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: Jul 14, 2021
The windshield on the car seems to break, and/or chip very easily and much more frequent than any other vehicle I have owned.
Incident date: Dec 10, 2021
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, he noticed a crack in the windshield coming from the lower driver’s side up to the center of the windshield. The contact stated that he was unaware of what caused the crack in the windshield. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 9, 2021
The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the rear wheels. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with needing the wheel bearings replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that t... Read more
Incident date: Dec 9, 2021
Driving on the highway, and a small pebble hit my window and cracked it. This is the second time in the three years it's been driven (~34,000 miles). The windows seem to be weak as compared to other cars. The repair is expensive because of the eyesight system.
Incident date: Nov 30, 2021
The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the front windshield cracked without impact. The crack started at the top right on the passenger’s side and curved toward the rear-view mirror. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the vehicle was not covered and referred the contact the insurance company. The vehicle was not... Read more
Incident date: Dec 2, 2021
The component that failed is the windshield. The windshield has a 14 inch stress crack. The crack suddenly appeared, there was no impact. The crack interferes with the Subaru Eyesight Driver Assistance. The Subaru Eyesight Driver Assistance could malfunction while driving. The integrity of the windshield has been compromised. I brought the car to the Subaru dealership and they said it was not cove... Read more
Incident date: Nov 20, 2021
Sudden unwanted rapid acceleration toward a building from parking lot causing head on collision: - Manual brakes failed - Automatic brakes did not engage - Airbags did NOT deploy after hitting an immovable object head on at least twice - Driver seatbelt did not lock - Starlink was not activated / notified - No collision warning was sounded (moot) Both driver and front passenger were sever... Read more
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Nov 20, 2021
Sudden unwanted rapid acceleration toward a building from parking lot causing head on collision: - Manual brakes failed - Automatic brakes did not engage - Airbags did NOT deploy after hitting an immovable object head on at least twice - Driver seatbelt did not lock - Starlink was not activated / notified - No collision warning was sounded (moot) Both driver and front passenger were sever... Read more
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Nov 20, 2021
Sudden unwanted rapid acceleration toward a building from parking lot causing head on collision: - Manual brakes failed - Automatic brakes did not engage - Airbags did NOT deploy after hitting an immovable object head on at least twice - Driver seatbelt did not lock - Starlink was not activated / notified - No collision warning was sounded (moot) Both driver and front passenger were sever... Read more
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Dec 1, 2021
Subaru dealership in Rockvile, MD diagnosed a defective airbags' occupant detection system (ODS) mat harness on my 2015 Subaru Forester. Recommend replacing part for $1200. Subaru America issued a recall WUM-98 (NHTSA 19V-701) on Oct 3, 2019 to adress this very issue on 2015-2018 vehicles. Dealer states my vehicle not covered by this recall... This is a very serious safety issue and I question whe... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2021
Subaru dealership in Rockvile, MD diagnosed a defective airbags' occupant detection system (ODS) mat harness on my 2015 Subaru Forester. Recommend replacing part for $1200. Subaru America issued a recall WUM-98 (NHTSA 19V-701) on Oct 3, 2019 to adress this very issue on 2015-2018 vehicles. Dealer states my vehicle not covered by this recall... This is a very serious safety issue and I question whe... Read more
Incident date: Oct 9, 2021
On 10/9/2021the front windshield was hit by a small rock on the lower left driver's side and a crack developed within a few minutes. The crack grew and obstructed the driver's field of vision. This required the entire windshield being replaced. This was done by Safelite AutoGlass on 9/13/2021 at my residence. It was paid by my insurance and I paid a $100 deductible. In addition the replacement wi... Read more
Incident date: Dec 7, 2021
12/6 - 3:30pm. My dashboard warning lights all came on as I turned right into my driveway, the car stalled so I turned it off. Next day 12/7 - 9:00 am all the warning lights came on when I turned the key. I called Subaru and described all the lights and was told it was safe to drive. I made an appointment for the next morning. At 12:00pm the Lights on dash went out and stayed off, but then the... Read more
Incident date: Dec 7, 2021
12/6 - 3:30pm. My dashboard warning lights all came on as I turned right into my driveway, the car stalled so I turned it off. Next day 12/7 - 9:00 am all the warning lights came on when I turned the key. I called Subaru and described all the lights and was told it was safe to drive. I made an appointment for the next morning. At 12:00pm the Lights on dash went out and stayed off, but then the... Read more
Incident date: Nov 2, 2020
The ODS in our 2014 Subaru Outback has failed, and there is a constant beeping indicating that the air bag system is not functioning properly. This was definitely an issue the last two winters, too, but with covid quarantine and illness, we were not able to address it then. The airbag warning lights and sounds persist whether the seat is unoccupied or occupied by a child (14 or 16) or adult. Th... Read more
Incident date: Nov 2, 2020
The ODS in our 2014 Subaru Outback has failed, and there is a constant beeping indicating that the air bag system is not functioning properly. This was definitely an issue the last two winters, too, but with covid quarantine and illness, we were not able to address it then. The airbag warning lights and sounds persist whether the seat is unoccupied or occupied by a child (14 or 16) or adult. Th... Read more
Incident date: Dec 7, 2021
Several times, sometimes overnight, car battery is dead when attempting to start. So far, I have found a .03A leak in the STOP circuit.
