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: Jul 4, 2026
My daughter was driving my 2016 Honda Pilot EX when loud rattling noise came from engine compartment. The vehicle lost power and display warning lights came on. She pulled over and shut off the vehicle since the rattling noise was very loud. Vehicle was towed to an independent shop and the technician from the shop confirmed engine malfunction and found large metal bits in the oil. I had the vehicl... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2025
I was in an active car wash and the truck stalled and engaged Auto-park and I was nearly hit by the car behind me in the car wash.
Incident date: Jul 1, 2025
I was in an active car wash and the truck stalled and engaged Auto-park and I was nearly hit by the car behind me in the car wash.
Incident date: Sep 20, 2024
Year/Make/Model: 2022 Jeep Gladiator RESPONDENT DEALERSHIP DETAILS Business Name: Lake Norman Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Physical Address: 20320 Chartown Dr, Cornelius, NC 28031 On July 17, 2026, the vehicle referenced above was presented to Lake Norman Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram for the express purpose of executing the mandatory remedy under NHTSA Campaign 26V363 (Mopar 21D). This recall governs an... Read more
Incident date: Sep 20, 2024
I have been having issues with my breaks sticking when applied. To the point that it’s completely stopping my car and i need to use my foot to release the brake from behind. I have had the dealership look at this issue and they can’t seem to find the problem. They also broke my car and claimed they did not feel the sticking. I’ve had the dealership look at my vehicle twice for this issue. It... Read more
Incident date: Sep 20, 2024
I have been having issues with my breaks sticking when applied. To the point that it’s completely stopping my car and i need to use my foot to release the brake from behind. I have had the dealership look at this issue and they can’t seem to find the problem. They also broke my car and claimed they did not feel the sticking. I’ve had the dealership look at my vehicle twice for this issue. It... Read more
Incident date: Jul 17, 2026
The instrument cluster continues to fail after repair to Hyundai recall #304 was done. Heads-up display failed, flickered, restarted. Instrument cluster turned off and flashed “signal not found” for approximately 45 minutes before returning. Necessary information to legally and safely drive was inaccessible including speed, fuel readings, status of regenerative breaking, error lights, and crui... Read more
Incident date: Jul 17, 2026
The instrument cluster continues to fail after repair to Hyundai recall #304 was done. Heads-up display failed, flickered, restarted. Instrument cluster turned off and flashed “signal not found” for approximately 45 minutes before returning. Necessary information to legally and safely drive was inaccessible including speed, fuel readings, status of regenerative breaking, error lights, and crui... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the parking brake and hill assist warning lights and several other unknown warning lights intermittently illuminated. Several dealers were contacted; however, no appointments were available. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V402000 (Power... Read more
Incident date: Apr 16, 2026
I am writing to request immediate assistance with our Jeep, which has become a serious safety hazard for our family. We purchased the jeep less than 2 years ago and over the past three months it has repeatedly failed to start or has stalled unexpectedly, leaving us stranded on multiple occasions. Despite taking the vehicle to dealership and other service centers four times, no one has been able to... Read more
Incident date: Jun 19, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a knocking sound coming from the engine, with the engine revving. The contact stated that while turning off the vehicle, the engine was knocking very roughly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was taken back to... Read more
Incident date: Jun 19, 2026
My rear backup camera stopped working this year it's either a black screen or blinking screen no video will play. When I first started the video was foggy like moisture was in the camera and now it shows nothing. Other Kia sorento's my same model year have had a recall for the backup camera but mine is not on the recall list for some reason.
SUBARU
TRAILSEEKER
(2026) - ENGINE
Jul 17, 2026
Incident date: Jul 5, 2026
My 2019 jeep Cherokee limited suffered a complete loss of power while driving down the highway and now has a service 4wd light on as well.
SUBARU
TRAILSEEKER
(2026) - POWER TRAIN
Jul 17, 2026
Incident date: Jul 5, 2026
My 2019 jeep Cherokee limited suffered a complete loss of power while driving down the highway and now has a service 4wd light on as well.
