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 20, 2026
The vehicle has experienced two critical drivetrain failures. The first occurred in December 2025 at approximately 2,000 miles. The transmission failed, leaving the vehicle undriveable and requiring a tow. After repair, the vehicle was returned still displaying brake-system service warnings and had to go back to the dealer a second time. The second failure occurred on March 23, 2026 at 3,471 miles... Read more
Incident date: Mar 20, 2026
The vehicle has experienced two critical drivetrain failures. The first occurred in December 2025 at approximately 2,000 miles. The transmission failed, leaving the vehicle undriveable and requiring a tow. After repair, the vehicle was returned still displaying brake-system service warnings and had to go back to the dealer a second time. The second failure occurred on March 23, 2026 at 3,471 miles... Read more
Incident date: Jan 15, 2026
Rear seat in 2025 Range Rover Sport closed on my arm while returning to upright position, trapping me with no accessible manual release. Required assistance to be freed. Resulted in numbness and ongoing nerve/tendon pain. While parked in my driveway, I activated the electronic control to raise the left rear passenger seat from a folded position. As I reached in to remove an object (umbrella) to p... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Jan 15, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Rav4 Prime. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V595000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the instrument panel failed to function as intended, and a blank screen was displayed. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts to d... Read more
Incident date: Mar 18, 2026
On 1/12/26 I brought my 2025 Kia K5 to Dyer Kia in Lake Wales, Florida, for a blow out on my right front tire. The tire had 700 miles on it. I have only had the car since October 2025. Car was new. Tire is a Perelli and tire size is 235/45/18. When I got there the service technician told me that I ran over something. I did not. I was on a smooth road, no debris on the road. I had two other peop... Read more
Incident date: Mar 6, 2026
Engine failed suddenly while driving on a highway. While driving at highway speed, warning lights and messages appeared indicating oil pressure is low and to turn off the engine immediately. The vehicle was towed to the shop where it was discovered that the oil pump, which was made out of plastic, had suffered a catastrophic failure. Was told if the engine continued running any longer it would hav... Read more
Incident date: Feb 2, 2026
Bought car recently and it came from the dealer with an exlamation point light, audible warning and message in the screen saying "ERROR: Service vehicle. Only leave vehicle in P position". i can also take my key out of the car when not in park. im pretty sure it is a microswitch or entire gear shifter mechanism depending. It is the same thing that happened for Compliance Recall 37L5. copying and p... Read more
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
My vehicle has multiple active safety recalls that remain unrepaired. I have already contacted the dealership and attempted to have these issues addressed, but I have experienced delays and a lack of response. The front brake hose recall presents a serious safety risk, as it could rupture and cause a brake fluid leak, leading to reduced braking ability and increased stopping distance. Additionally... Read more
Incident date: Mar 11, 2026
Vehicles coolant emptied out causing vehicle to overheat and smoke from under engine.
Incident date: Mar 11, 2026
Vehicles coolant emptied out causing vehicle to overheat and smoke from under engine.
Incident date: Mar 11, 2026
Astro white exterior paint is chipping on the roof of the vehicle in multiple locations. See pictures attached of sever chipping above windshield and wear the roof meets. Also chipping occurring above both rear doors on roof. This was not due to an accident or normal wear and tear.
Incident date: Mar 19, 2026
I had my foot on the brake, opened the garage door with my garage door opener, and before I took my foot off the brake the car surged, jumped, and smashed into the brick wall next to the garage. I did not put my foot on the gas.
Crash
Incident date: Oct 2, 2023
Check engine light for P052E which has been coming and going off for years now. Now the check engine light is there permanently. I spoke to Mercedes Benz customer service and requested for them to fix the problem now that the light is on permanently but they refuse to fix it because the car has 222,000 miles on it. This should be a recall from the manufacturer not an extended warranty coverage. Th... Read more
Incident date: Oct 2, 2023
I am filing a formal complaint regarding my 2017 Hyundai Elantra SE (VIN: [XXX] ). The vehicle is currently experiencing severe safety issues, including unexpected engine stalling and loud mechanical rattling, alongside a P0014 diagnostic code. These symptoms align directly with the defects described in Recall 203 (NHTSA 21V301000) involving improper piston ring heat treatment and Service Campaign... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
ICCU failure while driving.
Incident date: Jul 3, 2025
The head gasket has failed, leading to coolant intrusion into the number 2 cylinder. Several misfires occurred due to this. This is a known issue due to the design of the lower block, which uses a channel, thus causing a very small surface area for the head gasket between the channel and the cylinder, which accelerates wear. Spent $3,000 to fix this well-known design issue. Car at ~100k miles.
Incident date: Jul 3, 2025
Brake Booster and ABS, Brake Master Cylinder went out in car without any lights or warning while driving the vehicle at a moderate speed on Freeway. I was able to avoid an accident and take the car to a repair shop in which at 119K miles and just at 10.5 yrs old the entire brake system had to be replaced/repaired.