Incident date: Sep 15, 2021
Parked car, engine fan stated (very fast) and did not stop running until battery died. Could not start the car. One other Outback 2020 owner told me she had the same problem. Jumped battery. Subraru could not find any reason for the fan to go on and drain the battery. Car had under 9,000 miles, under 15 months old.
Incident date: Dec 5, 2021
Windshield cracked. No reason for the issue
Incident date: Dec 8, 2021
When coming to a stop, the transmission's torque converter does not disengage, causing the engine to stall. This was diagnosed by two independent repair shops and there is an open TSB from Subaru that addresses this problem. However, when slowing down at an intersection, the sudden stop can be dangerous.
Incident date: Nov 28, 2021
Car is suffering from "Parasitic Drain". Car is brand new with only a little over 200miles on it. Dealer has had to tow in the car twice already. Battery has been replaced. Car has so far been DOA 3 times in Driveway with a weeks' time.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2021
The passenger airbag light has been on and has been disabled whether there is someone in the passenger seat or not. This is due to the sensor in the passenger seat malfunctioning. Because of this malfunction, there is no access to the passenger airbag which poses a risk to the passenger in the vehicle in the event of an accident. The problem has been confirmed by Charlie's Subaru in Augusta, Maine... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2021
The passenger airbag light has been on and has been disabled whether there is someone in the passenger seat or not. This is due to the sensor in the passenger seat malfunctioning. Because of this malfunction, there is no access to the passenger airbag which poses a risk to the passenger in the vehicle in the event of an accident. The problem has been confirmed by Charlie's Subaru in Augusta, Maine... Read more
Incident date: Nov 2, 2021
I have had the wiring in my 2021 Subaru Forrester having to be replaced 2 times - once in front of car, once in fuel parts - due to Rodents eating the wiring. I have been told by Subaru Customer Service staff that the wiring is Soy Based. Subaru has a Class Action Suite in Hawaii for this exact reason yet Subaru in Macon continues to insist this is MY problem not theirs. I have Rodent repellant d... Read more
Incident date: Nov 22, 2021
2015 Subaru Forester Horn stopped working at 80,000 miles. Replaced steering roll connector at considerable expense. 3rd Forester. Question of how frequent & whether Subaru is aware of problem.
Incident date: Jun 15, 2021
Chipped and cracked windshield. My first Subaru Outback was a 2018. The windshield was chipped 2 times than the third time I had it replaced at my expense. Traded that car in and the 2019 windshield cracked.
Incident date: Dec 5, 2021
My wife purchased this car last Dec. It was a demo with only 2811 miles (but the odometer showed 3411 when delivered). As we have 2 other autos, the Subaru is used sparingly and mostly on longer trips. The car now has 7100 miles. Since we owned it we noticed that it was often difficult to start and my wife claims that when cornering, it hesitates like it is going to stall. This week she was v... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2021
The window trim underneath the windshield has a gap. I have taken it to a glass company and they said it was definitely a defect. The bottom trim/molding is separating from the glass and the clips that fit under the windshield do not stay in place. It is rubbing against the bottom of the windshield causing small chips. It’s just a matter of time before it cracks again. It cracked at 9k miles and... Read more
Incident date: Dec 7, 2021
under light throttle, car jerks at approximately 25 mph.
Incident date: Sep 6, 2021
My front windshield spontaneously cracked while driving. The closest car was a very small car almost a mile in front of me and couldn't have caused a rock to get me. There were no warnings before it happened and it hasn't been inspected by anyone yet
Incident date: Dec 2, 2021
The brakes are spongy and the car doesn't stop properly. We've had repairs done and took it to the dealership and they tell us nothing is wrong.
