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: Jun 28, 2024
The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V720000 (Structure) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 MPH, th... Read more
Incident date: Jun 28, 2024
Engine locked in while driving on road No power an won’t start
Incident date: Mar 28, 2024
The vehicle, after parking, is nonresponsive to the key fob, nor will it start. This can happen at anytime and anywhere. Dealer said "It is possible the integrated 12v battery into the hybrid battery may be faulty. No codes or tests can confirm the issue. The dealer said the key fobs tested ok." My wife works late at night in a dark area, this has happened 2 times at her place of work and we are c... Read more
Incident date: Jul 19, 2024
My check engine light came on. When taking it to the dealership, they say it's the Catalytic converter. The converter is not an electronic part, so we replaced the o2 sensors and the check engine light came back on. I've taken this truck to several people who repairs cars, and The vehicle is only 3 years old , should not need to be replaced. A converter should last 10-15 years. In doing some Res... Read more
Incident date: Jul 19, 2024
My check engine light came on. When taking it to the dealership, they say it's the Catalytic converter. The converter is not an electronic part, so we replaced the o2 sensors and the check engine light came back on. I've taken this truck to several people who repairs cars, and The vehicle is only 3 years old , should not need to be replaced. A converter should last 10-15 years. In doing some Res... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2023
I have multiple spots of the pearl white paint peeling/flaking/bubbling off the vehicle in multiple places. 1st spot noticed was on the roof just behind the sunroof and the 2nd spot is the edge of the liftgate.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2023
ABS Module went out on my vehicle while on the highway. Three lights came on, as shown in attached photo. Vehicle brake system began acting up in the moment. This is a very common issue on 2013-2017 Honda accords from all mileage amounts. They are all still on and while I can drive the vehicle, if there are any instances where I need to brake suddenly, myself and the people around me will probably... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2023
ABS Module went out on my vehicle while on the highway. Three lights came on, as shown in attached photo. Vehicle brake system began acting up in the moment. This is a very common issue on 2013-2017 Honda accords from all mileage amounts. They are all still on and while I can drive the vehicle, if there are any instances where I need to brake suddenly, myself and the people around me will probably... Read more
Incident date: Jul 12, 2024
Unknown it changed and I have not kept track of new or old details.
Incident date: Jun 4, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle revved aggressively while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic where two burned spark plugs were discovered and replaced. The contact stated that while driving away ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 5, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen ID.4. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the "Travel Assist" and the "Forward Collision Avoidance" system warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that while drifting into the lane in the past there was a vibration in the steering wheel to alert the driver. The contact stated that the steering wheel no longer vibrated while the warnin... Read more
Incident date: Mar 21, 2024
In 2023, the reverse camera would either flicker or completely shut off (displaying a blank screen) while the reverse gear is engaged. While reversing the vehicle to park onto the property the rear camera image failed to display in the vehicle, leading to a collision with the curb. The limited visibility out of the rear windshield for the Mazda 3 leads to a typical driver relying on the camera dis... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jun 29, 2024
July 17, 2024 A little over a week ago steering system on my 2016 Ford Explore started making grinding noises when turning steering wheel. Steering started to feel " tighter " or stiffer when turning. There were no warning lamps or messages or other symptoms prior to the failure. Took it to the dealership where vehicle was purchased. Service advisor came out and verified there " seems " to be a ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-250. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motor power at approximately the 7th gear. The Ford wrench warning light had illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to Ford's customer... Read more
Incident date: Jun 29, 2024
Please see thread: [XXX] My 2011 Nissan Leaf's OCS has failed randomly. I pulled the code via an Bluetooth OBD reader and the LeafSpy Pro app installed on my phone: B1018-00 09 AIR BAG Occupant Sens [Unit Fail] SRC-41. I took the car to a local dealership and was quoted over $4k for a full seat replacement with no ETA as the part is on back order. There is no option to simply replace the OCS alo... Read more
Incident date: Jul 9, 2024
Hi, I am hereby, reporting that a clutch recall and software update was done on my 2021 wrangler jeep rubicon and the jeep would shut down when pressing the gas pedal and bogs down while driving. The jeep is still at the dealership since June 18 2024 and haven't heard anything from them so far and they won't give me a loaner vehicle. I don't have any other vehicle to drive. Any help in this matte... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2024
While driving the wheel moved trying to correct itself. It was raining so that caused us to hydroplane into a ditch.
