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: Nov 3, 2023
Car worked fine, all the sudden it wouldn't turn over, I would put the key in and turn it and nothing would happen, I was stuck and had to catch a ride, lucky that I was able, a car company that is supposedly reliable shouldn't allow there cars to completely give out on people during the middle of winter storms and not take ownership, when the customer has taken good care of the car. Talked to sev... Read more
Incident date: Oct 10, 2023
The component that failed is the air back clock spring. It’s preventing the horn form functioning properly. In turn can result in an accident from lack of warning other drivers and/or air bag might not go off. It seems to be a known problem on the 13 model year of the 4Runners. It has not been inspected as I’m not knowledgeable on what to do in that situation and the dealer says that I’d hav... Read more
Incident date: Oct 10, 2023
The component that failed is the air back clock spring. It’s preventing the horn form functioning properly. In turn can result in an accident from lack of warning other drivers and/or air bag might not go off. It seems to be a known problem on the 13 model year of the 4Runners. It has not been inspected as I’m not knowledgeable on what to do in that situation and the dealer says that I’d hav... Read more
Incident date: Nov 2, 2023
Alternator/generator failure at 55910 miles
Incident date: Nov 5, 2023
All 4 struts and shocks are leaking. The vehicle has less than 30,000 miles. This is dangerous and will cause tire issues, stopping issues and more. A quick google search shows this exists on many expeditions. Diagnosed by mechanic during annual inspection. The parts are bad and others have reported the same issue at less than 10000 miles. Many states don’t require inspections so how many are ou... Read more
Incident date: Aug 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Fiesta. The contact stated while accelerating from a complete stop, the vehicle would jerk and would hesitate to respond. Additionally, the contact stated that the failure recurred while driving from a complete stop, and the vehicle stalled in the middle of the road. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that her husband depressed the accel... Read more
Incident date: Aug 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormally loud sound. The check engine warning light intermittently illuminated. The vehicle later failed to start and was towed to an independent mechanic, who replaced the variable valve timing (VVT) solenoids. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed... Read more
Incident date: Oct 31, 2023
Was in the middle of driving and hit the accelerator and the car would not go anywhere. Mechanic/Ford dealership said it was the transmission, that the trans pump fluid wasn't pumping correctly and it caused the trans to fail. Had no warnings that anything was wrong. Needed an entirely new transmission then was charged for extra parts(nuts, bolts), in addition to the new transmission. Cost was $73... Read more
Incident date: Oct 31, 2023
since this recall, in the last month my car now is telling me air bags need to be serviced. I am scared to drive in fear i get hit and the shards will erupt. This is a ticking time bomb. I get told by GMC parts are not available, then i get told they don't know what the fix is; Which one is it. i have asked them to give me a substantial Owners Loyalty compensation so i can get a new vehicle and... Read more
Incident date: Oct 31, 2023
The contact owns a 2008 Mercury Mariner. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH and making a turn, the steering wheel seized temporarily. The contact stated that the failure recurred intermittently while driving, and the vehicle lost power steering functionality. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The contact stated that she turned off an... Read more
Incident date: Nov 5, 2023
Pre-Collision System (PCS) failed. My daughter during sunset (sun glare) struck the vehicle in front of her, that suddenly braked due to sun glare. Toyota hasn't look at PCS system yet and the car is at the repair shop, but I did open a case with Toyota to investigate failure and access onboard data. Auto repair shop will check the system, but no malfunction warning on the car's warning display. T... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Nov 5, 2023
I got ZD1-00000 recall procedure done at Joe Cooper Dodge of Shawnee 4940 North Automall Dr. Shawnee, OK 74804. Recently I noticed my blower had started to perform rattling sounds, so I opened the glovebox, inspected the blower and found one little screw inside the turbine. I wondered where it should be screwed, so I looked everything around and realized the passenger-side airbag is screwed on 2... Read more
Incident date: Nov 5, 2023
A few months ago, I was at a slow speed, looking for a parking space, when I set the car in parking it made a weird noise and did not stop. After that issue, an indicator light appeared on the board: SVC-4WD. After this, the indicator light came on almost every day. I took the Jeep to the auto repair shop where I usually go, they ordered the piece and had to wait for weeks. I saw on this website t... Read more
Incident date: Nov 2, 2023
When driving on the highway, the vehicle would shake uncontrollably when i hit a bump. Also know as the death wobble. I took my Jeep to the dealer for evaluation. The dealer recommended that the steering damper be replaced along with some additional parts. I have mechanical breakdown coverage with Geico and a service plan with Autonation. I also contacted Jeep Cares as the death wobble is a know p... Read more
Incident date: Nov 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Ram 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V880000 (Fuel System, Diesel) 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 contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled and lost motive power. Th... Read more
Incident date: Nov 2, 2023
I opened my hood while parked in my driveway to use the fuse puller tool in the engine fuse compartment as my infotainment screen was out and i wanted to check the fuse under the dash. There is a slight incline in my driveway but not much. I left my hood up while i used the tool and switched a fuse under the dash to check my infotainment screen. When i went back to put the fuse tool in the engine ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Escape. The contact stated while attempting to reverse out of a parking space at slow speeds, the contact became aware that the electric power steering was not functioning properly. The EPS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the power steering control module. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating... Read more
Incident date: Oct 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine temperature gauge displayed that the engine was overheating. The contact drove the vehicle to a safe location and waited for the engine to cool down. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the residence. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a blown h... Read more
Incident date: Nov 4, 2023
During turns the steering rack will sometimes fail to return to center like normal and the power steering assist will fail to provide assistance mid turn. When this occurs the first symptom is the steering will pull into the direction of the turn at the beginning of the turn. This feels like an oversteer condition, but it happens at any speed and is a result of the steering moving into the turn o... Read more
Incident date: Nov 6, 2023
All advanced driver assistance systems have stopped working while driving. This has also caused brake and transmission errors to show.
