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 10, 2023
1) Front suspension Death Wobble causing loss of control of truck. 2) Lost control of the vehicle running off the road at 70 mph through a fence. 3) Ford has attempted to repair the truck 3 times, the warranty company claimed there is no probem withe the truck the 4th time and declined repair. 4) Pictures have been supplied to insurance, no other inspections. 5) There are no warnings. The fi... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jul 13, 2019
I received a letter from Mercedes-Benz USA LLC located at 1 Mercedes-Benz drive Sandy springs Georgia 30328 phone number 800-367-6372. This letter advised me of the extension of warranty coverage on the rear subframe of my vehicle to 20 years with unlimited mileage cover. I call my local Mercedes dealership where I purchased the vehicle to inquire about the severity of this problem. I specifically... Read more
Incident date: Aug 29, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Palisade. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V526000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. An undisclosed dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer wa... Read more
Incident date: Sep 12, 2023
Car is parked in open space. Rain occurs throughout the morning and rain water is in the passenger front floor dripping from the A Pillar.
Incident date: Aug 15, 2023
Oil pressure light came on and immediately the engine was blown. it has been at the dealership for 4 months now, they replaced the engine, then it was the throttle. now it is something else. Obviously, this car is not repairable and this and all cars like it should have a recall. there are WAY TOO MANY with this issue to ignore this any longer. there have even been class action lawsuits.
Incident date: Sep 12, 2023
Leased NEW Kia Sportage on 1/1/22 Went in for oil change on 11/11/22 3 hrs later told a "forced" update "burned" out the computer and car was not driveable On 11/30/22 was driving to work on LI expressway, car shut down without warning while I was driving, smelled something burning, called 911, car towed to dealer. Told it was defective fuel injector. 1/29/23 I reported brakes grinding and vibrati... Read more
Incident date: Sep 11, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate properly; however, the vehicle jolted while reversing. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact there was a delay in ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 11, 2023
The car dies when it stops for a traffic stop. Sometimes it starts again and and sometimes it does not. It does not do it when the air is on. People honk at you in traffic if you do not start right away. I thought there was a recall on Subarus for same which is why I never bought one. The vehicle has been inspected. It also unlocks itself sometimes after I lock it.
Incident date: Sep 9, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who retrieved DTC Code: P1326 and related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 20-01-024H-1 (Theta GDI Engine DTC P1326 - Engine Inspection / Replacement); however, the vehicle was not covered under the... Read more
Incident date: Sep 9, 2023
My truck is at approximately 35,000 miles. It recently started notifying me that the Anti-Lock Braking System and the Traction Control need to be serviced. While researching, I noticed that there were numerous reports of drivers with the same issue on forums related to Ram trucks. It appears that this is a very common issue that has not been addressed by Ram.
Incident date: Sep 11, 2023
The car dies when it stops for a traffic stop. Sometimes it starts again and and sometimes it does not. It does not do it when the air is on. People honk at you in traffic if you do not start right away. I thought there was a recall on Subarus for same which is why I never bought one. The vehicle has been inspected. It also unlocks itself sometimes after I lock it.
Incident date: Sep 11, 2023
Was driving through an intersection in traffic when I heard a loud explosion/metal-on-metal sound from the front drivers side of the vehicle. Instantly received two warnings in the IP; one for "Performance Limited" and the other for "Service Suspension Soon". The IP also stated speed was limited to 80MPH. I didn't notice any difference in driving but decided to pull over and check. Upon checking I... Read more
Incident date: Sep 11, 2022
General Motors USA produced several years of vehicles with a faulty transmission control module (TCM). From 2008-25 Chevrolet and GMC trucks with the 6.6L Duramax engine and Allison 1000 transmission all used the same TCM; part 24256861. This part has experienced a very high failure rate. GM has put out Service Bulletins acknowledging this issue and has not made a recall. Safety concerns with the... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2023
Recently on a trip between Wichita Falls and Quanah Texas, my Tesla Model 3 while on autopilot repeatedly braked hard while traveling at 75 mph in moderate traffic. While this is a frequent occurrence with my model 3, this is the first time I felt at risk of an accident due to how hard the vehicle was breaking.
