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: Dec 26, 2023
THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED CAR WOULD NOT GO IN REVERSE OR FOREWARD AT ALL . IT ONLY HAS 120,000 MILES ON IT .
Incident date: Dec 27, 2023
Vehicle began shuddering and jerking under acceleration around 95k miles. In some cases the vehicle will stall out when accelerating which makes left turns and merging dangerous. Vehicle was diagnosed as having a failing torque converter. Cost to replace was quoted over $3,000. The 2017-18 models were recalled for this issue but not the 2019 models despite having the same engine and transmissi... Read more
Incident date: Dec 26, 2023
The rear window of my one year old 2023 HrV suddenly shattered, thankfully while vehicle was parked. No impact to glass or reasoning, I filed an incident report with police out of concern, they had never seen anything like it but stated it was not due to any object impact. This happened right on Christmas weekend, leaving me without a safe car to drive which ruined some of plans and dealership was... Read more
Incident date: Dec 21, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the Automatic Emergency Braking system engaged while there were no vehicles or objects in front of the vehicle. The brake warning light was illuminated. The contact temporarily released the accelerator pedal and was able to continue driving. The contact stated that th... Read more
Incident date: Dec 21, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the Automatic Emergency Braking system engaged while there were no vehicles or objects in front of the vehicle. The brake warning light was illuminated. The contact temporarily released the accelerator pedal and was able to continue driving. The contact stated that th... Read more
Incident date: Dec 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) 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 manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failu... Read more
Incident date: Aug 2, 2023
Driving slowly to garage, sudden unintended acceleration and brakes stopped working. My car crashed into the rear wall of the garage. The front end of my car was damaged. The wall of my garage was damaged as well. I went to the doctor due to pain in my chest and arms.
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Dec 21, 2023
I was driving in left lane of highway at night with cruise control engaged, traveling 70mph. Autopilot was NOT engaged - only the Traffic-Aware Cruise Control. I turned on my right turn signal to change lanes. At the same time a car came up behind me in the left lane and was tailgating me. As I began my lane change, my Tesla did a hard brake that slowed it down considerably and was not initiated ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 21, 2023
Subaru is well aware of the rear wheel bearing prematurely due to the faulty backing plate design. They have even sent a service bulletin mentioning the problem. so the rear wheel hub and backing plate should be replaced by Subaru. They are charging $1000 for repairing this. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Incident date: Dec 21, 2023
unknow getting gas in oil at 62532 miles on it which can cause the motor to grenade. a lot of the 5.3l on 2018 has this trouble from watching utube and using research, should be recalled and transmissions trouble as well.
Incident date: Dec 24, 2023
The dealership told me that the sensor I read that was a recall wasn't covered because my vin wasn't on the list of re-calls. I looked up what auto zone pulled up as the code and pretty sure it was the fuel filter valve. But after taking it to our regular mechanic he replaced a line in the engine area that connect beside the battery going to the air filter area looks like a long black hose and the... Read more
Incident date: Dec 13, 2023
The car gave me a written error message on the dashboard that there was an electrical system malfunction. I thought to myself, "Gotta get that checked out. Let's see if it goes away." I drove a short distance home and parked. The next day I began to drive to work. I got the electrical system malfunction message again. I decided to pull into a parking lot and make an appointment to get it fixed by... Read more
Incident date: Dec 20, 2023
While operating TACC with lane keeping assist, I experienced multiple iterations of phantom braking when the road and weather was clear ahead. This phantom braking could potentially cause other drivers to collide with the vehicle that unexpectedly braked in the middle of the highway. This problem has been a common issue with multiple people taking their cars to the service center to get checked ou... Read more
Incident date: Nov 22, 2023
While operating TACC with lane keeping assist, I experienced multiple iterations of phantom braking when the road and weather was clear ahead. This phantom braking could potentially cause other drivers to collide with the vehicle that unexpectedly braked in the middle of the highway. This problem has been a common issue with multiple people taking their cars to the service center to get checked ou... Read more
Incident date: Nov 22, 2023
When coming to a quick or hard stop, car will rumble then stall out. To confirm that the issue is transmission based I shift the car into neutral then brake quickly and the issue does not arise.
Incident date: Nov 22, 2023
When coming to a quick or hard stop, car will rumble then stall out. To confirm that the issue is transmission based I shift the car into neutral then brake quickly and the issue does not arise.
