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 13, 2023
It is quite easy to depress the brake pedal in such a way that one's foot also engages the accelerator pedal. This has happened to me several times, causing the truck to lurch forward rather than stopping dead as is my intention. Looking online, I see this has also happened to many others on Ford trucks. I have been driving for over 50 years and this has never happened on any other vehicle.
Incident date: Aug 4, 2023
Car started misfiring due to coolant intrusion in cylinder 2. Had to immediately pull over to side of highway during rush hour traffic. Car is just outside manufacturer power train warranty. This is a known issue by Ford, the dealer community, service contract providers and independent mechanics. We purchased this car used that was serviced at dealers to now find out that this engine has ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that during cold start-ups, there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the engine. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the cam phaser needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired under an extended warranty, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 25, 2023
Vehicle was being driven. Heard clunk noise. Vehicle no longer went into drive. Could not shift or anying. Had to have vehicle towed to repair shop. Ford could not review vehicle at time and was 30+ days out. Vehicle was then brought to another mechanic where they disassembled vehicle and found that the torque converter studs were no longer in place and created an issue where metal shards are in t... Read more
Incident date: Jun 14, 2023
Rear view camera is not working and the infotainment display is freezes up every time after starting the vehicle. The entire infotainment system is inoperable until next ignition cycle. The key SAFTEY concerns is rear view camera doesn't work at all. This is huge issue to drive and park the car safely. Problem is happening for past one month and could not able to use the vehicle safely. Ford serv... Read more
Incident date: Aug 18, 2023
* ABS Module and Hydraulic control unit (HCU), it was not available upon request, I had to wait two years for the parts. * No break assists while driving, brake pedal would go to floor, causing me to keep pumping the breaks until I came to a complete stop. * Yes, the problem was confirmed by the dealer. * Yes, the component was inspected by the dealer. * Yes, ABS light would stay on, this first a... Read more
Incident date: Oct 5, 2023
Sound bar mounting bolts broke while driving. The sound bar fell on my head while driving on the highway.
Incident date: Jun 16, 2023
2011 Kia Sportage engine stalling/failure. Has been having oil pressure/heating/oil feed line/consumption issues. Taken to a Kia dealership on multiple occasions for all routine maintenance, including every 3000 oil changes. Owner was told that a catalytic converter was needed in 2021 due to engine stalling/ failure while driving 55-60mph on highway to a rapid deceleration and vehicle would go >20... Read more
Incident date: Jun 16, 2023
2011 Kia Sportage engine stalling/failure. Has been having oil pressure/heating/oil feed line/consumption issues. Taken to a Kia dealership on multiple occasions for all routine maintenance, including every 3000 oil changes. Owner was told that a catalytic converter was needed in 2021 due to engine stalling/ failure while driving 55-60mph on highway to a rapid deceleration and vehicle would go >20... Read more
Incident date: Oct 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving approximately 40-45 MPH, the vehicle stalled in traffic. While driving the following day, the vehicle stalled again. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Ca... Read more
Incident date: Sep 10, 2023
I was pulling into a parking space very slowly when the car went into overdrive and suddenly accelerated at a high speed. It plunged down a slight decline and hit a large tree. My airbag failed to deploy although I was thrown violently forward, and the car sustained severe front end damage. The car is considered a total loss and I spent a day at a hospital emergency room. The sudden unexpected acc... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Sep 10, 2023
Engine failure I can't afford to pay ford to fix it for 7500
Incident date: Sep 10, 2023
Upon starting our 2024 GMC Sierra 2500HD after towing a camping trailer for approximately 200 miles, the following error notifications would cycle every 20 seconds to 5 minutes: "Check Trailer Wiring" "Service Trailer Brake System" The trailer brake would become disabled after these errors, and sometimes would connect with a "trailer brake connected" message, only to repeat every 20 seco... Read more
Incident date: Jul 14, 2023
I was pulling into a parking space very slowly when the car went into overdrive and suddenly accelerated at a high speed. It plunged down a slight decline and hit a large tree. My airbag failed to deploy although I was thrown violently forward, and the car sustained severe front end damage. The car is considered a total loss and I spent a day at a hospital emergency room. The sudden unexpected acc... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Oct 3, 2023
This is my first car and im completely disappointed I purchased it bc of safety. My car battery keeps dying I purchased my car in 2019 and since then i have changed it 4 times. I keep taking it to the dealer and telling them is a parasitic drainage and nothing yet. On top of that the recall for the headlights over a year and nothing. Im never buying a subaru again!
