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 15,318 complaints for VOLVO
Incident date: Mar 13, 2024
This trailer has a dangerous design flaw. This trailer is called a "Tilt Trailer," and the bed of trailer tilts to allow machines to drive onto the ramp. The design flaw is the location of the tie-down rings. The "D-rings" are welded to the bed, and not the frame of the trailer. This allows the bed of the trailer to bounce. When a machine is on the trailer, the bed will continue to bounce and... Read more
Incident date: Apr 16, 2019
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, both the driver and passenger side rear windows would roll down independently. The contact also stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would stall as several warning lights would appear on the instrument panel. The contact called the dealer about the failure and was given an estimate fo... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Oct 20, 2024
The contact owns a 2024 Honda CR-V. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V744000 (Steering); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. 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 contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution discon... Read more
Incident date: Nov 28, 2024
While driving my 2016 Subaru Forester about 70mph on [XXX] , the engine suddenly stalled and I was stranded on the freeway. The fuel tank was about 3/4 full and no warning light flashed in the dashboard prior to the incident. I tried to move my vehicle to the right lane but was unable because of the vehicle's loss of power. I almost collided by a speeding truck behind me. I shut off the engine, wa... Read more
Incident date: Nov 16, 2024
Loss of power Steering on start up and while driving. Started out on start up a couple times, turned vehicle off started back up and it will work. Today loss of power while driving.
Incident date: Nov 8, 2024
My end of year 2019 produced GMC Sierra 1500 5.3 V8, 4WD X31 4 door truck had a serious malfunction that could have caused great harm. I was driving down my driveway at approximately 20 mph when the truck's rear wheels locked up, stopping the truck instantly, sending me into the steering wheel narrowly missing the windshield with my face. After a moment, I attempted to drive again to move the t... Read more
Incident date: Nov 8, 2024
My end of year 2019 produced GMC Sierra 1500 5.3 V8, 4WD X31 4 door truck had a serious malfunction that could have caused great harm. I was driving down my driveway at approximately 20 mph when the truck's rear wheels locked up, stopping the truck instantly, sending me into the steering wheel narrowly missing the windshield with my face. After a moment, I attempted to drive again to move the t... Read more
Incident date: Nov 8, 2024
My check engine light came on. I stopped at Auto Zone and had the check engine light read. The code came back as P1450 (Canister Purge Valve). Upon checking the Ford Website to run my VIN for recalls, nothing came back for my vehicle. I checked NHTSA and learned there have been 6 recalls, and 2 of those 6 seem to fit the issue I am having. However, since my VIN was not identified as one of the af... Read more
Incident date: Oct 26, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 BMW X4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); 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 made aware of the issue. Th... Read more
Incident date: Nov 6, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission was shifting rough. The contact pulled over and turned off the vehicle. While restarting the vehicle, the check engine and several other unknown warning lights illuminated. The "Transmission Overheating, Stop Safely" message was displayed while driving. The contact pulled over again ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 2, 2024
215/45R18 89V I bought a new 2024 Mazda 3 sedan Sport for my senior college son on [XXX] in Rockville, Maryland. In the evening of [XXX], during our attending my son's graduation in Nashville, Tennessee, on the highway to hotel, the front right tire was suddenly blowed out (air leaking quickly and completely). There was nothing on the highway, no object and no pothole. The cars in the front of us... Read more
Incident date: Jul 15, 2024
When the transmission downshifts the rear wheels lock up and the truck skids out of control. I have to be very careful with gas pedal pressure to not allow the transmission to downshift by 2 or more gears. This is virtually impossible in mountain terrain, where I visit routinely.
