Consumer Safety Complaints
Search 2,192,899 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA — including 137,559 crashes, 55,854 fires, and 8,555 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 2,192,899 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 48,404 complaints for VOLKSWAGEN
VOLKSWAGEN
GTI
(2011) — POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CHAIN/BELT
May 24, 2022
Incident date: May 24, 2022
The contact owns a 2011 Volkswagen GTI. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the timing chain needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA. The failure mileage w... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
PASSAT
(2014) — AIR BAGS
May 24, 2022
Incident date: May 16, 2022
The contact owns a 2014 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the air bag warning light remained illuminated. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 87,000.
VOLKSWAGEN
PASSAT
(2015) — AIR BAGS
May 24, 2022
Incident date: Jun 11, 2021
Clockspring broke so no airbag and the dealership won’t fix it and it’s under warranty.
VOLKSWAGEN
JETTA SPORTWAGEN
(2014) — SUSPENSION
May 24, 2022
Incident date: May 20, 2022
Both springs on the rear suspension . The driver side spring broke in half. The pax side broke in two locations. Vehicle only has 65,000 miles.
VOLKSWAGEN
JETTA
(2012) — SUSPENSION
May 24, 2022
Incident date: May 22, 2022
Front driver strut coil spring snapped while driving.
VOLKSWAGEN
JETTA
(2013) — SERVICE BRAKES
May 23, 2022
Incident date: May 7, 2022
On more than one occasion the front left brake seized up. The last time was when I was on a toll road and felt warbling in the tires so I got off on an exit and when I reached the red light the left front brake seized up and the car wouldn't budge. Once the car rested and the brake cooled off I was able to drive it to a safe place and had it towed to the VW dealership who because they couldn't g... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ID.4
(2021) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
May 23, 2022
Incident date: May 22, 2022
An error message displayed while the vehicle was idle at a parking lot. "Electrical system not operating correctly" Everything worked fine but this message did not go away.
VOLKSWAGEN
TIGUAN
(2013) — STEERING
May 23, 2022
Incident date: May 15, 2022
While driving on the freeway the red power steering warning light along with a loud warning signal came on and I could not steer the car anymore. The whole steering system broke down without prior warning or accident. Talking to Volkswagen the customer service told me while regrettable things like that could happen but I think this is a serious safety hazard that could have cost lives.
VOLKSWAGEN
TIGUAN
(2022) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
May 23, 2022
Incident date: May 19, 2022
Infotainment system fails to start or reboots randomly rendering the rear camera not functional. VW dealership identified the problem as the bad computer module and failed to repair it citing part unavailability. Main problem is the lack of rear camera when the infotainment screen is not working which is really a crucial safety feature when backing out of spaces and parking.
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2021) — SERVICE BRAKES
May 23, 2022
Incident date: Mar 15, 2022
Car will brake unexpectedly while driving which almost caused me to have several accidents while approaching traffic lights. Windows also open unexpectedly. All dashboard lights turn on while driving. Not very safe to drive at all.
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2021) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
May 23, 2022
Incident date: Mar 15, 2022
Car will brake unexpectedly while driving which almost caused me to have several accidents while approaching traffic lights. Windows also open unexpectedly. All dashboard lights turn on while driving. Not very safe to drive at all.
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2021) — FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
May 23, 2022
Incident date: Mar 15, 2022
Car will brake unexpectedly while driving which almost caused me to have several accidents while approaching traffic lights. Windows also open unexpectedly. All dashboard lights turn on while driving. Not very safe to drive at all.
