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.

2,245,377 Total Complaints
140,173 Reported Crashes
56,794 Reported Fires
8,580 Reported 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

How to Read NHTSA Consumer Complaints › How NHTSA Investigations Work › Used Car: 7 Recall Checks to Run First › The Takata Airbag Recall: Full Story › OBD-II Codes Explained › All Articles ›
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Showing 49,794 complaints for VOLKSWAGEN

VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS CROSS SPORT (2021) - VISIBILITY/WIPER Nov 14, 2023
Incident date: Nov 14, 2023
Woke up to a large cracked windshield for no reason
VOLKSWAGEN ID.4 (2022) - STRUCTURE:BODY Nov 14, 2023
Incident date: Sep 29, 2023
When opened front driver’s side door, heard creaking, rattling, and pop. Now door will not close as well as problems with the window not working in that door! The frame on car is also loose due to bad door pulling on the frame. I’m concerned door may open when driving. Ford dealership will not pay due to the fact warranty expired April 2023 with only 33,000 miles on vehicle. An inspecti... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE (2013) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Nov 14, 2023
Incident date: May 3, 2022
ABS Module short circuit, I am aware of the current recall in effect for 2011 Hyundai Elantra's but it should be noted that my vehicle also has the same issue, short circuit causing the ABS motor to run constantly. Issue was discovered by mechanic, I opted to disconnect the ABS module, as replacement is unaffordable. Is there any plan to expand the recall to include my vehicle?
VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE (2013) - SERVICE BRAKES Nov 14, 2023
Incident date: May 3, 2022
ABS Module short circuit, I am aware of the current recall in effect for 2011 Hyundai Elantra's but it should be noted that my vehicle also has the same issue, short circuit causing the ABS motor to run constantly. Issue was discovered by mechanic, I opted to disconnect the ABS module, as replacement is unaffordable. Is there any plan to expand the recall to include my vehicle?
VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE (2013) - FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING Nov 14, 2023
Incident date: May 3, 2022
ABS Module short circuit, I am aware of the current recall in effect for 2011 Hyundai Elantra's but it should be noted that my vehicle also has the same issue, short circuit causing the ABS motor to run constantly. Issue was discovered by mechanic, I opted to disconnect the ABS module, as replacement is unaffordable. Is there any plan to expand the recall to include my vehicle?
VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS (2018) - STRUCTURE Nov 13, 2023
Incident date: Nov 10, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Ram 1500. The contact stated that the dealer had previously performed the recall repair under NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V486000 (Structure, Latches/Locks/Linkages) on the vehicle. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and then arriving to the destination, the contact became aware that the tailgate had opened unexpectedly. The contact stated that the failur... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS (2018) - FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS Nov 13, 2023
Incident date: Nov 11, 2023
Dear NHTSA, I am writing to file a complaint regarding a SUA incident that occurred on October 20, 2023, involving my 2016 Tesla Model S. On the day of the incident, I pulled into my garage and began to park my car. When I pressed the brake pedal, the car suddenly accelerated forward, crashing into the garage wall and totaling the vehicle. The garage wall was severely damaged and will need to be r... Read more
Crash
VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS (2019) - STEERING Nov 13, 2023
Incident date: Jun 1, 2023
Front left wheel of vehicle started pivoting under causing tire to bottom out on inner fender without any prior incident or issues. Inspection revealed one of two bolts missing on the lower lateral control link, which was later found in the driveway. Second bolt was 1/3 loosened. Car was towed to Tesla and they proceeded with repairs to include replacing both sets of lower lateral control links. A... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN ID.4 (2023) - AIR BAGS Nov 13, 2023
Incident date: Oct 3, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufac... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN ID.4 (2023) - POWER TRAIN Nov 13, 2023
Incident date: Oct 22, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota RAV4. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, upon attempting to slow the vehicle, she heard an abnormal sound emanating from the front of the vehicle, and the brake pedal required an excessive amount of force to slow the vehicle. The contact also stated that later, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost all motiv... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN ID.4 (2023) - FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL Nov 13, 2023
Incident date: Oct 22, 2023
The entire ADAS system has begun loosing sensing capabilities for a time period but start working again later. It comes and goes regularly at this point. This inconsistency could cause and accident. There are system problem warning lights on the dash when the system is down. The car is too new for this issue. The dealer reports that the front camera is the issue but I would think it has more to do... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN ID.4 (2023) - FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS Nov 13, 2023
Incident date: Oct 22, 2023
The entire ADAS system has begun loosing sensing capabilities for a time period but start working again later. It comes and goes regularly at this point. This inconsistency could cause and accident. There are system problem warning lights on the dash when the system is down. The car is too new for this issue. The dealer reports that the front camera is the issue but I would think it has more to do... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN JETTA SPORTWAGEN (2009) - LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST Nov 11, 2023
Incident date: Sep 27, 2023
1.) my tire pressure warning light remains on and unable to detect if tires are actually low or not. It remains on even when tire pressure is at correct level. I got it checked by mechanic and he agreed that something is wrong with the sensor/system. 2.) both of my side mirror sensors will not turn off. I was driving and they were off (were previously working as normal), but then I went to get int... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN JETTA SPORTWAGEN (2009) - SEATS Nov 11, 2023
Incident date: Sep 27, 2023
Driver and Passenger headrests have both deployed without an accident occuring.
VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS (2022) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Nov 10, 2023
Incident date: Nov 9, 2023
DRIVING DOWN ROAD WAY APPROX 35-40 MPH, SPEEDOMETER WENT UP TO 50MPH, DOWN TO 30MPH, ENGINE WAS SHAKING AND SOUNDED LIKE A LAWN MOWER, THEN ALL THE DASH LIGHTS CAME ON, OIL PRESSURE, CHANGE OIL, CHECK ENGINE, ABS, ALL LIGHTS, CAR DIED AND WILL NOT START.
VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS (2019) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Nov 9, 2023
Incident date: Mar 29, 2023
The back up camera will display a blue screen when truck is in reverse. This is a full size truck and I am unable to see behind me when trying to backup. There have been recalls on this issue with ford but apparently my truck is not one of them.
VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT (2017) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Nov 9, 2023
Incident date: Nov 9, 2023
There is a water leak coming into the back cab of my 2019 GMC Sierra. My truck smells horrible the dealership can't find the leak. It smells very moldy and very concern for my children riding in the back breathing the unsafe air.
VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN (2014) - POWER TRAIN Nov 9, 2023
Incident date: Jun 1, 2023
Noise in the rear of the vehicle during low speed tight turns (parking lot speed). Vehicle has had axle bearing/hub replaced along with 7585W oil. The problem never went away even after this repair and has become worse. The dealership has had my vehicle for over 2 weeks and cannot find the problem. My concerns are: The dealership cannot diagnose the problem and if the problem is related to th... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN JETTA (2019) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Nov 9, 2023
Incident date: Nov 11, 2022
I do not know what caused this to happen. There were no warning lights or messages. Prior to this incident the transmission would rev/speed up on its own for a few seconds (I don't know if this is relevant). Salesperson told me about this and said it was nothing to worry about. The vehicle is equipped with a sensor that brakes if you come to close to an object. This sensor has definitely wor... Read more
Crash
VOLKSWAGEN JETTA (2019) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER Nov 9, 2023
Incident date: Nov 11, 2022
I do not know what caused this to happen. There were no warning lights or messages. Prior to this incident the transmission would rev/speed up on its own for a few seconds (I don't know if this is relevant). Salesperson told me about this and said it was nothing to worry about. The vehicle is equipped with a sensor that brakes if you come to close to an object. This sensor has definitely wor... Read more
Crash
VOLKSWAGEN JETTA (2019) - POWER TRAIN Nov 9, 2023
Incident date: Nov 11, 2022
Estaba manejando a 35 millas y de repentes la jeep comenzó a perder fuerza y se apagó, tuve que durar como 30 minutos para que pudiera prender, porque cuando la encendía temblaba y los frenos frenos y el guía se ponían duro.