Incident date: Aug 12, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Ram 1500. The contact stated that the bolts located on the exhaust manifold persistently fractured. Due to the failure, there was an abnormally strong gasoline odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The vehicle had been taken to a dealer and an independent mechanic for the bolts to be replaced; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was no... Read more
Incident date: Aug 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2005 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 16V352000 (Air Bag), 15V313000 (Air Bags), and 14V796000 (Power Train) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were 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 no... Read more
Incident date: Aug 11, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, it was discovered that the rotary knob transmission selector had become stuck in park, and the vehicle could not be driven. Additionally, on several occasions after switching the transmission selector knob to park and turning the vehicle off, the selector had erroneously shifted from park and the vehicle could... Read more
Incident date: Aug 19, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the coolant warning light illuminated. The contact then stated that the coolant level was low. Additionally, the contact stated that within two months, she had added coolant to the vehicle twice. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was given a tune-up and the cont... Read more
Incident date: Sep 10, 2023
At a stop light, auto stop/start system shuts down the vehicle engine. When the light turned green, and I lifted my foot off the brake, the engine failed to restart. The dash will lit up .. check engine light, eye sight light ... etc will come on. I had to shift to park and restart the engine. I read that low remote battery can be a problem, I replaced the remote battery but it has not resolved ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2023
I believe my Kia Rio S falls victim to the recall 2020 Kia Rio models have faced. Brake performance has been severely degraded on my vehicle over the past few weeks despite doing all recommended maintenance. When I first got my 2020 Kia Rio S I could brake with 5% pressure applied to the brakes, now it takes about 25-30% pressure and it seemingly is increasing every day. I have contacted the man... Read more
Incident date: Aug 29, 2023
While I was traveling I stopped at a rest area and when I restarted my car, my panel lit up like a Christmas tree. All my safety assist systems were disabled and my check engine light came on. When I got home I had my mechanic run the codes and it came back to the thermo control valve. This happened on 8-29-2023. I researched the problem and Subaru put out a service bulletin in February 2022 b... Read more
Incident date: Aug 29, 2023
The warning light went on engine oil pressure off. Search manual. Then it wouldn't start. But lights where on so we put a new starter. But it wouldn't turn the engine. So We thought it must be the battery needs a jump start. And then wire from battery to starter caught on fire? I Googled the problem, and found that there had been recalls for that faulty wire before.
Fire
Incident date: Aug 29, 2023
The warning light went on engine oil pressure off. Search manual. Then it wouldn't start. But lights where on so we put a new starter. But it wouldn't turn the engine. So We thought it must be the battery needs a jump start. And then wire from battery to starter caught on fire? I Googled the problem, and found that there had been recalls for that faulty wire before.
Fire
Incident date: Jun 25, 2023
Cruise control switch began smoking, disconnected it and took it to Awesome Ford of Chehalis, WA for recall service sometime in June or July. Service tech found that brake fluid had wicked its way up electrical harness into cruise control servo, necessitating replacement in order to complete recall service. FoMoCo has been unable/unwilling to replace cruise control servo and is instead requiring t... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Sep 7, 2023
Thermo Control Valve malfuncitoned, causing check engine light to come on. Car only has 72k miles on it, so dealership (McDaniels Subaru, Columbia. SC) said they couldn't repair under warranty. Even though car has 100K powertrain. To get to this part you have to remove intake manifold, so I don't see how it's not considered part of the powertrain. While Check Engine light is on, NONE of the safet... Read more
Incident date: Sep 7, 2023
- The component that has failed is the right rear axle and retaining bolt (the axle retaining bolt sheared off). The vehicle is currently at the dealership (The Ford Store San Leandro, in San Leandro, CA) waiting for replacement parts. Unknown if the vehicle is available for inspection. -To my knowledge my safety was not at risk, but the vehicle is being retained by the dealership because it is de... Read more
Incident date: Sep 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Audi Q5. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, there was an abnormal burning odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The contact checked the oil and coolant levels and became aware that the coolant level was very low. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that after filling the coolant reservoir the odor went away. The contact stated that... Read more
Incident date: Sep 8, 2023
PS111 Error Cody: Throttle Body Assembly is malfunctioning. My vehicle lost power steering and went into full shut down mode a dozen times over the course of driving it the latest ~500 miles with the truck shaking at a stop before restarting it and working again. Many times this could have been FATAL collisions as they happened on roads without shoulder lanes. This issue is SUPER scary to have you... Read more
Incident date: Feb 15, 2023
When you accelerate the car hesitates and shakes, the rpm needle goes way up even though you are creeping along. It seems like it is a recall issue on earlier model Ford Focus's. The recall should be extended to all model years. There is no reason I should have to spend money to repair a transmission issue on a 5 year old car. It is sitting out on the street not being driven while I make payments,... Read more
Incident date: Sep 8, 2023
Rear window assembly is leaking water into the interior when it rains or going through car wash.
