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: Dec 6, 2023
The check engine light came on after 2 weeks of owning the car. It threw a Code P0303. We replaced the coils on 1-3-5 and spark plugs on all cylinders and the check engine light came back on after 1 week. It finally would not start. Our mechanic has removed the head and gasket and discovered the cylinder 3 was full of water and water and oil in the oil pan creating a gooey sludge. This is apparen... Read more
Incident date: Apr 2, 2023
I had a wreck 12/05/2023 the rear ended a commercial truck it didn’t give me any indication ahead it didn’t not slow my vehicle down or brake I just slammed right into the vehicle 23 feet in front with no warning so now the truck is saying crash malfunction it just abs and lane change in dictation nothing
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Apr 2, 2023
EGR valve failed. Dealer supplied part has been on back order for more than five months.
Incident date: Dec 12, 2023
My Audi a3 got the recall for PODS done 5/2022 which the sensors and air bag in the passenger side weren’t working and I got the same lights come up 2 weeks ago. My Dealership says since this was a recalled item and is a massive safety concern and should be covered by AUDI USA. Instead they want to charge me $1400. I have 3 kids and one sits in the front, and need my car to take them to school a... Read more
Incident date: Dec 16, 2023
Power steering Fault lights and no steering. Steering wheel becomes very stiff.
Incident date: Dec 20, 2023
When stopping for traffic or at a light and accelerating for take off the car has a delay. It does nothing. It’s a 2sec delay that will be deadly to someone.
Incident date: Dec 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the engine warning light was illuminated. While driving at approximately 30–40 MPH, the vehicle started to smoke. There was an abnormal clunking sound heard. The vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact called an independent mechanic and was referred to the local dealer. The local dealer... Read more
Incident date: Nov 30, 2023
We hit a stationary deer at night. Afterwards, we found an open recall: WRG23-1: Forward recognition camera reprogramming 2023 Subaru Solterra, but Subaru refused to investigate as they claim animals (suddenly appearing) are a carve out on their liability. However, the deer wasn't leaping, it was already frozen in the road. The headlights only illuminated its knees, too late for the driver to sto... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Nov 30, 2023
My vehicle suddenly stopped in the middle of road. It showed gas tank empty though tank had half tank gas. i would have been hit by a vehicle behind me. Fortunately, there were no vehicles behind me. i filled the remaining half tank , then car started again. I believe that gas sensor was not working. I dropped the vehicle for service to the mercedes benz dealerwith full tank of gas. It was showi... Read more
Incident date: Dec 19, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V380000 (Engine) 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 was made ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 8, 2023
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) 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 manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN to... Read more
Incident date: Nov 8, 2023
A hole the size of a quarter suddenly blew out of the inside section of the metal wheel while driving 65 mph, and the tire instantly went flat. There was nothing in or on the road, no prior accidents that may have damaged the wheel, and there was no existing or resulting damage to the tire. Thankfully the wheel was on the rear passenger side. If it had been on the front end, the driver most lik... Read more
Incident date: Nov 8, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated while driving 45-55 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power inadvertently. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump power control module had failed and needed to be replaced. Additionally,... Read more
Incident date: Dec 20, 2023
Ford did an update recently, 6.8.0, which obscures the speedometer and moved it to far right of the IPC making it difficult to see now when driving. This is safety issue and I like to have the speed of my vehicle right in front me where it should be.
Incident date: Dec 20, 2023
Many X1 owners have reported the "Secure Vehicle Against Rolling Error" online in forums once the vehicle hits 100K miles. BMW is charging customers over $3K to fix a worn out spring that costs less than $10 on eBay. This should be under recall!
Incident date: Dec 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 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 local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the passenger’s seat air bag would display a deactivate... Read more
Incident date: Sep 15, 2023
(Instrument Cluster Messages) **POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT**->Began being intermittent to now . permanent. **SERVICE ADVANCETRAC SOON**->Permanent extended issue from fault. -I HAVE/NEED THIS CAR FOR SURVIVAL IN ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 19, 2023
MDPS Flex Coupler worn out & caused play in steering wheel.