Incident date: Jul 14, 2026
My engine is damaged and needs replacement. My car starting stalling, when I put the car in reverse the car would stop working, the car starting vibrating and my check engine light came on. When I took it to Southwest Kia dealership, they pulled the recall and stated that the symptoms I was experiencing were what was described in the recall. However, the warranty has refused to repair the recall. ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 16, 2026
Driver Assistance Warning (DAW) warning bells and dash sign "Driver Needs a Break" with Coffee Pot showing goes off constantly. Even with safest driving possible, on purpose safest driving, the warning and sounds goes off every few miles and few minutes. KIA dealer has kept car for 2 weeks and say they can not duplicate and I drive it (Perfectly) and it goes off. this is a 2023 Kia telluride , p... Read more
Incident date: Jun 16, 2026
On February 26, 2026, I purchased a used 2009 Ford Flex VIN from Header’s Auto Sales. At time of delivery, the vehicle was equipped with tires that did not meet the manufacturer’s required load rating for this vehicle. A licensed mechanic provided a safety assessment confirming the tires were improperly load-rated and unsafe to carry the vehicle load. We were not informed of this issue at sa... Read more
Incident date: Jun 29, 2026
The backup camera is in black and white and very washed out. It is very difficult to make out details and has caused several near misses. The issue is especially bad at night. The camera is essentially non-functional and represents a safety issue. This has been the case since purchasing the vehicle in 2024. The Honda CRV 2024 was not included in the recent recall for backup camera issues on other ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2026
On April 8, 2026, my 2020 Cadillac XT5 experienced a sudden and complete engine failure while I was driving. Prior to the failure, there were no warning lights, no overheating indications, no abnormal engine noises, and no performance issues that would have alerted me to a developing problem. Without warning, the engine failed and the vehicle immediately lost power, creating a serious safety haza... Read more
Incident date: Jun 20, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving uphill at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled and failed to return to normal operation. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced; however, parts to repair the vehicle were unavailable. The vehicle was n... Read more
Incident date: Jul 13, 2026
My 2025 Audi A3 has been experiencing severe and recurring 'phantom braking' issues, where the vehicle violently and unexpectedly engages the emergency braking system without any obstacles present. This poses an immediate, life-threatening risk of being rear-ended at high speeds. Despite formally notifying Volkswagen Group of America via certified mail in May 2026, the vehicle has not been success... Read more
Incident date: Jul 13, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Lincoln Aviator. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V455000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving 70-75 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to a friend's residence, where it failed to restart. The de... Read more
SUBARU
TRAILSEEKER
(2026) - SUSPENSION
Jul 15, 2026
Incident date: Jul 14, 2026
The contact owns a 1997 Toyota 4Runner. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 02V021000 (Suspension); however, when the vehicle was taken to a local dealer, the recall repairs were denied because an aftermarket suspension was previously installed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall rep... Read more
SUBARU
TRAILSEEKER
(2026) - BACK OVER PREVENTION
Jul 15, 2026
Incident date: Jul 13, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V212000 (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, and the contact was unable to register the vehicle with the re... Read more
SUBARU
TRAILSEEKER
(2026) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jul 15, 2026
Incident date: Jul 13, 2026
When putting the vehicle in park an error displays, SHIFT TO PARK, and the vehicle does not turn off completely and will ding although you’ve put it in PARK. This has been happening for well over a year and the dealership says it’s a known issue but not a recall. There are times it’s taken up to 25 mins that I’ve had to sit in the vehicle to get the vehicle to turn off by wiggling the shif... Read more
Incident date: Mar 7, 2023
Home link failure 1 Homelink was set to close the garage at 90 feet. Garage was open and I was parking manually going in reverse. Home link closed the garage as rear of my car was entering. Since tesla has a taller base and the wing like device projects beyond the car was damaged. 2 Homelink does not work consistently and this has put my home at risk because sometimes the garage door does not clo... Read more
Crash
SUBARU
TRAILSEEKER
(2026) - VISIBILITY/WIPER
Jul 15, 2026
Incident date: Jul 10, 2026
The radio keeps freezing up all the time along with the back tail light area going in and out. I keep smelling like burnt wire smell. Engine sound really rough.
Incident date: Jul 14, 2026
Drove 20 miles to Walmart, drove fine no lights no issues, parked went in came out to someone putting out the fire.
Fire
Incident date: Jul 3, 2026
Purchased 2014 Ford Focus from a private dealer. The vehicle had 75k miles on it and needed a reliable vehicle for my daughter who is in college. The same day as the purchase, the engine light came up as well as the transmission light. Had to tow it to ford and was advised the TCM needed replacement. Apparently this is a well known issue but the vehicle wasn’t covered under a recall for the iss... Read more
Incident date: Jul 9, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel started sticking and was difficult to turn to the left or the right. The steering wheel was sticking while accelerating around corners. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V744000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicl... Read more
Incident date: Jul 14, 2026
The car has less than 50,000 miles on it and the transmission is malfunctioning. Something about the dual clutch system losing protection. It has lost more than 70%. I knew there was a problem when the car reported transmission temp hot.
