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 22,185 complaints for TESLA
Incident date: Jul 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle was vibrating and shaking abnormally. The contact pulled over to the side of the roadway and turned off and restarted the vehicle and the shaking ceased. The contact stated that the failure had become a persistent failure. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact... Read more
Incident date: Jul 25, 2024
Check engine light on-pvc failure. Code PO52E-71as determined by reliable repair shop. Recommended to have vehicle repaired by dealer. Shop advised part is vital to emissions system.
Incident date: Sep 9, 2024
Date of incident 9/9/24 11:15 AM 2023 Tesla Model Y traveling north bound I-15 using Tesla Autopilot intending soon to exit Pioneer Crossing / American Fork UT in the far right lane — vehicle made sudden move to right glancing off wall causing scraping damage to right front quarter panel, and hub cap. Although I stepped on the brake in attempt to take control of the vehicle I immediately experi... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Sep 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the contact stated that while attempting to merge in the right lane, the vehicle hesitated and shut off while in the roadway. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the battery had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The appr... Read more
Incident date: Sep 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered while the transmission was in second gear. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a transmission shop, where it was diagnosed with transmission clutch shudder. The mechanic replaced the transmission clutch assembly; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle... Read more
Incident date: Sep 13, 2024
The window regular failed is to weak don't last long Have replaced all 4 and replacing the back one again
Incident date: Sep 13, 2024
Toyota Case Number: TAS 242430544. Vehicles brake pedal went to the floor. No power brakes. Check engine light turned on. Could not drive the vehicle.
Incident date: Aug 21, 2024
Multiple, random occurrences of hard braking at highway speeds when there was no object or obstruction ahead. In the 2-1/2 years we’ve owned the car this has happened on two lane and multiple lane highways, generally at speeds over 50 mph. Also, the windshield wipers randomly deploy even when turned completely off. They generally work when it’s raining but the delay function is also randomly ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 21, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, or while parking, the gear selector was depressed and all the gears were highlighted on the selector, making it unclear what gear was selected. The contact also stated that the "Service Shifter" message was displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was n... Read more
Incident date: Aug 21, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Edge. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle was shaking and was losing motive power. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal and the RPM raised to 3,000 RPM but the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that the check engine warning light and the "Wrench" symbol were illuminated. The contact pulled off the roadway and ... Read more
Incident date: May 28, 2024
My vehicle (2021 Honda CRV EX-L, 47,000 miles) is currently out of factory warranty. However, issue with the steering rack has caused issues with sound and sticky steering. This is a known issue with this specific model. Honda diagnosed an issue with my vehicle as being power steering rack being faulty. A manufacture defect they added. This was after replacing a axle they suspected turned out it w... Read more
Incident date: May 28, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving on three occasions at 55 MPH, the engine overheated. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road. The check engine warning light illuminated, and the low coolant message was displayed. The vehicle was towed to a dealer three times where it was diagnosed that the water pump and gasket screws needed to be replaced. The vehicle... Read more
Incident date: Sep 11, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle shut off unexpectedly on several occasions. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V012000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that th... Read more
Incident date: Sep 11, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle shut off unexpectedly on several occasions. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V012000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that th... Read more
Incident date: Aug 6, 2024
I took the car into the dealership to diagnose the reason that I was getting a Seat Belt light and they said that the guide suggested to do a zero point reset on the seat. When they attempted this they said that it failed and now the system has an airbag light on. There is no more seat belt light on now for the passanger side, but there is a hard error code for the airbag system on the passenger... Read more
Incident date: Aug 6, 2024
I took the car into the dealership to diagnose the reason that I was getting a Seat Belt light and they said that the guide suggested to do a zero point reset on the seat. When they attempted this they said that it failed and now the system has an airbag light on. There is no more seat belt light on now for the passanger side, but there is a hard error code for the airbag system on the passenger... Read more
Incident date: Sep 3, 2024
Rear doors not opening regardless of door latch being engaged from the inside or outside handles. Due to being unable to open the rear doors, safety of rear passengers in non-emergency and emergency situations is significantly compromised. A formal recall has not been issued, yet in doing a quick internet search, this issue has been prevalent for years, which is very concerning.