VOLKSWAGEN JETTA (2019) - TIRES Nov 9, 2023
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
Vehicle had 14,000 miles and tires were rotated by dealership twice, last one 3 weeks ago. Was driving 55 mph and had a sudden complete deflation and stopped immediately. Tire is completely separated. The outer sidewall is completely separated from the rest of the tire. The tire has never had an injury or other issues. The tire rotation was at Gerry Lane Chevrolet in Baton Rouge, LA. I took the ti... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN (2021) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL Nov 9, 2023
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Ram 1500. The contact stated while making a turn, the vehicle accelerated very quickly after the brake pedal was released. Several warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was due to a faulty accelerator pedal position sensor. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made awa... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN (2021) - POWER TRAIN Nov 9, 2023
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
Winning noise in rear end. We bought used noticed noise getting loader. Took vehicle to dealer. We were informed the rear Differential was bad and would have to be replaced. Vehicle has 61,198 miles on it. Wife drives car around town and on trips out of town. i was told they would have to get replacement form Germany. around $9,088. Dealership has helped with splitting cost $4,544.00. After checki... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN (2021) - BACK OVER PREVENTION Nov 9, 2023
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Mercedes Benz GLE350. The contact stated that the Back Over Prevention camera image would display a glitchy or a blank image while in use. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V354000 (Back Over Prevention, Electrical System). The vehicle was initially taken to Mercedes-Benz of Westmont (200 E Ogden Ave, Westmont, IL 60559) for the recall repair; ho... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS (2021) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Nov 8, 2023
Incident date: Nov 1, 2023
LED daytime running lights went out a few weeks ago at the same time, then yesterday both headlights went out at the same time as well. There have been no damages or wrecks in my vehicle and I am the only owner. There are no warning lights and according to the MyVW app, everything is fine. I cannot see well while driving at night anymore and this will cost me $2,000 to replace at only 60,000 miles... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS (2021) - FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM Nov 8, 2023
Incident date: Oct 24, 2023
There was not an accident. I was leaving work on 9/16/23 and tried to start the car and it wouldn’t turn over. I got assistance from a friend that had jumper cables because I thought it might be the battery, but it wasn’t. I had to have the vehicle towed to the dealership to find that these fuel module was defective. I see in the Google information that this sane issue was placed on the reca... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS (2021) - SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC Nov 8, 2023
Incident date: Oct 24, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Elantra. 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 contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The conta... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS (2021) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Nov 8, 2023
Incident date: Oct 4, 2023
The power steering stopped working. "Error UI_a020: Steering assist reduced," and "Error APP_w264: Lane Departure Avoidance features unavailable" appeared on the screen afterwards. I was driving home when suddenly I was unable to turn the steering wheel more than a quarter turn (even with all my weight and strength). I tried resetting my vehicle and the issue persisted. I also tried getting out of... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS (2022) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING Nov 8, 2023
Incident date: Nov 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that moisture had leaked into the headlight module on the driver’s and passenger’s side. Due to the failure, the headlights were very dim while in use. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where and the headlights were replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. ... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS (2022) - STEERING Nov 8, 2023
Incident date: Nov 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering and stabili-trak warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the power steering was inoperable. The contact stated that it was very difficult to maneuver the vehicle, but he was able to drive the vehicle to a nearby parking lot. The vehicle was not diagnose... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS (2022) - ENGINE Nov 8, 2023
Incident date: Nov 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that shortly after having the vehicle serviced by the dealer, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who diagnosed a general failure with the Eco boost engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. ... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN JETTA (2017) - FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS Nov 8, 2023
Incident date: Oct 23, 2023
Twice my car has activated the Forward Assisted Braking while crossing railroad tracks. Both times it was immediately after a train had passed and it was clear to proceed. Both times my car came to an abrupt halt on the tracks with other traffic behind me. I cannot proceed until I tap the brake. And I’m worried I could be rear ended if it happens again while crossing during normal traffic.
VOLKSWAGEN JETTA (2017) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Nov 8, 2023
Incident date: Oct 23, 2023
Power system problem light started coming on soon after we bought the car new. It has been towed to Barber Honda in Bakersfield many times- it dies, won’t start. It is on the 3rd battery within 1st year. The last incident was 10/23/23 the car suddenly lost all power in an area of mountains- I was stranded without cell phone service, it was dangerous. Finally had it towed again- this time they re... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN JETTA (2019) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER Nov 8, 2023
Incident date: Nov 7, 2023
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ("ABS") MODULE remains a threat to my life. Hyundai should be required to fix this in a timely manner.
VOLKSWAGEN JETTA (2020) - STRUCTURE:BODY Nov 8, 2023
Incident date: Aug 1, 2023
The contact owns a Thomashilfen Recaro Monza Nova 2 Reha car seat. The contact stated that the back of the seat detached from the seat base due to the connector fracturing. The safety seat had not been repaired or replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure.
VOLKSWAGEN JETTA (2020) - AIR BAGS Nov 8, 2023
Incident date: Aug 1, 2023
Dash is cracked in so many spots and missing peices to where it is unsafe. In an accident those loose and broken peices can hurt a passenger/driver. Can't even get the airbag recall taken care of because the dash is too damaged.