Incident date: Dec 14, 2023
The contact owns a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. That contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH the vehicle slowed down and the head lights dimmed. The contact stated that many warning lights were illuminated but was not able to recall the exact ones. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where it was then told that the alternator needed to be replaced. The vehicles failure persisted. The vehicle ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 29, 2022
The contact owns a 2022 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle started to shake abnormally. While driving, the vehicle lunged forward without the accelerator pedal being depressed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be rebuilt. The software was reprog... Read more
Incident date: Dec 17, 2023
Vehicle would not start. 48v battery light came on. Waited 15 minutes, vehicle started, drove to dealership who did diagnosis. Battery replacement required $1800 + $1200 labor. 2020 vehicle with 61K miles. Bought certified vehicle from MBZ dealership, added a MBZ 3 year or 100K mile extended warranty but this battery is considered a wear and tear item not covered. That would be fine except for the... Read more
Incident date: Dec 17, 2023
UNKNOWN issue with steering. When steering along long curves on the highway and then trying to straighten the steering wheel, the steering wheel will feel stuck and take a bit more force to overcome the position it gets stuck at before being able to be straightened out. Adding this amount of force to overcome the stuck steering wheel causes the car to swerve slightly.
Incident date: Dec 26, 2023
Car without obstacle will without warning execute a hard slowdown/stop. We have received the latest OTA update and have disabled auto steering and fsd. These unplanned stops are incredibly dangerous when driving in traffic. They charged a substantial fee to enable FSD and we are afraid to use it which sucks but the fact that basic cruise control is so dangerous is criminal.
Incident date: Dec 26, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the message to depress the brake pedal was displayed. The contact stated that the transmission failed to shift out of neutral. The vehicle was towed a dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The failure mi... Read more
Incident date: Dec 26, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing unintended acceleration. The contact stated while pulling into his driveway and slightly depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle speed increased continuously. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that he depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle responded as needed. Th... Read more
Incident date: Dec 22, 2023
High mount brake light failure (2nd occurrence) November 2023 at 13,400 miles. Vehicle was repaired under warranty. This occurrence appears to be a repeated faulty part. Failure of high mount brake light creates rear collision potential in low visibility scenarios. The part (13613A High Mount Stop Lamp Assembly) appears to be a known faulty part by manufacturer or vehicle design. There are no warn... Read more
Incident date: Dec 22, 2023
Dear NHTSA Representative, I am writing to express my deep concerns and seek resolution regarding the latest version of autopilot enforced in the recent Tesla recall, identified under Campaign ID #23V-838. I am a Tesla owner that’s deeply invested in the safety and functionality of my vehicle. Recent reports indicate that the mandated autopilot update has rendered the car unsafe and nearly und... Read more
Incident date: Dec 25, 2023
Dear NHTSA Representative, I am writing to express my deep concerns and seek resolution regarding the latest version of autopilot enforced in the recent Tesla recall, identified under Campaign ID #23V-838. I am a Tesla owner that’s deeply invested in the safety and functionality of my vehicle. Recent reports indicate that the mandated autopilot update has rendered the car unsafe and nearly und... Read more
Incident date: Dec 25, 2023
The activation of the horn using a small capacitive button on the right side of the steering wheel is a serious safety problem. I have had numerous near miss incidents that were closer than they should have been because I was unable to quickly locate and activate the tiny horn button. I've tried using the "whole palm" method described by the manufacturer, but my palm is so large, that it doesn't... Read more
Incident date: Dec 25, 2023
I received the recall update for recall #23V-838 and am currently running version 2023.44.30.5.1 with the added Autosteer alerts. I am finding the alerts to be too frequent when I am just looking forward at the road. I have used this system for five years and never have I had so many alerts that I feel like the car is making me take my eyes off the road just to see what it is complaining about. T... Read more
Incident date: Nov 25, 2023
Had issue with it burning a TON of oil, solenoid ended up needing replaced. Replaced, and next day engine froze up and shot oil out of the back real seal, and now need replaced engine. Because the back real seal blew, is not being covered by my extended warranty, even though the damage was cause because of a covered part.
Incident date: Dec 24, 2023
There are a lot of BMW owners filing complaints to force BMW Motorrad to releases service manuals to the public which they quite doing years ago which forces people to go to the dealership for any sort of service. Basically a monopoly which is illegal. I own a motorcycle repair facility and even as a certified tech and business owner I cannot get one (through legitimate channels). This is a safe... Read more
Incident date: Dec 25, 2023
I had gently shut my car door and the back windshield exploded. Glass went everywhere, and if someone was in my back seat or standing behind my car, they would’ve been cut. My car was not even on. Very very disappointing on Hondas part as I know 2 other people who have the same car and have had the same problem happen.
Incident date: Dec 25, 2023
I had gently shut my car door and the back windshield exploded. Glass went everywhere, and if someone was in my back seat or standing behind my car, they would’ve been cut. My car was not even on. Very very disappointing on Hondas part as I know 2 other people who have the same car and have had the same problem happen.
Incident date: Dec 21, 2023
Car won’t turn off. Frequent shift to park messages when already in park. This appears to be common known problem and should be recalled immediately.
Incident date: Dec 21, 2023
Car won’t turn off. Frequent shift to park messages when already in park. This appears to be common known problem and should be recalled immediately.