Incident date: Dec 5, 2021
while driving Transmission begins making a squeaking noise.. Rpms climb and car does not increase speed RPM climb with no movement. Until RPMs climb higher than normal. the car then launches forward. The hesitation caused by the transmission will lead to an accident very quickly, especially if turning into a business with on coming traffic.. Merging on the highway is severely dangerous. This car h... Read more
Incident date: Dec 3, 2021
Battery is draining over time. Vehicle is now on 3rd battery in 3 years! Dealer replaced original battery during 2nd year and claimed it under warranty. Now that battery has failed and a different brand of battery has been installed (Dec 2021). Unknown cause of battery drain.
Incident date: Nov 21, 2021
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the front windshield cracked without impact. The crack was approximately one foot long on the passenger’s side of the windshield. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The windshield was previously repaired twice at the same dealer. The manufacturer was not conta... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2021
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that after coming outside to start the vehicle it was discovered that the front glass windshield had cracked. The crack was located on the passenger side of the front windshield and extended between 18 to 30 inches long. The cause of crack was not determined. The contact indicated that no object had made contact with the windshield to caus... Read more
Incident date: Dec 3, 2021
windshield cracks for no reason
Incident date: Dec 3, 2021
windshield cracks for no reason
Incident date: Dec 6, 2021
battery drainage problem, transmission jerking
Incident date: Dec 6, 2021
battery drainage problem, transmission jerking
Incident date: Nov 1, 2021
Front passenger seat doesn't detect passenger. Airbags off and come up with warning signs stating that they are off. "SRS airbag system needs to be checked."
Incident date: Nov 1, 2021
Front passenger seat doesn't detect passenger. Airbags off and come up with warning signs stating that they are off. "SRS airbag system needs to be checked."
Incident date: Dec 3, 2021
On Friday, 12-3-21 I was in an accident in my local Costco parking lot while backing out of my spot. While backing out of the spot slowly with the wheel turned, my 2014 Subaru Forester had a sudden and extreme acceleration in reverse doing a reverse u-turn into a parked car causing considerable damage to the rear end of both cars. I am certain that I did not to press the gas pedal as this is a bus... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Dec 3, 2021
On Friday, 12-3-21 I was in an accident in my local Costco parking lot while backing out of my spot. While backing out of the spot slowly with the wheel turned, my 2014 Subaru Forester had a sudden and extreme acceleration in reverse doing a reverse u-turn into a parked car causing considerable damage to the rear end of both cars. I am certain that I did not to press the gas pedal as this is a bus... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Dec 3, 2021
On Friday, 12-3-21 I was in an accident in my local Costco parking lot while backing out of my spot. While backing out of the spot slowly with the wheel turned, my 2014 Subaru Forester had a sudden and extreme acceleration in reverse doing a reverse u-turn into a parked car causing considerable damage to the rear end of both cars. I am certain that I did not to press the gas pedal as this is a bus... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Dec 5, 2021
Unknown. I am smelling gasoline in the cabin of the car. A LOT of fumes fill my garage when I start the car. The car sometimes accelerates when I put it in park, resulting in more fumes. Fuel efficiency is lower than expected as well.
Incident date: Dec 5, 2021
Unknown. I am smelling gasoline in the cabin of the car. A LOT of fumes fill my garage when I start the car. The car sometimes accelerates when I put it in park, resulting in more fumes. Fuel efficiency is lower than expected as well.
Incident date: Dec 4, 2021
I have had 3 windshields crack (all in the Winter months) for no reason with this Impreza. On December 4 2021, I turned on the car and while still in park, a 5" crack started growing from the bottom of the front windshield upward. The crack was not there when I started the car and during the day it grew to 8". This repair costs $1000 each time and from what I have read, Subaru is aware that th... Read more
Incident date: Dec 5, 2021
The sunroof on my 2021 Subaru Outback exploded for no apparent reason while I was driving. There was no impact by any object, and the glass shattered into innumerable pieces, suggesting it was definitively tempered, not laminated, glass. The weather was sunny and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. I happened to have my sunroof shade closed - if I hadn’t, I would have gotten glass in my hair and possibly in ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 3, 2021
Windshield has cracked in same area as those Subaru windscreens in the class action suit just settled.