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: Apr 24, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while the vehicle was turned off, it rolled away while she was removing groceries from the passenger side of the vehicle. As a result, the contact ran to the driver's side and jump into the vehicle to stop it. While driving at unknown speeds with the windows up and the air conditioner in the on position, smoke was entering through the ve... Read more
2 injured
Incident date: Apr 4, 2024
Faulty brake boosters that crack and leak, making brakes unusable and draining the battery (diagnostic code C1391). There was a Toyota service repair where they exchanged the faulty brake boosters with properly working ones, but it has lapsed.
Incident date: Apr 4, 2024
Driving along, and all of sudden engine shuts down. Message indicated a malfunction, showed picture of battery, and indicated to put vehicle in park, and restart engine. Did so, and engine started. Dangerous situation, but luckily traffic was light.
Incident date: Apr 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2007 Dodge Caliber. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 10V234000 (Vehicle Speed Control) 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 manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2024
2023 VW ID.4 - While driving the passenger door latch started making a clicking noise and door became ajar triggering a door ajar light on dash information center. Passenger held door from completely opening until it was safe to pull over. Door latch continued to make clicking noises and continued to open itself. A google search revealed recall campaign "Door handle recall 57J5 [NHTSA 23V312] f... Read more
Incident date: Apr 23, 2024
February, 2024 - brakes "soft" at times, seems not catching unless stepped on almost to the floor. I brought it to the dealership same day. Since I did not have an appointment, a test drive was done and was told it was working fine and let them know if the brake warning lights will turn on. No record of this was noted. March, 2024 - I had to bring it back because the brakes feel like it will quit ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 23, 2024
February, 2024 - brakes "soft" at times, seems not catching unless stepped on almost to the floor. I brought it to the dealership same day. Since I did not have an appointment, a test drive was done and was told it was working fine and let them know if the brake warning lights will turn on. No record of this was noted. March, 2024 - I had to bring it back because the brakes feel like it will quit ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 3, 2023
Acura MDX 2016 SH-AWD with 113366 miles diagnosis according to warning lights. DTC test certification codes: P0301 Misfire No. 1 cylinder P0306 Misfire No. 6 cylinder P0300 Random Misfire P0420 Catalyst System efficiency below threshold B1 Recommendation was that the Catalytic converter be replaced. All these codes were identified under Honda's TSB 20-100 dated 2/2021 on Odyssey, Pilot and Ridgel... Read more
Incident date: Apr 24, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); 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 not made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact ha... Read more
Incident date: Apr 23, 2024
I was driving on a highway when my car just shut off in the middle lane in the middle of the highway. And I had five errors come up on my screen and my car would not start back up. I had it towed to Honda where they said it was my fuel pump. My safety was put at risk because the car just shut off while driving 75 mph in the middle lane and came to a complete stop. I was not able to roll to the sid... Read more
Incident date: Apr 23, 2024
MY CAR WAS VANDALIZED IN ARIZONA SOMEONE DAMAGED MY DRIVER FRONT DOOR AND PASSANGER FRONT DOOR WHILE I WAS ON THE FREEWAY I HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND MY MOONROOF STARTED MAKING A CRACKLING NOISE I GOT OFF AND THE ENTIRE THING WAS CRACKED, I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS VANDALIZED AS WELL AND I DIDNT NOTICE BUT AS IM READING ABOUT IT SOUND LIKE IT MAYBE A MOONROOF ISSUE. I HAD IT REPLACED AND NOW IT IS LEAKIN... Read more
Incident date: Apr 24, 2024
1. The Ford dealership in Glendale, CA refused to do the brake pedal recall, but it shows as complete. The car was bought at this dealership and never had work done to the brake pedal. (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 23V162000). 2. The car burns oil way quicker than it indicates. This has happened twice to me now where I had to replace the entire engine because I completely ran out of oil before I was due ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 4, 2024
Out driving and power steering stopped working making it very difficult to turn the steering wheel especially on slow turns. Having it in the repair shop tomorrow to see what issues and cost to fix.
