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: Oct 23, 2023
The ABS light and traction control light randomly come on. I loose breaking power from time to time. It is a known issue with these vehicles. Unfortunately there is no way to fix it at this time. All of the dealerships near me have the part on back order and have for well over 6 months. It’s not very fun to drive around with no reliable ABS and the possibility the brakes may fail. I do not drive... Read more
Incident date: Oct 23, 2023
ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL ALARMS GOES ON AND OFF. ONLY STARTED AFTER DODGE PERFORMED THE RECALL
Incident date: Oct 23, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Edge. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who retrieved a DTC code for a torque converter failure. The mechanic informed the contact of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V390000 (Power Train) which the mechanic linked to the failure and referred the contact to the dealer... Read more
Incident date: Aug 31, 2023
Automatic start/stop does not consistently work - Honda dealership looked into months ago (January of 2023) and adjusted the battery power (or something to that affect), recommended new battery and it worked great again... 8 months out, the auto start/stop has started having issues again (August 2023). They said it looked like an issue with my battery power consumption, which they adjusted. The... Read more
Incident date: Oct 12, 2023
Our family of 5 (including 2 children and an infant) was driving 70 mph westbound on Interstate 40 east of Knoxville, TN when our 2022 Tahoe RST engine seized. For a few seconds, we had no steering, braking or acceleration and the dashboard began flashing. After a few seconds, the car shifted itself into the neural gear and we were able to brake on the shoulder of a busy highway. We were unable... Read more
Incident date: Oct 23, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Wrangler. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V767000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and determined that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manu... Read more
Incident date: Oct 14, 2023
Rear brakes squeak/moan when in reverse. The recent TSB from Ford states this is a recurring issue with Escape owners. My vehicle underwent the fix (which should have only taken 0.70 hours, but took 3 hours on a scheduled appointment), only to get the vehicle back and the sound is even louder than it was before. Vehicle went back in for said concern. They installed a brake muffler piece to hel... Read more
Incident date: Oct 14, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle shook uncontrollably. The contact was hauling a trailer during the failure. While the vehicle was shaking, the trailer caused the vehicle to spin-out. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed however, the contact was not provided the diagnostic results. The vehicle was repaired. The manufact... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2023
The timing chain broke on an uphill and evidently ruined the entire engine. I was stuck in the middle of a 2 lane road with no shoulder on a hill. I had to direct traffic for 45 minutes to avoid any crashes or my car being rear ended. Repair will cost more than the car is currently worth. Seems to be a known issue. It was inspected by Land Rover Cincinnati. Check engine light came on 2.5 days... Read more
Incident date: Oct 20, 2023
Attempted to merge onto a highway and car stayed in first and not allowing for proper acceleration. Ended up not being included under a current recall. Replace the lead frame connector in the transmission.
Incident date: Oct 19, 2023
When driving approximately 45 mph and above the entire car starts to violently shake. I don't know what part causes this problem. I've heard it could be : steering damper, ball joints, tie rods, track bar, front suspension damper cause this. IDK. Until I can afford to take it to a service shop and get it checked and repaired, it sits parked because I'm afraid to drive it. This started ab... Read more
Incident date: Oct 19, 2023
When driving approximately 45 mph and above the entire car starts to violently shake. I don't know what part causes this problem. I've heard it could be : steering damper, ball joints, tie rods, track bar, front suspension damper cause this. IDK. Until I can afford to take it to a service shop and get it checked and repaired, it sits parked because I'm afraid to drive it. This started ab... Read more
Incident date: Oct 19, 2023
When driving approximately 45 mph and above the entire car starts to violently shake. I don't know what part causes this problem. I've heard it could be : steering damper, ball joints, tie rods, track bar, front suspension damper cause this. IDK. Until I can afford to take it to a service shop and get it checked and repaired, it sits parked because I'm afraid to drive it. This started ab... Read more
Incident date: Oct 22, 2023
When trying to stop park and turn off my car it will display an error message saying shift to park. This first started about a week ago and I constantly have to turn the car on and off while I am trying to wiggle the shifter in an effort to get it to acknowledge that the car is parked so I can get out. This has also caused me to be stuck in the car for about 5 minutes on a good day to 20 minutes o... Read more
Incident date: Oct 20, 2023
The vehicle was running but in park. I was putting air in my tires and heard something. I looked towards the passenger front and seen smoke coming from up front. The air ride pump caught on fire and melted wires, hoses, and the inner fender cover. I was able to put it out quickly.
Fire
Incident date: Oct 20, 2023
The throttle response from a stop in the Taos is not immediate. Sometimes it will take 2 seconds to react to throttle input. There have been times where you accelerate and it will go extremely slow ans then a sudden burst of acceleration. This can be extremely dangerous when pulling into a roadway with traffic. There is also not an immediate reaction when throttle is applied quickly at Highway spe... Read more
Incident date: Oct 22, 2023
The camera system does not work and disables the reverse braking and other safety features while reversing. This is a safety concern as while backing up to a trailer I have hit it 2 times, as the image will freeze and seems as if there is still room to continue backing up. I have taken this 4 times for recalls (since 2020) and none of them resolved it.