Incident date: Oct 3, 2023
Switch assy don't work don't turn on the switch flash on and off i AM scary that i can get in a accident if the car turn off that other problem that i got is the paint is coming out that is not the original paint it be a recall for pilot for the switch i think the years is 2016-2017
Incident date: Oct 3, 2023
Switch assy don't work don't turn on the switch flash on and off i AM scary that i can get in a accident if the car turn off that other problem that i got is the paint is coming out that is not the original paint it be a recall for pilot for the switch i think the years is 2016-2017
Incident date: Oct 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 25, 2023
Catalytic Converter - Available for inspection Safety Risk - Toxic Exhaust gasses and engine failure Problem was diagnosed by independent service center. Vehicle has not been inspected by manufacturer, police, insurance rep...only mechanic that made decision from a diagnostic test Warning Signs: O2 sensors replaced, excessive oil consumption, leaks, fuel pump replaced, check engine light keeps ap... Read more
Incident date: Sep 25, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate as the transmission warning light would intermittently appear on the instrument panel. The vehicle was initially taken to the dealer where the battery was replaced but the failure persisted. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle would fail to start up after multiple ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission experienced rough shifting from first to second gear. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
Incident date: Sep 16, 2023
the vehicle unexpectedly loses propulsion and or mechanical park,there is increased risk of crash or roll-away
Incident date: Sep 25, 2023
When taking curves the vehicle is making a cracking noise but, mechanic said they don’t see anything. My W213 Mercedes Benz E300 just like all other Mercedes is have a “Crankcase” issue, it failed the engine keep revving but, not catching speed. I’ve seen multiple Mercedes is having that issues and it’s very common. My vehicle computer communication system failed to communicate with t... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2023
Error message reads "Engine Power Reduced". I was on the highway and suddenly the engine gives out and only lets me go to a max capacity of 20 mph. I able to safely remove myself to the side of the freeway. A week later without moving my vehicle I checked to see the status of my car and the error message removed itself. It's been over a year now with my engine power coming and going, just as fast ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 27, 2023
The update should be provided over air
Incident date: Sep 28, 2023
On 9/28/23 I was driving in a 2-lane construction zone with my daughter. While going through the construction zone, my car lost all power and just shut off completely. No warning signs just went completely dead. I almost got rear ended, thankfully the car behind me went to the left of the center, but almost had a head on collision into oncoming traffic. Thankfully, no wrecks were involved. It... Read more
Incident date: Sep 28, 2023
Ford recall on wiper motor(22V142- March 14 2022) and wiper arm(Recall 23V163- May 2023) are taking an unreasonably long time to be rectified. The answer they give is parts not available yet. I find it intolerably too long for remediation. I truly believe Ford is purposely stalling and should be fined.
Incident date: Sep 28, 2023
I started directing the car to the side of the road to park. As I was guiding the car to a stop, with my foot on the brake, I was about 12 ft. from the car in front of me when the car suddenly accelerated. The vehicle accelerated for approximately 10 ft. before the anti-collision system auto-braked the car just prior to impacting the car in front of me.
Incident date: Sep 22, 2023
Brakes failed due to a rusty brake line. Rear passenger side where theres a 4 way block 2 lines in 2 lines out. All 4 lines are rusted where they connect, one of the lines broke to cause a significant leak. This caused me to have very little brakes as the vehicle ran out of brake fluid. I can see brake fluid on the ground and diagnosed the issue myself. It seems as it is a common issue. The brake ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 28, 2023
Fuel line issues, repaired then catalytic converter not working. Somewhere leaking oil. I have read this model is known for emissions, fuel line, catalytic converter issues
Incident date: Sep 28, 2023
At 20,000 miles I notice a popping coming from the right front wheel area at low speeds or turning to park. 2 dealerships told me nothing was wrong. At 45, 650 I insisted the dealership fix the problem as it was now on both sides of the front wheel area. Top hats and motor mounts needed replacement. The car only had 45, 650 miles on it.
Incident date: Sep 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V215000 (Air Bags) 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 had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while at a complete stop, the vehicle was shifted into drive(D) and the brake pedal was released; however, the vehicle started shuddering and jerking significantly. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle hesitated to shift into the intended gear while driving. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while dri... Read more
Incident date: Aug 14, 2023
Steering wheel has electrical issue and only works if you turn it to the left. Also check engine light comes on for emissions problem and oil burning faster than usual as well as the fuel.