Incident date: Mar 18, 2024
*Unknown high engine oil consumption which can cause the motor to lock up (because owners aren't aware that this is a known issue with the Kia Telluride *Since Kia has not disclosed this engine issue, the can can stall while driving. *I had a Kia service person state this is a known issues. I was told Kia has yet to do a recall on the Telluride like they've done on two other Kia vehicles with the ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 12, 2024
When using Auto Pilot/Traffic Aware Adaptive Cruise Control at highway speeds (55 to 75mph), vehicle will on occasion, slam on the brakes and steer to the right for no apparent reason. When this has happened in the past, we would press on accelerator peddle, to quickly recover from the braking to prevent a rear end collision and continue down the road. This last time (April 12, 2024) however, pre... Read more
Incident date: Apr 12, 2024
Engine failed in the middle of a 2 lane highway. There were no warning lights on at the time of failure. Vehicle needed to be towed to owners home and engine is “ blown “ and vehicle has been rendered no longer drivable. Vehicle only had 128,322 miles at time of engine failure. Police needed to be contacted to assist with getting car out of lane.
Incident date: Apr 12, 2024
All the following safety systems were getting failed lights on vehicle: - Adaptive Cruise control - Collision Mitigation - Road Departure Mitigation - Vehicle Stability Assist - Hill Start Assist - Electric Parking Brake - Tire Pressure Monitoring. We were replacing the battery thinking it was a battery issue as it was diagnosed prior. Took it to dealer and they confirmed fuel i... Read more
Incident date: Apr 9, 2024
On two separate occasions under similar conditions, the vehicle initiated emergency braking due to a false collision warning. Both cases occurred at the same location. I was in the center lane facing into the afternoon sun waiting to turn left into a parking lot at a full stop. I was attempting to cross three lanes of traffic. When an opening occurred, I proceeded forward and began turning the whe... Read more
Incident date: Apr 24, 2024
The car will shuttle between 1700-2500 RPMs while in low gears. In reviewing online (NHTSA) it should be a software update. I went to get the update for $400. After the update was applied the service center stated the software update did nothing. From the service center: The issue is internal. With the updates it did not chance the outcome, the transmission would need to be replaced to fix the co... Read more
Incident date: Apr 24, 2024
So there have already been recalls on some audis for oil consumption. I have a 2011 Audi A4 quattro and it goes through oil like crazy. It's ridiculous I believe it's because of faulty piston rings which led to faulty head gasket witch leads to the spark plugs, and coils.
Incident date: Apr 18, 2024
Every dash warning lights come on, radio cuts off, steering loss occurs, have to fight steering to get pulled over, turn it off and back on, sometimes resets but not always. Issue happens at random but the last time it occurred around a curve, nearly went off the road because of the steering loss. Had all the wires and grounds cleaned & checked, all batteries are good, alternator is good, all... Read more
Incident date: Apr 18, 2024
Every dash warning lights come on, radio cuts off, steering loss occurs, have to fight steering to get pulled over, turn it off and back on, sometimes resets but not always. Issue happens at random but the last time it occurred around a curve, nearly went off the road because of the steering loss. Had all the wires and grounds cleaned & checked, all batteries are good, alternator is good, all... Read more
Incident date: Feb 15, 2024