Incident date: Nov 4, 2023
Body control module. It gets wet when it rains because of an engineering mess up. It shorts out my lights. Sometimes it can't get out of car because it messes with the locks and windows. Can't use my electric mirrors anymore. Instead of being a much needed recall they decided to not even make replacement bcm. It is a problem everything it gets wet that should have been recalled and fixed. At least... Read more
Incident date: Nov 4, 2023
Body control module. It gets wet when it rains because of an engineering mess up. It shorts out my lights. Sometimes it can't get out of car because it messes with the locks and windows. Can't use my electric mirrors anymore. Instead of being a much needed recall they decided to not even make replacement bcm. It is a problem everything it gets wet that should have been recalled and fixed. At least... Read more
Incident date: Nov 4, 2023
Body control module. It gets wet when it rains because of an engineering mess up. It shorts out my lights. Sometimes it can't get out of car because it messes with the locks and windows. Can't use my electric mirrors anymore. Instead of being a much needed recall they decided to not even make replacement bcm. It is a problem everything it gets wet that should have been recalled and fixed. At least... Read more
Incident date: Oct 27, 2023
The steering wheel sticks whenever I attempt to turn it (be it left or right) while driving.
Incident date: Oct 27, 2023
Car would not turn off. Says vehicles remote keyless start system problem. Won't shut off vehicle motor. Tried for over 10 minutes to turn off vehicle. Had to risk injury by removing battery terminal cable. It's been 2x it has happen. Honda sounds like recalled or extended warranty for 2016-2018 but not 2019.
Incident date: Oct 27, 2023
Car would not turn off. Says vehicles remote keyless start system problem. Won't shut off vehicle motor. Tried for over 10 minutes to turn off vehicle. Had to risk injury by removing battery terminal cable. It's been 2x it has happen. Honda sounds like recalled or extended warranty for 2016-2018 but not 2019.
Incident date: Nov 3, 2023
I was involved in a single vehicle accident at 5 am on October 5, 2023 on a rural road in Deland, Florida. I was on an unfamiliar road with a sharp curve and as I was trying to slow down the I was unable to slow down or steer the vehicle. It slammed into a cluster of trees and immediately the engine caught fire. I crawled out of the vehicle in pain from the force of the crash and was disoriente... Read more
Crash
Fire
1 injured
Incident date: Nov 3, 2023
I was involved in a single vehicle accident at 5 am on October 5, 2023 on a rural road in Deland, Florida. I was on an unfamiliar road with a sharp curve and as I was trying to slow down the I was unable to slow down or steer the vehicle. It slammed into a cluster of trees and immediately the engine caught fire. I crawled out of the vehicle in pain from the force of the crash and was disoriente... Read more
Crash
Fire
1 injured
Incident date: Nov 3, 2023
Mass air flow sensor has been replaced 3 times. Keeps going bad causing hiccups and hesitation. Very dangerous at times
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and whenever attempting to accelerate the vehicle would display a jerking sensation. It would jump as if it wanted to fail and or stall. power train malfunctioning, hill start pre-collision assist, front camera low visibility, as well as others, all had illuminated on the dashboard. The vehicle had been... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and whenever attempting to accelerate the vehicle would display a jerking sensation. It would jump as if it wanted to fail and or stall. power train malfunctioning, hill start pre-collision assist, front camera low visibility, as well as others, all had illuminated on the dashboard. The vehicle had been... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and whenever attempting to accelerate the vehicle would display a jerking sensation. It would jump as if it wanted to fail and or stall. power train malfunctioning, hill start pre-collision assist, front camera low visibility, as well as others, all had illuminated on the dashboard. The vehicle had been... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
My 2021 Kia Soul was an attempted theft. The vehicle was locked and the would-be thieves gained access by breaking the passenger rear window. The True failure is in the ignition system. As the thieves tore apart the steering column and dismantled the ignition system, and they were ready to pull away before being interrupted. This defect in the simplicity and ease of access to the ignition system w... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while at the traffic light, the auto Stop-Start feature turned off the engine; however, the engine failed to restart. The message "Stop-Start Unavailable" was displayed. The contact restarted the vehicle and manually disengaged the auto Stop-Start feature. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the cause of the failure could not be ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while at the traffic light, the auto Stop-Start feature turned off the engine; however, the engine failed to restart. The message "Stop-Start Unavailable" was displayed. The contact restarted the vehicle and manually disengaged the auto Stop-Start feature. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the cause of the failure could not be ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 3, 2023
Trunk Trunk lid Trunk latch Rear bumper cover Rear bumper brackets Both rear head lights Both rear head light Rear trunk lid cover Rear trunk trunk support Are broken, my safety was put at risk because I was hit in the back of my car at a stoplight. The vehicle has not been inspected by the police but it is currently at the mechanic.
