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

Incident date: Jun 8, 2023

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Renegade. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she depressed the brake pedal and heard a hissing sound, and the brake pedal became firm and difficult to depress. The contact stated that she applied added pressure to the brake pedal however, the brake pedal went to the floorboard and the vehicle coasted to a stop. The vehicle was taken to the d... Read more

Incident date: Nov 3, 2022

I bought the car new in 2019. Car was fine for the first 2 years then it started skipping the gear on low speeds, it does not happen all the time but it does seems to jerk while changing gears in low speeds, occusionally. I have taken the car in to Toyota in Green Bay, WI location and I was told they can't duplicate the issue.

Incident date: Jul 29, 2023

I was driving on the highway, operating vehicle at posted speed limit, traveling about 70mph when vehicle experienced complete power loss for a short duration of time. All electrical off, loss of braking, loss of power steering. Power subsequently returned and vehicle resumed normal operation. This is not the first time this has occurred, but this episode has me concerned since I was driving on th... Read more

Incident date: Feb 10, 2022

The stop/start feature on my Jeep has just stopped working. The battery has been checked and rechecked and replaced. It doesn't work. The biggest problem now is the 8.4 touchscreen display that malfunctions. The GPS is connected to this along with the radio and backup camera. Other features include the phone, climate control, and other functions. The phone will randomly select contacts I am not ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 14, 2023

My cars low engine oil light came on suddenly and then the engine started making noises. Full on oil and not leaking. Mechanic says it’s an internal issue and will be $5600 to repair. I already have an electrical issue with the A-pin that Ford said was $3000. It never got repaired because they never contacted me saying the part was in. The engine issue has a recall for the year make and mod... Read more

Incident date: Jul 24, 2023

Abs/ traction control light comes on and off lose all cruise control. Get code c0020-1.

Incident date: Jul 28, 2023

A clicking noise and jerking of steering wheel when making turns. Feel uncomfortable and unsure of safety with this happening. This occurs at low speeds like when parking or pulling into or out off the garage, as well as at highway speed. My long time mehanic/service hears and feels it but unsure of the cause and thought maybe there was a Honda recall. No warning lights displayed.

Incident date: Jul 31, 2023

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine light illuminated. Upon inspecting the engine compartment, the contact noticed that the coolant level was low coolant. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of coolant. The contact stated that further testing revealed a cylinder misfire code, and the ... Read more

Incident date: Oct 4, 2022

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, the following day it was discovered that the cruise control switch located on the steering wheel had overheated and melted. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Numb... Read more

Incident date: Jul 29, 2023

2023 Toyota Highlander XLE with 2.4 Turbo hesitates for an unacceptable period of time when accelerating from a stop. This could pose a huge safety risk when merging into traffic from a stop sign. The lag / hesitation is present on all eco / normal / sport drive modes. The issue has been occurring since the vehicle was purchased at 70 miles and currently has about 5200 miles. Toyota needs to lo... Read more

Incident date: May 1, 2023

I was parked in my car while talking to my friend and suddenly a loud smashing noise came from behind me. Then I heard a crackling sound and got out to look and my rear windshield had shattered. There was nothing around that made contact or caused it. The rear defrosters were on at the time of the incident.

Incident date: Jul 30, 2023

The ABS module in our 2500 Cummins has been serviced multiple times since purchasing and is still throwing service codes. We have a child and need to be sure that this module is working properly. We know this module has been recalled in the 2019-2022 models.

Incident date: Jul 27, 2023

The steering rack and intermediate shaft in the steering wheel Go bad and what happens is it makes having an alignment impossible Not only that but the vehicle clunks with every turn [XXX] Being a Pontiac it was a joint venture between Toyota And GM Thus Affecting many Toyota Corolla Prius and matrix As Toyota got a recall Pontiac did not INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM O... Read more

Incident date: Jul 27, 2023

Tack welds on vehicle roof rusted out along passenger side, causing water and other structural damage to electrical components, vehicle body, and other vehicles components. Water leak caused mold and mildew damage to headliner, carpet, etc. Air quality in vehicle diminished for passengers, variety of children age ranges.

