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: Mar 18, 2023
Vehicle began showing the below warning messages, followed by loss of power steering and abnormal braking behavior (brakes did not work properly). This is a recurrence of an issue that previously resulted in the vehicle being towed to Tesla, but whom were unable to diagnose the problem. -Automatic Emergency braking disabled -Lane Departure Avoidance features unavailable -Traction control disabled... Read more
Incident date: Mar 18, 2023
Vehicle began showing the below warning messages, followed by loss of power steering and abnormal braking behavior (brakes did not work properly). This is a recurrence of an issue that previously resulted in the vehicle being towed to Tesla, but whom were unable to diagnose the problem. -Automatic Emergency braking disabled -Lane Departure Avoidance features unavailable -Traction control disabled... Read more
Incident date: Mar 22, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Lincoln Corsair. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle ahead stopped suddenly, and the contact had to abruptly stop the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was equipped with the Forward Collision Avoidance system; however, the system failed to activate as needed. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated th... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Edge. The contact stated while driving out the driveway and depressing the brake pedal, the brake pedal went to the floorboard. The brake fluid warning light was illuminated. The contact checked the brake fluid level and noticed that there was no brake fluid in the brake reservoir. The contacted attempted to add more brake fluid and then became aware of a brake fluid l... Read more
Incident date: Feb 6, 2023
I bought a new Tesla Model 3 in December of 2022. In mid March 2023 we had our first road trip in this vehicle. I had at least 4 major phantom braking incidences while traveling an average of 75 mph on I-80 with the cruise control on. Two were experienced while traveling eastbound in Nebraska and two were while traveling westbound a week later in Wyoming. Each experiece was separated in time b... Read more
Incident date: Nov 22, 2022
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that there was an abnormally strong fuel odor coming from the vehicle. Additionally, the doors failed to close securely. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V859000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 5, 2023
My 2022 Ford F 350 platinum truck came optioned from the factory with the Ford winch, and collision avoidance as well as adaptive cruise control. Ford has included the collision avoidance sensor in the bracket for the winch. Ford is aware that the bracket can be distorted by the winch which disables the collision avoidance, adapative cruise, and abnormal cruise creating a safety issue. Ford refu... Read more
Incident date: Mar 22, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that water was leaking from the sunroof into the overhead light and onto the display console. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.
Incident date: Jan 20, 2023
At this point no accident has happened. The steering wheel becomes stuck or unable to move at times when making small adjustments while trying to maintain control of the vehicle. It also becomes stuck more so when turning at about a sustained 45 degree turn. The wheel becomes rigid and does not respond to drive input and has caused a reaction with over steering as a result when trying adjust to co... Read more
Incident date: Jan 20, 2023
Melted headlight connector.Have replace headlight connector and headlight bulb several times. Using the manufacturers recommend bulb. 9005LN. On 3/21/23 it overheated again an cause a electrical fire behind the headlight assembly. It is fleet police car and I have several cars that have the headlight connector melted and replace.
Fire
Incident date: Mar 1, 2023
Is available upon request. Transmission chugging, quite often. Pulsing after turning a corner trying to resume speed. Difficulty shifting when cold. Noticed this happening occasionally, but this problem is definitely getting worse, happening daily. I only have 27,000 miles on this truck. I stopped by the dealership and was told to change the transmission fluid myself since the warranty was up. Ver... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2023
When I was driving my children to daycare the car suddenly lost power and was unable to drive over 20 mph. Fortunately, it was early in the morning and the road I usually travel was not as busy as it is later in the day. The RPMs were jumping and the car was jerking around. Luckily, I was able to pull into a residential area and call for a tow. No warning lights came on in the vehicle and I was t... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle unexpectedly downshifted. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer, where it was diagnosed that the solenoid valve was defective. The contact stated that the vehicle was returned to her a week later; however, the failure reoccurred while driving th... Read more
Incident date: Jan 5, 2023
I set my cruise control at a designated speed (70mph) and the vehicle accelerated well beyond…to 83mph before I realized it was still accelerating. I had to hit the cancel Button and turn off cruise control to get it to slow down. Then I set it and it didn’t “set” and kept decelerating.
Incident date: Feb 25, 2023
Steering in my vehicle has been very sloppy and hard to keep in a straight line. The engine just went out on me a few days ago and almost caused a wreck due to the car almost dying on the freeway.