We Bought a Chevy Silverado 1500 truck used in Nov 2021for purpose of towing RV trailer. In having axel bearings packed on trailer March [XXX], 2024, the RV mechanic noticed no wear or brake dust. He checked and determined RV brakes had never engaged and found no power to the RV brakes in the plug in port on back of truck. Took to dealer, Chesrown in Delaware Ohio, on [XXX], 2024. After having tr... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2009 Mazda CX-9. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. The contact stated the brake pads and rotors were replaced; however, the abnormal sound persisted. The contact called and informed the dealer of the issue however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact referenced NHTS... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while using the left or right turn signals, the message "Check Left Front Turn Lamp" or "Check Right Front Turn Lamp" was displayed. During the failure the exterior turn signal had become inoperable. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to determine th... Read more
Incident date: Apr 23, 2024
My vehicle has stalled out before for no reason and the dealership is unable to help in diagnosing the issue without a fault code. This issue has been ongoing since i purchased my vehicle in 2021. Three years later as I was making a sharp left turn going very slow my car stalled out, engine light came on and I received a start/stop error along with a message stating to restart the engine manually.... Read more
Incident date: Aug 22, 2022
I bought my 2011 Equinox new then in 2013 the gas pedal went to the floor and stuck down on a two lane road and I could not control the speed as we react 90 I shut down the vechical took it to the dealership the next day the chevolet co had the dealership dump the on board computer and then down load a new program this worked until the other day we were coming home from taking another couple to th... Read more
Incident date: Aug 22, 2022
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact became aware that vehicle front driver door was coming apart due to the door welds. The contact stated that in the event of a crash, the contact could be severely injured. In addition, the contact stated that driving the vehicle with a damage door could become a safety hazard. The dealer was contacted and stated that the vehicle could not be repaire... Read more
Incident date: Apr 22, 2024
I was driving on the [XXX] to for a work meeting on Monday [XXX], 2024, at about [XXX] (central). My 2018 Tesla Model S shut down while driving on the freeway. The power steering went off and so did the hazard lights. I pulled over to the shoulder. Unfortunately, the shoulder is not too wide on [XXX]. I was driving at 70 mph or so when this happened. The only warning that popped on the Tesla S... Read more
Incident date: Apr 22, 2024
There is a strong smell of gasoline coming from the outside of the car. It is strongest once the car has been sitting in my garage overnight. Some evidence of fuel under the car.
Incident date: Apr 22, 2024
Exhaust smells started coming through the air vents while driving, after the catalytic converter was changed. I discovered through my own inspection, that exhaust was leaking at the connection point between the catalytic converter and the turbocharger. The fumes were entering the airflow for the passenger cabin through the cabin air intake drain valve because it is in the engine compartment. I rea... Read more
Incident date: Apr 21, 2024
While using the Full Self Driving Mode (FSD) the vehicle will randomly and without warning slam on the brakes at highway speeds and decelerate to 30-50mph on an active highway. If the highway is multilane, the car will slow and attempt to change lanes. It appears the vehicle thinks that something is in the road, even if the road is clear. This happens multiple times on my longer road trips, and... Read more
Incident date: Apr 21, 2024
Without warning the car completely shuts off. This is very dangerous because it happened on the freeway (luckily the cars slowed down behind me). It is intermittent and two different mechanics have not been able to detect the problem. Was there a recall on this issue? What can be done to make this vehicle safer to operate. This has been going on for about 2 years.
Incident date: Apr 21, 2024
Without warning the car completely shuts off. This is very dangerous because it happened on the freeway (luckily the cars slowed down behind me). It is intermittent and two different mechanics have not been able to detect the problem. Was there a recall on this issue? What can be done to make this vehicle safer to operate. This has been going on for about 2 years.