Incident date: Jul 29, 2023

Tonight on 7/29/2023 after driving between 5-10 miles at night with very light traffic, my dashboard flashed a message telling me "Forward Safety system disabled. Radar blocked." After receiving this message and it clearing from the digital instrument cluster, a small triangle appeared with a exclamation mark. After driving between 1 to 5 miles further down the interstate the triangle cleared fro... Read more

Incident date: Jul 29, 2023

My vehicle suddenly did not want to start without any warning. I drove my truck and everything was good until I turned it on with the remote and not even a minute after it shut off. I tried turning it back on and it only cranked but would not start. I had a mechanic diagnose it and their computer gave them fuel pump error code. They said it was the fuel pump control module and that they have been ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 1, 2023

Was driving in a busy area of Erie, PA, when approaching a traffic signal driving near 45 mph before the speed limit dropped. Attempted to apply brakes as traffic was backed up at the light, but couldn't depress the brakes at all. The service brake assist light came on at that moment. Was fortunate that light turned green a few seconds later so traffic cleared and I was able to make a wide high sp... Read more

Incident date: Jun 1, 2023

Purchased in Jan 2023 within a day we had to bring it back, hood latch open error, unconnect box error, lane assistance wouldn’t work. It went every week to the dealership for 2 and a half months; sensors have been replaced, electrical harness has been replaced, display has been replaced and the display still will just shut down and restart; the vehicle will just shut down and engage emergency b... Read more

Incident date: Jul 28, 2023

The airbag light is on. The seatbelt on the passenger side gets stuck.

Incident date: Jul 28, 2023

Brand new truck with less than 500 miles on the odometer and now having issues with the auxiliary transmission pump which is responsible for switching between the hybrid system (engine to battery and vice versa). The issue with this is that is also makes the vehicle lurch forward as if it was rear ended, with the potential to hit something in front as a result. I left the vehicle with the dealer o... Read more

Incident date: Jul 27, 2023

On may 12, I was in a long line of cars at a red light , stopped. all of a sudden my car started moving and accelerating toward the car in front of me. When I got over the initial shock, I started stamping on the brake (2-3x) and nothing happened. I clipped the other car as I yanked the car out of line into the turn lane. I turned off the car and shook. Then I handled the insurance stuff with the ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 27, 2023

The "turbo lag" as the dealership calls it is horrendous. Vehicle has extremely poor acceleration from a stop. It is very dangerous when pulling out into traffic as acceleration falls flat for a second or two until it eventually responds and accelerates. I try to be very cognizant of the poor performance of the vehicle, but I feel it is a matter of time until something bad happens. I took the v... Read more

Incident date: Jul 1, 2023

While driving, received Hybrid system warning that shut the car down . Power steering and braking were non-existent so safely stopping and pulling over was near impossible.

Incident date: May 9, 2023

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the electrical system was behaving erratically. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred with the keyless entry failing to lock or unlock the vehicle and the vehicle failing to recognize the key fob. Additionally, the infotainment system was inadvertently changing the radio station and the li... Read more

Incident date: May 9, 2023

On 7/25/2023, I left my car keys inside the trunk. The 2015 BMW 320i xDrive does not have access from the cabin passenger to the trunk to open manually. Even the locksmith cannot open it. This is the bad design and may create safety issue. I called BMW road assistance and they cant help me instead told me to tow my car to dealership.

Incident date: Jul 28, 2023

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Transit Connect. The contact stated that during rainy weather, moisture was leaking into the vehicle through the top passenger’s side windshield. After the contact was involved in a crash, the leak started across the entire top of the windshield. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer and paid to have the windshield sealant replaced; however, the windshield cracked... Read more

Incident date: Jul 28, 2023

The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front windshield inadvertently cracked from the passenger’s side and extended to the center of the windshield. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the windshield and windshield seal needed to be replaced. The contact also stated that photos were taken o... Read more

Incident date: Jul 28, 2023

The power steering in my 2013 Explorer went out on the road, and a light came on. My I am having my steering assembly replaced. 2800.00 plus. Please advise, as there was a recall on this model for same, though I received no info regarding the issue. My car was made in Chicago as well. The recall number was 14S06, but for some reason, my car was not covered. I filed a verbal complaint as well. Than... Read more

Incident date: Jul 19, 2023

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that his daughter was unable to start the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the purge valve to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but experienced the failure a second time in 2022. The contact took the vehicle back to the local... Read more

Incident date: Jul 19, 2023

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard. The contact stated that the vehicle continued through the light but eventually came to a stop. The brake fluid low message was displayed approximately seven minutes after the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who infor... Read more

Incident date: Jul 25, 2023

Engine light would come on & off. Took my care in to be inspected - they determine i need a new motor -due to defect in motor design leaking antifreeze into cylinders. Not cover by warranty because i was 2 months out of the 6yr. period with only 47,000 miles on it. They will do nothing for me except charge for a new motor. My understanding is this 4 cylinder w/turbo motor in Ford/Lincoln has... Read more