Incident date: Dec 25, 2023
Due to NHTSA Recall Number 23V-838, the car has become more dangerous than before. Often making me apply more force on the wheel when constantly alerting me which has inadvertently made me swerve into oncoming lanes. Not only has this mandatory recall made the autopilot experience much worse, but it seems highly politicized by the previous leader of nhsta and should be reinvestigated. This is such... Read more
Incident date: Dec 25, 2023
Strong fuel smell from rear of Pontiac G6 near fuel tank. This is a common problem due to a cracked elbow on top of the fuel pump. This issue is happening among all G6 models from 05 to 09 . This issue should be recalled as it is dangerous to the drivers , passengers or anyone that comes within 3 ft of Pontiacs that have this issue. Fuel odor can be smelt from further than 3ft that can damage... Read more
Incident date: Dec 25, 2023
The transmission has failed in less than 150,000 miles. I was driving in traffic and lost gears. I stopped and tried to get back going and I was stuck being a traffic hazard to the other motorist. I talked to a local transmission shop and he stated that the 2014-2016 Silverados are known for transmission problems even when they were new. He’s rebuilt hundreds of them and Chevrolet should ha... Read more
Incident date: Dec 20, 2023
After Tesla software update 2023.44.30.2, the rear back up camera no longer works. It’s just a black screen. Failure first occurred on 12/20/2023. Also, Tesla “Auto pilot” no longer works (cruise control and lane assist). Support team could not fix both issues. Have a service appointment scheduled on 12/27/2023. Thank you and happy holidays.
Incident date: Dec 20, 2023
Brake service lights comes on. Noticed softer feel when pressing on brakes and longer distance needed to come to complete stop. There were no noticeable changes in driving habits before the maintenance light came on. Diagnostics were done 02/2023 at Sacramento Downtown Ford and was told to replace a brake hose.
Incident date: Dec 20, 2023
Lifter failure is causing metal shavings from the cam to fall into the engine block and cause the engine to fail. This is a known problem with these cars and nothing is being done about it by the manufacturer.
Incident date: Dec 16, 2023
The vehicle’ Full Self driving control malfunctioned two times. This vehicle delivered to me on Aug 31, 2023. The recent full self driving malfunctioned on Dec, 16th, 2023. The vehicle was on self driving mode and about to get into a near fatal crash. I had immediately intervened and avoided the crash. This caused damaged to front passenger side tire and wheel apart from mental trauma to myself... Read more
Incident date: Dec 16, 2023
Sticky steering wheel! Driving straight on a flat road but you need to make sure your grip is good because it steers by itself!
Incident date: Dec 16, 2023
This car has about 9,000 miles on it and it now has issues with the steering wheel sticking and jerking when it gets above ~50mph. It feels difficult to keep between the lines on the highway because the steering is not functioning as it used to. So much that the car flagged a warning as “driver attention low” and recommended I take a break. My attention was incredibly high because of the steer... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2023
I am writing to you once again to emphasize and provide additional details regarding the critical safety issue I previously addressed concerning the Tesla Model X vehicles, which is similarly affecting Tesla Model S models. My personal experience underscores the severity of this problem: I have had to replace five tires due to accelerated inner wall wear. This specific wear pattern is a direct res... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2023
Front passenger airbag sensor is off even when there is no person sitting in the front passenger seat. It is off also when adult passenger is seating in the seat. It looks by pages of manual folded that previous owner had similar problem. That could possibly impact non-deployment of air-bag in a case of collision. My google search shows there was a recall of Volt 2013 models for that problem.
Incident date: Dec 1, 2023
You absolutely can not pull out in traffic because the car has a horrible lag, it’s as if it stalls at initial acceleration. Whether it’s pulling out of a side street, setting off from a stop light, or occasionally while already moving and speeding up. When stepping on the vehicle’s accelerator pedal, there was a lag of around five seconds or so before the vehicle started to accelerate at al... Read more
Incident date: Dec 22, 2023
In April, 2023 we received a recall notice directly from Tesla about a safety recall involving the front trunk hood opening while driving. The letter stated we would be contacted later about the fix. But we have never heard anything since from Tesla yet the recall does not show up on your website for our car. Can you explain what happened to the supposedly required repair?
Incident date: Apr 23, 2023
Seat belt sensor went off. Took vehicle to Tesla and was charged for a replacement of the seat buckle that you place the seat belt in. This should be a safety hazard and should not be a charge to replace a safety seat buckle. I have an invoice of the work done and what I paid to fix.
Incident date: Nov 4, 2023
Car shut down while driving in middle of highway couldn’t even get it to shoulder. Everything stopped. Would not restart. Took to Honda Dealer. “Reset” fuel pump. Said we were out of gas but there was still 1/8 tank. No other diagnosis. Very unsafe.
Incident date: Dec 24, 2023
My husband was driving about 20mls per hrs when our truck cought fire the whole front of our truct cought fire. The front mirror and everything if distroit due to the fire .
Fire