Crash
Incident date: Oct 1, 2023
Cuando boy a 75mph y rebasó O me rebasan
Incident date: Oct 21, 2023
On October 20th, 2023 around 3:00 pm I was driving eastbound on the highway 69 in Michigan. A friend of mine was seated on the front passenger side (no more other passenger). Autopilot was not installed on the car and the driver had both hands on the steering wheel. I was driving on the most left lane at speed about 75 mph. At about Exit#131, Suddenly, I felt the steering wheel turned right a lit... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Oct 21, 2023
On October 20th, 2023 around 3:00 pm I was driving eastbound on the highway 69 in Michigan. A friend of mine was seated on the front passenger side (no more other passenger). Autopilot was not installed on the car and the driver had both hands on the steering wheel. I was driving on the most left lane at speed about 75 mph. At about Exit#131, Suddenly, I felt the steering wheel turned right a lit... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Oct 21, 2023
On October 20th, 2023 around 3:00 pm I was driving eastbound on the highway 69 in Michigan. A friend of mine was seated on the front passenger side (no more other passenger). Autopilot was not installed on the car and the driver had both hands on the steering wheel. I was driving on the most left lane at speed about 75 mph. At about Exit#131, Suddenly, I felt the steering wheel turned right a lit... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Oct 20, 2023
Engine made knocking noises and was towed to a mechanic. Mechanic discovered metal shards in the oil pan and all signs pointed to being well maintained. We bought used from CarMax and are the 2nd owners. Mechanics best guess is engine failure due to defect and high oil consumption with no signs of leaks. No codes, no check engine light, no low oil pressure light. No warning. Oil changes were... Read more
Incident date: Oct 20, 2023
When driving my Nissan I had stop at light/ stop sign.My car notify me with a check engine light. It wouldn't accelerate in a matter of seconds I was able to continue driving. I notice it happens every time I have to stop at lights and or stop signs frequently. It first started at about 85,000 miles. I bought it at 65,000 miles I still owe for the car I took it to Nissan and they told me that it ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 20, 2023
When driving my Nissan I had stop at light/ stop sign.My car notify me with a check engine light. It wouldn't accelerate in a matter of seconds I was able to continue driving. I notice it happens every time I have to stop at lights and or stop signs frequently. It first started at about 85,000 miles. I bought it at 65,000 miles I still owe for the car I took it to Nissan and they told me that it ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, she heard an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment, and the vehicle lost all motive power. The driver was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle then stalled and failed to restart. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated.... Read more
Incident date: Oct 17, 2023
The horn on the vehicle did not work when a small child was running out into the street in front of me. This horn condition was not known before the incident took place. The child was not warned and was nearly hit. I took the vehicle to the dealer and they would not fix even though there was a previous recall for the functionality Safety Recall R36 / NHTSA 15V-459.
Incident date: Oct 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving 35-40 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormal grinding and rattling sound and failed to respond while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving and the sound had become louder. The dealer was notified of the failure and an appointme... Read more
Incident date: Oct 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the instrument panel became inoperable. Additionally, back-up camera was displaying a black screen. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed; however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the... Read more
Incident date: Oct 20, 2023
On October 14, 2023, several lights came on after starting the car up, including the ABS light. This had not happened before. We had just had the car serviced for an oil change 2 weeks prior. We called friend who was a mechanic to see what we should do. Not long after we had reached out, we had a situation where we pulled out of our neighborhood and someone illegally turned in front of us almost h... Read more
Incident date: Oct 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the vehicle lost power steering and the power assist braking was inoperable. The contact stated that there was a warning chime and a notification to shift to park(P). The contact had the vehicle towed to the residence and recharged the battery and filled the fu... Read more
Incident date: Oct 20, 2023
October 20, '23 Our recent DEAD STOP! Whistle blower! Did you know that when the alternator goes out on a Lexus, that the car draws down energy from the battery to keep the car going? That's only for about a mile or so, then the car shuts down! You can't steer and THE ENGINE STOPS RUNNING and you have no power as you come to a dead stop, whether on the freeway, or one lane mountain pass road, w... Read more
Incident date: Jun 30, 2023
This vehicle is dangerous. There are many more, complaint level issues, but there are at least three real safety issues. First, the automatic braking system has engaged multiple times for no reason. Traveling down a straight, flat road in good weather, the brakes suddenly went fully engaged. On one occasion my dog was thrown forcefully into the dash and was injured and then afraid to ride in the ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 30, 2023
Sudden deceleration due to P2112 code, electronic throttle body stuck closed.
