, 2026
I had an oil pressure light come on while driving and it was followed by the car shutting off and not starting back up. It was towed to a mechanic who told me the timing belt broke while driving and the car requires a new engine. The car was the towed to a ford dealer who confirmed his diagnosis. The car has the 1.0l ecoboost engine and manual transmission. I saw that there is an open investigatio... Read more
Incident date: May 30, 2026
I have a 2024 Hybrid Toyota Tundra Equipped with V35-A- FTS 3.4 L Twin- Turbo V6. This motor is the same engine as the non hybrid motors included in the recall. There was recently a defect information report sent out on May 20th 2026 from Toyota stating that there is an issue with the main #1 bearing and the newer motors are now being installed with upgraded new bearing indicating that all motors,... Read more
Incident date: May 7, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the rearview camera had progressively become inoperable. The message " Notify Your Dealer" was displayed". The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. ... Read more
Incident date: May 7, 2026
There was a complete failure of the CVT transmission. It left my daughter completely stranded in a parking lot. The car was inspected at the local Toyota dealership and that is where the transmission failure was confirmed. There were no lamps or messages until my daughter tried to start the car again and every light on the dashboard lit up. Before that, there had been a slight whining sound bu... Read more
Incident date: May 7, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Ram 1500 Gignorn. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: (example: 20V315000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was/was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was/was not made aware of... Read more
Incident date: May 3, 2026
I am writing to you as a loyal BMW owner to formally lodge a serious complaint regarding a technical safety failure in my BMW X5 and the subsequent dismissive treatment I received at an authorized service center in New York. The Incident Recently, while reversing, the Driving Assistance and Parking Assistant systems failed without warning. As a result, the vehicle collided with an object, causing ... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
On June 3, 2026 at approximately 3:48 PM, I was operating my 2025 Ford F-150 Lightning Flash in front of my home. The vehicle was at a stop or near-stop. I shifted the vehicle into Reverse, and it rapidly accelerated unexpectedly while in one-pedal driving mode. I then attempted to shift the vehicle into Park to stop it. The vehicle then stopped abruptly and surged forward, ultimately crashing int... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Jun 4, 2026
I have a Lincoln MKZ Hybrid 2012 with 88k miles on it. While I was slowing to a stop as I approached a stoplight at a busy intersection, the 'Check Brake' warning on the dashboard lit up without warning and no prior issues, and my ability to brake became near impossible as the pedal softened. I needed to push it all the way to the floor to get the vehicle to stop. I shifted into park and turned of... Read more
Incident date: Jun 4, 2026
While driving down a freeway, my car shuddered and my engine suddenly lost power and was put into limp mode. Mechanic determined it was the high pressure fuel pump that failed. This vehicle was part of the recall for the low pressure fuel pump that was completed. It also had to have fuel injectors replaced under Honda’s extended warranty over faulty injectors.
Incident date: Jun 4, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Buick Enclave. The contact stated that while driving at 30 to 40 MPH, the vehicle was shuddering. The vehicle was hard to shift. The TPMS was illuminated. The contact indicated the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V668000 (Power Train). The local dealer was contacted, who informed about the diagnostic fees. The contact called another local dealer, Starling Bu... Read more
Incident date: May 31, 2026
Vehicle radiator cracked at 31k miles on the highway leaving myself and my family stranded. My roof has been leaking since I bought the vehicle and Mazda keeps saying they can't replicate the issue and if I can find it they will then fix it. I don't think that's my job. I bought a car that I expected to be able to drive safely without issues. I don't want to play find the issue because I'm not a... Read more
Incident date: Jun 4, 2026
I’ve had it looked at twice at two different places and they don’t see anything wrong with it but when you hit bumps, especially going high rate of speed, it feels like you’re gonna lose control of the backend. When I looked online, there’s multiple people with the exact same issues and they take it in and they see that everything‘s tight and nothing’s worn out but even my daughter doe... Read more
Incident date: May 29, 2026
At around 7k miles while driving the brakes and steering suddenly stopped working and all warning lights came on including check engine light. The dealership said it was the main brain and the fixed it. Then last Thursday night while driving on the highway my brakes stopped working suddenly and all warning lights came on again. It is at the dealership now and they are now saying the problem is ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
At around 7k miles while driving the brakes and steering suddenly stopped working and all warning lights came on including check engine light. The dealership said it was the main brain and the fixed it. Then last Thursday night while driving on the highway my brakes stopped working suddenly and all warning lights came on again. It is at the dealership now and they are now saying the problem is ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
Problem with the fuel pump control module. Car broke down in front of my neighbor’s house. Now there is a problem with the transmission. It is slipping and there’s a clunking noise.
