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 6,583 complaints for SUZUKI
Incident date: May 1, 2023
Recall work was performed by dealer for EVAP pipe. Insulative repair was used because pipe had not worn through. This was advised to me from dealer that performed recall work. June 2023 took vehicle to dealer due to check engine light being on. Was advised that insulation that was applied to resolve recall had "slipped" causing EVAP to develop a hole and was needing to be replaced at this point. O... Read more
Incident date: Jan 30, 2024
1st incident Fall 2023 Approaching a stop sign, decelerating from 30mph I pressed on the brake to complete the stop but the engine roared, RPMs revved, & the vehicle accelerated, better it lurched, forward. I mashed down the brake pedal as hard as I could but it would not stop the vehicle. All I could do was put it into park. Happens almost weekly, at least 7 times, but not predictably. Once in ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 25, 2024
Engine has an oil consumption issue.
Incident date: Jan 25, 2024
Engine loose power because coolant is entering the cylinders due to a defective head gasket. Failed at 110,000 miles . Need engine replacement $6000 for a used engine
SUZUKI
V-STROM 800
(2023) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jan 18, 2024
Incident date: Jan 9, 2024
Driving to the store and l smell smoke. Pull up to Walmart entrance because l seen a fireman going in. So, l got out to ask him to come help me l smell smoke by time l got back to the car fire started. He was able to put it out but my vent in my second row is burn, side my driver seat a burn a little and rug on the floor. And now my engine stop working mechanics said it a recall on these vehicle... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Nov 12, 2023
Electric power steering randomly stops working. Can be very dangerous when you’re turning sharp and expecting it to return to center after the turn and it doesn’t.
Incident date: Oct 1, 2023
Unknown, I have Pacifica 2020, it’s reported to the dealer and to independent car repair company with electric issues. The electric issues put me and my children in danger, I have to call 911 to get them help me in the middle of the road. The car stopped suddenly putting on park and suddenly shutdown. Even did not allowed me to use the emergency light / hazard warning lights. I felt trapped and ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 7, 2023
I am writing to urgently address a safety issue I have encountered with my 2018 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel VIN: [XXX] vehicle, which poses a significant risk to myself and others on the road. I purchased my 2018 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel in 2018. Regrettably, I have faced persistent problems with crankshaft bearing failures, resulting in engine failure on two occasions – first at 70,000 miles and subsequently... Read more
Incident date: Nov 20, 2023
I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the significant reliability issues I have encountered with my 2019 Honda Odyssey. Unfortunately, these issues have led to inconveniences, unexpected expenses, and a reevaluation of my trust in the vehicle's long-term dependability. During the warranty period, the vehicle suffered from water infiltration in the trunk, resulting in flooding. Addressi... Read more
Incident date: Oct 2, 2023
UNKNOWN the screen on my JEEP COMPASS has gone dark i can't see anything to let me know what functions are happening I have spoken to Jeep and they said i have to replace the unit at over $2000.i believe its a dangerous situation. Can someone please help me
Incident date: Feb 28, 2023
My vehicle blew up in my driveway last after being parked for over 6 hours. Been researching this has been a ongoing thing with BMW. Electrical issue
Fire
SUZUKI
V-STROM 800
(2023) — VISIBILITY
Oct 5, 2023
Incident date: Oct 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, she noticed that a pea-sized stone had struck the front windshield and caused a crack. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 1,999. The VIN was not available.
Incident date: Jul 9, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Ram 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V060000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact was informed by the dealer that the manufacturer had been sending 3-4 parts per month. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufactu... Read more
SUZUKI
V-STROM 800
(2023) — ENGINE
Sep 1, 2023
Incident date: Aug 11, 2023
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The message that the engine was overheated was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that coolant had leaked into the compression chamber and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufactur... Read more
Incident date: Aug 14, 2023
WHEN YOU SHIFT TO PARK A MESSAGE COMES UP AND SAYS SHIFT TOPARK WHEN IT IS ALREADY IN PARK. THE MAIN PROBLEM IS THE VEHICHCLE WILL NOT SHUT OFF. YOU HAVE TO DO MANY DIFFERANT THINGS TO TRY TO GET THE MESSAGE TO LEAVE AND THEN IT WILL CUT OFF. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING NOW SINCE IT HIT 29700 MILES AND DOES IT ALMOST EVERYTIME WE DRIVE IT NOW. THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM HERE IF YOU CANT SHUT OFF THE V... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2022
The transmission of the 2015 VW Jetta Hybrid failed at about 81,000 miles. The transmission began to behave erradically while it was idling, with the engine coming on and off every 5 seconds. The check engine light and EPC lights illuminated. I was able to get the vehicle to an auto parts store to check the codes. The codes that came back indicated that there was transmission related issues. Unfor... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2023
I noticed that the steering column was making a noise right after Hyunda replaced the defective motor. Car was leaking fluids and engine light came on. Benson Hyundai had the car towed. I mentioned that the steering did not feel right and I was concerned. They evaluated and said the mid steering shaft needed to be replaced. I noticed this was an issue with earlier models but did not see anything ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2023
The engine loses power unexpectedly, making merging into traffic dangerous. It's intermittent and can't be duplicated under the same conditions every time. There is an open recall for VANOS bolt issues, Recall Campaign 14V-176: N51, N52K and N52T Engine – Replace VANOS Gear Bolts that I believe to be the root issue, but it doens't seem to apply to my VIN. I think this issue is more widespread... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2023
On long trips vehicle shuts down and goes into limp mode. It has a very rough idle after restart when it allows you to go. The rims have massively lost large chunks of paint from them as well.It is never close to a dealership when it happens. This normally happens when you are running on the interstate and the vehicle dies in the middle of six lanes of heavy traffic. When this happens no warning... Read more
Incident date: May 5, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was running rough before overheating. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact added coolant. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed there was coolant in cy... Read more
Incident date: May 23, 2023
Engine coolant leaking and I only have 68500 miles.