Incident date: Dec 19, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle shuddered and hesitated to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure also occurred while driving with Adaptive Cruise Control mode engaged. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the transmission fluid was flushed... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, a burning odor was detected. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 22V150000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and 22V648000 (Visibility, Electrical System). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the front blower motor connector and resistor needed to be re... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, a burning odor was detected. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 22V150000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and 22V648000 (Visibility, Electrical System). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the front blower motor connector and resistor needed to be re... Read more
Incident date: Dec 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 40-45 MPH, the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the vehicle decelerated to 15-20 MPH. The contact merged to the right lane and continued driving at a slow speed. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start while in a parking lot. The contact waited 30 minutes and was able to restart the vehicl... Read more
Incident date: Dec 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving 40-45 MPH, the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the vehicle decelerated to 15-20 MPH. The contact merged to the right lane and continued driving at a slow speed. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start while in a parking lot. The contact waited 30 minutes and was able to restart the vehicl... Read more
Incident date: Feb 25, 2023
At speeds about 35-45 MPH and again between 55-60 MPH vehicle steering will shake uncontrollably, with tire bounce. Requires sudden slowdowns in order to regain control. Dealership has replaced tie rods and steering stabilizer with no resolution. The shake has been present since purchasing from the dealership and has become progressively worse. Those driving behind report the appearance that "tire... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2023
At speeds about 35-45 MPH and again between 55-60 MPH vehicle steering will shake uncontrollably, with tire bounce. Requires sudden slowdowns in order to regain control. Dealership has replaced tie rods and steering stabilizer with no resolution. The shake has been present since purchasing from the dealership and has become progressively worse. Those driving behind report the appearance that "tire... Read more
Incident date: Dec 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Edge. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that there was a misfire on cylinder #4. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with t... Read more
Incident date: Jun 10, 2023
The 2023 Honda Accord Sport Hybrid has 8302 miles and it had complete brake failure. We had just refueled the car and moving away from the pumps, the pedal sank to the floor. I pumped the brakes several times and was able to stop the car. This was at about 3MPH. Received a message on the dash that the brakes were compromised and not to drive the car. Shut the car off and restarted. The brake pedal... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2022
When the passenger front airbag deployed in an accident, a coil about 3 inches long and an inch wide was ejected from the airbag compartment and info the face of the occupant. Minor injuries sustained but was near the eye. The coil became embedded in the skin and the coil had to be removed.
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Dec 16, 2023
The rear camera displayed in the 12” display goes full blast bright when reverse is selected at night. It blows out your night vision and makes it extremely difficult to see outside the vehicle via the mirrors. There is no dimming option available. The problem has been reported to FCA via “ram cares” and there has been no resolution over the last year.
Incident date: Oct 1, 2023
I received the recall notice that shows "WRG-22, NHTSA ID 22V-624, October 2029." I have been waiting for Subaru to fix this. It seems a year later, it should be taken care of? As per the NHTSA site, it says to file a complaint if this is not fixed in a timely manner, so I am submitting this.
SUBARU
LEGACY
(2019) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER:SENSOR/SENDING UNIT
Dec 16, 2023
Incident date: Oct 9, 2023
both digital and analog speedometer also the tachometer shows 0mph even through the car is being driven , also the fuel gauge shows Empty even though fuel is full.