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
1. The engine architecture suffered a catastrophic mechanical failure. Specifically, severe, systemic internal oil consumption/vaporization starved the hydraulic timing chain tensioner of critical hydrostatic pressure. This caused the tensioner to collapse, creating slack in the steel timing chain, which then "jumped time" (skipped a tooth on the camshaft sprockets), causing the engine to instantl... Read more
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
1. The engine architecture suffered a catastrophic mechanical failure. Specifically, severe, systemic internal oil consumption/vaporization starved the hydraulic timing chain tensioner of critical hydrostatic pressure. This caused the tensioner to collapse, creating slack in the steel timing chain, which then "jumped time" (skipped a tooth on the camshaft sprockets), causing the engine to instantl... Read more
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
Transmission, going towards home up a mild hill, broke top of hill trans shifted to next gear, rear wheels locked up and tires squealed. doing around 40 mph. Took it directly into the shop, and the trans was destroyed inside. broken parts in the pan. Trans could not be repaired, had to get a new transmission. I limped to the dealership, just noisey under vehicle. There was special covera... Read more
Incident date: Jun 3, 2026
When I was at 41,528 miles, May 18, the LKAS, ACC & RDMS errors all turned on at the same time. So those systems just stopped working randomly. When I restarted the car, all errors turned off but it turned on again after 10 days, May 28 with 91,966 miles. I brought it to the Acura dealership and they couldn't replicate it. I think this is an issue because one of the highlights of this car is safet... Read more
Incident date: Jun 3, 2026
On Thursday, May28 I was driving my 2025 Ford Mach-2 on Schrock Rd. in Columbus, Ohio at approximately 3:30 PM when the hood (the "frunk") of the car unexpectedly unlatched and opened, flying up to a vertical position and obscuring my view of traffic. I was driving in the left lane of this road at 40-45 mph. My view of the road was immediately obstructed, but I was able to crouch sufficiently to s... Read more
Incident date: May 31, 2026
Steering "sticky". Intermittently steering feels stuck, resistant to during turns requiring extra force on steering wheel to break free both in low speed maneuvering and at highway speeds. Sticky steering associated by a soft clicking noise. Jim Coleman Honda of Clarksville MD checked the vehicle and confirmed the sticky steering and associated clicking noise. Their remedy to the sticky steering ... Read more
Incident date: May 31, 2026
Steering "sticky". Intermittently steering feels stuck, resistant to during turns requiring extra force on steering wheel to break free both in low speed maneuvering and at highway speeds. Sticky steering associated by a soft clicking noise. Jim Coleman Honda of Clarksville MD checked the vehicle and confirmed the sticky steering and associated clicking noise. Their remedy to the sticky steering ... Read more
Incident date: May 16, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while she and her husband were driving at 60 MPH, she heard a loud explosion noise from above her head and felt air whipping on top of her head. The contact stated that the sunroof exploded; however, the sunroof shield prevented the glass from entering the vehicle. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and inspected, but ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 3, 2026
My 2023 Lucid Air Touring experienced a rearview camera/display failure while reversing, resulting in a backing collision and rear bumper damage. The main display/rearview image went blank or became unavailable during an active reverse maneuver, and the vehicle did not provide effective visual guidance or rear safety alerts before impact. This failure is consistent with NHTSA Recall 26V017 / Luci... Read more
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
I was driving down the road and came to a stop at a stop light. After accelerating again my car lost the ability to increase speed above 20 miles/hour and would not shift gears. I was heading to the turn lane to get on the interstate and quickly had to change lanes to find an area to pull over as I could not reach highway speeds. I turned the car off. I turned the car back on and the problem resol... Read more
