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 140,155 complaints for TOYOTA
Incident date: Mar 15, 2025
I purchased the vehicle December 29 of 2020 and it was already stiff and difficult to drive. When driving above 20 mph the steering wheel gets stiff/ sticky and starts making clicking noises. It becomes harder to turn and remain in the lane. You have to jolt the steering wheel. There are no visible indications that there is an issue with the steering. Dealerships have conducted many multi point in... Read more
Incident date: Apr 10, 2025
THE ENGINE THEY EVEN HAVE A RECALL ON MY CAR ENGINE THIS HAVE CAUSED NO RISK THIS PROBLEM HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED BY A MECHANIC HAVEN’T BEEN LEGALLY INSPECTED YES THE OIL LIGHT COMES ON OFTEN
Incident date: Apr 10, 2025
Front assist constantly goes off, parking sensors faulty, damaged by general driving. Lane departure warning light
Incident date: Apr 20, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormally loud sound and was shaking abnormal. The vehicle lost motive power and failed to restart. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence, and the battery was replaced, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who det... Read more
Incident date: Apr 30, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V905000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); but the recall repair failed to repair the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated, and the engine failed after the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offere... Read more
TOYOTA
GR COROLLA
(2023) - POWER TRAIN
Apr 30, 2025
Incident date: Dec 20, 2024
Transmission went out in August of 2023, had to have it rebuilt and costed 9,000. Safety was put at risk due to car sputtering to shift gears on the highway while traveling. Problem was identified by the dealership. No light indicators were on. Vehicle now has engine starting to come on periodically and when trying to diagnose it is giving fuel efficiency codes.
Incident date: Apr 27, 2025
The engine light is blinking while driving on the highway, it comes and goes, I have a video for that. Also it has a ticking noise and I’ve had the noise since I bought the truck and took it multiple times to the dealership, first it was the pump they replaced for free but the ticking never went away, I took it back and they said that all the trucks tick like that, and all that should be documen... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2025
Since I leased the car, I have taken it to the dealers 4 different times for the steering wheel shaking out of control the first time the "fixed" it but turned me away the 2nd and 3rd time. Each time I requested the left mid speaker to be checked and replaced but they refused to do anything about it until my last oil change 2 months ago. Last year around November they fixed and oil leak, but the c... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2025
Since I leased the car, I have taken it to the dealers 4 different times for the steering wheel shaking out of control the first time the "fixed" it but turned me away the 2nd and 3rd time. Each time I requested the left mid speaker to be checked and replaced but they refused to do anything about it until my last oil change 2 months ago. Last year around November they fixed and oil leak, but the c... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2025
Driving on the highway and I started to slow down even while pressing the accelerator. Pulled over and turned the car off and then back on. I was able to almost get to an exit but then it completely stopped moving. Turned it off and on again but car would not move. Not a single light turned on until the last time I attempted to move the car. Had it towed to Chevy dealer and transmission was comple... Read more
Incident date: Apr 26, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated, and the rear wheel seized. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road. The vehicle was taken to Auto Zone; however, no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving 15 MPH, t... Read more
Incident date: Apr 30, 2024
My vehicle stalled while driving on a busy highway & I had no option but to pull over, which left me & my family in a very dangerous position. Had to remove my daughter's wheelchair onto a tow truck as the vehicle had no power to use the hoist for her powerchair. Again, on the side of a busy road! Towed the vehicle to a GM dealership, who stated there was catastrophic engine failure & the engine h... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2024
i WAS INFORMED DURING A DEALER OIL CHANGE THAT THE TOE LINKS ON THE REAR WHEELS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHY IS THIS NOT COVERED UNDER THE BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY?
Incident date: Oct 17, 2024
While idling (vehicle running in electric mode) in park, for approximately 10 minutes we attempted to put the car in drive. The vehicle acted as if it needed to be turned on, displaying the message "Press Brake and Push Button to Start" while also displaying a red battery light. Different warning messages came up showing Traffic Sign Assist Unavailable and others. We could not turn the vehicle off... Read more
Incident date: Feb 6, 2025
I am the original owner of a 2014 GMC Sierra 1500 (VIN: [XXX] ) and began experiencing serious mechanical and electrical issues while the vehicle was still under warranty around 40,000 miles. These included engine RPM fluctuations at idle, vibrations under acceleration above 65 MPH, and intermittent misfiring — all symptoms that are now believed to be early indicators of defective lifters or val... Read more
Incident date: Apr 29, 2025
The contact owns a 2025 Honda HR-V. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact stated that the accelerator pedal and brake pedal were extremely close, and the contact’s foot became stuck between the pedals. The contact stated that the pedals were three inches apart. The contact lost the use of the brake and accelerator pedal. There were no warning lights illuminated. T... Read more
Incident date: Apr 29, 2025
The car violently shudders when it attempts to shift from 1st to 2nd gear. This happens every time I drive the car and I'm unsure what's wrong with it. I am unable to accelerate quickly when attempting to drive on the highway or when making a turn and am afraid of being hit because it won't accelerate shift gears as it should. I've taken it to the Chevy dealership twice, and the issue was not addr... Read more
Incident date: Apr 29, 2025
Was making a left hand turn cutting across traffic at a stop light. Transmission gears slipped causing me to lose power halfway thru a high speed intersection. Other vehicles had to hit curbs to avoid me. This is a common and well known problem with Ford 10R80 transmissions. Someone will eventually end up dying from these issues
Crash
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER
(2021) - ENGINE
Apr 30, 2025
Incident date: Apr 23, 2025
The vaccum pump seized which is connected to the camshaft which broke causing the timing chain to break. This caused the vehicle to lose breaking g power and almost wreck.