Crash
Incident date: Oct 3, 2021
Car was traveling down the road at 45 miles an hour. The windshield cracked under normal driving conditions. Living in Iowa this would fall under the class action.
Incident date: Oct 3, 2021
My vehicle was broken into and there was an attempt to steal the car. I made a police report and they expressed that the car would have been driven recklessly and potentially crashed if it was stolen. The safety issues with KIA fortes have become a huge issue nation wide and the cars should be recalled to have standard security installed that a majority of other cars already have equipped.
Incident date: Nov 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the fuel tank was deformed due to a stuck canister purge valve. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18... Read more
Incident date: Nov 2, 2023
So I test drove a BMW X5 e drive a couple months ago at an independent used car dealer and it looked perfect but when I drove it the car bounced excessively over any minor bump in the road. It felt like sitting in the back seats in a school bus not like driving a luxury SUV. They offered to fix it but I just felt like I couldn't trust them after this experience. I chalked this experience up to a u... Read more
Incident date: Oct 26, 2023
Problem #1- I had to replace the ABS module and HCU on this truck at about 10k miles. (this was completed under warranty). Then at 50k miles truck was diagnosed with the same problem. I had to pay out of pocket for this repair. I ordered these parts from the dealer in November 2021, and they did not get me in until August 19, 2023. I had to pay ($1152.33). This is very dangerous when it has this e... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2022
ABS module controlling the Anti-Lock brake system has failed. I am told there is a recall for earlier models of this car for the very same issue but not for 2012 model year. This is a safety issue that is very expensive to fix and primarily by the dealer requiring factory programming of a new expensive ABS module
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
I was sold a car with 1 unprepared safety recall and 22 technical service bulletins. In addition to was previously salvaged sue to collision, hail, flood and fire. The vehicle also was a 2019 made into a 2018. When the ecm was reprogrammed the new vin was wiped clean and altered. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash
Fire
1 injured
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
I was sold a car with 1 unprepared safety recall and 22 technical service bulletins. In addition to was previously salvaged sue to collision, hail, flood and fire. The vehicle also was a 2019 made into a 2018. When the ecm was reprogrammed the new vin was wiped clean and altered. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash
Fire
1 injured
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
Every so often when I am driving on the highway, the car just looses power and I may catch a message that flashes on my display, "Emergency Braking". The event last no longer than about a second. When this phantom braking happens, so far, it has not been so severe to feel dangerous just unsettling!
Incident date: Jul 21, 2022
Hello, I'm not sure if this is something that you would handle or not. My husband and I have a Hyundai Santa Fe (husband-2015, Mine - 2013). We both bought the vehicles used and haven't had any major problems until about a year ago when both of our vehicles started drinking motor oil like people drink water. We don't have any signs of a leak anywhere. We had taken it to the Hyundai Dealerships and... Read more
Incident date: Jul 21, 2022
Hello, I'm not sure if this is something that you would handle or not. My husband and I have a Hyundai Santa Fe (husband-2015, Mine - 2013). We both bought the vehicles used and haven't had any major problems until about a year ago when both of our vehicles started drinking motor oil like people drink water. We don't have any signs of a leak anywhere. We had taken it to the Hyundai Dealerships and... Read more
Incident date: Jul 21, 2022
Hello, I'm not sure if this is something that you would handle or not. My husband and I have a Hyundai Santa Fe (husband-2015, Mine - 2013). We both bought the vehicles used and haven't had any major problems until about a year ago when both of our vehicles started drinking motor oil like people drink water. We don't have any signs of a leak anywhere. We had taken it to the Hyundai Dealerships and... Read more
Incident date: Oct 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving on the highway the vehicle failed to exceed 60 MPH. The vehicle then decelerated to 35 MPH independently and was sluggish. The contact veered to the side of the road, turned off and restarted the vehicle. The contact stated that she continued driving with the hazard lights activated because the vehicle failed to exceed 37 MPH. T... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
Earlier this morning, while driving in stop-and-go traffic, I attempted to accelerate once traffic ahead of me had cleared. There was no car, obstruction, etc., in front of my car for at least one car length, if not more. As I accelerated, the CMBS system suddenly kicked in, flashing BRAKE on my dash and applying the brake. My car came to a complete stop. Luckily, the person behind me had started ... Read more