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2018) — SERVICE BRAKES
May 22, 2022
Incident date: Nov 27, 2021
My trucks breaks has given out multiple times almost causing accidents in the middle of driving with no warning. Message on dash says faulty breaks , break failure before it quickly goes away. The abs break light comes on and the car stalls almost causing me to get rear ended. I purchased the car Oct 12,2021 car start having issues December 2021. It is extremely dangerous to drive. I took it to ca... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2018) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
May 22, 2022
Incident date: Nov 27, 2021
My trucks breaks has given out multiple times almost causing accidents in the middle of driving with no warning. Message on dash says faulty breaks , break failure before it quickly goes away. The abs break light comes on and the car stalls almost causing me to get rear ended. I purchased the car Oct 12,2021 car start having issues December 2021. It is extremely dangerous to drive. I took it to ca... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2018) — ENGINE
May 22, 2022
Incident date: Nov 27, 2021
My trucks breaks has given out multiple times almost causing accidents in the middle of driving with no warning. Message on dash says faulty breaks , break failure before it quickly goes away. The abs break light comes on and the car stalls almost causing me to get rear ended. I purchased the car Oct 12,2021 car start having issues December 2021. It is extremely dangerous to drive. I took it to ca... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2021) — SEATS
May 22, 2022
Incident date: Mar 26, 2022
I am reporting a design defect in the VW Atlas second row bench. There is no sensor or warning for the driver when the bench seat is not secure. When the car came to a stop from a low speed, the bench fell forward with enough force to fracture my child's leg who was sitting secure in a child's car seat. We reported the design problem to the manufacturer. The vehicle manufacturer inspected th... Read more
1 injured
VOLKSWAGEN
GOLF
(2012) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
May 22, 2022
Incident date: May 19, 2022
At first, my vehicle dashboard warning light came on saying I have 9 different lights out(headlight, high beam, brake light, turn signals, etc). I thought it was odd for all these to go out at once, so I took it to the dealership for them to look at it. They couldn’t find anything and gave it back. It went off for a while but then the warning lights came back on. I again took it to the dealershi... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
TIGUAN
(2016) — AIR BAGS
May 20, 2022
Incident date: Dec 15, 2021
The clock spring in my vehicle broke back in December of 2021. This was diagnosed by a Volkswagen dealership service department. It is now 5 1/2 months after the part was ordered and still no part. This makes the car undriveable. The air bag and horn do not work and the entire dash is unusable. It is a safety issue that has rendered my car undriveable for the past 5 months. We can’t get dea... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
TIGUAN
(2016) — STEERING
May 20, 2022
Incident date: Dec 15, 2021
The clock spring in my vehicle broke back in December of 2021. This was diagnosed by a Volkswagen dealership service department. It is now 5 1/2 months after the part was ordered and still no part. This makes the car undriveable. The air bag and horn do not work and the entire dash is unusable. It is a safety issue that has rendered my car undriveable for the past 5 months. We can’t get dea... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
PASSAT
(2015) — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER CLOCKSPRING/SPIRAL CASSETTE
May 20, 2022
Incident date: Mar 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. Additionally, the horn was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the clockspring needed to be replaced; however, the clockspring part was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the f... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
PASSAT
(2015) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
May 20, 2022
Incident date: Mar 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. Additionally, the horn was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the clockspring needed to be replaced; however, the clockspring part was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the f... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
PASSAT
(2014) — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER CLOCKSPRING/SPIRAL CASSETTE
May 19, 2022
Incident date: Jan 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2014 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the airbag warning light illuminated the instrument panel. The contact had initially taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where he was informed that the clockspring was defective. The mechanic then called the dealer and was provided an estimate for the cost of a new clockspring. The contact then t... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
GOLF
(2017) — FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
May 19, 2022
Incident date: Apr 19, 2022
Vehicle experienced copious amounts of gasoline leaking from behind the right rear tire. Further inspection indicates the fuel is being pumped out through the evap carbon canister. Researching the NTHSA information indicates the problem to be identical to the suction pump issue on both 2015 and 2016 VW GTI models that use the same gas tank (Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 20Y6 and 20Y5): ... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2021) — SERVICE BRAKES
May 19, 2022
Incident date: Mar 3, 2022
BROUGHT TO DEALER ON 3/04/2022 ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WAS COMING ON AND OFF AT TIME AND HILL START ASSIST ERROR, DRIVERS DOOR MODULE WIRE HARNESS HAS SHORTED OUT AND PARTS ARE ON BACK ORDER. POWER SEAT MOVING BY ITSELF. DRIVER SIDE REAR WINDOW GOING DOWN BY ITSELF. REMOTE START NOT WORKING. EMERGENCY BRAKE NOT WORKING AND APPLYING ITSELF WHILE DRIVING. ISSUE STILL HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED.
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2021) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
May 19, 2022
Incident date: Mar 3, 2022
BROUGHT TO DEALER ON 3/04/2022 ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WAS COMING ON AND OFF AT TIME AND HILL START ASSIST ERROR, DRIVERS DOOR MODULE WIRE HARNESS HAS SHORTED OUT AND PARTS ARE ON BACK ORDER. POWER SEAT MOVING BY ITSELF. DRIVER SIDE REAR WINDOW GOING DOWN BY ITSELF. REMOTE START NOT WORKING. EMERGENCY BRAKE NOT WORKING AND APPLYING ITSELF WHILE DRIVING. ISSUE STILL HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED.