Incident date: Mar 21, 2023
The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated that there was a crack on the passenger's side rear windshield. There was no impact to the rear windshield that could have caused the crack. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure m... Read more
Incident date: Apr 3, 2023
Previous models (2010) had a recall on the breaks system not this VIN number. ABS Actuator is malfunctioning, is the same system as 2010 that had a recall on it. I have two kids in the car when it stopped working without warning. A safety recall must take effect, my car only has 82000 miles on it.
Incident date: Apr 3, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently decelerated and lost motive power; however, the vehicle remained running. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was then able to coast the vehicle off the road and the vehicle stopped. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed... Read more
Incident date: Apr 3, 2023
Motorcycle has brand new battery. Sudden loss of power, engine sputtering, gauges moving sporadically like they were loosing power. Engine backfiring. vehicle would die. be able to be restarted. Known issue with this vehicle. part reported is to be a faulty stator. manufacturer recalled earlier and later year vehicles that use this same part, but did not recall this specific model for recall warra... Read more
SUZUKI
GRAND VITARA
(2006) — STEERING
Apr 1, 2023
Incident date: Mar 15, 2022
A few months after purchase, I was backing out of a parking area into the highway, and the steering froze. I forced the wheel to turn and attributed the incident to having inadvertently turned on a safety feature. I began noticing, then, that the steering seemed to "almost stick" when I drove more than 40-45 mph. I do not lose complete steering control, but steering seems stilted, especially wh... Read more
SUZUKI
GRAND VITARA
(2006) — SERVICE BRAKES
Apr 1, 2023
Incident date: Mar 15, 2022
"Electronic Braking Service Required" message and ABS and Skid control light turn on in the instrument cluster and Service ABS come on. The warnings will go off and then re appear over and over. The repair part is not available. It affects other components such as the cruse control.
SUZUKI
GRAND VITARA
(2006) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Apr 1, 2023
Incident date: Mar 15, 2022
I bought this car used one year ago and have had to change the low beam lights twice and now they are out again. At night I drive with the high beams on and they are so weak no one can tell. Last month the engine started surging making the car try to take off wether in neutral, park or drive. I have to hold the brake very strongly to keep the car from taking off. This is extremely dangerous for ob... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2021
I drive a 2017 chevrolet silverado 1500 lt 5.3 V8 Pickup. I currently have 86k miles on this vehicle. I am the second owner and lately have been experiencing loss of power, engine hesitation, poor fuel economy, and high oil consumption. I brought my truck to the dealer I purchased it from ( Koons Chevrolet of Tysons Corner VIRGINIA ) I brought the vehicle in for service because back in February I... Read more
SUZUKI
GSX-S1000GT
(2022) — FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Mar 6, 2023
Incident date: Oct 20, 2022
Braked auromatically on highway at 65mph due to flying bag in front of car. Very dangerous! Thank God no one was behind us.
Incident date: Aug 5, 2022
The contact's fiancé owns a 2004 Suzuki Verona. The contact stated that on multiple occasions after starting the vehicle, the engine was lagging and then revved inadvertently. The contact also stated that while driving at various speeds and coming to a stop at a red light or stop sign, the vehicle stalled and lost motive power on multiple occasions. The vehicle was able to be restarted. Additiona... Read more
Incident date: Aug 5, 2022
The contact's fiancé owns a 2004 Suzuki Verona. The contact stated that on multiple occasions after starting the vehicle, the engine was lagging and then revved inadvertently. The contact also stated that while driving at various speeds and coming to a stop at a red light or stop sign, the vehicle stalled and lost motive power on multiple occasions. The vehicle was able to be restarted. Additiona... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2022
Cushion was change and diagnostic still shows like cushion wasn't changed
Incident date: Oct 19, 2022
The vehicle goes in the limp mode while accelerating uphill. At one occasion it went into the limp mode and stalled, very unsafe for highway. Turing it off and restarting needed. The transmission has issues that hasn't been addressed by the manufacturer.