Incident date: Sep 8, 2023
When the car is put In park there is a message that appears on the display when pushing start/stop to turn the car off "shift to park". The car has already unlocked and it turns off and restarts but the message keeps popping up
Incident date: Sep 22, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that when the vehicle was shifted into reverse(R), and driving at approximately 2 MPH, the rear-view camera image failed to remain operational. The contact stated that the "Rear-view camera Unavailable - See Dealer" and a yellow triangle with an exclamation point was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it... Read more
SUBARU
IMPREZA
(2018) — EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM)
Sep 7, 2023
Incident date: Aug 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the AWD became inoperable. The park assist, traction control, ABS, Lane Keep System, front radar, and the parking sensor also became inoperable. The map displayed on half the screen. The screen was black with a blue rectangle. The cabin temperature indicator was flickering. The vehicle was taken to the... Read more
Incident date: Sep 5, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes-Benz C300 equipped with Bridgestone RFT Tires, Tire Line: Turanza 100, Tire Size: 225/45/R18, DOT Number: VRJ7V4Y. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the driver's side tire exploded. The contact stated that a "0 PSI driver side front tire" warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that he observed that the driver's side tire had ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes-Benz C300 equipped with Bridgestone RFT Tires, Tire Line: Turanza 100, Tire Size: 225/45/R18, DOT Number: VRJ7V4Y. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the driver's side tire exploded. The contact stated that a "0 PSI driver side front tire" warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that he observed that the driver's side tire had ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 6, 2023
This Toyota Highlander XLE 2018 was bought new in 2018. Lately in 8/23 started seeing on the dash a "BRAKE" light that comes on and off while driving. 2 weeks later, starting seeing a warning sign saying "Braking Power Low" and a message underneath saying"STOP in safe place". Took it to Toyota dealer twice so far and they could not duplicate the issue ( maybe they did not drive it for enough ti... Read more
Incident date: Aug 19, 2023
I was driving on the highway on cruise control at 75 mph. Since the car is a hybrid plug-in it first uses the electric battery which contains 30 miles of usage. Once that drains out, then the engine takes control. about 8 miles after the electric battery drained out the van showed a message saying “please pull over safely car will turn off soon”. Within seconds I was not able to push on the ga... Read more
Incident date: Sep 5, 2023
Both sides of the car have rust. The similar issue happen to the HONDA CRV's 2007 through 2011 model, which have a recall already.
Incident date: Aug 30, 2023
I was driving and suddenly 13 flashing lights and codes from check engine to loss of cruise control and RAB -dealer says it needs a new thermo control valve (thermostat). This failed part has been common on Subarus for 3 years-reported on internet and even to the point where a guy sitting next to me today with same car and year and same $1800 bill and diagnosis. Should be a recall. Part was redes... Read more
Incident date: Aug 30, 2023
Car shuts down intermittently after coming to a complete stop and accelerating to continue. It's shutting down in the middle of traffic, which makes for a very dangerous situation for my self, my child (which has witnessed it turn off) and for other drivers approaching my stopped vehicle in the middle of the road, this is very scary and my fear is that one day I won't be able to restart my car on ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 30, 2023
I was parking my car at a mechanical shop. When I pulled into a parking spot the car failed to stop and went into the neghbors yard going into the wire fence scracthing the the car. I was not going fast but car was scratch up badly. As far as I know the car was not inspected by anyone. The car stayed at the mechanic's garage for about seven weeks until the ABS was replaced.
Crash
Incident date: Sep 1, 2023
There is no incident occurring to me .but I change some parts like head light.& whisper .engine .
Incident date: Sep 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, he became aware of an abnormal burning odor inside the vehicle. The contact stated that her husband stated that the gear shifter was inoperable. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with clutch failure and that the clutch needed to be r... Read more
Incident date: Sep 2, 2023
I ordered the car in July and it arrived on 8/3/23. On 8/31/23, I got in the car while in my garage, attempted to start it as usual, and a loud sound occurred when I shifted from park to reverse. Lights began flashing. I turned off the car, got out and walked around to make sure I hadn’t hit anything. After verifying clearance all around, I checked my phone. The Toyota Corolla Cross XLE had ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 31, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that after parking on an incline and activating the electronic parking brake, the electronic parking brake failed to disengage. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the rear electronic parking brake actuator had failed due to water intrusion. The actuator was replaced but the fa... Read more
Incident date: Aug 20, 2023
On Sunday, August 20, 2023 I was pulling into a parking spot in front of an Anytime Fitness at a local strip mall. As I applied the brake, the motor raced and accelerated driving me into a pillar outside of the fitness center. I was in shock, not understanding what had happened. Had I chosen to park one stall to the right, the car would have gone through the window of the business instead of the ... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Aug 20, 2023
automobile just shut off on highway going 65 mph for no reason causing a hazard for me and other people on the road. automobile then failed to restart. automobile was then towed to the closest dealer.
Incident date: Aug 20, 2023
Gas line leaking under left rear tire
Incident date: Sep 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle experienced misfiring, and a knocking sound was coming from underneath the vehicle while shifting into reverse. There were fumes coming from outside the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the driveshaft was faulty ... Read more