Incident date: Oct 18, 2023
while driving, the range on the electric battery went from 150 miles to only 64 miles in less than a minute. when i went to the DC fast charger it gave error and could not charge even after i verified that the fast charger was operational because the next car was able to charge car with no issue. after a while when i charged the car, it started charging but drastically reduced the battery range. ... Read more
TESLA
MODEL Y
(2022) - VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:COMPRESSOR:MODULE (ACCM)
Oct 19, 2023
Incident date: Oct 8, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 BMW I3. The contact stated that after turning on the fan, there was plastic particles blowing out of the vents. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the particles were blowing out of the vents while activating the A/C or the heater. The contact stated that the failure became a recurring failure, and the vehicle was ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 8, 2023
Morning of October 16th, wife said engine "clicked" at start and then stopped at idle. I checked oil as it had been changed week prior and all levels were normal, then performed diagnostic with Carista tool and app, no codes. That evening while on the way to my 4 year olds practice, the car stopped in a lane of travel on a main cross town thoroughfare in Charlotte NC in rush hour, my wife, 4 yea... Read more
Incident date: Oct 8, 2023
Morning of October 16th, wife said engine "clicked" at start and then stopped at idle. I checked oil as it had been changed week prior and all levels were normal, then performed diagnostic with Carista tool and app, no codes. That evening while on the way to my 4 year olds practice, the car stopped in a lane of travel on a main cross town thoroughfare in Charlotte NC in rush hour, my wife, 4 yea... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2022
On October 14, 2023, while driving with no vehicle in front of the 2019 Nissan Sentra, the Automatic Emergency Braking engaged, stopping the car forcefully. There were 3 warning beeps of a potential collision immediately prior to the braking, however, as stated, no vehicle was in front of this vehicle, and no other obstruction was in front of the vehicle. On October 16, 2023, while driving with n... Read more
Incident date: Aug 15, 2023
On October 14, 2023, while driving with no vehicle in front of the 2019 Nissan Sentra, the Automatic Emergency Braking engaged, stopping the car forcefully. There were 3 warning beeps of a potential collision immediately prior to the braking, however, as stated, no vehicle was in front of this vehicle, and no other obstruction was in front of the vehicle. On October 16, 2023, while driving with n... Read more
Incident date: Oct 19, 2023
--Check engine light has come on and suggests the catalytic converter is an issue but there is also emission of excessive smoke from exhaust that appears consistent with faulty engine components --exhaust may no longer meet EPA standards of approval --problem has been diagnosed by an independent service center --dealer has referred me to THIS website but says to call back only if recall is confirm... Read more
Incident date: Oct 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Express 2500. The contact stated that while her husband was driving, the vehicle failed to accelerate after a stop. The vehicle failed to shift into reverse but continued to start. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. Th... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2023
There several blind spots in this car, had a car accident due to blind spot.
Crash
Incident date: Oct 18, 2023
Inside lip of rear wheel cracked and wheel bent beyond repair, per wheel repair company. OEM make and model tire was in place and no noticeable impact was felt to cause this failure. This caused an air leak leaving me stranded at the side of the highway. Had to buy an expensive replacement wheel.
Incident date: Oct 18, 2023
Head gasket failure which leads to coolant leak. Engine failure possible. After doing some research I found that the 2022 VW Taos' all have this in common around 13,000 miles. My vehicle will be going to the shop tomorrow morning but through my research I found that people are waiting weeks for head gasket replacements because they're on backorder due to the volume of replacements. Check engine li... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2023
The transmission slips and jumps into different gears while driving. When applying the accelerator from a stop the truck will not move due to it being in 7th gear, when it finally decides to move it shifts hard jolting the truck. The electric driver seat moves around, it is not stable.
Incident date: Aug 20, 2023
The contact owned a 2013 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while parked, a passerby observed fire emanating from the engine compartment. The origin of the fire was unknown. The police report was filed. The fire department extinguished the fire. The vehicle was towed to a lot where it was deemed destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 200,000.
Fire
Incident date: Aug 20, 2023
While I was driving (in drive) down a busy street, my car suddenly turned off. It was raining at the time, and I managed to coast to the side of the road and turn it back on.
Incident date: Oct 16, 2023
Infotainment system constantly cuts out and freezes at random times with any phone connected to it. It takes 5-10 minutes to restart and you are unable to access and vehicle settings or the radio/navigation
Incident date: Oct 16, 2023
Headlights are so dim because of the plastic cover that is made into the OEM headlight assembly. The plastic apparently had no UV protectant and the plastic has turned dingey yellow and clouded where it's affected the light output from the vehicle
Incident date: Oct 16, 2023
The car started to stall, hesitate and even stop completely for no apparent reason. The mechanic first recommended a new ECU/TCU which did not help the problem and in the course of duplicating the problem check engine light has come on for the transmission with problems shifting/sticking in a gear and not returning to first gear. My mechanic has stated that there is a known problem with Mazda3 t... Read more