Incident date: Apr 28, 2025
I purchased a MagnaFlow aftermarket catalytic converter system for my 2008 GMC Yukon SLT 5.3L through Walmart’s online marketplace, sold by a third-party vendor called OurDealsRock. The product was advertised as “50-state legal” and compatible with vehicles registered in New York State. However, shortly after installation, my check engine light turned on, and diagnostic codes P0420 and P0430... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2025
Driving on the highway/freeway, received an error message on dashboard "stop vehicle and check power supply". The car slowed down, max speed around 45 but thankfully my hazard lights still worked and I exited the next exit. I've heard I was lucky as some people with the same problem - the car goes into "limp" mode and slows down to 5mph or stops completely. Very unsafe on a highway for everyone... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2025
Steering and hand rest console vibrates above 70 mph, no resolution kia with 6 times visits to dealership
Incident date: Apr 28, 2025
On the [XXX], my 2012 Hyundai Accent caught fire in the engine compartment and engulfed in flames. Right before the fire started, smoke came out of the air vents into the car, causing me to become stifled and choke for several minutes. Smoke was also coming out of the hood. At that point, I lifted the hood and there were flames coming out of the engine. During the past six months prior to the fire... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Apr 4, 2025
Issue started with a noise sounding like a motor constantly trying to prime its self. Then while driving on freeway ABS light Brake light and traction control lights all came on. Took car to dealership and was given a $3700 bill to replace Brake Booster Master Cylinder and Brake booster pump. This is a known issue to Toyota and have offered an extended warranty 10 years or 150000 miles but not... Read more
Incident date: Apr 18, 2025
The daytime running light on the drivers side stopped working. Appears to be a very common problem on 2021 durangos. After inspection of the headlight assembly, it appears the DRL are 2 separate strips which makes it highly unlikely that both LED strips failed at the exact same time. This leads me to believe the issue is electrical. I dont want to replace the headlight assembly with an underlying ... Read more
TOYOTA
RAV4 HYBRID
(2021) - ENGINE
Apr 29, 2025
Incident date: Jan 15, 2025
Driving vehicle down freeway about 75mph heard noise and truck shut speeds down to about 60mph on a major freeway. Per mechanic lifter has collapsed and it has been a common issue that Chevy knows about. He said that it could have been alot worse by seizing the engine and causing harm to drive or other people around causing a major accident. There is a major safety issue to life and or death ca... Read more
Incident date: Apr 29, 2025
The CVT valve body was diagnosed as defective by the Subaru Dealership service department. The car was taken to the dcealership when the A/T OIL EMP, HILL ASSIST, ABS and TRACTION CONTROL, STABILITY CONTROL lights came up. The valve body is still available for inspection. The car was taken to the dealership for a Brake Light Switch recall that has the same simptoms.
Incident date: Apr 29, 2025
The CVT valve body was diagnosed as defective by the Subaru Dealership service department. The car was taken to the dcealership when the A/T OIL EMP, HILL ASSIST, ABS and TRACTION CONTROL, STABILITY CONTROL lights came up. The valve body is still available for inspection. The car was taken to the dealership for a Brake Light Switch recall that has the same simptoms.
Incident date: Jul 15, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Nissan Leaf. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V700000 (Electrical System); 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 manufactur... Read more
Incident date: Jul 15, 2023
My Acura MDX 2016, when stopped in traffic or at a red light will randomly shut down or switch to neutral. It started 2-3 years back. This has happened frequently last few months. Last time i was stuck in the exit of a parking garage blocking the exit. After around 20-30 mins the car decided to start on its own. I took the car directly to a dealer who found no issues with the car. I had the batter... Read more
Incident date: Jul 15, 2023
My Acura MDX 2016, when stopped in traffic or at a red light will randomly shut down or switch to neutral. It started 2-3 years back. This has happened frequently last few months. Last time i was stuck in the exit of a parking garage blocking the exit. After around 20-30 mins the car decided to start on its own. I took the car directly to a dealer who found no issues with the car. I had the batter... Read more
Incident date: Aug 13, 2024
The steering went out on my 2013 Dodge Ram 1500. I purchased this vehicle used in July 2016 The dealership stated that this recall has already been fixed however if that's the case it wasn't fixed properly and failed again. To fix the problem is thousands of dollars. There was no warning lamps that indicated a problem. It acutely happened.