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2021) — FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
May 19, 2022
Incident date: Mar 3, 2022
BROUGHT TO DEALER ON 3/04/2022 ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WAS COMING ON AND OFF AT TIME AND HILL START ASSIST ERROR, DRIVERS DOOR MODULE WIRE HARNESS HAS SHORTED OUT AND PARTS ARE ON BACK ORDER. POWER SEAT MOVING BY ITSELF. DRIVER SIDE REAR WINDOW GOING DOWN BY ITSELF. REMOTE START NOT WORKING. EMERGENCY BRAKE NOT WORKING AND APPLYING ITSELF WHILE DRIVING. ISSUE STILL HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED.
VOLKSWAGEN
GTI
(2015) — ENGINE
May 19, 2022
Incident date: Feb 25, 2022
The coolant shutoff valve/water pump has failed twice in a little over 13,000 miles. The first incident caused the engine to overheat and go into "lump mode" on the highway and would not go over 45 mph. In the 2nd incident, the coolant shutoff value because stuck in an open position, resulting in poor gas mileage and an engine that takes much longer than normal to reach operating temperature. ... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2019) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
May 18, 2022
Incident date: May 13, 2022
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. The contact stated that while waiting in a drive-thru line with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle lurched forward crashing into the vehicle in front. The contact stated that she attempted to shift into the park however, the vehicle shifted to reverse while the brake pedal was still depressed and the vehicle crashed into the vehicle in the rear. No war... Read more
Crash
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS CROSS SPORT
(2021) — ENGINE
May 18, 2022
Incident date: Jul 2, 2021
The car has auto on/off when idling at a stop. It will often just power down completely and not power back up when idling. Because of this at intersections i have almost been hit twice but it has happened 7 times in 1 year. The car also shows a constant seatbelt not connected symbol and loud warning when the belt is connected and nothing is in the passenger seat. This comes and goes with no promp... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
JETTA
(2013) — VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
May 18, 2022
Incident date: Apr 24, 2022
I had just gotten in my car with my wife to go to the grocery store. There was a small mosquito flying around the windshield on the driver's side. I extended my right arm, flicked my wrist, smashing the mosquito with the backs of my fingers. In squashing the mosquito with VERY little force I cracked my windshield significantly. The windshield in question was installed by Safelite in Martinez G... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
TIGUAN
(2019) — STRUCTURE
May 18, 2022
Incident date: May 18, 2019
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that the right hydraulic arm of the hatchback was corroded and upon closing the trunk manually, the right hydraulic arm detached and hit her on the right side of the head and shoulder. A bystander approached the contact to check on her. The contact then sought medical assistance. The contact was informed that she had sustained a severe ... Read more
1 injured
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2022) — AIR BAGS
May 17, 2022
Incident date: May 1, 2022
What I experienced: the wireless phone charger doesn’t work properly and the phone is impossible to pair with the car a lots of time. All the windows rolled down by itself when I stated the engine. The remote start fail to work multiple times. Most importantly there is a safety recall on the vehicle what currently doesn’t have the fixing solution. I would like to know my legal options accor... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2022) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
May 17, 2022
Incident date: May 1, 2022
What I experienced: the wireless phone charger doesn’t work properly and the phone is impossible to pair with the car a lots of time. All the windows rolled down by itself when I stated the engine. The remote start fail to work multiple times. Most importantly there is a safety recall on the vehicle what currently doesn’t have the fixing solution. I would like to know my legal options accor... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2021) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
May 16, 2022
Incident date: Apr 4, 2022
The auto stop start, stops requiring restarting of vehicle. When at a stoplight and removing foot from the brake to proceed, all the warning lights and sound notification along start. This is a huge distraction and dangerous driving condition. The start/ stop totally turning off the vehicle at stop lights and not restarting the engine is a collision hazard.
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2022) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
May 16, 2022
Incident date: May 16, 2022
I received crash warnings while driving 60mph but no car was near to trigger the warning. Vehicle rear passenger side window rolled down on its own about 5 inches. Same trip, the rear driver side window rolled down about 5 inches.
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2022) — FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
May 16, 2022
Incident date: May 16, 2022
I received crash warnings while driving 60mph but no car was near to trigger the warning. Vehicle rear passenger side window rolled down on its own about 5 inches. Same trip, the rear driver side window rolled down about 5 inches.
VOLKSWAGEN
TIGUAN
(2016) — AIR BAGS
May 16, 2022
Incident date: Jul 5, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated when the vehicle was started, the instrument cluster was inoperable. Additionally, the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and diagnosed with an air bag failure however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 37,147.
VOLKSWAGEN
TIGUAN
(2016) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
May 16, 2022
Incident date: Jul 5, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated when the vehicle was started, the instrument cluster was inoperable. Additionally, the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and diagnosed with an air bag failure however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 37,147.