Incident date: Aug 20, 2023
Today the vehicle was hesitant to start but did. After two stops I turned car off, went into a business. When I came out the car would start but would not go forward or backwards but rev up. I nearly slammed into a curb in the process. I have a video of this.
Incident date: Sep 20, 2023
During a recent trip while using my turn signals the entire dash would flash off and right back on. When I exited the freeway and turned onto a small side street making a u-turn the engine died without warning and all dash lights went blank. Loss of everything including power braking and steering. Then the info center kept flashing “ Service stablink soon.” On my return trip home the same mess... Read more
Incident date: Dec 12, 2022
ok so i dont know how to answer this so im just gonna tell you whats happening well my car is dieing out at random times and the check engine light came on i had it read and it was the crankshaft sensor i then replaced it and then right after the same thing happens again well i had gone bacj=k and the guy sead its not reading anything els so he just changed my oil and sparkplugs and said it should... Read more
Incident date: Sep 29, 2023
9/29/2023, driving through 4-5 inch of flood water on the road at around 10 miles per hour, the undercover piece under front engenie area fall fall and both front mud guard liners ripped off and broken. Brand new vehcile only been dirving for 1 month with only 775 miles. Went to Subaru dealership, and dealership said those broken parts are not under warranty. This undercover piece & both front... Read more
Incident date: Sep 29, 2023
While driving, especially at speeds over 40 mph, the steering wheel will become slightly "frozen" where minor corrections or adjustments to the steering wheel cause the wheel to jerk or over-correct. This is especially noticeable at highway speeds. So far, the over-correction is not severe enough to cause me to depart my existing lane but at highway speeds, I've had a few close calls where simply ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 29, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH and approaching a traffic light, the vehicle started shuddering significantly and lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact came to a complete stop at the traffic light and the vehicle failed to restart. The contact's brother assisted him in pushing the vehicle to a safe location, where the vehic... Read more
Incident date: Sep 25, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated when the vehicle was started, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the purge valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 44,500.
Incident date: Sep 6, 2023
Car was at a stop light, went to accelerate and car would not accelerate- all the lights came on. I had to put it in park and turn it off and back on, then it accelerated and there were no other issues.
Incident date: Sep 6, 2023
When driving at speeds over 40mph and set into a turn the steering wheel sticks into the turn position and requires more force to transition out of the turn. It is very rigid and doesn't smoothly turn as any other car I drive. There have been multiple instances where it forced me into another lane or almost into the guardrail. This issue became persistent after around 3,500 miles and I bought this... Read more
Incident date: Sep 6, 2023
REAR SUSPENSION HAS FAILED OR IS FAILING, CAUSING UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS AND RISK OF LOSS OF CONTROL. THE VEHICLES RIDES SHAKES AND BOUNCES ON NORMAL STREET CONDITIONS. AFTER REPAIR OF FACTORY RECALL FOR TRAILER HITCH, VEHICLE REAR SUSPENSION FAILED AND IS UNSAFE FOR CHILDREN ESPECIALLY IN REAR OF VEHICLE IN NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS>
Incident date: Sep 19, 2023
Car was pulled in to a parking spot in front of the store and stopped and suddenly moved forward over the curb, onto the sidewalk and then crashed into the doors and building.
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Sep 19, 2023
My 2018 truck since owning has had 4+ of the ABS Hydraulic Control Units replaced. None of them last more than 1 year, sometimes 2 years before the ABS HCU fails again. Dodge / RAM does not offer a solution of any kind. Other than it's a know issue and parts are back ordered. Considering the part never lasts there must be another issue, Dodge/RAM needs to fix this. Thank You
Incident date: Sep 19, 2023
This is the second engine that has been replaced for the same issue. It had a connecting road bearing failure & went into limp mode.
Incident date: Jul 21, 2023
On July 28th, my touch screen (head unit) in my Subaru Outback suddenly delaminated overnight. From that point foward, all systems connected to the head unit have been either unusable or intermittent--often dangerously so. My backup camera and blind spot indicators are randomly unusable; the GPS system turns itself on and off in use (and half the time, screen itself cycles through "ghost touches"... Read more
Incident date: Jul 21, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that on numerous occasions after he opened and closed the trunk of the vehicle or while shifted into reverse, the rear-view camera image intermittently became distorted or blank. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V487000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. A... Read more
Incident date: Jul 21, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E. The contact stated that a puddle of water was found in the front driver's side seat after a heavy rainstorm. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where an inspection was performed. The result showed that the adhesion around the windshield was defective which led to water intrusion inside the vehicle. The contact was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V... Read more