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: Sep 20, 2021
After turning off the engine in Park, the keys are not being released from the ACC position of the ignition in my 2016 Subaru Impreza, which has 32,000 miles. I must repeatedly depress the shift lever and/or shift gears back and forth and/or restart and turn off the car in order to get the key out. This has been going on for two months now for at least half the time although not every time I turn ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 4, 2021
The windshield of the care cracked without damage. I was sitting with the car in park and just watched it crack. It started from the edge near the seal, and is ~8 inches long. There was no previous damage and nothing hit the window when it happen. There is no chip or area where damage occurred, it just simple cracked for no reason.
Incident date: Sep 16, 2021
while driving heard a POP from windshield area. Didn't observe anything. Within a mile windshield started to crack from the bottom molding area, passenger side, Spread approximately 16 inches in moments. Nothing had hit the windshield. Dealership was contacted and windshield was replaced, and EyeSight had to be recalibrated. Insurance contacted and stated that they had heard of problems with Subar... Read more
Incident date: Oct 5, 2021
225/50R18. Factory OEM, serious dry-rot necessitating replacement due to safety concerns. Tires are slightly older than 3.5 years (2018 model year purchased 04/18) with less than 40k miles. All four tires exhibit the dry rot, but the photo is representative of the most serious case of concern. No concerns related to tread wear depth.
Incident date: Sep 13, 2021
Total engine failure at just 75k miles. Barely driven, maintenance schedule always kept up to date, out of nowhere engine stopped and I was told the oil was completely empty. They were unable to resolve by adding oil. Also, transmission light has been on for 3+ years. Have been told by every repair shop who has checked this that it’s just a glitch in the electrical system and the transmission i... Read more
Incident date: Sep 13, 2021
Total engine failure at just 75k miles. Barely driven, maintenance schedule always kept up to date, out of nowhere engine stopped and I was told the oil was completely empty. They were unable to resolve by adding oil. Also, transmission light has been on for 3+ years. Have been told by every repair shop who has checked this that it’s just a glitch in the electrical system and the transmission i... Read more
Incident date: Sep 13, 2021
Total engine failure at just 75k miles. Barely driven, maintenance schedule always kept up to date, out of nowhere engine stopped and I was told the oil was completely empty. They were unable to resolve by adding oil. Also, transmission light has been on for 3+ years. Have been told by every repair shop who has checked this that it’s just a glitch in the electrical system and the transmission i... Read more
Incident date: Oct 4, 2021
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forest. The contact stated that the brake failed. The contact stated that when the driver was reversing the vehicle out of the driveway, the vehicle abruptly accelerated and the driver engaged the brake pedal. However, the brake system failed to bring the vehicle to a stop. The vehicle proceeded and came to a stop when it crashed into a tree and damaged the vehicle t... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Oct 4, 2021
The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Forest. The contact stated that the brake failed. The contact stated that when the driver was reversing the vehicle out of the driveway, the vehicle abruptly accelerated and the driver engaged the brake pedal. However, the brake system failed to bring the vehicle to a stop. The vehicle proceeded and came to a stop when it crashed into a tree and damaged the vehicle t... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Aug 3, 2021
The contact owns a 2017 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while attempting to shift gear into reverse, the vehicle made a strange noise, then lunged forward inadvertently. The vehicle's front driver-side tire ran over the contact's daughter's upper legs. The contact's daughter received medical attention on the scene for injuries sustained to her legs and was now receiving physical therapy. ... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Oct 1, 2021
The third windshield we've had on this car cracked again for now reason. This is available for inspection, and we have documentation of the previous issues, including when Subaru paid part of the second one because they determined there was no reason the windshield should have cracked. Windshield cracked while in the driveway (we were in the car), determined unsafe to drive.The problem keeps occur... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2021
The third windshield we've had on this car cracked again for now reason. This is available for inspection, and we have documentation of the previous issues, including when Subaru paid part of the second one because they determined there was no reason the windshield should have cracked. Windshield cracked while in the driveway (we were in the car), determined unsafe to drive.The problem keeps occur... Read more
Incident date: Oct 2, 2021
The contact owns a 2008 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle was shaking. Additionally, the passenger’s side front wheel was shaking, and the vehicle was drifting to the right. The contact who is an independent mechanic noticed that the front lower control arm was fractured. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacture... Read more
Incident date: Oct 4, 2021
Vehicle suffers from repeated battery drain issues - continue to replace top of the line batteries in the vehicle because they are constantly draining
Incident date: Sep 26, 2021
Partial brake failure while driving on Interstate. When applying brakes, the dash light came on and the pedal went to the floor. Car stopped, but braking distance was very long. The problem was caused by the failure of a brake junction on the right rear side, due to rust.