Incident date: Jul 25, 2023

My Jeep has a left cylinder head failure at 78k miles. Jeep forums are full of discussions regarding this issue. The dealer says there is no reason for the failure and that they have seen this before. Jeep says my warranty is expired so I am out of luck. This is my third Jeep and the first time I have had any issue mechanically. This failure is not from normal wear and tear. It's very frustrating ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 26, 2023

My tail lights, brake lights and head lights continue to go out. I have replaced them many times myself and have taken it to the Hyundai dealership. They temporarily fixed them but couldn’t promise how long they would work. They said to fix them would cost over 1000$. This is a safety hazard as not having brake lights could cause serious accidents. This doesn’t seem Normal as I have never In ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 26, 2023

At approximately 17K miles, the vehicle indicated a low coolant condition via dashboard indicator. Reservoir levels had dropped by about 17oz. Vehicle now requires regular coolant top-up once every 1-2 months to maintain minimum levels.

Incident date: Jul 27, 2023

The contact owned a 2016 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously stolen, and she related the failure to Hyundai Campaign Number: 993. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle accelerated unintendedly to approximately 45 MPH. The contact depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle decelerated. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while drivin... Read more

Incident date: Jul 27, 2023

Incident date: Jun 15, 2023

Electrical system malfunction caused the car to come to a stop in the middle of a busy highway. The vehicle needed to be pushed off to the side of the road by other parties as steering became increasingly difficult to navigate to the side of the road. The vehicle was stuck in neutral and could not start the engine to drive again. The vehicle needed to be towed to the closest dealership for further... Read more

Incident date: Jun 15, 2023

Fuel tank started leaking gasoline on the driver's side of the car. I only noticed because of the strong smell of gasoline and slipping a puddle of gas. I feel that my safety was at risk if I was to drive around with gasoline leaking out of the car that could have caused an explosion. I took the car to the dealership and the dealership will not cover the repair even though there is an emission war... Read more

Incident date: Jul 6, 2023

The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the downhill assist, traction control, auto stop, blind spot, and ABS warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to pull over and called the local dealer and was informed that the vehicle was safe to drive. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the brakes independently activated. The vehicl... Read more

Incident date: Jul 27, 2023

Bushing that controls the shift gear pops out I am aware that other fords have a recall for this yet this one is absent from your list

Incident date: Jul 25, 2023

BSM does not work. Lights flash randomly on most all times.

Incident date: Jul 27, 2023

When I turn the steering wheel, the ac turns off, lights turn off, the computer screen turns off, steering wheel gets hard and does a jerking movement. The truck turns off too and then suddenly turns on. This can cause a death. If this happens in a highway or a street where speed is high this can easily cause a death.. fortunately this has happened going at 30 mph and no one close at the time and ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 13, 2023

-The front and rear camera work intermittently, and yes it is available for inspection upon request. - During the morning, afternoon, or during the night, the package that includes the security that the vehicle has about vision by cameras does not work, putting their own lives and others at risk by not seeing the blind and low spots from the Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve 2023, causing a fatal... Read more

Incident date: Jul 13, 2023

Incident date: Jul 26, 2023

Severe clunk while in reverse probably coming from rear differential

Incident date: Jul 26, 2023

BOTH SLIDING DOORS ARE LOCKED AND CAN'T BE OPENED MANUALLY OR AUTOMATICALLY OUR KIDS AND PASSENGERS CAN'T EXIT SAFELY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT OR FIRE. THE ISSUE HAS BEEN CONFIRMED AND WARRANTY EXTENTED-DEALER CHARGED $155 AND TOLD US THAT THE DOOR BEING LOCKED AND NOT BEING ABLE TO OPEN IS NOT THE ISSUE BUT THE LATCH IS DEFECTIVE. (WE DON'T BELIEVE THIS TO BE TRUE) THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN CONFIRME... Read more

Incident date: Jul 25, 2023

The front subframe and engine cradle broke while driving (corrosion). Car began swaying and brakes were affected. Car pulled hard to the right when applying minor pressure to brakes on highway immediately after hearing the part break. The car only has 110,000 miles on it and according to the repair shop and dealership this is an increasingly common problem for the car make and model for this spec... Read more

Incident date: Jul 25, 2023

Air bag error, recommendation PODS wiring be replaced, active recall is listed but this vehicle is not included

Incident date: Jul 20, 2023

Purchased "Certified Used" Vehicle December of 2021. I have had 4 water pumps installed due to leaks. It has smelled and vehicle has increased temperature. It is now back at the dealership to have the 5th water pump installed.

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Consumer Safety Complaints

What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?

How to interpret what you read

If you've experienced a defect

Read more from our blog