Incident date: Aug 27, 2022
There is/are recalls on this vehicle regarding the fuel tank and vacuum lines on the fuel filler neck assembly, which causes check engine warnings that indicate "evap emissions" readouts, leaks during refills, interior gas fumes, and potential explosions. This car is currently leaking fuel during refills (and only during refills), has frequent interior gas fumes, and is also having check engine li... Read more
Incident date: Jan 5, 2022
Every neutral safety switch made for this vehicle is faulty be driving down the road it'll switch from drive to neutral or any other gear I've had it go into reverse while going 50 mph down the road I've replaced this part five times still have same problem part works for about a month then goes out. Other times transmission won't even go into drive have to screw with shifter to get it to go into ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 5, 2022
Every neutral safety switch made for this vehicle is faulty be driving down the road it'll switch from drive to neutral or any other gear I've had it go into reverse while going 50 mph down the road I've replaced this part five times still have same problem part works for about a month then goes out. Other times transmission won't even go into drive have to screw with shifter to get it to go into ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 5, 2022
Every neutral safety switch made for this vehicle is faulty be driving down the road it'll switch from drive to neutral or any other gear I've had it go into reverse while going 50 mph down the road I've replaced this part five times still have same problem part works for about a month then goes out. Other times transmission won't even go into drive have to screw with shifter to get it to go into ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2022
Suzuki has inadequately lubricated the front and rear gears on the driveshaft, and has neglected to provide information regarding this lubrication in any of their service literature. The splines wear out completely along with a large amount of internal rust. This could lead to a sudden loss of power to the rear wheel. Researching the problem further, this appears to be a problem with Suzuki Bou... Read more
Incident date: Aug 8, 2022
The contact owns a 2007 Suzuki GSX-R750. The contact stated while riding approximately 60 MPH, the motorcycle seized with both wheels unable to operate as needed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact turned off and restarted the motorcycle. The contact changed the brakes, and brake fluid; however, the failure reoccurred. The motorcycle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufactur... Read more
Incident date: Jul 16, 2022
The contact owns a 2003 Suzuki XL7. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The failure also occurred right after starting the vehicle. During the failure, the vehicle lost braking and power steering functionality. The contact stated that the vehicle coasted to a stop and she was able to... Read more
Incident date: Jul 16, 2022
The contact owns a 2003 Suzuki XL7. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The failure also occurred right after starting the vehicle. During the failure, the vehicle lost braking and power steering functionality. The contact stated that the vehicle coasted to a stop and she was able to... Read more
Incident date: Jul 31, 2022
My VIN number is [XXX]. A recall was issued for Suzuki Vstrom. The recall was issued for 2012-2016 Suzuki V-Strom 650 stator due to a wiring issue. The wire burns. The problem is that the 2008 model has the same stator rectifier system. The part numbers are identical and feature the same wiring. My stator currently went bad at 42,000 miles. K8, 32101-17G12, 32800-47H00 K12, 32101-17G12, 32... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jun 27, 2022
The contact owns a 2005 Suzuki VL1500T Motorcycle. The contact stated that while riding at an undisclosed speed, a fuel odor was detected. The motorcycle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 10,560.
SUZUKI
GRAND VITARA
(2007) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
Apr 22, 2022
Incident date: Sep 15, 2021
The contact owns a 2007 Suzuki Grand Vitara. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the instrument cluster turned off inadvertently. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the instrument cluster later turned on but then turned off again erroneously. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times that day. The vehicle was taken to a local Pep Boys... Read more
Incident date: Mar 23, 2022
Driving on the highway to school the vehicle began to slow down and come to a stop even as I stepped on the accelerator. I parked on the side of the road and restarted and the same thing happened so I had my insurance company tow it. After researching I found that the manufacturer issued recalls for the vehicle but when I contacted them they said there were no found defects/recalls that caused the... Read more
Incident date: Mar 23, 2022
Driving on the highway to school the vehicle began to slow down and come to a stop even as I stepped on the accelerator. I parked on the side of the road and restarted and the same thing happened so I had my insurance company tow it. After researching I found that the manufacturer issued recalls for the vehicle but when I contacted them they said there were no found defects/recalls that caused the... Read more
Incident date: Nov 14, 2020
In late 2020 while in a turn on the interstate while in 2nd gear the motorcycle jolted like it slipped on ice. The second time it happened is when I attempted to accelerate to 3rd gear the bike shuddered like it was not getting gas. Not being able to provide gas caused the vehicles behind me to swerve into the other lane. After 8 months of the bike sitting at another Suzuki dealer because they ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 14, 2020
In late 2020 while in a turn on the interstate while in 2nd gear the motorcycle jolted like it slipped on ice. The second time it happened is when I attempted to accelerate to 3rd gear the bike shuddered like it was not getting gas. Not being able to provide gas caused the vehicles behind me to swerve into the other lane. After 8 months of the bike sitting at another Suzuki dealer because they ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 14, 2020
In late 2020 while in a turn on the interstate while in 2nd gear the motorcycle jolted like it slipped on ice. The second time it happened is when I attempted to accelerate to 3rd gear the bike shuddered like it was not getting gas. Not being able to provide gas caused the vehicles behind me to swerve into the other lane. After 8 months of the bike sitting at another Suzuki dealer because they ... Read more