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: Jan 3, 2024
In unexpected and unknown circumstances (false sensor detections?), the automated doors and trunk will suddenly reverse direction when opening and rapidly close instead of pausing. This can cause injury with no ability to get out of the way in proper time. I’ve experience cases where the trunk opened then suddenly came down hitting me in the head. Also, have had cases where the falcon wing do... Read more
2 injured
Incident date: Jan 13, 2024
It has become apparent that the turn signals and horn buttons buttons have safety concerns. Both functions are severely amplified when needing to invoke them while the steering wheel is turned/turning causing the driver to temporarily become disoriented around where the buttons are without needing to take their eyes off the road. I’ve run into this multiple times and has created situations whe... Read more
Incident date: Jan 13, 2024
Vehicle ABS malfunctioning making some dashboard lights come on. A bunch of random codes in the readers makes it hard to identify the issue. Codes are not specific and a bunch of other components need to be tested/replaced before realizing the actual main issue causing the owner spend a ridiculous amount of money and time. Only dissappear if ABS module is replaced which is hard to find(up to two y... Read more
Incident date: Jan 13, 2024
Drove home from work and stopped at Walmart on the way home. Pulled into a parking spot against a curb and when I came out to start my car and reverse out of the spot, it would not move. I got the car pushed out of the parking spot, and when driving out of the parking lot could not go past 1st gear. It has now been sitting at my apartment complex for two days. Couple years ago the transmission was... Read more
Incident date: Jan 9, 2024
After my shift at work. I got in my 2019 ACURA RDX and closed the door. Right when the door closed the rear tailgate glass shattered. Leaving a big hole in the glass on my drive home. While it kept breaking into thousands of smaller pieces while driving home. Mind you I live in Chicago and the temperature was 20 degrees Fahrenheit outside. Called my insurance company to file a claim. Had the re... Read more
Incident date: Jan 13, 2024
CAR STALLED WHILE DRIVING. CAR WON'T START AND WON'T ACCELERATE.
TESLA
MODEL X
(2022) - SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:ABS WARNING LIGHT
Jan 13, 2024
Incident date: Jan 13, 2024
The ABS Sensor on the brakes failed while driving on the highway. This could have caused an accident. These modules should last the lifetime of the car.
Incident date: Dec 31, 2023
Transmission causing harsh shifts, random shifting and complete failure in the middle of the road. It is available for inspection at any given time. These transmission issues have left me stranded at red lights, in the middle of intersections, and on interstate highways and have become a major safety hazard for myself and those around me on the road. Two men from Bob Ruth Ford in Dillsburg, PA dia... Read more
Incident date: Jan 13, 2024
My vehicle does not have a horn in the center. It is a button. Elon Musk told the public over and over they all had a center horn that just wasn’t activated yet, that would enable it in a future software update and that was a lie. This button horn on the right hand side never functions when needed. There is no “cover the entire right side” with your hand to make it honk when you’re quickly... Read more
Incident date: Jan 11, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that upon entering the vehicle and attempting to buckle the seat belt, the contact became aware that the seat belt was no longer attached. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the anchor point bolts were severely corroded. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not noti... Read more
Incident date: Jan 11, 2024
While driving the vehicle at any speed, the steering wheel sticks when trying to make even the slightest movement. No warning lamps or malfunction codes appear on the instrument panel when this is happening. Additional effort is needed by the driver to overcome the sticking behavior. I took the vehicle my local Honda dealer in Selma, TX and they were able to replicate the problem. They recommended... Read more
Incident date: Dec 19, 2023
Premature failure of the Particulate Matter Sensor - Mopar (68297518AA)
Incident date: Jan 11, 2024
Trunk is not properly sealed resulting in water getting into the trunk and corroding the tailgate control unit, this issue has been reported online hundreds of times. A week after my trunk flooded during heavy rain my car warning lights for the brake system, lane keep assist and several others lit up and wont work, the lights turn on and off intermittently - again this issue is being reported onli... Read more
Incident date: Jan 12, 2024
The brackets in the driver side door are broken I’m passed the bumper to bumper warranty therefore Ford won’t cover it
Incident date: Jan 11, 2024
The ABS and traction control has a fault that’s turns off the abs system. It’s been troubleshot to the HCU pump. There are several ram trucks with this issue. Fault code is. C0020-01 ABS pump motor control
Incident date: Jan 10, 2024
2019 Ranger went into limp mode in traffic at the worst possible time. Error code appeared and referred to transmission fault at roughly 38k. Was taken to ford and I was told PCM just needed updating. By 45k the transmission was right back to shifting rough with sudden shifts jerking the truck. Called Ford to say hey it’s not right still. It’s continuing to downshift from 10th gear at 65mph in... Read more
Incident date: Jan 10, 2024
The passenger windshield trim piece blew off my vehicle on the interstate yesterday and caused the vehicle behind me to swerve to try to avoid it. Looking through my rear view mirror, the driver appeared to lose control due to over correction. The driver avoided a collision and crash, but it looked hairy for a few moments. The driver's side trim piece blew off my vehicle last year. After Googli... Read more
Incident date: Jan 10, 2024
I have not received any more information about getting this fixed I’ve been driving it around like this.
