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: Oct 1, 2022
**I have made the dealership aware of the ongoing situation as well as Honda Corporate but I am waiting on a call back.* A month ago, I had my car on cruise control going around 76mph on flat land. After a while, while driving on flat land, my RPM's shot up to almost 6000 and the speed got up to 88mph in less than 10 seconds. I pulled over, shut the car off so I could calm down before driving aga... 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: 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
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: Feb 19, 2023
A series of large cracks have formed on the sunroof panel of the car. The cracks are on the top of the vehicle, and there have been no occassions of rocks or debris hitting the vehicle (which would have been noticed as it would've needed to be a direct hit straight from the sky). I live in San Diego and the car us usually garaged, so there have been no weather incidents to consider either. Plus... Read more
Incident date: Mar 7, 2023
I was parked at Walmart and got groceries came out opened my sliding door and it fell off the hinges due to bad hardware says it will cost 2500 to fix wtf. Then a month later the other fell off also why when there are so many other reports of this happening is there not a recall already or at least an investigation. I mean come on you don't even have an option for reporting sliding door falling of... 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: Mar 7, 2023
Brakes died in may, 2022 and it took the dealer to September to inspect as it was part of recall. They told me they had to order the part so i called every 3 weeks to see if it came in. In december they said they need to inspect to see if it is covered. Again they inspected and said yes it is and we need to order the part (this is Crown Eurocar Mercedes in St Petersburg). At the same time I ca... Read more
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: 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 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: Mar 6, 2023
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: Aug 10, 2022
The Service Electronic Braking and Service Traction Control comes on intermittently while operating the vehicle. I have had it fixed once under warranty. It is not a safe vehicle to operate without traction control and abs.
Incident date: Mar 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Sonic. The contact stated that after the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for routine oil change services, there was an abnormal oil odor inside the vehicle. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, smoke was coming from underneath the hood and after opening the hood, the contact became aware of a coolant leak. No warning lights were illum... 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
2023 corolla is having some issue with headlights [Low Beams]. I understood from Toyota that this is an safety feature which is designed as per the rules. This is an good idea and i am not denying it. The issue which i have is the person who is driving this car is not having clear view on the Road. The shadow's is completely hiding the left lane. If we are driving in full dark road, and towards le... Read more
Incident date: Feb 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that while accelerating at an undisclosed speed, the RPM fluctuated and the engine revved; however, the vehicle failed to respond. No warning lights were illuminated. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Incident date: Mar 6, 2023
COMPONENETS FAILING: Passenger side headlight and blinker keep failing. Driver side running light keeps failing to illuminate. Driver side rear brake lights keep failing. Rear passenger side reverse light and blinker failing to illuminate. SAFETY: I have no way to safely drive in the dark or daylight because the blinkers and headlight are failing to work properly. INSPECTION and CONFIRMATION: ... Read more
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: Feb 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal amount of smoke coming from the tailpipe. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine block had cracked and caused the engine to misfire. The contact was informed that the e... 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 1, 2023
While driving on the expressway, the sunroof shattered. We were not under an overpass, and traffic was very light. We did not see any object strike the sunroof. It’s like it just spontaneously exploded.
Incident date: Mar 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche. The contact stated while driving at various speeds or upon starting the vehicle, the ABS, traction control, and check engine warning lights remained illuminated. The contact stated that the heater and air condition failed to operate. The contact also stated that the dashboard was cracked. The rubber padding for the wires under the hood and under the fro... Read more
Incident date: Mar 6, 2023
Hesitation, stuttering, and lack of power have plagued me since purchasing 2022. When I put my foot on the accelerator the car should go. My car decides to take a coffee break, then smoke break, then bathroom, another smoke break then decides to go.
Incident date: Mar 4, 2023
This letter is an attempt to connect to the correct channels seeking resolution regarding a recent recall. My 2017 Mercedes GLE350 stalled in the rain and I subsequently had to get it towed to the dealership for repairs. And upon completion of the repairs, I received a recall notice about the specific issue that was just addressed. Pursuant to the recall notice, I sought a reimbursement for the re... Read more
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
Tiguan hesitates/bogs down while accelerating when cold - particularly while turning. Also noticed non-responsive acceleration with a warm engine while turning left across traffic several times. Unnerving behavior -- as it doesn't happen with any predictable frequency.
Incident date: Feb 3, 2023
While driving the emergency collisions system locks on the brakes with nothing in front this happened a few times while normal driving when I tried to accelerate again, it wouldn’t let me
Incident date: Dec 23, 2022
Driving the vehicle it just shuts off, the will cause an accident driving down the road. It’s a major issue with shutting off an the ignition switch at that. I can’t drive it it’s parked. Along with the engine. My mechanic told me these are the troubles there should be a recall on these cars.