Crash
Incident date: Jul 16, 2024
Description of the Problem: Component/System Failure: On [XXX], while using the Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature of my Tesla Model X, the vehicle experienced severe phantom braking and unexpectedly veered off the road near Rio Vista, Antioch, CA. The failure appears to be related to the FSD system, braking, and steering. The vehicle is currently in Tesla’s possession and available for inspection... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jul 16, 2024
Description of the Problem: Component/System Failure: On [XXX], while using the Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature of my Tesla Model X, the vehicle experienced severe phantom braking and unexpectedly veered off the road near Rio Vista, Antioch, CA. The failure appears to be related to the FSD system, braking, and steering. The vehicle is currently in Tesla’s possession and available for inspection... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jul 16, 2024
The trim surrounding my two front wheels, as well as part of the trim on my rear passenger-side tire, popped completely off of the vehicle while driving through a typical rain storm in Central Florida. That is a total of three pieces ejected during the normal course of driving. Part of the trim on the driver's side was protruding, but seems to have snapped back into place. There wasn't a lot of wi... Read more
Incident date: Jul 15, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while attempting to close the front driver’s side door, the door failed to close securely. Additionally, the contact stated that the door ajar warning light illuminated would illuminate with the door properly closed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA ... Read more
Incident date: May 31, 2024
coolant intrusion in cylinders on the engine 2.7 ecoboost Ford made a bad engineering decision on the headers and block to allow coolant to flow through the gaskets to get to the other side of the cylinder. Now with a vehicle only 98K miles I'm expected to pay more than the car is worth to get it fixed or be out of a vehicle or find a scrape yard or someone to buy it off of me just to save some m... Read more
Incident date: Sep 16, 2022
The infotainment screed goes black. To get it to go on you have to turn the car off, get out of the car with the key fob so the vehicle is completely disconnected and wait 10 to 15 minutes. After it starts working the infotainment systems "crashes" in about 30 to 45 minutes. It is a constant problem. The infotainment system includes all vehicle safety systems settings and speaker. The warnings wil... Read more
Incident date: Feb 21, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked and turned off, the electronic rear tailgate door erroneously unlatched and opened. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 58,000.
Incident date: Feb 21, 2024
Both exterior trim (that are connected to the windscreen) have detached and flown off the vehicle. The first one came of during high winds while driving several months ago. The other other one subsequently cam off in a similar fashion while I was driving on the highway. I initially contacted my insurance company but the out of pocket expense was more than I could afford. I then discovered there ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 4, 2024
The gauge cluster display will go in and out. There is apparently a faulty solder joint that gets affected in cold weather and until the car is warmed up the gauge cluster stays blank. I was informed that I need a new one at the cost of $1800+ for a 2019 HRV with 24000 miles. It seems very wrong that this part has failed.
Incident date: Nov 2, 2023
Subaru states that the vehicle will dc fast charge at 100KWh. My Solterra and others(complaints on Subaru Solterra Forum) takes on average 1 hour and 40 minutes to charge 80%, with an additional 40 minutes to get to 100%. This is a major EV safety concern whern travelling---especially at night. In addition the milage range of the vehicle falls way short of wht SUBARU ADVERTISES TO CONSUMERS. T... Read more
Incident date: Jul 16, 2024
The rack and pinion in a 2019 CRV with 52K miles is already broken
Incident date: Jul 16, 2024
I purchased my vehicle from AutoNation Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM Spring - 21027 I-45, Spring, TX 77388 on or about April 15, 2021. I began having trouble with the electric/gas drivetrain around January 30 of 2023. The vehicle lost all power, as well as throttle and proper braking response. I brought my vehicle back to Helfman Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM FIAT at 7720 Katy Fwy A, Houston, TX 77024 for rep... Read more
Incident date: Jul 16, 2024
I purchased my vehicle from AutoNation Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM Spring - 21027 I-45, Spring, TX 77388 on or about April 15, 2021. I began having trouble with the electric/gas drivetrain around January 30 of 2023. The vehicle lost all power, as well as throttle and proper braking response. I brought my vehicle back to Helfman Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM FIAT at 7720 Katy Fwy A, Houston, TX 77024 for rep... Read more
Incident date: Jul 15, 2024
On [XXX], I was driving home from Tampa bay International Airport and noticed that I get less acceleration and my car shut off while driving and caused me to crash into a guardrail. Before accident, told Kia about my car shutting off and right when warrant ran out, parts would fail. Had to buy a sensor, alternator (70,000 miles). Also catalytic converter (81,000). Six months later after I bought a... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jul 15, 2024
My child [XXX] ) engaged the automatic locking retractor (ALR) and as it wound back in it wrapped around his neck. By the time we got to him it was tight enough that it was difficult to move or rotate or slide the seatbelt over his head, and we ultimately cut the seatbelt to free him. In addition to the actual safety incident, I was very surprised to learn that this was even possible. I had nev... Read more
Incident date: Jun 30, 2024
While car was in for oil change and tire rotation, it was noted that the driver's side front tire had substantial wear on the inside of the tire. It looks like the inside of the tire was ground down causing an indention. Mechanic thinks the belt may have shifted. Said he had never seen it before.