Incident date: Jul 14, 2026
Vehicle: 2019 Honda Odyssey Issue: Unintended airbag deployment consistent with Honda Recall UNW (SRS Control Unit Calibration Defect) Incident Type: Safety defect – airbags deployed without collision Location & Date: Highway 131, outside of Kalamazoo, MI - travel – normal road conditions on July 6, 2026 Insurance Outcome: Denied due to manufacturer defect, will only cover minor wheel damage... Read more
Incident date: Jul 14, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V789000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the recall was an inconvenience because the battery could only be charged to 80 percent. The dealer was notified and informed the contact that parts were still unavailable. The manufa... Read more
Incident date: Jan 25, 2025
I own a 2026 Carnival Prestige SX Hybrid and having loss of propulsion problems. After much research, and absolutely no help from KIA, I now think my problem is my foot, size 15, is too large to safely drive this vehicle. My shoe intermittently depresses the brake ever so slightly while I accelerate from a stop. This triggers the Brake-Throttle Override which temporarily cuts propulsion power.... Read more
Incident date: Jul 14, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the tailgate unexpectedly opened while driving and while the vehicle was parked. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V983000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by a dealer or an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not contacted. The fai... Read more
Incident date: Jul 13, 2026
The engine warning light came on and Autozone indicated that it involved the evap cannister purge valve. As I was trying to figure out which part to order over a couple of days, the car stopped in the middle of an intersection while my wife was driving. It would not restart. We had the car towed and spent several hundred dollars on a repair. I don't understand how a faulty purge valve should cause... Read more
Incident date: Jul 13, 2026
My truck (2025 Chevy Silverado Trail Boss LZ0 Duramax 3.0l) started to have problems when driving. At a stop light, I started to accelerate at about 2000-3000 RPM. While doing so, there was a loud ticking/grinding noise coming from the transmission/Bell housing area. On June 2nd, I dropped the truck off with the dealership. I didn’t hear back from them until about a month later (July 3rd) and wh... Read more
Incident date: Jul 13, 2026
My truck (2025 Chevy Silverado Trail Boss LZ0 Duramax 3.0l) started to have problems when driving. At a stop light, I started to accelerate at about 2000-3000 RPM. While doing so, there was a loud ticking/grinding noise coming from the transmission/Bell housing area. On June 2nd, I dropped the truck off with the dealership. I didn’t hear back from them until about a month later (July 3rd) and wh... Read more
Incident date: May 28, 2026
I took the van to get the safety recall done in 2026, Feb 25. For the rear view back up camera. I took it to the same dealership that I bought the car from, Jones Junction. However, upon further complications with the back up camera, this issue has never been fixed or resolved. If anything, the issue has become worse. I am unable to use my camera 98% of the time. It freezes. It goes black or is u... Read more
Incident date: May 28, 2026
My 2024 Kia K5's infotainment screen went completely pitch black, disabling the backup camera now creating an active safety hazard.
Incident date: Jul 11, 2026
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle stalled. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy when attempting to trade in the vehicle. The Carfax report indicated there were three previous owners of the vehicle. The Carfax report indicated that the mileage was 300,020. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mile... Read more
Incident date: Jul 11, 2026
The vehicle exhibits active optical manufacturing defects causing continuous visual distortion across the front windshield. The distortion warps horizontal and vertical straight lines while driving. This visual warping severely impacts depth perception, causes eye strain, and induces motion sickness, resulting in physical disorientation during vehicle operation.
Incident date: Jul 2, 2026
On multiple occasions while making a left or right turn and trying to accelerate, there is no input via the gas pedal. The truck will not accelerate at all. It takes a random amount of time before any throttle input is registered, which is usually followed by rapid acceleration.
Incident date: Jun 20, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle was stalling. The message "Transmission Service" was displayed on the instrument panel. The dealer was contacted and diagnosed the failure as a shifter assembly failure. The vehicle was not repaired because the part was not available. The manufac... Read more
Incident date: Jun 20, 2026
AFM/DOD lifter failed while driving which causes multiple systems to go offline including Traction Control, stability control, ABS just to name a few. This happened while coming off freeway which can be a safety risk as vehicle was at higher speeds. This is a known GM problem with 5.3l engines and should have been addressed years ago.
Incident date: Jul 11, 2026
my back up camera stopped working it’s just a black screen now
Incident date: Jul 12, 2026
My Engine is overheating, cannot drive the car at all. There is Coolant loss and leaking into the cylinder. It is Rough running and misfires: no matter when I start the Honda whether a fold start or not it is chunky and wants to give out. There is Loss of power which makes my car feel sluggish and is very dangerous as I’m driving myself, children and family on the freeways of St. Louis. I have ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 12, 2026
When my wife left for work the car displayed an SRS/airbag warning on the dash. It was running so she decided to go to work, but turned around after a few miles when she realized all of the driver assist systems were also disabled. When she got home I checked the battery voltage and it read 11.8 volts (I also read the DTCs, and pulled B1AC0). After charging overnight the error was gone. This... Read more
Incident date: Jul 11, 2026
There is an idle function on the engine that shuts the engine off when at rest, the engine has failed to restart and the car dies in the middle of the street, without warning, as if the battery is dead. The handful of times this has happened the car has been able to start back up within two or three tries. Honda acknowledges the issue as far as I know. The dealership let me know this is a known is... Read more
Incident date: Jul 11, 2026
There is an idle function on the engine that shuts the engine off when at rest, the engine has failed to restart and the car dies in the middle of the street, without warning, as if the battery is dead. The handful of times this has happened the car has been able to start back up within two or three tries. Honda acknowledges the issue as far as I know. The dealership let me know this is a known is... Read more