Consumer Safety Complaints
Search 2,245,377 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA, including 140,173 crashes, 56,794 fires, and 8,580 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 2,245,377 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 23,203 complaints for TESLA
Incident date: Mar 7, 2024
As I'm sure you are aware of the ABS issues these vehicles have had over the last few years without any sort of correction it has been a nightmare. The ABS light and service electronic braking system has been beeping for over a year and the dealers and parts people have no resolve for this. We have recently been able to do what was RECOMMENDED by the dealers and found a used module to replace ours... Read more
Incident date: Mar 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Lincoln Navigator. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V598000 (Back Over Prevention) 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 contacted and confirmed that the parts were not yet available. The contact was... Read more
Incident date: Mar 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while refueling, gasoline was spilling from the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the headlights exploded. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was determined that the headlights needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manu... Read more
Incident date: Mar 7, 2024
Smell gasoline when tank get filled up. Engine light is on , suspension make a lot of noise , power steering pump also
Incident date: Mar 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel became firm, and was sticking while turning in direction. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was more noticeable while driving at highway speeds, and caused the vehicle to drift to either side, causing the driver to make additional adjustments to... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Ford Transit. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the side view cameras became inoperable and were displaying a black screen. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V598000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer... Read more
Incident date: Feb 8, 2024
GAS GAUGE WORKED, ONLY, INTERMITTENTLY. WOULD INDICATE EMPY AFTER A FILLUP. AT ABOUT 3/4 OF A TANK, WOULD START SHOWING ACCURATE READING. NOW SEEMS NOT TO WORK AT ALL. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 2 YEARS. NOW, IT IS STUCK ON 1/2 FULL NO MATTER HOW MUCH OR LITTLE FUEL IS IN THE TANK. MY SAFETY CONCERN IS RUNNING OUT OF FUEL ON THE HIGHWAY AND BEING REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. ONLINE, I HAVE FOU... Read more
Incident date: Oct 27, 2023
I keep getting an Electronic Brake Service message and ABS message that randomly starts dinging and popping up on my display that also disables my cruise control. This obviously is a known issue and I would like to know what is being done to correct this. I have read several and seen over 3000 reports of this problem so why is it not being addressed to make our vehicles safer when it is a known fa... Read more
Incident date: Oct 27, 2023
Loss of brake function coming to a red light. 5 warning lights illuminated. Also noticed a noise that appears to be coming from the brake pump that is cycling every 3-4 seconds. 1) Masterv Warning Light. 2) Brake System Warning Light 3) Brake System Warning Light 4) ABS Warning Light 5) SLIP Indicator I have called the Toyota service advisor and will be getting a quote for repair. Apparently... Read more
Incident date: Mar 5, 2024
The A trim pillar piece described in NHTSA recall 24VO31 flew off at highway speed. The B pillar trim piece flew off striking the side of the car causing a dent.
Incident date: Mar 3, 2024
Fue un día martes q venía de traer a mis hijas de la escuela ya para la casa cuand de repente se de tuvo el carro y se apagó el solo de una sola me asusté orrible mis hijas se pusieron a llorar y nerviosa me puse entre en choo me dolía el cuello me asusté mucho después q me calme lo apague el carro lo prendi de nuevo iba manejando con miedo se me apagó de nuevo de un solo gracias adiós q... Read more
Incident date: Mar 7, 2024
After about 6000 miles on the odometer, my vehicle started experiencing the "sticky steering" that other owners of this vehicle have been experiencing. When driving at about 55+ mph, the steering wheel gets very stiff, making adjustments to steering much more difficult. The issue was on and off, but it has occurred several times within a span of a few days. After this discovery, I took the car bac... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2024
When trying to park shift disappears . Parking feature unavailable. Have to try several times to or wait until parking shift appears. System glitch trying to park. Afraid car will run off by itself and hit other cars and crash. Family of four very concerned for our safety. It has been a known issue on several Chevrolet Malibu since 2015 This should have been on a recall since 2015. Why haven’t t... Read more
Incident date: Jan 15, 2024
My RV has a TriMark door lock which apparently has a documented history of failure which makes it impossible to open the door from the inside or outside. This has happened to me. The entire lock needs to be replaced so that the door can operate.
