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.

2,215,138 Total Complaints

138,663 Reported Crashes

56,255 Reported Fires

8,561 Reported 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

How to Read NHTSA Consumer Complaints › How NHTSA Investigations Work › Used Car: 7 Recall Checks to Run First › The Takata Airbag Recall: Full Story › OBD-II Codes Explained › All Articles ›

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Showing 6,583 complaints for SUZUKI

Incident date: Dec 19, 1999

FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM FAILED, POPS OUT OF GEAR, ALMOST CAUSED TWO SEVERE ACCIDENTS DUE TO LOSS OF CONTROL. *MJS

Incident date: Jan 17, 2000

HEATER FAILED, FROST ON WINDSHIELD CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY, ALMOST RESULTED IN ACCIDENT. *MJS

Incident date: Feb 27, 2000

THE DASHBOARD, STEERING WHEEL, & GAS PEDAL ALL VIBRATED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY BETWEEN SPEEDS OF 50 AND 65 MPH

Incident date: Jan 10, 2000

WHILE MOVING AT LOW SPEEDS IN 4WD THE TRANSAXLE WOULD MAKE A LOUD THUMPING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD "POP" OUT OF 4WD, BUT THE 4WD INDICATOR LIGHT REMAINED LIT. THIS PROBLEM INITIALLY OCCURED GOING UP HILLS BUT NOW ALL THE TIME. WHILE ASCENDING A STEEP GRADE THE VEHICLE CAME OUT OF 4WD AND BROKE TRACTION CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL.--

Incident date: Jan 10, 2000

Incident date: Oct 1, 1999

TIRES ARE TOO SMALL AND TREAD IS INADEQUATE FOR INCLEMENT DRIVING CONDITIONS, BRAKES LOCK UP TOO QUICKLY, CAUSING THE FRONT END TO DIP FOWARD, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL. *AK( DOT NUMBER: DMA518 TIRE SIZE: P235/R16 )

Crash

Incident date: Oct 1, 1999

Crash

RECALL # 98V225002. PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. *AK

Incident date: Jun 29, 1998

CONSUMER CALLED DEALER, DEALER SAID THEY WOULD CALL HIM WHEN THE PARTS COME IN. *AK

Incident date: Jan 27, 1999

HAD THE VEHICLE PARKED FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS AND NOTICED A FUEL LEAK. CONTACTED LOCAL MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED AND DIAGNOSED VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER WHO REFUSED TO SELL THE PART. *AK

Incident date: Dec 3, 1999

THE FUSE CONTROLLING THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM AND ANOTHER FUSE CONROLLING DOME LIHT BLEW OUT. YH

Incident date: Dec 10, 1999

FUEL PUMP MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE STRAPS OF WIRES ABOVE THE GAS TANK TO MELT,SHUTING OFF THE VEHICLE. YH

BRAKE LIGHT WOULD FLASH WITHOUT INDICATION. DEALER REPLACED BRAKE PROBLEMAND IT RETURNED. CAN'T DUPLICATE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATON.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING BRAKE INICATOR LIGHT WOULD FLASH. DEALER REPLACED BRAKE PROBLEM, BUT IT RETURNED. DEALER CAN'T DUPLICATE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMTON. *AK

Incident date: Dec 12, 1998

WIFE HAS HAD THREE MAJOR CRASHES WITH TWO GRAND VITARAS. DURING NONE OF THE INCIDENTS DID THE DRIVER'S SIDE OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOY. FIRST INCIDENT WAS IN DECEMBER OF 98. THAT VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. SECOND INCIDENT WAS IN APRIL OF 99, AND THE THIRD INCIDENT WAS IN SEPTEMBER OF 99 . SECOND VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, AND IS BACK ON THE ROAD. *AK *ML

Crash

Incident date: Dec 3, 1999

DEALER HAD TO REPLACE ENTIRE 4 WHEEL DRIVE, INCLUDING THE SHIFTER. *AK

Incident date: Jan 1, 2000

I HAVE HAD MORE PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE THAN ALL OF THE CARS I HAVE OWNED. I PURCHASED THIS CAR TO BE SAFE AND NEVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT BREAKING DOWN. I T HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP MORE THAN NOT. THE LATEST IS THAT IT STARTED VIBRATING ABOVE THE SPEED OF 45. WHO COULD FEEL SAFE IN A 3 MONTH OLD VEHICLE THAT CONTINUOUSLY HAS THINGS WRONG WITH IT? I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALEER AND THE MANUFACT... Read more

Incident date: Jan 20, 2000

BECAME VERY HARD TO CHANGE GEERS,COULD NOT SHIFT IN INTERSECTIONS, TOOK TWO HANDS CAUSING SHOLDER PAIN! THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. DEALERSHIP WILL ONLY REPLACE PARTS-CLUTCH ROD,PEDAL ROD&CLUTCH LINKAGE PIECES. THOUGH THEY ADMIT THERE IS AN INHERENT PROBLEM/DEFECT IN CLUTCH POWER TRAIN.*AK

