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 21, 2023
Once the cruise control is set, it consistently drops below the set speed and surges back up or over the set speed. Set on 62, it drops to 59 or 60, then surges back up to 62 or 63. This happens on perfectly flat roads with no traffic in front or beside the car. The dealership tried to tell me that the camera for the adaptive cruise might be seeing things in its peripheral vision area, but there i... Read more
Incident date: Aug 26, 2023
We reached to the back seat and heard a pop and then the head rest popped out of place and won’t go back. I’ve seen numerous other reviews about this situation of their headrest popping out. This should be covered by warranty and recalled to have the headrests fixed
Incident date: Aug 26, 2023
critical steering loss during normal driving conditions. Steering Rack & Pinion failed without code, appears to be mechanical failure (gear) breaking in the rack and pinion. Similar to the 2013 model year recall, my vehicle was produced in 2014 Feb. Looking at part number my rack and pinion was produced between 2012 and 2014. Possibly affected by the years when their was a recall for similar iss... Read more
Incident date: Aug 26, 2023
LIGHTING ON INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER WORKS INTERMITENTLY. WHEN IT CUTS OUT, I CAN NOT SEE THE SPEED NOR ANY WARNING SIGNALS. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED.NO WARNING SIGNS BEFORE IT GOES BLANK.
Incident date: Aug 26, 2023
On August 23, 2023 I was driving my 2013 Tesla Model S on the Van Wyck Expressway when suddenly the steering wheel became very stiff making the car hard to steer. I experience a loss of electronic power in steering the car. I called Tesla Road Service they dispatched a tow truck one of their tow provider and I was charged $475.00 dollars. It was towed to: Tesla Service Center @ 160 Van Brunt S... Read more
Incident date: Aug 24, 2023
On August 23, 2023 I was driving my 2013 Tesla Model S on the Van Wyck Expressway when suddenly the steering wheel became very stiff making the car hard to steer. I experience a loss of electronic power in steering the car. I called Tesla Road Service they dispatched a tow truck one of their tow provider and I was charged $475.00 dollars. It was towed to: Tesla Service Center @ 160 Van Brunt S... Read more
Incident date: Aug 23, 2023
I have been to multiple Hyundai dealerships, and opened about 3 to 4 Hyundai consumer cases; for WELL known engine problems. My vehicle has failed oil tests and combustion tests done by Hyundai dealers. Springfield Hyundai/ Genesis kept my vehicle for 5 months claiming they found issues with the engine that was consistent with the other vehicles recalled for obsessive oil consumption. After their ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 23, 2023
I have been to multiple Hyundai dealerships, and opened about 3 to 4 Hyundai consumer cases; for WELL known engine problems. My vehicle has failed oil tests and combustion tests done by Hyundai dealers. Springfield Hyundai/ Genesis kept my vehicle for 5 months claiming they found issues with the engine that was consistent with the other vehicles recalled for obsessive oil consumption. After their ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 15, 2023
My sunroof exploded on the expressway and caused the glass to shatter both inside the vehicle sunroof vent and the exterior sunroof
Incident date: Aug 15, 2023
Sticky steering wheel at highway speed Noticeable at 35mph or more. Unpredictable steering response at high speed
Incident date: Aug 9, 2023
Car immobilizer/Theft deterrent - The company is telling me that my KIA's VIN indicated that it does not have the immobilizer/Theft deterrent issue. We drove the car to the dealership with a backup key we made just for unlocking doors. This is a key with no chip or FOB and the car starts and ran fine. This seems to be a clear example of how the immobilizer is not working. However, they refuse to s... Read more
TESLA
MODEL S
(2023) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
Aug 25, 2023
Incident date: Aug 9, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle started to vibrate and lost motive power. The contact was able to continue operating the vehicle however, the vehicle was unable to exceed 50 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with... Read more
Incident date: Aug 9, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unintendedly downshifted from 5th to 1st gear, causing the vehicle to stall and inadvertently lose motive power. The contact stated that the vehicle was restarted, and the contact was able to safely drive the vehicle to his destination. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an inde... Read more
Incident date: Aug 23, 2023
There is a significant hesitation / stuttering when the gas pedal is pressed (i.e. the vehicle doesn't move properly when the gas pedal is pressed). This is especially dangerous when pulling out into traffic, making turns, etc. This appears to be a known problem with this model and Toyota is working on a TSB (supposedly). Doing a Google search for this problem shows that a number of consumers are ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 14, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Titan. The contact stated that while reversing at 2-3 MPH, the rearview camera was inoperable, causing the vehicle to strike an unoccupied vehicle parked on the street. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,200.