Incident date: Mar 3, 2024
There is a safety design flaw with the dash lights. If the headlights are ON The dash lights are turned down to a significantly lower illumination automatically and cannot be turned back up to full brightness. This is a big issue when driving with your head lights on during daylight rain/fog. The dash lights won't turn up to full brightness and are very difficult to read, especially for anyo... Read more
Incident date: Mar 3, 2024
The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Wrangler. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V263000 (Fuel System, Diesel) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manuf... Read more
Incident date: Mar 3, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Impreza. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V624000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the low beam headlights were extremely dim while driving, reducing driver ability to see the roadway. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 27, 2023
A warranty extension went out a few years back that said one might receive a "CHECK PCS SYSTEM" warning on the dash. This has happened to us, along with 7 other lights on the dash. Between the brakes being much less responsive, and all of the pre-crash warning / adaptive cruise / radar features being disabled, this could have caused an accident. The dealer checked out the car and states that the b... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2023
While driving 65-70 MPH cruise control will continuously "bog" down and act like it is wanting to cut off the whole vehicle. transmission is starting to act like it is slipping to the point where I am going all the way to the steering wheel before it catches again. Vehicle is under 36,000 miles and should not be having transmission issues. Radio has been replaced once before but is now doing the ... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Oct 15, 2023
While driving 65-70 MPH cruise control will continuously "bog" down and act like it is wanting to cut off the whole vehicle. transmission is starting to act like it is slipping to the point where I am going all the way to the steering wheel before it catches again. Vehicle is under 36,000 miles and should not be having transmission issues. Radio has been replaced once before but is now doing the ... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Oct 15, 2023
The contact's daughter owned a 2016 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that the vehicle was stolen, and while being chased by the police, the suspect crashed into a supporting beam located on the expressway. The front end of the vehicle was damaged. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was not filed. The contact was unaware of any injuries. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot for the city. ... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Mar 4, 2024
This is the 2nd GMC Yukon with a faulty drivetrain I've acquired in 3 years. Both occasions were directly after the vehicle had professional service done related to the faulty system. The transmissions was fully serviced at reputable repair shops and within a month or 2, without warning, the transmissions started having mechanical issues without DTC being triggered. As well as a 2004 Buick Rendezv... Read more
Incident date: Mar 5, 2024
My vehicle is continuously triggers a check engine light, which goes on and off. It states on the FORD APP that the engine is detecting that the exhaust gas recirculation system flow is higher than expected for the operating conditions. I have repeatedly requested that this be evaluated but every time I go in for service they tell me that they will not look at it unless the check engine light is o... Read more
Incident date: Mar 5, 2024
My vehicle is continuously triggers a check engine light, which goes on and off. It states on the FORD APP that the engine is detecting that the exhaust gas recirculation system flow is higher than expected for the operating conditions. I have repeatedly requested that this be evaluated but every time I go in for service they tell me that they will not look at it unless the check engine light is o... Read more
Incident date: Dec 10, 2023
toyota 2020 COOLANT BYPASS VALVE Circuit Short.
Incident date: Dec 10, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Ford EcoSport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) 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 made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The m... Read more
Incident date: Mar 4, 2024
The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who replaced the steering sensor however, the contact stated the failure persisted and the local mechanic was unable to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer wa... Read more
Incident date: Mar 5, 2024
Sometimes whenever I first start the car or stall the car and restart it a false code is triggered that significantly reduces the power of the car. The car will not go much faster than 40 in this mode and accelerates extremely slow. Turning the car off and waiting for a minute before starting it has fixed this problem for me so far. I have seen other people online with this car reporting this same... Read more
Incident date: Feb 29, 2024
The transmission started shifting hard in second gear and also whines at higher RPMs. The code it’s throwing is a Torque Converter Clutch issue. We were put in danger because it almost stalled on the highway. It has been inspected by a mechanic. There were no warnings prior to the failure.
Incident date: Feb 29, 2024
The battery keeps draining/dying and I need to constantly jump start the car. I’ve replaced the battery and it keeps happening.
Incident date: Jan 25, 2024
The car's main screen displayed an error message, "front passenger safety restraint fault. service required." According to on line user groups this same safety system fault has occurred in many Tesla Model 3 cars. In my case, Tesla replaced the occupancy sensor harness in the seat and replaced the passenger side air bag, for a total price of $1800. Replacing the air bag was by far the most expe... Read more
Incident date: Mar 5, 2024
Phantom braking from the CMBS collision avoidance system. It occurs randomly and applies brakes when the road is clear. The amount of braking varies from a partial second to more severe. This will cause an accident.
Incident date: Mar 5, 2024
Phantom braking from the CMBS collision avoidance system. It occurs randomly and applies brakes when the road is clear. The amount of braking varies from a partial second to more severe. This will cause an accident.
Incident date: Mar 5, 2024
Phantom braking from the CMBS collision avoidance system. It occurs randomly and applies brakes when the road is clear. The amount of braking varies from a partial second to more severe. This will cause an accident.
Incident date: Mar 5, 2024
Faulty abs and hcu module. They are defective units and discontinued for purchase. I contacted local dealer and parts are on back order for 5 months.
Incident date: Feb 22, 2024
No codes/lights or warnings. Engine started making loud clinking sound randomly, then smoke and car was disabled with oil and metal pieces everywhere in the roadway. Only then was there an engine light on the dash.