Incident date: Jul 3, 2025
Instrument Panel Cluster Failure. Black screen. Can’t see MPH, Gas, mileage or any engine functionality. Consistent with NHTSA safety recall. My VIN is not in the recall despite being a 2020 Jeep Wrangler that is listed in the safety recall. Stellantis won’t cover repair and Jeep dealer in Marshfield won’t cover. Potential 6 month fix with no replacement vehicle offered because part hasn’... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
At 4,000 miles the car had an electrical warning failure that required Kia to replace the gear reduction unit.
Incident date: Feb 18, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 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 local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The rear-view cam... Read more
Incident date: Mar 20, 2026
Sudden downshift at highway speeds.
Incident date: Mar 20, 2026
The A/c compressor seized up causing the belt to break. Looked up online and it seems it's a common occurrence with this year and model.
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
The contact owns a 2005 Dodge Dakota. The contact stated that the vehicle had been shipped to them. While the vehicle was parked, the contact inspected the vehicle and observed that the frame was severely corroded. The contact also noted that the frames of all the vehicle doors were corroded as well. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was not formally diagnosed; however, th... Read more
Incident date: Aug 8, 2024
Consumes more than 1 liter of oil per 1000 miles
Incident date: Feb 20, 2026
Failed to schedule recall RP1063 repair with dealer Boston Polestar (617) 925-7300 for my Polestar 3. I contacted Boston Polestar several times to schedule the recall RP1063 repair, but I was unable to get an appointment. The call operator redirected me to the Polestar service department, which was always busy. The operator left notes for the Polestar manager and promised I would receive a call b... Read more
Incident date: Feb 20, 2026
- What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? High pressure fuel pump, lifter, and cam shaft failure. - How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Potential crash w/ kids in truck, loss of power, surging, engine damage, etc.. (fuel pump) Potential crash w/ kids in truck, engine seizure, severe engine damaged, metal fragments, l... Read more
Incident date: Feb 20, 2026
- What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? High pressure fuel pump, lifter, and cam shaft failure. - How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Potential crash w/ kids in truck, loss of power, surging, engine damage, etc.. (fuel pump) Potential crash w/ kids in truck, engine seizure, severe engine damaged, metal fragments, l... Read more
Incident date: Mar 15, 2026
Since my car had about 45000 miles on the odometer, it has been producing a thick white smoke, not only upon starting the car from a cold start, but also after longer distance trips over 30 miles. After having taken it to the dealership multiple times, their response has been that they cannot recreate the problem and most likely it is from engine sludge due to not maintaining the regular oil chan... Read more
Incident date: Mar 12, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that the camera had become inoperable. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V808000 (Back Over Prevention). The dealer was recently contacted and informed that the parts were on backorder. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 16,000.
Incident date: Feb 2, 2026
EV motor and drive train have a clattering noise, much like a playing card attached to a bicycle clattering against the wheel spokes. it speeds up and slows down with the acceleration of the motor.
Incident date: Sep 15, 2023
After performing regular oil changes, and even a new fuel pump sensor, I experienced an issue. Last oil change was within the past two weeks. Driving home from the mountains, I heard a knocking sound from the engine bay. I narrowed it down to all gears above 2500RPM, increasing knocking with RPM speed. I took it easy on the engine, mostly coasting down the mountain. Suddenly during acceleration on... Read more
Incident date: Sep 15, 2023
After performing regular oil changes, and even a new fuel pump sensor, I experienced an issue. Last oil change was within the past two weeks. Driving home from the mountains, I heard a knocking sound from the engine bay. I narrowed it down to all gears above 2500RPM, increasing knocking with RPM speed. I took it easy on the engine, mostly coasting down the mountain. Suddenly during acceleration on... Read more
Incident date: Mar 14, 2026
Was driving on hwy when vehicle loss power, was able to quickly pull over. Turned vehicle off and restarted vehicle. Got back onto the hwy ,vehicle loss power again, this time it wouldn't turn over. Replaced fuel pump,replaced valve timing sensor, crank sensor, replaced battery, replaced ignition switch and antitheft oem {replaced 5X}, reprogrammed vehicle 3X's, bought new key to program to vehicl... Read more
Incident date: Mar 4, 2026
The Jaguar dealership of Chantilly, VA provided me with a rental car from Enterprise Car Rental. The rental car was provided on the 9th of March 2026. I drove the vehicle to my residence in [XXX] . I parked the vehicle in my driveway. The vehicle in question is a 2024 Nissan Rogue in which the back windshield spontaneously shattered without any warning or notification. The vehicle was secured... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the steering wheel was turned to the left and became difficult to turn back to the center. The vehicle was stopped, and the steering wheel symbol in red was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was turned off and restarted, but failed to reset the power steering assist. The failure was intermitt... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH, the engine overheated. Coolant was added to the coolant reservoir, and the driver was able to continue driving. Several days later, the heat became inoperable. Upon research, the failure was associated with TSB 19-2346. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for a pressure test, but no leaks were found. T... Read more