Incident date: Aug 20, 2023
In early June, my car went into limp mode. The two lines with a car between on the dash were blinking red. I notified Kia, both Roseville and Folsom, but they seemed unconcerned since it seemingly corrected itself after restarting car and driving it. Since then, the car has had the Ebrake engage while driving at least 6-7 times. After the 5th or 6th time, I reported to Kia and after much back and... Read more
Incident date: Jul 22, 2023
Its a known issue with my 2020 Acura MDX it has an issue with the autoidle completely turning off the engine, so you pull up to a red light and the engine goes into Autoidle mode and then completely turns OFF the engine so you are stuck in the middle of the road for a few minutes and then you have to wait for the car to allow you to turn it back on. Acura is aware of the issue and sent a letter to... Read more
Incident date: Jul 22, 2023
Its a known issue with my 2020 Acura MDX it has an issue with the autoidle completely turning off the engine, so you pull up to a red light and the engine goes into Autoidle mode and then completely turns OFF the engine so you are stuck in the middle of the road for a few minutes and then you have to wait for the car to allow you to turn it back on. Acura is aware of the issue and sent a letter to... Read more
Incident date: Jul 12, 2023
Crack in dash along outline of airbag. Burns oil so it has to be refilled monthly Now mechanic says compression and combustion are problems Can’t get into Kia until February when warranty will probably be expired
Incident date: Aug 24, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that upon entering the vehicle and closing the driver's side door, the doors locked and failed to open because the vehicle was experiencing an electrical failure. The contact stated that he engaged the driver's side door emergency door release lever, but the lever failed to operate as needed. The contact stated that the vehicle became hot,... Read more
Incident date: Aug 23, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle started jerking upon depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine, the Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), the electric power steering, TPMS, Forward Collision Avoidance, and the Lane Departure warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of th... Read more
Incident date: Aug 23, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle started jerking upon depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine, the Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), the electric power steering, TPMS, Forward Collision Avoidance, and the Lane Departure warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of th... Read more
Incident date: Aug 2, 2023
My rear windshield shattered out of nowhere. My son was in the backseat when it happened. I called the police and they are also confused on how my window shattered, it doesn’t show any puncture or impact of any kind just a shattered window. No warning lights came on before or after. I took my baby to the dealer and they also did not see what could have caused it to shatter. Believe it may be an... Read more
Incident date: Aug 22, 2023
Re NHTSA recall 21V00D The rear view back up camera of my Tesla 2018 Model 3 went black on August 21 starting at approx 3pm and remained black for the rest of the day through August 22. I'm planning to check today, August 24 to see if the problem still persists. Lack of the backup camera makes it very difficult to park and to see people in the car's blind spots. I've informed the dealer of the... Read more
Incident date: Aug 22, 2023
Re NHTSA recall 21V00D The rear view back up camera of my Tesla 2018 Model 3 went black on August 21 starting at approx 3pm and remained black for the rest of the day through August 22. I'm planning to check today, August 24 to see if the problem still persists. Lack of the backup camera makes it very difficult to park and to see people in the car's blind spots. I've informed the dealer of the... Read more
Incident date: Aug 22, 2023
The contact owns a 2011 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that after taking the vehicle for repair, the contact was made aware of rust on the steering shaft and the support arms and the front end of the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and the contact was informed that there was no fix for the failure. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the fai... Read more
Incident date: Aug 21, 2023
Brought vehicle to stop on a hill at a traffic light intersection. Auto Start/Stop activated, shutting engine off. When releasing the brake the vehicle did not restart. Placed foot on the accelerator, there was no response. The vehicle then started to drift backward down the hill toward other vehicles stopped at light. Slammed on the brakes. Had to restart the car manually with the push butt... Read more
Incident date: Aug 21, 2023
Tesla recalled wiring components for the Rearview camera (for parking / driving in reverse) as it suffered from severe latency. They claim to have fixed the recall but nothing changed. They don't respond to complaints that it doesn't work. This work was "completed" under the Trunk harness retrofit on the statement provided . The trunk harness affected the wires to the camera causing the latency, p... Read more
Incident date: Dec 4, 2022
I purchased the vehicle in June 2023 and have barely put 2000 miles on it. I’m 8/21 I noticed white smoke coming out of both exhausts when I started the vehicle. I drove about 1 mile before power train default light came on and it began idling extremely rough. I tried to take it to the dealer the next day and it continued overheating and shutting down. It’s outside of the dealer standard warra... Read more
Incident date: Dec 4, 2022
Purchased a 2018 ford edge new I’m early 2019. The car has 65k miles and needs a new engine due to coolant leak into cylinder 3. This should be a recall item and Ford refuses to stand by its product. An engine with miles this low should not need replacement.
Incident date: Aug 21, 2023
Purchased and next day warning light came on for transmission problem. Took it to Honda and was told it was the torque converter. This part is on back order due to multiple installs on other Honda’s.
Incident date: Aug 21, 2023
Purchased and next day warning light came on for transmission problem. Took it to Honda and was told it was the torque converter. This part is on back order due to multiple installs on other Honda’s.