Incident date: Aug 1, 2020
The windshield abruptly cracked at the top middle without any impact while driving at highway speed
Incident date: Oct 2, 2021
Shortly after purchasing the car in 2019 the battery died and the car was unable to be jumpstarted. It was towed to the dealership and the battery was replaced. It happened again in 2021 and the battery was replaced again. Then, when driving the car in October 2021 the car completely died at a stop light and was unable to turn on, turn on hazard lights or even put in park for 5 minutes, where it t... Read more
Incident date: Oct 3, 2021
The fuel saving stop/go feature is unsafe. It stops engine at signal lights and during stop and go traffic. When it restarts the engine shakes and hesitates to go when signal lights changes. This model doesn't allow the owner to permanent disable this function as in other models. It will cause lots rear - end related or other serious accidents on high speed roadways and freeways as this functi... Read more
Incident date: Oct 3, 2021
The fuel saving stop/go feature is unsafe. It stops engine at signal lights and during stop and go traffic. When it restarts the engine shakes and hesitates to go when signal lights changes. This model doesn't allow the owner to permanent disable this function as in other models. It will cause lots rear - end related or other serious accidents on high speed roadways and freeways as this functi... Read more
Incident date: Oct 2, 2021
On multiple occasions the battery completely dies over night for no apparent reason and with no warning. Nothing that draws power was left on. This is a hazard as we can be stuck someplace with no way to start our car. The battery and alternator always check out as normal (by local mechanic), yet it keeps dying to the point that there are no dash lights, horn, emergency blinker or anything else... Read more
Incident date: Aug 26, 2021
The 2019 Subaru Outback Multimedia Touch Screen has stopped working multple times even when the software was updated. When the touch screen stops working there are two significant safety issues, hands free/blue tooth no longer works and the rear view camera stops working. 09/20 Touch Screen froze, stopped working 10/20 Touch Screen Call end button redialed previous number, touch screen froze 12/2... Read more
Incident date: Sep 30, 2021
Car has 22,000 miles on it and we are on our third battery. Just replaced second battery last week. Hopped in car to go run errands and car is completely dead. Second battery was bought in June 2019, third September 2021. Taking car to Subaru next week to have it diagnosed. Battery was dead with in three days.
Incident date: Sep 18, 2021
Battery intermittently drains and goes completely dead. At times I have heard what sounds to be an electric motor running at night when the car is off in the garage without the key in the ignition. The dealer has changed the battery but that did not fix the problem.
Incident date: Apr 12, 2021
Battery intermittently goes dead without warning. When the car is off at times one can hear what sounds like an electric motor running. One time the tail gate was found up and the battery was dead. No one can remember leaving the gate up.
Incident date: Sep 29, 2021
Twice the vehicle’s battery went dead leaving my wife stranded. Contacted local Subaru dealer and they replaced the battery under warranty. The service manager told my wife that the reason the battery went dead was that she was not driving it enough. My wife drives the car every day so that is not the problem. When the battery was tested under load it showed the battery had failed and that was t... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2021
When I stop the vehicle and put in park, I cannot not turn car off or pull out key. I put car back in drive and drive a few feet forward or back. After putting in park again, I can then turn car off and pull key out. It is now happening more frequently, like every time I drive it. Also sometimes have trouble turning the key to start the car. Have had problems periodically for several years. Now i... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2021
When I stop the vehicle and put in park, I cannot not turn car off or pull out key. I put car back in drive and drive a few feet forward or back. After putting in park again, I can then turn car off and pull key out. It is now happening more frequently, like every time I drive it. Also sometimes have trouble turning the key to start the car. Have had problems periodically for several years. Now i... Read more
Incident date: Dec 28, 2020
2 battery failures in 2 years of purchasing vehicle. I am on my third battery in less than two years. Incidents occurred 15, 19, 23 and 24 months into car ownership. 4 battery / electrical related dealer service visits in 2 years. 2 times the car was immobilized due to battery failure, would not start and required a tow to dealership service. On 3 occasions lost car audio - no audio map di... Read more
Incident date: Jul 30, 2021
I have been experiencing shuddering/jerking/hesitation in my vehicle since July. The dealership has had it in their service department several times and cannot diagnose the issue. Subaru of America was contacted and gave no resolution to repairing the vehicle. They did not inspect the vehicle, rather gathered the "data" from the dealership. The shuddering/jerking/hesitation happens from a star... Read more
Incident date: Jul 30, 2021
I have been experiencing shuddering/jerking/hesitation in my vehicle since July. The dealership has had it in their service department several times and cannot diagnose the issue. Subaru of America was contacted and gave no resolution to repairing the vehicle. They did not inspect the vehicle, rather gathered the "data" from the dealership. The shuddering/jerking/hesitation happens from a star... Read more
Incident date: Sep 29, 2021
Battery died completely, left me stranded at a gas station. I had to call and get a jump. I've had the car 9 weeks, it only has 690 miles on it. No warning lights prior, did notice a slightly longer crank a couple days prior. I was told by the dealer that I don't drive enough, and I should keep my key at least 30 feet away when the keys are in the house, because that can silently drain the bat... Read more
Incident date: Aug 10, 2021
The windshield formed a crack towards the bottom of the passenger side and was about 3-5inches to start. Over time, the crack grew to approximately over 1ft. Later on, another crack began forming on the drivers side of the windshield, also starting at only a few inches, and now has grown into almost 1ft long. Am in process of looking to have it repaired, but have not set a date yet. Having a crack... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2021
At least a couple of times a week, the key gets stuck in the ignition. I can turn the car off, but I can't remove the key. If I start the car back up and shift it into Drive, and then slam it back into Park, after several tries, I can remove the key. I searched the Subaru forum and found this is a long-existing issue for all Subaru models with the key ignition. All with the stuck key issue here... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2021
At least a couple of times a week, the key gets stuck in the ignition. I can turn the car off, but I can't remove the key. If I start the car back up and shift it into Drive, and then slam it back into Park, after several tries, I can remove the key. I searched the Subaru forum and found this is a long-existing issue for all Subaru models with the key ignition. All with the stuck key issue here... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2021
The contact owned a 2019 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal needed to be depressed to the floorboard to stop the vehicle. Additionally, the steering wheel would jerk out of the contact's hand while at a stoplight. The dealer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that it was normal. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repai... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2021
The contact owned a 2019 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal needed to be depressed to the floorboard to stop the vehicle. Additionally, the steering wheel would jerk out of the contact's hand while at a stoplight. The dealer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that it was normal. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repai... Read more