Incident date: Apr 8, 2024
Car warned that Drivability - Acceleration and top speed reduced/Performance may be restored on next drive but gave no opportunity for me to pull over safely. Felt like someone pulled the e-brake during regular driving speeds and prevented me from safely slowing down, steering or maneuvering the vehicle into a safe spot. This occurred during a rainy night with my wife and 3 daughters in the vehicl... Read more
Incident date: Apr 8, 2024
Fuel gauge/trip meter intermittently inoperative (blank or shows gibberish). When the fuel gauge and trip meter are inoperative, it’s not possible to determine the level of fuel in the tank. In this condition, the vehicle could run out of fuel without warning, causing an engine stall condition. If the engine stalls while the vehicle is being operated on a public highway, this condition increases... Read more
Incident date: Apr 8, 2024
The contact owns a 2022 Buick Encore. The contact stated that while parked and refueling the vehicle, the contact observed an abnormal gasoline odor. Additionally, when the contact entered the vehicle there was an abnormally strong strong gasoline odor inside the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failu... Read more
TESLA
CYBERTRUCK
(2024) — POWER TRAIN
Apr 22, 2024
Incident date: Apr 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start, prompting her to contact AAA for roadside assistance. Later, the AAA technician made the contact aware that the gear shifter had failed to engage. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not towed to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repai... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2022
In february 2023 we noticed several internal (sawdust, exposed finish nails, floor noises, broken trim, pinched wall coverings) and external (multiple locked doors opening in transit)signs that our RV frame was experiencing excessive flexing, more than what is expected and necessary for a nearly 42' metal vehicle frame. The frame has since failed, the suspension is underrated for the weight of th... Read more
Incident date: Apr 15, 2024
Following an over-the-air software update, all audio in the vehicle stops working. This includes entertainment services, but more importantly turn signal indicator "clicks", forward collision warnings, parking assist chimes, shift confirmation and warning chimes, and various ADAS notification sounds. In some instances, the problem corrected itself within 24 hours. In another instance, it persiste... Read more
Incident date: Apr 15, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Fusion Energi. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the high-voltage battery. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA H... Read more
Incident date: Apr 15, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Fusion Energi. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the high-voltage battery. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA H... Read more
Incident date: Oct 12, 2023
The following recalls have been pending on my vehicle: 23V-838; TC2023-657, 24V-051 Tesla is unable to push over-the-air (OTA) updates to my vehicle to remedy these recalls due to an issue with the onboard computer being unable to receive updates. This issue arose when Tesla pushed a software/firmware update to my vehicle which effectively "bricked" the Advanced Drive System portion of the comput... Read more
Incident date: Oct 12, 2023
Same like my other 2 claims for livery vehicles Vehicle started losing RPMs and jerking while clients on board. Excessive fumes from exhausts started Diagnostics- misfire on a cylinder cause by faulty engine lifters. They all start like that. That also caused a cam shaft damage. Repairs paid out of pocket $14,000 for new engine. Incident happened around first week of December 2023. 200,000 mi... Read more
Incident date: Oct 12, 2023
The universal joint is stiff and turning vehicle is more difficult than normal
Incident date: Mar 15, 2024
The automatic stop/start ERG valve
Incident date: Apr 20, 2024
Driving along [XXX] in Alabama to Mississippi, the Highlander completely shut off - the dash & radio were blank. The steering wheel locked up. Luckily there was no vehicles behind or beside us when this happened. Within seconds, the truck came back on. 15 minutes prior, we were sitting in a parking lot to eat lunch & while in idle, the truck shuddered a few times, like the gas pedal was pressed. ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 5, 2024
Driving on the highway coming home from brother in laws house and the truck suddenly popped check engine, brake service and ESC lights came on dashboard while engine power was reduced causing sluggish performance. Made it home and put a scan tool and pulled a cylinder 3 misfire. Replaced spark plug and confirm it’s not an ignition coil problem. Brought to dealer and was confirmed the DOD lifter ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 20, 2024
I dropped an ink pen between the drivers seat and the center fold down seat. While attempting to retrieve the pen I reached between the drivers seat and the console just forward of the seatbelt connector with my right hand. When I pulled my hand out a sharp piece of metal on the seat frame sliced the fatty portion of my hand below the thumb. There isn’t a guard to protect the hand in the even... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Apr 20, 2024
The car needs an PCM upgrade because it’s lit up a code in randomly situation. Causing the vehicle to lose the water temperature gage, power steering wheel assistance reduced and ac stop working, gmc is aware of the problem even issued a technical bulletin in 2018, but instead of inform the clients about the defective part, they want the client with this problem to pay to upgrade a defective PCM... Read more