VOLKSWAGEN JETTA SPORTWAGEN (2013) - SERVICE BRAKES Nov 8, 2023
Incident date: Mar 1, 2023
In stop and go traffic on freeway, car was moving at about 5 miles an hour but car kept moving, collision warning and automatic braking did not activate. Had to turn off car and coast to a stop. Nearly collided with vehicle in front
VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS (2021) - ENGINE Nov 7, 2023
Incident date: Nov 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled with the key symbol warning light displayed. The contact pulled over to the side of the highway and was able to use a trailer to tow the vehicle to the residence. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 1... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS (2019) - ENGINE Nov 6, 2023
Incident date: Nov 6, 2023
I purchased and Infiniti QX60 on April 15th 2023 The check engine light has come on on multiple occasions and the vehicle loses power in traffic and stops moving it will shut off. The first time I had the vehicle in for service it was sensors with the check engine light this time it is in for service and there is a replacement of a fuel pump
VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS (2021) - FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING Nov 6, 2023
Incident date: Nov 5, 2023
Please refer Complaint Number: 11507564 Manufacturer promised to release a temporary remedy by mid august. Its November ,still no temporary fix nor permanent. Dealers give a fixed response of no parts available or no remedy. Attached is the recall letter that promised a temporary fix by aug 7,2023.
VOLKSWAGEN JETTA (2019) - SERVICE BRAKES Nov 6, 2023
Incident date: Aug 3, 2023
brake warning lights (ABS, traction, and (!)) went on while driving on the highway with my 8-year old. Needed brake booster replaced. Replaced at dealership for over $4500. Was a year and a half outside of a customer support program that covered cost for our vehicle through Jan 2022. Called Toyota to see if they could do anything and to report safety issue. They did not give me any funds towa... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN JETTA (2019) - STRUCTURE:BODY Nov 6, 2023
Incident date: Aug 3, 2023
The driver's side door handle does not open on the first attempt. I have to pull between two and six times to get the door to open. This occurs attempting to enter the vehicle. I have not had issues attempting to leave the vehicle yet. It occurs after the doors have been locked. It does not matter if the door was locked using the fob or the button on the door handle. It also does not matter if the... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN JETTA (2019) - POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION Nov 6, 2023
Incident date: Nov 3, 2023
The transmission went out suddenly while driving. My safety was at risk since it suddenly went out while the vehicle was in motion on a typically busy road. I had to pull over with my hazards on hoping no one would hit me.The car was taken to a local dealer where they determined there were metal shavings in the transmission and it needed to be replaced. A warning came up on the screen but when it ... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN JETTA (2019) - FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING Nov 6, 2023
Incident date: Aug 14, 2023
The Hydraulic Control Unit Chrysler part number 68143491AA failed and been replaced multiply times on my vehicle. I have the current failed part available for inspection upon request. This causes the Anti-lock braking system and Traction control system to no longer function limiting function under wet or slippery conditions. This puts the driver and others at risk. The problem has been reproduce... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS CROSS SPORT (2022) - POWER TRAIN Nov 5, 2023
Incident date: Jul 1, 2023
Due to multiple electrical issues causes my stabilitrac, lane assist and power steering assist to cut out. After reading multiple forums and speaking to other owners many of these trucks have the same issue and Chevy isn’t addressing at all.
VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS (2022) - POWER TRAIN Nov 4, 2023
Incident date: Oct 26, 2023
Bought new 2014 In 2019 new transmission cvt issue Dealer replaced and now 90K transmission blown Car wouldnt do anything Driving on 5Fwy Middle lane doin 62 and it just stopped, it jerked so hard and cut all power When stopped couldnt put it in park
VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS (2022) - ENGINE Nov 4, 2023
Incident date: Oct 26, 2023
Bought new 2014 In 2019 new transmission cvt issue Dealer replaced and now 90K transmission blown Car wouldnt do anything Driving on 5Fwy Middle lane doin 62 and it just stopped, it jerked so hard and cut all power When stopped couldnt put it in park
VOLKSWAGEN JETTA (2012) - STEERING Nov 4, 2023
Incident date: Sep 15, 2023
My car has about 3k miles it started to make a Crack noise while backing up and pressing the brakes on the right front wheel took it to the dealer and they checked but didn't fix it it appears to be normal on this cars wich I don't believe it sound like if something is backing also now is doing it while I pull forward sometimes I hope there is more people experiencing this issue
VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS (2018) - STEERING Nov 3, 2023
Incident date: Mar 29, 2023
Reporting a case for GM recall N182161890. I bought my vehicle in 2022. I was informed that my car had all the recalls completed on that vehicle. My vehicle had exactly what this recall was for happen to it on 10/20/23. After contacting Cadillac, they informed me that this recall was never completed on my vehicle. Cadillac then told me that this recall was expired so it can no longer be completed.... Read more
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