Incident date: Apr 28, 2025
Truck was traveling through Atlanta when engine shut off and was not responsive. Was able to get truck off the interstate (I285 ramp to I75). Truck would not turn over. Pushed the ONstar button, they stated they couldn't diagnose the truck. They called a wrecker and got truck to a local GMC dealer(Capitol GMC). Truck was approx. 90 mile away from home. Dealer called on Monday 4/21 and stated that ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2025
Truck was traveling through Atlanta when engine shut off and was not responsive. Was able to get truck off the interstate (I285 ramp to I75). Truck would not turn over. Pushed the ONstar button, they stated they couldn't diagnose the truck. They called a wrecker and got truck to a local GMC dealer(Capitol GMC). Truck was approx. 90 mile away from home. Dealer called on Monday 4/21 and stated that ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 29, 2025
The steering on the vehicle will stop responding when turning at low speeds. The vehicle will feel like it hits the “bump stop” and then will come back to center. You can then turn past that point. This has almost cause accidents because you cannot effectively steer to avoid obstacles and cannot maneuver effectively at low speeds. It occurred randomly. Was troubleshot at dealership without r... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the message "Service Engine Soon" was displayed, and the temperature gauge rose to hot(HOT). Additionally, the message "Stop the vehicle" was displayed while the vehicle was in park(P). The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion in the pistons or cy... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2025
Car only has 16,000 miles on it. Started smelling antifreeze when the car was started. Took to dealer- faulty, failing head gasket. Bad since manufactured. Also, brakes had sounded loud since purchased. Told this was just the type of brakes. Upon inspection of the vehicle for the head gasket it was noted that the rear brake pads need replaced!! Again, this car only has 16,000 miles on it. ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2025
The engine went out in the middle of a busy highway road leading to a dangerous situation that I almost lost my life the vehicle was purchased in 2021. There shouldn’t be no reason that the engine should have went out that quickly when maintenance was kept up not only that there was an airbag defected issue, which is a safety hazard as well. It was the most scariest situation ever when the engin... Read more
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER
(2019) - ENGINE
Apr 29, 2025
Incident date: Mar 21, 2025
The engine went out in the middle of a busy highway road leading to a dangerous situation that I almost lost my life the vehicle was purchased in 2021. There shouldn’t be no reason that the engine should have went out that quickly when maintenance was kept up not only that there was an airbag defected issue, which is a safety hazard as well. It was the most scariest situation ever when the engin... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2025
My brakes began making a funny noise when I used them. I only have 80000 on the car and do regular maintenance. I took it in because it seemed the brake pedal was getting spongy as well. They ran in through diagnostic tests and determined the braking module or brake booster/master assembly was bad. This seems to be an issues with Toyota and should be addressed immediately. It is an expensive fix f... Read more
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER
(2021) - ENGINE
Apr 29, 2025
Incident date: Mar 1, 2025
At 30,000 miles car began leaking oil severely and was told that the engine block was cracked and needed to be replaced. There are numerous complaints of this same issue online happening just after the warranty has expired. The cost of repair is $6000.
Incident date: Apr 7, 2018
Tried to accelerate and heard a loud pop and the truck didn’t accelerate. Pretty much went idle in the middle of the road. The check engine light, the traction control light, and the ABS light all came on. I would press on the gas and it would rev but nothing would happen till a few seconds later the RPM’s would shoot up and you could tell it was trying to get going but didn’t very slowly a... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2025
Safety Recall in January 2025, it is now almost May 2025 and still no remedy has been made.
Incident date: Apr 28, 2025
Vehicle has a faulty CVT Transmission.
Incident date: Apr 28, 2025
The MMI (multi-media interface) frequently reboots during driving, resulting in a black screen and the inoperability of key systems such as the backup camera, rear obstacle detection, navigation, and cell phone tethering (for hands-free operation). These reboots require user input, including entering a PIN to log into the user account (if set up) and repeatedly tapping on the MMI, which can be hig... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2025
In connection with Recall H514, my 2019 Jaguar I-Pace (SADHD2S16K1 F76172) had a battery fire risk that led Jaguar to issue a software update. Without prior notice, the update permanently disabled full battery function by capping the vehicle’s charge at 80%, significantly reducing range and usability. The update was irreversible and materially changed the safety and performance of the electric v... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2025
In connection with Recall H514, my 2019 Jaguar I-Pace (SADHD2S16K1 F76172) had a battery fire risk that led Jaguar to issue a software update. Without prior notice, the update permanently disabled full battery function by capping the vehicle’s charge at 80%, significantly reducing range and usability. The update was irreversible and materially changed the safety and performance of the electric v... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered, and the transmission failed to properly shift intermittently. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 28, 2024
Vehicle began idling rough then check engine came on. Acceleration would then vary while driving. Took to GM dealership and they said lifters, head gaskets and cam shaft are bad. The charge to repair is $7,736. Saw GM just did a “voluntary “ recall for this same issue on year models starting 2021-2024. 2019 year should be added as this is a costly repair.