Incident date: Jun 4, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and was inoperable. The contact swerved around a nearby vehicle to avoid a crash. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,036.
Incident date: Jan 11, 2024
The gear box failed, the battery failed and the coolant system leaked at the same time. It is at the dealer now who has confirmed these. A vehicle dashboard light came on before this occurred to tell me to engage the parking brake to prevent the car from rolling. Where I live, there are no hills so no reason to ever engage a parking brake and this dashboard light is meaningless. However, when... Read more
Incident date: Nov 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while stopping at a drive-thru window, the steering wheel began spinning to the left and then to the right independently. The vehicle then suddenly turned right and hit a nearby curb which then made the vehicle turn to the left hitting another curb. The vehicle continued to turn to the left and right, hitting nearby curbs for approximat... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Nov 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and shutoff. The failure also occurred while driving on a busy highway. After the failure had occurred, the vehicle was restarted and operated normally. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed the engine misfire was caused by a faulty ignition coil and ig... Read more
Incident date: Dec 19, 2023
PROBLEMS & FAILURES include: 1. Repeated battery failures, towed over 12 times since car was purchased in 2017. Left [XXX] and [XXX] stranded and/or stranded in the dark on more than once occasion. Repeated (6+ attempts) to repair and/or replace the battery (local Subaru dealership) with no success- DRIVER SAFETY RISK. Two ADULTS (seniors) should not be repeatedly stranded in the middle of ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 19, 2023
PROBLEMS & FAILURES include: 1. Repeated battery failures, towed over 12 times since car was purchased in 2017. Left [XXX] and [XXX] stranded and/or stranded in the dark on more than once occasion. Repeated (6+ attempts) to repair and/or replace the battery (local Subaru dealership) with no success- DRIVER SAFETY RISK. Two ADULTS (seniors) should not be repeatedly stranded in the middle of ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 30, 2023
On 11/24/23 Mercedes Benz had replaced my subframe which was part of a safety recall. When I arrived home after picking up my vehicle, there was a loud bang from under the vehicle. I immediately called the service department and told them about what happened and also complained that the steering wheel was cocked to the left and pulling in that direction. My service advisor John advised me to bring... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Dec 30, 2023
On 11/24/23 Mercedes Benz had replaced my subframe which was part of a safety recall. When I arrived home after picking up my vehicle, there was a loud bang from under the vehicle. I immediately called the service department and told them about what happened and also complained that the steering wheel was cocked to the left and pulling in that direction. My service advisor John advised me to bring... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Dec 30, 2023
In cold weather, doors will not close back once opened. It just bounces back at you. Thought door was closed a few times and it flew open on highway when exiting. My niece was in the back seat. How is this not recalled with multiple complaints on the Volvo forum?
Incident date: Jan 10, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle suddenly lost automotive power and stalled. The vehicle was later towed to the local service center who diagnosed that the number two engine connecting rod had failed causing a hole in the engine block. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 10, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Honda HR-V. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle jolted forward. The vehicle failed to start. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer and was informed to schedule an appointment for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact stated that the ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 10, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Honda HR-V. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle jolted forward. The vehicle failed to start. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer and was informed to schedule an appointment for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact stated that the ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 10, 2024
Several things have happened multiple times now. While driving on an interstate the truck suddenly lost power then from 70 mph dropped almost immediately to 30-35 which almost caused the vehicles behind me to slam into me. Another time the auto stop came on waiting at a red light then when the light turned green the truck threw all alerts on the dash and died. Now I was parking and the esc control... Read more
Incident date: Jan 10, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the "High Engine Temperature - Stop Safely" message was displayed on the instrument panel with the temperature gauge indicating that the engine was hot. The contact pulled over and allowed the engine to cool down. Upon inspection, the contact discovered that the coolant reservoir was empty. The contact replenished the co... Read more
Incident date: Nov 10, 2023
My FSD Beta-equipped Tesla sometimes makes inappropriate lane choices while following the navigation route. After watching a video made by a Beta volunteer driver while testing a similar lane selection issue they had experienced across several FSD Beta firmware releases, I checked a Google Map navigation route that took the same turn onto the same street shown in the video. The path in the Google ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Lincoln MKC. The contact stated that she had refueled the vehicle at the gas station. The contact stated that upon attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle shuddered while starting and shut off independently. The contact stated that she restarted the vehicle and continued driving; however, the failure recurred while driving. The contact stated turned on the hazard light... Read more
Incident date: Jan 4, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Acadia. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the repair. The contact had not experienced a ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 4, 2024
The contact owns a 2010 BMW X3. 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 contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed t... Read more
Incident date: Jan 4, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe. 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 local dealer was not contacted. 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 cont... Read more
Incident date: Jan 6, 2024
The warning lights dealing with the braking system malfunctions. All warning lights dealing with the Braking system come on the dash. The brakes failed to engage and the car began to roll backward on a hill had to use the emergency brakes to stop the car. This problem has happened twice since I had the car on 12/6/2023 at which time all warning lights came on dealing with the brake system and on ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 6, 2024
Front drive shaft detached and went into oil pan causing oils to splash out everywhere.