Incident date: Nov 24, 1999

DRIVE CHAIN SNAPPED WHILE DRIVING, TWO REPAIRS TO CHAIN SINCE OWNERSHIP, DUE TO POSSIBLE WEAK MATERIAL. MJS

Incident date: Jun 4, 1999

WHEN CONSUMER APPLIES BRAKES THE PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. *AK

Incident date: Dec 13, 1999

RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE #99V273002. CONTACTED DEALER. WAS INFORMED BY SERVICE MANAGER NO PARTS AVAILABLE FOR BRAKE LAMP SWITCH. AFTER MULTIPLE CALLS, CONSUMER WAS URGED TO CONTACT MANUFACTURER & RECORDING CAME ON ASKING FOR NAME, ADDRESS & PHONE & SOMEONE WOULD GET BACK IN TOUCH. SO FAR NO ONE HAS CALLED. *AK

Incident date: Dec 24, 1999

PROBLEM WITH ENGINE STALLING OUT WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REPLACED FUEL PUMP FUSE, ALTHOUGH DEALER WASN'T SURE WHAT CAUSED THE INCIDENT. VEHICLE APPEARED TO BE RUNNING NORMAL AT THIS TIME. *AK *ML

CONSUMER RECIEVED RECALL 99V273002 CONCERNING THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. HOWEVER, NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

Incident date: Jul 25, 1999

WHILE DRIVING MOTORCYCLE WOULD DRIFT RIGHT LIKE ITS STEERING BY ITSELF. WOULD HIT BUMPS OR ROUGH PATCH IN ROAD & LOSE CONTROL. WILL BE TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER TO CHECK. *AK

FIRST TIME ON OPEN HIGHWAY BETWEEN 50 AND 65 MPH THE VEHICLE HAD A VERY BAD SHIMMY IN THE FRONT END. NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM. MOST OF THE SHIMMY IS GONE BUT, NOW IT WILL SHIMMY AT ANY TIME THE CONDITIONS ARE JUST RIGHT. IT HAS ONLY DONE THIS FOUR TIMES IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS. IT WILL SHIMMY AT ANY SPEED OR ROAD CONDITIONS. NATURALLY THE TECHNICIAN CAN NOT DUPLIC... Read more

Incident date: Aug 1, 1999

AXLE SEAL FAILED, CAUSED BRAKE SHOES TO ROTATE AND LOCK RR WHEEL. *AK

Incident date: Aug 1, 1999

AXLE SEAL FAILED, CAUSED BRAKE SHOES TO ROTATE AND LOCK RR WHEEL. *AK

Incident date: Aug 1, 1999

AXLE SEAL FAILED, CAUSED BRAKE SHOES TO ROTATE AND LOCK RR WHEEL. *AK

Incident date: Apr 1, 1999

SAVAGE, LS650; FRONT DISC BRAKE DESIGN MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING FRONT BRAKES TO LOCK UP WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. ALSO, REAR BRAKE DRUMS WERE MANUFACTURED OUT OF ALIGNMENT, CAUSING THE CABLE WHICH GOES TO THE REAR TO BREAK, AND VEHICLE HAD NO REAR BRAKES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

Incident date: Apr 1, 1999

Incident date: Jul 7, 1999

WHENEVER VEHICLE IS STARTED, IT WOULD STALL OUT. ALSO, BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD NOT COME ON UNTIL THE CLUTCH WAS PUSHED. FINALLY, ALL THE LIGHTS WOULD FAIL TO COME ON. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE THE ELECTRICAL WIRES CHECKED. *AK

Incident date: Jul 7, 1999

Incident date: Mar 12, 1999

THERE ARE QUIT A FEW OF THESE MOTORCYCLES OUT THERE WITH FAILING BACK BRAKES BECAUSE THE POISTON IN THE CALIPPER HANGS UP AND CAUSES WARE AND THE BRAKE TO LOCK UP. IT IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET ON THE 1500LC FORUM AND WE CAN'T GET THE MANUFACTURE TO DO ANDTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. I THINK THE FIX IS OUT THERE BUT THEY WON'T RECONISE THE PROBLEM.THIS COULD LEAD TO SOMEONE LOSING CONTROL AND NEEDS TO B... Read more

Incident date: Nov 28, 1999

THIS IS THE SECOND SEPERATE INCIDENT WITH DOOR HANDLES ON THIS CAR. THE FIRST FAILURE WAS ON THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE DOOR, THE SECOND FAILURE IS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. BOTH HANDLES LIFT UP AND JAM IN AN OPEN POSITION. HANDLES CAN BE PUSHED BACK DOWN WITH SOME EFFORT BUT THEN FAIL TO OPERATE. THIS MAKES THE DOORS INOPERATIVE FROM THE OUTSIDE, SO IN AN ACCIDENT PASSENGERS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO B... Read more

Incident date: Aug 20, 1999

WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 65 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BLEW OUT WITHOUT WARNING. *AK

Incident date: Sep 14, 1999