Incident date: Feb 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle slid to the left. The contact described the move to the left, as if she was turning the steering wheel, but she was not. Additionally, while driving from a standing stop, the rear tires was spinning as if she had applied the brakes before the vehicle... Read more
Incident date: Mar 14, 2023
Auto stop/start in vehicle activated at red light, vehicle engine turned off and would not restart. Vehicle kept saying shift to Park to turn on engine, vehicle was in park. Waited a few minutes at the intersection, engine finally turned over and car started. An issue had occurred multiple times before stopping at a red light, but usually it just turns off my radio or digital dash board when aut... Read more
Incident date: Mar 14, 2023
Rear camera does not come on from time to time when I put the vehicle in reverse. When I open the rear hatch and close it again the camera will work
Incident date: Jan 15, 2021
Steering has been extremely sticky at all speeds but it is more prevalent at higher speeds. The steering wheel is unable to be centered and jerks from side to side as opposed to moving smoothly due to the stickiness. As a driver, this makes highway and other driving unsafe as it is impossible to center the vehicle on the road. No warning lamps have been triggered and the dealership says nothing i... Read more
Incident date: Jan 15, 2021
Driving over 60 mph if I hit I bump the vehicle starts to violently shake. I then have to slow down for it to stop
Incident date: Mar 21, 2023
The drivers side rear door no longer opens. As a parent who drives with 2 children in car seats, this has made getting our kids in and out incredibly time consuming and awkward. Not to mention it just isn't safe at all to have a non operable door. From what I've seen after doing a quick google search, this is a common problem with Model Y AND Model 3 rear doors, which is absolutely unacceptable... Read more
Incident date: Mar 20, 2023
We are having to replace tires every two years and we don’t put a lot of mileage on car maybe 10000 a year this car does something to tire and no one can explain it I have aligned my vehicle do rotate them and still it’s like they eat any type of tire
Incident date: Mar 20, 2023
We are having to replace tires every two years and we don’t put a lot of mileage on car maybe 10000 a year this car does something to tire and no one can explain it I have aligned my vehicle do rotate them and still it’s like they eat any type of tire
Incident date: Dec 4, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated he received a notice of Ford Campaign Number: 21M06 for enhanced unintended tailgate opening remedy. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the repair was completed. The dealer then informed the contact that he would need to press the power release button twice in order to open the vehicle; however, upon testing the vehicle, the tailgate f... Read more
Incident date: Mar 18, 2023
2018 Ford Explorer windshield trim panels detached and nearly flew while driving at highway speeds. I’ve also experienced the passenger side window panel detached while driving at highway speeds. The consequences of the defect could result in a detached panel hitting another vehicle's windshield, a driver, or even a pedestrian. This could cause a driver to swerve and cause a major accident. Fo... Read more
Incident date: Mar 13, 2023
THE CAR WOULD NOT START DUE TO THE THROTTLEBODY FAILED TO OPERATE. LUCKILY, THE CAR WAS PARKED WHEN THIS OCCURED AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO NEAREST FORD DEALER. WHO INFORMED ME IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING AND IT HAD FAILED DURING OPERATION, CAR WOULD HAVE COME TO A DEAD STOP WHILE DRIVING AND/OR IN MY CASE FAILED TO START. THEY SAID THROTTLEBODY GIVES THE ENGINE THE AIR IT NEEDS TO PREFORM. WE WERE OUT OF T... Read more
Incident date: Mar 20, 2023
I went to Autoworx on February 9, 2023 to purchase a 2009 Nissan Altima. The vehicle was very nice, looked good, no warning lights or anything. Drove great for about a week or 2. Then the car started breaking without me pressing the breaks. So I returned the car to Autoworx to have them check it out. The mechanic was assuring that the problem had been taking care of. After making another large pay... Read more
Incident date: Mar 19, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated upon entering the vehicle, there was a strong gasoline odor. Additionally, the vehicle experienced a rough start. The electronic power control (EPC) and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to drive the vehicle; however, the gasoline odor became stronger and stronger while driving and the vehicle would not e... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2013
The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Caliber. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal banging sound coming from the driver's side front wheel well while turning left or driving over bumps in the roadway. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that t... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2013
The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Caliber. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal banging sound coming from the driver's side front wheel well while turning left or driving over bumps in the roadway. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that t... Read more
Incident date: Mar 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the accelerator pedal was difficult to depress. The contact stated that he pulled over, checked the oil level, and discovered that there was no oil in the engine. The contact stated that he added oil and was able to drive with no issues. The contact stated that no warning lights were illuminated. The v... Read more
Incident date: Mar 20, 2023
On multiple occasions (between 6 and 10) while driving east and west on interstate highway 80 between Reno and Salt Lake City the vehicle executed a phantom braking maneuver while autopilot was engaged. I was east bound on 2/2/23 and 2/24/23 and west bound on 2/7/23 and 3/5/23, i.e., these events occurred on multiple days in multiple locations. On no occasion was there any danger of collision wi... Read more
Incident date: Feb 22, 2023
I am reporting the Jeep "death wobble". I have made an appointment to have the dealer look at the issue but experienced the death wobble on the interstate two different times traveling at 72 and 73 MPH. After going over a relatively small bump at 73 MPH going east on I-94 at right around mile marker 260 in Wisconsin, my Jeep shook uncontrollably until I reduced speed to under 40 MPH. Again, on my ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 19, 2023
The vehicle stalls when I try to take off causing me to pull into traffic slower
Incident date: Mar 18, 2023
My vehicle was in Travel Assist mode (i.e. Adaptive Cruise Control) traveling at around 65 MPH. A vehicle has cut into my lane and I felt that the car wouldn't slow quick enough to avoid a collision. I have applied breaks effectively taking the vehicle into my control and taking the vehicle off Travel Assist mode. When driver takes over by applying the breaks in this scenario, irrespective of how ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2023
The dealership discovered a short in the electrical harness tha controlled the radio and navagation system. I was concerned about a fire. Obviously a problem from installation. This problem cost me over $2200 to replace the hardness. I purchaced the van with the problem over a month ago.