Incident date: Feb 22, 2024
Check engine light came on so I made an appointment and drove the vehicle to Peoria Ford. They said CODE P0302 IN PCM, FOUND TSB FOR CONCERN [XXX], PRESSURE TEST COOLING SYSTEM FOUND COOLANT LEAKING FROM CYLINDER 2, RECOMMEND ADDRESS TSB AND RETEST This could cause a misfire, overheat, or vehicle to catch fire. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B... Read more
Incident date: Feb 11, 2024
Component or System Failed or Malfunctioned: The ABS harness connecting to the ABS module is the primary culprit. Specifically, the top part of the harness is not adequately sealed, which has led to water ingress and subsequent wire shorting. Availability for Inspection: No, the ABS harness is available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: The malfunctioning ABS harness poses a significant ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 3, 2024
Was driving to my daughters in the rain. As was pulling in my rav 4 started jumping and sputtering and cut off with a message of “engine stopped, power steering low”. Tried to crank it and same thing. Let it set over night and cranked fine. Took to dealership and they said could not find anything wrong. Have googled and tons of this same report on there but no solution. Needs to be recalled... Read more
Incident date: Feb 19, 2024
Timeline of Recent Issues and Service Dates: Date Repair Order Date Invoiced and Picked Up Mileage Issues [XXX] [XXX] 21,735 Oil Change; Transmission; Sunroof; Gas Gauge; Door Seal; Power Running Boards; Park Assist [XXX] [XXX] 30,081 Safety Recall; Power Running Boards; Transmission [XXX] [XXX] 33,909 Wipers, Power Running Boards; Transmission [XXX] [XXX] 35,695 Internal Vent and Control Modu... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2024
Sudden engine stalling in the middle of a highway with extremely heavy traffic and stopped in the center lane. Needs to wait inside the car with a passenger in a very scary, tense situation and exposed to serious accident, until a towing arrive for about 1.5 hrs later. The car was towed to the dealer. Since I was in the middle of a highway, I wasn’t able to exit the car to verify the car. But, ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2024
Sudden engine stalling in the middle of a highway with extremely heavy traffic and stopped in the center lane. Needs to wait inside the car with a passenger in a very scary, tense situation and exposed to serious accident, until a towing arrive for about 1.5 hrs later. The car was towed to the dealer. Since I was in the middle of a highway, I wasn’t able to exit the car to verify the car. But, ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2024
I have only had this vehicle for maybe 300-400 miles. Bought it new. Three times I’ve had the parking break engage on its own when trying to accelerate at intersections. For no reason the red parking break will light up and cause the truck to screech to a hault, then disengages when I engage the throttle again. I’ve not noticed any messages in the instrument cluster beyond the red parking ligh... Read more
Incident date: Feb 5, 2024
Vehicle engine light reported codes P050F, FE8:engine, and FE9. It was determined the Brake Booster Vacuum Pump was leaking oil and was faulty. It has been replaced and brakes better. Engine light went off. The other diagnostic by my mechanic showed the Oil Control Intake and Exhaust Variable Valve Timing (VVT) Solenoid needed to be replaced too.
Incident date: May 9, 2023
Brought vehicle in for check engine light. Ford mechanic stated that the engine is failing due to coolant leaking into the cylinders , and that this is a known problem. Vehicle stalled and is no longer operational.
Incident date: May 9, 2023
While driving on the freeway, the car showed a message saying “performance issue” and lost power. I couldn’t accelerate and the car stopped. I couldn’t power on or down the car. It looked like an alternator issue and it wasn’t giving enough power to the battery. AAA arrived hour and half later. Tried to jump but it didn’t do anything. Finally had to tow the car to the nearest dealershi... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2023
While driving on the freeway, the car showed a message saying “performance issue” and lost power. I couldn’t accelerate and the car stopped. I couldn’t power on or down the car. It looked like an alternator issue and it wasn’t giving enough power to the battery. AAA arrived hour and half later. Tried to jump but it didn’t do anything. Finally had to tow the car to the nearest dealershi... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2024
My vehicle encountered a severe loss of control, resulting in a collision with a concrete wall on I-90 west towards Seattle at 19,877 miles. This critical event, leading to non-deployment of airbags and subsequent hospitalization, occurred shortly after two prior services addressing a Rear Drive Motor unit malfunction, first at 14,768 miles and again at 14,820 miles. These incidents underscore a t... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Feb 29, 2024
My vehicle encountered a severe loss of control, resulting in a collision with a concrete wall on I-90 west towards Seattle at 19,877 miles. This critical event, leading to non-deployment of airbags and subsequent hospitalization, occurred shortly after two prior services addressing a Rear Drive Motor unit malfunction, first at 14,768 miles and again at 14,820 miles. These incidents underscore a t... Read more
Crash
1 injured