Incident date: Apr 3, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated that after arriving to her destination and upon attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start immediately. After starting the vehicle and driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to restart. The check engi... Read more
Incident date: Apr 3, 2023
The aluminum bolts that hold the power steer motor failed: one bolt was sheered off, one was completely missing, and another was completely unthreaded. Apparently, this is a known recall in some states but not WA: [XXX] I'm unclear why my WA-based aluminum bolts were not a part of the recall and replacement with steel bolts... INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FO... Read more
Incident date: Jun 10, 2023
I was trying to back up and the car would not go. A warning on the dash came on that said collision Mitigation System problem, see your dealer. I put the car in drive and it hesitated like a brake was on. .I couldn't get above 10 miles per hour. It was like I was trying to go forward, but someone was pulling me back at the same time. I took it to the dealer and they said nothing was wrong.
Incident date: Jun 10, 2023
My vehicle developed an unexpected oil leak, when the oil plug worked itself loose, and then fell out, resulting in a catastrophic engine failure (and subsequent $11,000 engine replacement). Upon taking it to a nearby mechanic, he discovered the plug sitting in the splash shield. The sudden loss of engine power, on the highway, created a traffic hazard for myself, and the other motorists around m... Read more
Incident date: Jun 10, 2023
I had situations has stalling and poor performance I received a code p0302 cylinder 2 misfire. Replaced coil pack, spark plugs and wires. The p0302 code returns. The van has less than 46000 miles. Have not been able to resolve the issue. Researched the issue and found the the valve train and heads has problems and will require the head must be rebuilt. Researched the problem and found this ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 8, 2024
Engine light abs sensor from right wheel Repair at Mavis Tire 1701 19th St Bessemer Al 35020 phone# Mavis 205 666 0750 Repair made 08/18/2023 $381.12 total I have invoice from Mavis Tire I am unable to send my invoice.
Incident date: Jan 8, 2024
Engine light abs sensor from right wheel Repair at Mavis Tire 1701 19th St Bessemer Al 35020 phone# Mavis 205 666 0750 Repair made 08/18/2023 $381.12 total I have invoice from Mavis Tire I am unable to send my invoice.
Incident date: Jan 8, 2024
Engine light abs sensor from right wheel Repair at Mavis Tire 1701 19th St Bessemer Al 35020 phone# Mavis 205 666 0750 Repair made 08/18/2023 $381.12 total I have invoice from Mavis Tire I am unable to send my invoice.
Incident date: Jan 10, 2024
I was sitting in traffic today and suddenly heard an explosion sound and when I looked back my rear windshield was all shattered. It spontaneously shattered out of nowhere with no warnings. I was lucky that I was not moving and in traffic when that happened, because that scared me tremendously and if I was driving I could have crashed or something.
Incident date: Jan 10, 2024
My transmission wasn't working properly. It is available for inspection if my vehicle can be towed where it needs to go as it does not drive on it's own. When my transmission stopped working I could have caused a collision. Yes, my vehicle has been inspected by the manufacturer. Some warning signs were the transmission taking longer than it should to go into gear and having trouble accelerating.
Incident date: Nov 13, 2023
FRAME ROTTING OUT - HAS ROT HOLES - UNSAFE - REMAINDER OF TRUCK IS GOOD BUT WITHOUT A SOLID STRUCTURE THIS TRUCK IS UNSAFE AND USELESS. MANY TRAILBLAZER FRAMES DO NOT LAST AND ROT OUT FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN RESEARCHING. BAD PRODUCT GM.