Incident date: Mar 8, 2026
Was driving through highway construction site. One lane, jersey walls close on both sides. A lane shift was forced by the jersey walls and my vehicle slammed the brakes causing me to need to very accurately control steering during this unnecessary emergency braking situation. Cars behind me had no way to drive around or a shoulder for an out. Traffic was heavy, lucky that no accident occurred.... Read more
Incident date: Mar 18, 2026
2018 Ford Fusion SE 1.5L EcoBoost, just purchased the car 10 days ago and I already have antifreeze that's mixing with the oil causing the car to overheat and white smoke coming from the back cannot drive the car took it to three mechanics they told me it needs a new turbo and a head gasket which will cost well over $4,000 which I don't have the money that I bought the car with I borrowed from fam... Read more
Incident date: Mar 18, 2026
2018 Ford Fusion SE 1.5L EcoBoost, just purchased the car 10 days ago and I already have antifreeze that's mixing with the oil causing the car to overheat and white smoke coming from the back cannot drive the car took it to three mechanics they told me it needs a new turbo and a head gasket which will cost well over $4,000 which I don't have the money that I bought the car with I borrowed from fam... Read more
Incident date: Mar 18, 2026
10r80 transmission delayed shifting and hard jerks and rumbles and slips gear while I’m highway
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
Car was jerking when acceleration. Dealer inspected the vehicle and said the head gasket is blown. It overheated a day after Honda dealership fixed my water pump.
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
I was driving and without any type of warning the car stopped shifting so I was barely touching the gas but my tac was all the way up.
Incident date: Feb 3, 2026
Multiple safety systems on my 2019 Honda Odyssey Elite have simultaneously failed, including LKAS, ACC, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Auto High-Beam Headlights, and other driver-assist features. The dashboard displays warnings for nearly every safety-related system, and the vehicle disables these features without warning. **Detailed Description of the Problem:** Whenever I start my vehicle,... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2026
I was driving on RT80 in NJ and my 2019 GMC Yukon lost power. I took it to my local Chevy dealer. The scan code was p0300 engine misfire. They removed right side valve cover and found no bent pushrods. Inspected camshaft and found damage from failed lifter. I had to get a new engine and pay out of pocket $14,435.44
Incident date: Mar 17, 2026
On 3/16/26 I attempted to accelerate and the vehicle experienced severe "bucking" and gear hunting hesitation before losing all drive power and stalling. Following the stall, the engine would not crank or "catch" despite multiple attempts. State Police arrived as I was in an unsafe location (blind on-ramp to highway) they called their tow trucks deeming it hazardous to wait as Honda Roadside Ass... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2026
On 3/16/26 I attempted to accelerate and the vehicle experienced severe "bucking" and gear hunting hesitation before losing all drive power and stalling. Following the stall, the engine would not crank or "catch" despite multiple attempts. State Police arrived as I was in an unsafe location (blind on-ramp to highway) they called their tow trucks deeming it hazardous to wait as Honda Roadside Ass... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2026
On 3/16/26 I attempted to accelerate and the vehicle experienced severe "bucking" and gear hunting hesitation before losing all drive power and stalling. Following the stall, the engine would not crank or "catch" despite multiple attempts. State Police arrived as I was in an unsafe location (blind on-ramp to highway) they called their tow trucks deeming it hazardous to wait as Honda Roadside Ass... Read more
Incident date: Mar 9, 2026
Bought truck 0n 12/26/2025 from lot in Michigan had it transported to Missouri. First time I drive it Check Engine comes on and goes into "Limp Mode". Had it towed to GM Dealer and they say it was the high pressure fuel pump. Got it back and check engine light comes back on then goes off then back on again. Not happy at all!!!
Incident date: Nov 10, 2025
The steering locked up while driving. I was unable to turn the steering wheel. My self and my brother were in the vehicle. At this time, I am contacting the dealer to look at the unit. It will not turn and is stuck in my driveway. I am being told the electronic steering rack may have failed. Why does this not break way and allow some turning like the old hydraulic models? If I had been driv... Read more
Incident date: Mar 13, 2026
* Per paperwork from the car dealer, the ICCU failed along with a 3way valve assembly and a fuse blew. * While driving, the car went into a limp mode greatly limiting its maximum speed. * I was afraid to continue driving it and had the car towed to the KIA dealership. * It took exactly a month for it to be repaired. * The dealership kept the failed parts. * No warning lamps until the failure occur... Read more