Incident date: Jun 3, 2026
While using Highway Driving Assist/Lane Following Assist on Interstate highways, lane markings frequently disappear on overpasses and in construction areas. When this occurs, lane-centering assistance silently disengages. The only indication is a small dashboard icon changing color. There is no audible warning, steering wheel vibration, or other prominent alert. The vehicle may begin drifting befo... Read more
Incident date: Apr 13, 2026
My 2021 Tesla Model Y experienced a critical failure resulting in the vehicle displaying diagnostic code BMS_079. After the fault appeared, I was informed that the vehicle's High-Voltage (HV) Battery requires replacement at a cost exceeding $10,000. As a result of this failure, the vehicle is no longer drivable and has been effectively rendered unusable. The High-Voltage (HV) Battery Management S... Read more
Incident date: Jun 4, 2025
am reporting a serious safety concern involving a 2025 Tesla Model Y, VIN [XXX] . On [XXX], the vehicle was being driven on [XXX] in Columbus, Ohio while the driver was traveling to Columbus Preparatory Academy. During the trip, the steering reportedly stopped responding properly, and the driver struggled to control the vehicle. Witnesses at the scene reported that the driver appeared to be fight... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jun 4, 2025
am reporting a serious safety concern involving a 2025 Tesla Model Y, VIN [XXX] . On [XXX], the vehicle was being driven on [XXX] in Columbus, Ohio while the driver was traveling to Columbus Preparatory Academy. During the trip, the steering reportedly stopped responding properly, and the driver struggled to control the vehicle. Witnesses at the scene reported that the driver appeared to be fight... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
AMENDMENT TO ACTIVE CASE 11723015. CRITICAL AIRBAG & SAFETY DEFECTS. This files a safety defect amendment to open case 11723015. Diagnostic scans confirm central data bus network collapse on VIN [XXX] has migrated into safety-critical occupant restraint and visibility modules, violating 49 U.S.C. § 30118. I. AIRBAG & RESTRAINT HAZARDS Scans from [XXX], document active faults: DTC U042782: "Im... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
Our 2015 Kia Sedona VIN [XXX] developed CAN Bus fault codes U0001 U0100 U0101 rendering it completely undrivable following an incomplete warranty extension repair under WTY019 by Kia of Des Moines on [XXX] RO# [XXX]. The power sliding doors have been a persistent safety concern. The incomplete warranty extension repair left the sliding door not closing properly creating a safety hazard. The vehic... Read more
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
The front passenger safety restraint system is triggering an on-screen warning error that says service is required. This puts my front passenger at risk of death in the event of an accident. I have sent the manufacturer (Tesla) a request for service and received a confirmation of the errors with a list of parts to be replaced for a sum of $1200.65. I understand there is a service bulletin for this... Read more
Incident date: May 30, 2026
I am filing this complaint regarding Honda's reimbursement program associated with the piston ring warranty extension related to engine misfire issues on certain vehicles. Prior to Honda issuing the warranty extension, I paid out of pocket to have the repair completed at an authorized Honda dealership. After Honda announced the warranty extension and reimbursement program, I submitted a reimburse... Read more
Incident date: May 30, 2026
Sirius XM advertisement popped up twice today while I was driving, effectively preventing me from following navigation guidance on the screen. I had to take my eyes off the road and find the “x” on the screen to close the advertisement, so I could continue following the navigated route. An accident could have happened during this time. This advertisement is unnecessary and UNWANTED. I never ap... Read more
Incident date: May 30, 2026
The trunk wiring which powers the tail lights, brake and parking lights, turn signals, trunk light, and the back up camera is too short, and it stretches and breaks when the trunk is opened and closed. Ford is aware of the issue, but is unwilling to fix it. The back up camera was already recalled, but it and the trunk light are not working again because the trunk wiring issue has not been address... Read more