Incident date: Jun 30, 2024
While driving car began to jerk and had odd smell. Stopped at a Midas to have car looked at and all of the transmission fluid leaked out. Techs at Midas state the gasket that hold the fluid in came out and caused all the fluid to leak out. Had no issues while driving previous to this, this just happened randomly in the middle of our drive. We did jot hit or run over anything and the road we were t... Read more
Incident date: Jul 13, 2024
Secure vehicle against rolling light on was looked at by 2 independent mechanics and bmw of Wilmington saying pin breaks in shifter assembly. It’s seems to be a common issue that bmw needs to recall and fix. The 5.00-10.00 pin should not cost consumers 3000.00 to fix. The entire assembly does not need replaced. The pin needs recalled for safety purposes
Incident date: Jul 13, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 73 MPH, the front driver's side window exterior trim where the keyless entry keypad was located, had detached, and was hanging by the electrical wiring. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Additionally, the contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Struct... Read more
Incident date: Jul 13, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Buick Enclave. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 13, 2024
While driving on city streets the check engine light came on and I was unable to accelerate or maintain speeds above 30mph. Because the car couldn’t operate at posted speed limits, other vehicles were stuck behind me or had to go around. It was also slow to start at traffic signals. I will be taking the vehicle to the dealer shortly for further diagnosis.
Incident date: Jun 7, 2024
There is an active recall for my specific year/make/model - yet I'm being told it doesn't apply to my vehicle - but my vehicle is absolutely having the exact issue described in the recall. How do I get this resolved? The issue is that my vehicle will unexpectedly downshift, (I believe into first gear, based on the RPM's that I get stuck at) almost always while I am driving at freeway speeds. Wh... Read more
Incident date: Jan 25, 2024
In my new 2024 Ascent, there's a vibration in the driver side mirror that gets worse as speed increases. It's a minor issue, but it's disappointing for a brand new car to have this problem. The Subaru dealer hasn't taken any action despite being informed about it, and the vibration persists.
Incident date: Jun 16, 2024
This is on a motorcycle: The right hand turn signal/License plate vibrated off. July 5, 2024 I had just got back from my girlfriend’s house and I had planned on riding the bike to her house on Sunday. But, now the bike is un-rideable because the left side turn single and plate are precariously hanging towards the rear tire and drive area.
Incident date: Jun 16, 2024
This is on a motorcycle: The right hand turn signal/License plate vibrated off. July 5, 2024 I had just got back from my girlfriend’s house and I had planned on riding the bike to her house on Sunday. But, now the bike is un-rideable because the left side turn single and plate are precariously hanging towards the rear tire and drive area.
Incident date: Jun 16, 2024
The emergency call system malfunction displayed. Upon taking vehicle to a BMW dealer for inspection, I was informed that the antenna needed to be replaced for $2000.00 to fix the problem. I did research and found that other owners of the same make and model as well as prior and later models have had the same issue. The shark fin antenna allows water ingress into the components which causes inte... Read more
Incident date: Jul 11, 2024
When I filled up on gas and I used 88 instead of regular 87 fuel so a day after I filled up with gas I turn on the vehicle all of the lights came on warning that the awd system didn’t work and the lane departure didn’t work and cruse control didn’t work. And when I went to the dealer they couldn’t figure it out until the pulled the gas out saying we put the wrong gas in the car
Incident date: Apr 25, 2024
we have reported to the dealer multiple instances of noises (crunching and low thuds) and 'thumping' felt through floor boards coming from what appears to be front passenger side. Dealer installed right from sway bar end link as well as subsequently perform NHTSA mandatory recall repairs on Front Upper Control Arm to Steering Knuckle Pinch Bolt. After each 'repair' the problem appears to be gett... Read more
Incident date: Jul 29, 2022
The lane keep assist function via the monocam behind the windshield has failed causing an alert to show up a few minutes into driving that none of the systems related to it are functional. This appears to be a widespread problem amongst owners of the 2018 Odyssey. Additionally, Honda service centers are acting like this is a surprise to them but searching online will results many individuals with ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 29, 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted from 6th gear to 1st gear. The contact stated that the vehicle was stopping independently, and the service transmission warning light was illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the rear wheels felt as if they had seized. The vehicle was taken to the de... Read more
Incident date: Jun 12, 2024
infotainment center glitching Attemped to resolve with KIA but they do not feel that this is a safety concern or feel it needs to be investigated appropriately. This occurs when driving typically on the highway because most of my travel is highway. When this occurs it is a distraction for the driver. It interferes with the ability to use hands free/calls/gps. There is no warning before failu... Read more
Incident date: Mar 3, 2021
The contact owns 2023 Fisker Ocean. The contact stated that on several occasions when the vehicle was started, the ADAS warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the message "Radar Fault - Some Features Limited or Unavailable" was displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 1,000.
Incident date: Jul 10, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side door failed to register as closed when locked. The back over prevention camera failed to display the rear-view image while in the vehicle was in reverse. The contact stated that during the failure with the back over prevention camera the radio also became inoperable. The contact stated that the TPM... Read more