Incident date: Sep 3, 2024
Headlights flicker every few minutes when on. Can be distracting to driver and other cars on the road at night. Seems to be an issue for several people with these new 2024 trucks but GM has no fix yet.
Incident date: Aug 9, 2024
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? System computer. After a Over the Air (OTA) update, most driver assistive functions are inoperative. System feedback display sometime goes black (speedometer, controls, backup camera, etc). After manufacturer serviced car to verify and resolve issue, issue was not corrected. Screen continues to error... Read more
Incident date: Aug 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle shuddered, and lost motive power. The contact stated that the message "Engine over temperature" was displayed and the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was hot(H). Additionally, the contact observed an abnormal burning odor after exiting the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a deale... Read more
Incident date: Aug 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle shuddered, and lost motive power. The contact stated that the message "Engine over temperature" was displayed and the temperature gauge indicated that the engine was hot(H). Additionally, the contact observed an abnormal burning odor after exiting the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a deale... Read more
Incident date: Sep 10, 2024
There have been a number of Tesla’s coming back to the dealership due to a left or right pseat restraint error, which is the seat restraint module failure or even pinched wires that have not been secured properly during manufacturing. This is a safety issue that Tesla needs to correct as they are charging customers between $460 and $1500 to be repaired and these faults end up coming back time af... Read more
Incident date: Sep 10, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked and sputtered. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road however, the vehicle continued to jerk and sputter. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. In addition, the vehicle lost motive power and failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the d... Read more
Incident date: Sep 10, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated, and the vehicle experienced a loss of motive power and stalling. Additionally, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the purg... Read more
Incident date: Sep 10, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle, the transmission was shifted into reverse(R) and the contact became aware that the tailgate had opened while driving. The contact stated that he closed the tailgate however, the tailgate independently opened again. The contact drove the vehicle to a dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined t... Read more
Incident date: Sep 10, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz E350. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V017000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the recall notification stated mobile repair service was available however, the contact was declined the mobile repair service. The contact stated that she had been attempting to have the rec... Read more
Incident date: Apr 19, 2024
Front control arms have zero to very little grease, this causing components to friction and cause loud squeaking sound. Tesla is charing nearly $300 to change out the control arms which are the same as what's currently in my vehicle. This incident will occur again and Tesla will benefit from it.
Incident date: Apr 19, 2024
At this moment I do not have any incidents or ongoing problems with the car. I do want to prevent this therefore I am reaching out to complain about the long wait-time. The recall has been issued for a long time and I still have not been able to get the replacement of the part, waiting on the go-ahead from Honda. I am hoping it can be done in a timely manner to prevent a possible issue in the futu... Read more
Incident date: Apr 4, 2024
The contact’s mother owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated. The contact stated that the thermostat temperature gauge indicated that the engine was overheating. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road and parked. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed tha... Read more
Incident date: Sep 8, 2024
I have an error on my car, have had this for almost a year now, Front Left Safety Restraint System Fault. This seems to be a safety issue that Tesla should recall. I have seen thousands of online posts related to this same issue. .
Incident date: Sep 8, 2024
Car is not registering when it is not in park. This should be covered under the warranty or a recall as it is a common issue for this vehicle.
Incident date: Sep 8, 2024
The contact's grandson owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that the passenger’s side front seat belt failed to lock as designed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the seat belt needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mile... Read more
Incident date: Sep 8, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Accord. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local 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 contact stat... Read more
Incident date: Sep 9, 2024
On multiple ocassions when using adaptive cruise control the vehicles slams on the brakes without warning and for no reason and brings car to a near standstill in the middle of traffic unless I slam the accelerator down and fight the car. Engineers from Tesla inspected the vehicle and said everything was working normally, but it continues to malfunction and almost causes accidents with cars behind... Read more
Incident date: Sep 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at slow speeds, the vehicle experienced shuddering and vibrations while shifting gear. The vehicle was taken to a local transmission mechanic who discovered that the transmission fluid was burnt. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer and manufactur... Read more
Incident date: Sep 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was 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 contact had not experienced a failure. The manufacturer was n... Read more
Incident date: Aug 16, 2024
First time when it happened, i was able to control and It went to back to normal. I did not pay attention after. Second time I took right turn and the car drove in left lane but this time I felt steering was rigid and was unable to control the Steering and hit a tree. Driver seat air bag was deployed and all doors were locked. Gel from air bag burned my right hand wrist.