Incident date: Sep 30, 2021
2019 Outback with 6500 miles on it. Battery just died. Sounds like the battery drain issue mentioned in ongoing lawsuit.
Incident date: Sep 29, 2021
The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that after the vehicle was parked in the garage, the contact returned to the vehicle and noticed a crack on the windshield. The crack was on the lower driver’s side of the windshield and moving upward. There was no impact to the windshield to cause the fracture. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle wa... Read more
Incident date: Sep 29, 2021
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Ascent. The contact stated that while in the middle of an intersection, the power steering assist failed as the power steering disabled warning message appeared on the instrument panel. The contact had to use excessive force to complete the turn as several other unknown warning lights illuminated. After she pulled over, the contact was able to resume normal driving a... Read more
Incident date: Sep 16, 2021
Vehicle had recent periodic service performed prior to event at Gwinette Subaru, Gwinette, GA. Vehicle currently has 54K miles. The Vehicle was purcashed this year as a Dealer Certified pe-owned vehicle. While leaving the Walmart parkinglot and entering a busy intesection I lost control of the vehicle steering and I her severe knocking sounds against body of vehicle I barley was able to drive vehi... Read more
Incident date: Sep 18, 2021
windshield developed enlarging cracks; was worried the windshield would implode; independent service center examined and replaced; drove down ~1/4 mile winding dirt road to church meeting site in wooded area; after arrival I lowered driver front side window slightly to allow fresh air in car on warm day; did not notice any crack/breakage in windshield; upon starting the car when ready to retur... Read more
Incident date: Sep 29, 2021
Infotainment system suddenly shuts down while driving blank screen often triggered while using GPS. Radio will turn on spontaneously at full blast creating a startle effect, often unable to turn off. Had to pull over and turn car off. Daily event has been escalating. Apparently dealerships aware Subaru has been non-responsive. Telling dealerships there is a software fix issue, finally communicatin... Read more
Incident date: Sep 13, 2021
This is my second experience with a cracked windshield in the 6 months I have owned this vehicle. The first time the windshield cracked I was driving on the interstate and the windshield simply cracked. No debris impact, no bumps, just a long crack running from the top center of the glass down apx 8 inches. Subaru replaced under warranty. The second time the glass cracked I was driving on the ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 28, 2021
Parasitic drag in Subaru Forester caused battery to die. Managed to get it jump started minutes before a downpour. Almost left my daughter and my wife stranded. A quick Google search showed this is a common enough problem amongst Subaru models so I decided to file a complaint as well
Incident date: Apr 18, 2021
My vehicle was involved in a five car accident where is was completely destroyed and flipped upside and the two front airbags never deployed which caused head, back, and neck injuries to the two passengers that were in the two front seats. There was a recall on the the passenger front air bag which supposedly got fixed by Palm Springs subaru on July 13, 2020. This recall air bag never deployed dur... Read more
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Aug 15, 2021
on two occasions, when staring from a stop and starting to turn left, the car accelerated on its own. at least once the car's override brake system became active as i was slamming the brake.
Incident date: Sep 28, 2020
The contact owns a 2015 SUBARU Impreza. The contact stated that the vehicle's check engine light was illuminated and they began to notice at an oil change that their vehicle was leaking excessive oil consumption a year ago. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who informed them they needed to rebuild the engine. The repair was covered under warranty. The contact stated that about a year afte... Read more
Incident date: Sep 27, 2021
I parked my car in the garage on the afternoon of September 27, 2021. The next morning when I got in the car I noticed a big crack in the windshield. No dings or chips, just a large crack. I will bring the car to dealership tomorrow on their request. But they are saying my model year is not covered.
Incident date: Sep 24, 2021
Windshield just started cracking across from drivers side to center. Windshield would craxk further just sitting in garage overnight. Looks like a river running across Windshield. No apparent rock or chips as cause.