VOLKSWAGEN
TIGUAN
(2022) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
May 16, 2022
Incident date: Nov 10, 2021
- Acceleration hesitates from a stop. - If making a left turn or cross traffic turn, when vehicle hesitates it can cause a collision. - Have an appointment 5/20/22 (however VW forums have others reporting the same experience.) - No - No This have been an issue since purchase. From 10miles to the now 3200miles.
VOLKSWAGEN
JETTA
(2014) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
May 16, 2022
Incident date: Nov 11, 2021
Motor was replaced at 104,714 miles due to knock in engine. Got car after motor replacement and car is doing same exact thing with less than 5000 miles on new motor. Codes that are appearing are oil pressure switch and power train computer issues.
VOLKSWAGEN
JETTA
(2014) — ENGINE
May 16, 2022
Incident date: Nov 11, 2021
Motor was replaced at 104,714 miles due to knock in engine. Got car after motor replacement and car is doing same exact thing with less than 5000 miles on new motor. Codes that are appearing are oil pressure switch and power train computer issues.
VOLKSWAGEN
JETTA
(2014) — POWER TRAIN
May 16, 2022
Incident date: Nov 11, 2021
Motor was replaced at 104,714 miles due to knock in engine. Got car after motor replacement and car is doing same exact thing with less than 5000 miles on new motor. Codes that are appearing are oil pressure switch and power train computer issues.
VOLKSWAGEN
ID.4
(2021) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
May 15, 2022
Incident date: May 15, 2022
I was on the freeway going 70 mph. Red warning lights came on saying to stop car immediately. The car lost all power. I was able to get on the shoulder and called State Patrol because I was barely off a busy freeway. They advised me to get a tow truck. The Infotainment system was completely blank. All that worked were my emergency flashers. After ten minutes of trying to turn car back on, everyth... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ID.4
(2021) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
May 15, 2022
Incident date: May 15, 2022
I was on the freeway going 70 mph. Red warning lights came on saying to stop car immediately. The car lost all power. I was able to get on the shoulder and called State Patrol because I was barely off a busy freeway. They advised me to get a tow truck. The Infotainment system was completely blank. All that worked were my emergency flashers. After ten minutes of trying to turn car back on, everyth... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
TIGUAN
(2016) — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER CLOCKSPRING/SPIRAL CASSETTE
May 14, 2022
Incident date: Jan 29, 2022
I had my clockspring replaced in March 2021 and it broke again January 2022 (less than a year and only 10k miles added) The part is nationally backordered, there has been a 7+ month wait time and no end in sight. The clockspring causes clicking in the steering wheel, the buttons and HORN do not function, and the airbag light goes on. VW just tells you it’s fine to drive even though this is a saf... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ROUTAN
(2009) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
May 13, 2022
Incident date: May 12, 2022
After getting wires regrounded at the mechanic, the car continues to malfunction. The wiper blades turn on, the entire dash blinks, the seat moves back and forth, resetting repeatedly. If seat is disconnected for safety, the seatbelt does not register as secured. Eventually doors stop functioning, have completely lost lock function, tried replacing battery and sending to mechanic specialist. Still... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ROUTAN
(2009) — SEATS
May 13, 2022
Incident date: May 12, 2022
After getting wires regrounded at the mechanic, the car continues to malfunction. The wiper blades turn on, the entire dash blinks, the seat moves back and forth, resetting repeatedly. If seat is disconnected for safety, the seatbelt does not register as secured. Eventually doors stop functioning, have completely lost lock function, tried replacing battery and sending to mechanic specialist. Still... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ROUTAN
(2009) — VISIBILITY/WIPER
May 13, 2022
Incident date: May 12, 2022
After getting wires regrounded at the mechanic, the car continues to malfunction. The wiper blades turn on, the entire dash blinks, the seat moves back and forth, resetting repeatedly. If seat is disconnected for safety, the seatbelt does not register as secured. Eventually doors stop functioning, have completely lost lock function, tried replacing battery and sending to mechanic specialist. Still... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ROUTAN
(2010) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
May 13, 2022
Incident date: Apr 13, 2022
The contact owns a 2010 Volkswagen Routan. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle suddenly stalled. The vehicle lost power steering and braking functionality. The contact stated that numerous unknown warning lights were illuminated and blinking. The contact was attempting to maintain lane when the vehicle independently restarted and the contact pulled off the road safel... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
JETTA
(2009) — POWER TRAIN
May 13, 2022
Incident date: May 1, 2021
The contact owns a 2009 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the gear shift indicator started blinking on and off. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact parked on the side of the road and restarted the vehicle to reboot the gear shift indicator lights. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manu... Read more