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Aug 16, 2024
Transmission jerks while driving. It started with a few little jumps here and there, and before long rattling violently. Stopped accelerating in traffic.
Incident date: Aug 16, 2024
My vehicle started smoking and I smelled a oil burning smell coming through the vents. I took it to the Mazda dealership and they diagnosed it with a cracked cylinder head. The repair estimate is $4,900. It is a 2019 with less than 60,000 miles, but it is a few months out of the powertrain warranty. However, this is a KNOWN issue to Mazda. As I have been researching online, many Mazda CX-5 ow... Read more
Incident date: Jul 2, 2024
Front passenger safety restraint system fault alert popping up every few minutes while driving. It is the most irritating thing and there is no way for me to fix it without spending over $500 dollars. This is seemingly a common problem for this make and model through reddit posts and car forums. I was also told by a employee at the tesla service center that they see this very often. It is shocking... Read more
Incident date: Jul 2, 2024
the recline angle does not work! it was never in a crash or been misused. Recline angle doesn't work due to manufacturer error
Incident date: Jul 2, 2024
the recline angle does not work! it was never in a crash or been misused. Recline angle doesn't work due to manufacturer error
Incident date: Aug 31, 2024
Vehicle quit running while driving was going about 5 miles an hour just shut down tried to restart cranks but will not start no safety issues We had to call a tow truck and have vehicle towed to dealer has about 24,000 miles on it. It sounds like a fuel pump issue. Valley motor city Jeep in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, 330-937-9481 where the vehicle is being repaired called me Friday 9/6/24 and said they... Read more
Incident date: Aug 31, 2024
Vehicle quit running while driving was going about 5 miles an hour just shut down tried to restart cranks but will not start no safety issues We had to call a tow truck and have vehicle towed to dealer has about 24,000 miles on it. It sounds like a fuel pump issue. Valley motor city Jeep in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, 330-937-9481 where the vehicle is being repaired called me Friday 9/6/24 and said they... Read more
Incident date: Sep 9, 2024
Drivers side DRL goes out very quickly. This is a VERY common issue on 21 Dodge vehicles.
Incident date: Sep 9, 2024
Automatic Emergency Braking deployed without any external threat. I was driving 55 mph on the freeway and the automatic emergency braking engaged. The dash lights flashes, there was an audible alarm and the car braked. There was no danger in front of the vehicle and this action put me at risk of being hit from the rear by the car behind me. My safety was put at risk as my acceleration was greatly... Read more
Incident date: Aug 9, 2024
My wife and I recently purchased a new 2024 model 3 Tesla with the Autopilot and Full Self-Driving feature. We chose this vehicle because my wife has a long daily commute and we wanted to make the drive easier for her. We test drove a similar model in early August. When we were testing the Full Self-Driving feature, the car failed to safely exit the freeway three times in our short test drive, cau... Read more
Incident date: Aug 9, 2024
While driving RPM’s bouncing. Upon acceleration experienced delay and hesitation Hesitation in acceleration causing safety issue when entering traffic’s and passing other vehicles Full transmission replacement was needed and completed
Incident date: Aug 9, 2024
From early on, the vehicle had a hard shift from 7 to 8. This was discussed with the dealership and they claimed they couldn’t recreate it. This has been the life of the vehicle. About 6 months ago it began to hard shift in other gears. 3 to 4 being the most common. Then 2 months ago it would slow down, you could hear grinding, then jerk violently forward (finally getting into gear). When we cal... Read more
Incident date: Sep 18, 2023
1.Tesla failed to adequately warn us that the 6 sensors in the front and back of the 2023 Model have been removed. Comment from Tesla Collision Center team in Carlsbad: "We both understand the calibration issue won’t be fixed overnight. A program should be in place to educate customers on the change from sensors to cameras." 2. Objects and images in the rear camera are much closer than they ... Read more