Incident date: Aug 24, 2023
I have a 2016 Nissan Altima S. The airbag light is on without accident. I went four times to the Nissan dealer to fix the problem. They just told me it was a past code (B0020-13), cleared it the first three times, and told me the problem was on the driver-side airbag. But after a few months, the airbag light was still on again. I was told the problem was on the passenger side the last time. Ask ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 22, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 53 MPH, there was an abnormal booming sound detected. The contact noticed that the windshield panels had detached from the driver’s and passenger’s side. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted... Read more
Incident date: Aug 23, 2023
Well, I don't really know what to do.. Last night the car was sitting in the garage on. And playing a seminar I was watching.on my phone. The keys were nowhere around the car, and the door was unlocked and the car was just sitting there on in the garage. We've only had the car five days, but this worries me.. It reminds me of [XXX] . This is the first year of this body styles and I hope it never d... Read more
Incident date: Aug 12, 2023
On 8/3/23 on two occasions the vehicle suddenly applied brakes while in cruise/autopilot mode when there was no vehicle in close proximity in front of my vehicle. There was however a large commercial truck behind me on one occasion, which may have been effected by the application of brakes for no apparent reason. On 8/5/23, with the vehicle in the same mode, the system applied brakes.....there w... Read more
Incident date: Aug 3, 2023
Well, the car check engine light started flashing and my entire car started shaking, my coolant levels went from in between the max and min line to super below the minimum line, from what I've gathered there has been a major issue with your engine manufacturing for Ford Edges in 2015-2018 where the head gasket was not designed or manufactured correctly, thereby allowing coolant to leak out damagin... Read more
Incident date: Aug 3, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V413000 (Suspension) 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 not made aware of the issue. The contact ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 3, 2023
Water getting in cab
Incident date: Jun 1, 2023
While driving at a speed of 55-60mph, I tried to pass slower vehicles on three different occasions during the same trip on a two lane road. I pushed the accelerator to the floor and pulled the car into the lane to my left. I felt and heard a very loud clunk, revving up of the engine, and total loss of power at the wheels. I quickly moved backinto my original lane and let up on the accelerator. Aft... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2023
The vehicle is shifting rough between 2nd and 3rd gear. It has trouble getting up to speed through intersections.
Incident date: Feb 1, 2019
shortly after starting vehicle, all the warning lights pertaining to brakes light up. Brake pedal goes nearly to the floor, and there is a very noticeable loss in braking power. Possibly related to Safety Recall Notice 19S54 / NHTSA Recall 19V-904
Incident date: Feb 1, 2019
My car keeps indicating a supplemental restraint system issue then goes away I’m not sure what’s going on but I’ve seen several other complaints about this same issue with Honda.
Incident date: Feb 1, 2019
My car keeps indicating a supplemental restraint system issue then goes away I’m not sure what’s going on but I’ve seen several other complaints about this same issue with Honda.
Incident date: Aug 3, 2023
My headrest on my passenger seat employed during the night. My wife noticed it in the morning when she went to turn the car on for work. My safety or whoever would be sitting in the passenger could be compromised if the headrest would’ve went off while driving. We are worried now that our driver seat might activate for no apparent reason. That would put myself or anyone else on the road in dange... Read more
Incident date: Aug 3, 2023
Oil leaking, replaced gaskets Oil continues to burn at a fast rate. Putting up to 6qt oil extra every month. Oil changes have been regular. Dealership only cleaned engine and told me that was all they could do.
Incident date: Aug 3, 2023
The car continues to not be able to charge at home. My other electric car (different manufacturer polestar) with the same cord charges without issues. The cord only allows 27amps and the car abruptly stops charging over and over. I have to reset it constantly. This continues to be an issue and the car shows no problems with the battery and there is no fix from Kia.
Incident date: Jun 18, 2023
2011 C300 4matic Sport I'm very concerned about the front subframe after going over the invoice and everything that was replaced on the rear subframe due to a recall Mercedes issued. But wait doesn't the whole subframe have severe rust corrosion all throughout yes it does per mechanic/technician. I'm having steering issues while driving the vehicle when applying the breaks the vehicle pulls very ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 18, 2023
2011 C300 4matic Sport I'm very concerned about the front subframe after going over the invoice and everything that was replaced on the rear subframe due to a recall Mercedes issued. But wait doesn't the whole subframe have severe rust corrosion all throughout yes it does per mechanic/technician. I'm having steering issues while driving the vehicle when applying the breaks the vehicle pulls very ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 18, 2023
2011 C300 4matic Sport I'm very concerned about the front subframe after going over the invoice and everything that was replaced on the rear subframe due to a recall Mercedes issued. But wait doesn't the whole subframe have severe rust corrosion all throughout yes it does per mechanic/technician. I'm having steering issues while driving the vehicle when applying the breaks the vehicle pulls very ... Read more