Incident date: Dec 23, 2022
Driving the vehicle it just shuts off, the will cause an accident driving down the road. It’s a major issue with shutting off an the ignition switch at that. I can’t drive it it’s parked. Along with the engine. My mechanic told me these are the troubles there should be a recall on these cars.
Incident date: Dec 23, 2022
Driving the vehicle it just shuts off, the will cause an accident driving down the road. It’s a major issue with shutting off an the ignition switch at that. I can’t drive it it’s parked. Along with the engine. My mechanic told me these are the troubles there should be a recall on these cars.
Incident date: Feb 25, 2023
The contact owns a Graco Extend2Fit CNV car seat. The contact stated that while removing the car seat from the vehicle it was discovered that the stitching on one of the two safety buckles had detached and that the car seat had been secured by only one of the two safety buckles meant to be secure the unit to seat of the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was not... Read more
Incident date: Feb 28, 2023
If I make a longer trip more than 10 to 15 miles the car does fine if I drive it 2 miles down the road or across the street to a different store the car tells me to check hybrid system. I had it check and code c1391 came up and that was repaired. Once repaired picked up from shop drove across the street to gas station and it told me to check hybrid system again and went into limp mode. Once I do a... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle overheated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a cracked cylinder head and the engine was replaced; however, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, who inspected the v... Read more
Incident date: Feb 28, 2023
Vtec oil pressure switch low voltage threw a code so I replaced entire mechanism, I don't know the name buy removed wire snaps and three bolts and replaced with brand new, and reattached. Unplugged battery till all reserve was gone. Plugged back up [battery] drove, but still as I hit 3000 rpm and vtec turns on shoots check engine light and vehicle jukes. I have already changed oil, made sure prope... Read more
Incident date: Feb 28, 2023
Vtec oil pressure switch low voltage threw a code so I replaced entire mechanism, I don't know the name buy removed wire snaps and three bolts and replaced with brand new, and reattached. Unplugged battery till all reserve was gone. Plugged back up [battery] drove, but still as I hit 3000 rpm and vtec turns on shoots check engine light and vehicle jukes. I have already changed oil, made sure prope... Read more
Incident date: Feb 28, 2023
Vtec oil pressure switch low voltage threw a code so I replaced entire mechanism, I don't know the name buy removed wire snaps and three bolts and replaced with brand new, and reattached. Unplugged battery till all reserve was gone. Plugged back up [battery] drove, but still as I hit 3000 rpm and vtec turns on shoots check engine light and vehicle jukes. I have already changed oil, made sure prope... Read more
Incident date: Mar 3, 2023
I was driving in moderate rain today and had the windshield wipers in the low setting (continuous wipe, not intermittent). After approximately 60 seconds, the wipers stopped continuous wipe and I could not see. I switched to high, the wipers began working again so I switched back to low. 60-90 seconds later, the wipers once again stopped their continuous wipe, I could not see, so switched to hi... Read more
Incident date: Feb 28, 2023
A message comes up on my dash to check airbag system.I brought it to the Honda dealership in Mobile,Al. for a diagnostic.I was told that my driver airbag needs to be replaced.
Incident date: Feb 28, 2023
The power window never works the way it is suppose to, when I row my window down it MESSES with the speakers for some reason, my wipes don't work all the time and freeze easy. When driving does nor like to shift out of 1st it's got that mk shifter, it will stay in first gear unless the gas is pressed and released fast also can smell like a burnt wire or/ candle was smell. When I try to put the air... Read more
Incident date: Mar 3, 2023
For at least 3 years starting in 2019 the headlights have been getting dimmer and dimmer. I had to use the high beams to see at night. Polishing the headlights did not help nor did changing the bulbs as it's the projector lens that has to be replaced.
Incident date: Mar 2, 2023
Another driver ran stop sign and hit middle of car, mostly the left door behind drivers seat. The back and passager airbags released but the driver side airbag didn't fully release. I didn't know at the time that this was weird and was actually relieved it didn't. Since then, my son's dad drove my suv and told me that the front windshield may not have been bonded correctly, he has to put additiona... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Mar 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that on multiple occasions, she noticed that coolant had leaked on the ground and that the coolant temperature warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that upon inspection, she noticed that the coolant reservoir was empty and needed to be refilled every week. The vehicle was taken to and independent mechanic where it w... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2023
The windshield wipers stop after a while. This occurs regardless of whether the switch is set to rain-sensing or the two constant speeds. This occurred during a heavy rain storm and my visibility essentially went to zero. This happened at all vehicle speeds. There were no warning lights associated with the occurrence. On the bronco6g.com forums there are many, many, reports of this very dangerou... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2022
We were driving vehicle on a neighborhood street with a speed limit of 45 miles per hour. When we got a "High voltage fault warning" from the car. I continued to drive about 10 second more and got a second warning. A different series of warnings appeared the last one being "please pull over and check your electrical system". We pulled into a neighborhood street, turned off the car. We decided ... Read more