Incident date: Dec 16, 2023
When on the highway, if you try to match other cars speed, the car turns on the check engine and starts losing its force. When I check, it says it has a problem with misfire. P0304 & P0303. Honda changed the injectors, coils and spark plugs. The vehicle dilutes a large quantity of gas into the motor oil. 1/4 more of gas than the 3.7 quarts that the engine is supposed to have. The motor is a 1.5 ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 13, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon inspection, it was discovered that the engine coolant level was very low. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who discovered that there was coolant intrusion into the engine cylinder, and that the engine block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance w... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2023
Whenever the outside temperature reached 85 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, all computer systems and electrical functions would shut off. If I was driving at the time, the engine would continue to run, but I wouldn't be able to use even the most basic functions -- blinkers, hazard lights, radio, air conditioning -- and all the gauges on the dashboard -- speedometer, gas gauge, etc. -- would stop w... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while reversing, the vehicle suddenly shifted into park, after which the vehicle went into LIMP mode. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle was unable to shift out of park and displayed the "Automatic Emergency Braking Unavailable" message. The traction control, start-to-stop, and hill start assist warning lights were illuminated. ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge started to indicate that the vehicle was overheating. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact also stated that the failure began one month after receiving the vehicle back from the dealer following a recall repair. The vehicle was towed to an indepen... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2023
The original battery does not support the CAN system and replacing the battery does resolve the issue. The system will shut off while stopped at a light to save fuel, and turn back on when you press on the brake or the gas. There is an error where the vehicle will try to start itself when you’re not even cranking it. This can be dangerous if the car shuts off at a light and won’t turn back on ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2023
While this Recal has been announced since August, the Manufacturer and Dealerships have not fixed this issue nor do they have a projected date for a fix. In the mean time, they have stated that the vehicle could catch fire and should be parked outside away from structures. This has placed our family at risk, devalued our vehicle and has us considering purchasing another safer vehile putting our fa... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2023
While this Recal has been announced since August, the Manufacturer and Dealerships have not fixed this issue nor do they have a projected date for a fix. In the mean time, they have stated that the vehicle could catch fire and should be parked outside away from structures. This has placed our family at risk, devalued our vehicle and has us considering purchasing another safer vehile putting our fa... Read more
Incident date: Dec 14, 2023
The taillight continues to fail without warning (no warning lamps came on) causing unsafe conditions on the road which can result in a serious accident. The taillight fails and the brake light and turn signal lights would not work. I have replaced it several times and now Harley Davidson says this part is no longer manufactured. Please note that this is an ongoing problem, and that the said tailli... Read more
Incident date: Dec 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V33400 (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 manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirm... Read more
Incident date: Dec 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the vehicle was shifted from park to reverse but failed to reverse. The vehicle was pushed out of the parking space and the vehicle was able to be driven. No warning lights were illuminated at the time of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was then taken to... Read more
Incident date: Oct 18, 2023
Parking brake automatically engaged while sitting at traffic light. First time it has done it. Just had an inspection on car a few months back and nothing was wrong with car at that time.
Incident date: Oct 18, 2023
Display a message in screen "Pre-Collision System Malfunction", lost power and start blinking light in cluster
Incident date: Oct 18, 2023
Display a message in screen "Pre-Collision System Malfunction", lost power and start blinking light in cluster
Incident date: Dec 13, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and the transmission shifted inadvertently. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 13, 2023
If you are on a hill and if the Tesla detects both pedals are pressed. The car will drop into neutral on its own and free roll. The Tesla “one pedal stop and hold” will fail to maintain a stop and hold state if it detects both pedals are pressed. I was on an uphill driveway and I accidentally bumped my brake pedal when I went to press my accelerator pedal. (Big feet). My car free rolled backwa... Read more
Incident date: Dec 13, 2023
If you are on a hill and if the Tesla detects both pedals are pressed. The car will drop into neutral on its own and free roll. The Tesla “one pedal stop and hold” will fail to maintain a stop and hold state if it detects both pedals are pressed. I was on an uphill driveway and I accidentally bumped my brake pedal when I went to press my accelerator pedal. (Big feet). My car free rolled backwa... Read more
Incident date: Dec 12, 2023
This recall poses a risk either driving or when vehicle is parked. I have contacted Kia several times to ask about the remedy part. As recent as today (12/14/23), they have no estimated time when the part will be available. I have not driven my vehicle since receiving the interim notice from Kia. I feel the manufacturer does not care about its the safety of its customers. I do not feel that I ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 24, 2023
The contact owns a 2009 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated that while at a complete stop, the steering wheel was jerking independently. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the power steering assist failed to operate as needed. The contact stated that the power steering warning light was illuminated. The dealer and the manufacturer were notifi... Read more