Incident date: Mar 4, 2020
My VIN 1FMCU0H64LUA76372 is not included in the recall 49399 but I have Warped Instrument Panel Upper Section panel upper section near the defrost grill on the passenger side Ford has tried to fix but said they did not have the correct parts, how they fixed it was not appropriate and was still warped. The instrument panel has become warped back to before the fix. Can this ID be updated to inclu... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2008 Land Rover LR2. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and making either a right or left turn, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the contact that the rear differential needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2023
Engine stalls when driving without warning due to a faulty Totally integrated power module which also causes a host of other electrical failures such as headlights not turning off, passenger window not rowing down, heat only working on high setting, windshield wipers going haywire, radio volume disappearing off the display and not working then reappearing and a total power dim and then surge whil... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Edge. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH and turning into a parking lot, the contact depressed the brake pedal however, the vehicle failed to stop immediately. The contact applied an excessive amount of pressure to the brake pedal and the pedal went to the floorboard before the vehicle stopped. The contact continued driving to the residence. After pa... Read more
Incident date: Feb 2, 2023
The headlight housing on my model year is leaking water into it and causing electrical issues , Iv noticed majority of other models I see on the road have the same issue with one of the headlight housings having water in them, this has caused numerous codes to appear on the dash. “ Vertical headlight malfunction “ …”turn signal malfunction “ …”daytime running light malfunction “ ec... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Genesis GV70. The contact stated while attempting to reverse, the vehicle launched forward without warning. The contact then shifted to drive and the back Over Prevention camera screen activated. There was also an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the dealer stated the battery was low and there was no coolant in the reservoir or... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2023
I have a used 2015 Hyundai Sonata that I purchased from a Hyundai dealership in December 2021 (due to the chip shortage, I had to purchase used). A few months later In June 2022 I was driving on the freeway and my car felt like it was losing acceleration. I was already planning to exit the next exit to go to my destination and as I was exiting and came to stop at the red light before I could th... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2022
I drive a 2020 Land Rover Discovery Sport, which was serviced over three months. The certified dealership replaced the head gasket, fuel injectors, cylinder heads, and starter engines. The car was less than three years old and had never had any issues before service. The car had a sweet burning odor and very rough gear shifts post-service. Two days before the fire, the check engine light came on w... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Feb 2, 2023
My BMW IX accelerates on its own without me pushing the pedal. It happens randomly and without warning. Sometimes it happens as I am taking off from a traffic light or a stop sign. I barely push the accelerator to start going and the car all of a sudden accelerates rapidly. I take my foot off the accelerator but it still continues to accelerate. Braking stops it. As it happens randomly, I sincerel... Read more
Incident date: Mar 11, 2023
my car has climate control, the heater sometimes abruptly changes temperature spontaneously. 1 time it caused a road accident. The heater suddenly started blowing hot air on me, during the lane change, I was distracted to turn it off. sometimes the heater does not allow you to have a comfortable temperature, it sets only a hot temperature, and I don’t know how to change it , because I set the ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 15, 2023
my engine blew, transmission is slipping. I’m having electrical and air bag problems.
Incident date: Mar 15, 2023
I was rear ended waiting for the car in front of me to turn. Driver was going between 33-40 on a residential. My air bags did not deploy.
Crash
Incident date: Mar 16, 2023
We were driving in a snow storm with kids trying to get home and all of a sudden our wipers stopped working and the snow completely covered our windshield. We couldn't see anything and we were in the middle of the road blinded by the snow, not knowing where to go, or stop and how to go get home. My husband had to stop in the middle of the road risking our lives just to clean the windshield. It wa... Read more
Incident date: Mar 11, 2023
While using autopilot the car randomly decelerated from 75mph to almost 30mph in the highway (I75) super quickly. If a car has been behind it might have caused a crash.