Incident date: Jul 15, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Edge. The contact stated that upon inspection of the vehicle, the contact discovered an unknown fluid leak. There was no warning light illuminated. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was informed that the water pump had failed and caused radiator fluid to leak from the vehicle. The contact was provided an estimate for the replacemen... Read more
Incident date: Sep 21, 2024
THE TRUCK WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK
Incident date: Sep 21, 2024
The vehicle has a consistent problem where all dashboard warning lights come on at the same time, sometimes when this happens the vehicle enters what they call limp mode and won't go above 10-20 mph. This occurred multiple times to me and recently on the highway where a tractor trailer almost hit my vehicle because of the loss of speed with no brake lights. It has been to multiple honda dealership... Read more
Incident date: Nov 16, 2024
While driving on the freeway in the evening about 10 minutes into the drive, a loud bang was heard like a shotgun and the front portion of the panoramic sunroof had shattered. Small shards of glass entered the cabin but fortunately no one was injured inside the vehicle. No sign of a rock hitting the vehicle or defect in the panoramic had occurred prior to this incidence. It appears to have occurre... Read more
Incident date: Nov 16, 2024
My 2018 Honda Odyssey stalls or hesitates when I go from a stop to accelerate. The vehicle will lose all power for 3-6 seconds and when the engine catches up to the pedal, the vehicle accelerates hard, spinning the tires and jerking the vehicle. I've had the vehicle inspected at my local Honda dealership and they've said the vehicle has no open recalls. This includes the fuel pump recall and the ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 16, 2024
My 2018 Honda Odyssey stalls or hesitates when I go from a stop to accelerate. The vehicle will lose all power for 3-6 seconds and when the engine catches up to the pedal, the vehicle accelerates hard, spinning the tires and jerking the vehicle. I've had the vehicle inspected at my local Honda dealership and they've said the vehicle has no open recalls. This includes the fuel pump recall and the ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 13, 2024
there was a recall for death wobble on steering, took it in, supposedly fixed. a month went by and wobble came back, took back to jeep, they said i needed new tires. (of course warranty was just getting ready to expire.) bought new tires, death wobble is getting worse and worse. if you hit a bump in road and your going 45mph, you have to try and stop vehicle it is shaking sooo bad. not fair i have... Read more
Incident date: Nov 13, 2024
I had an incident in 2018 with the power transfer unit in this vehicle wherein I lost all control of the vehicle while driving. The dealer repaired it at that time. However, recently I was advised by the dealer that I am likely to have the same issue because the power transfer unit needs to be replaced and is a known issue yet for some reason my specific model is not included in the recall.
Incident date: Nov 13, 2024
I had an incident in 2018 with the power transfer unit in this vehicle wherein I lost all control of the vehicle while driving. The dealer repaired it at that time. However, recently I was advised by the dealer that I am likely to have the same issue because the power transfer unit needs to be replaced and is a known issue yet for some reason my specific model is not included in the recall.
Incident date: Nov 1, 2024
The vapor canister (charcoal canister) and related parts have failed on 3 different occasions over the past 1.5-2 years. This caused the car to stall while operating without any warning from the vehicle. The cars has to be put into park and the engine restarted before it can be operational again. The dealer has inspected and replace parts of the system each time it has happened, and has explain... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2024
Rear driver side door suddenly will not open from outside or inside. A rear passenger would be essentially trapped in the car should an incident/accident happen. I googled and it seems this is a well known issue affecting several model years of Hyundai, including my 2017 model. I do not see a recall for this extremely dangerous issue.
Incident date: Nov 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact stated that on several occasions while the ON/OFF system was activated, while making left and right turns and then stopped the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was shifted into park(P) and restarted after each failure. The vehicle was idling and the engine sputtered and ran rough. Additionally, the contact stated that while idling, the vehicle ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 28, 2024
The known issue of a lead frame failure in the transmission of my vehicle occurred causing the vehicle to lose it's speedometer input and traction. Extremely dangerous condition and Ford refuses to acknowledge or take any responsibility for the incident.
Incident date: Oct 28, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the high engine temperature and low coolant level warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that coolant was leaking into cylinders #2 and #4, and the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that t... Read more
Incident date: Oct 28, 2024
Every warning light came on at the same time. Everything except the cruise control and lane assist works, eventhough the warning lights are on. There is nothing wrong when driving, the car accelerates fine, brakes work fine. Only the cruise control and lane assist are affected by all the warning lights. Took car to the Honda dealership and was told 2 of my fuel injectors are completely clogged, bu... Read more
Incident date: Oct 21, 2024
-The forward automatic braking system/City Safety has misfired multiple times in all weather conditions, on surface streets and on the highway. -This causes automatic braking which could cause an accident. -The car is currently at the dealer for inspection since 10/25/2024. It is now 11/5/2024. -There was a message on the dash saying that the dashboard screen was blocked- this began a few months ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2024
ABS and Electric Brake failure. Second time this has been fixed. Once at roughly 30,000 miles and now again at 48,000 miles. Paperwork from dealer on both failures is “Internal Pump Failure EL001, Replace HCU. Replace old part SKU with new version…68143491AB” I entered a similar claim with you on this the first time it failed. It seems Chrysler Dodge Ram knows there is an issue based ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 4, 2024
my gear shifter in my 2021 Rogue was stuck in park. I was stuck in the middle of a 6 lane road. Car would not go into drive or reverse in heavy traffic or neutral. Had waited for police they arrived 15 minutes later car was able to engage drive . Then towed to Nissan of Rockville Center NY. I was informed that liquid was under gear shifer and the electronics were faulty. I had the same issue in 20... Read more
Incident date: Jul 20, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed at night, the vehicle lost motive power. No warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V373000 (Electrical System, Air Bags);... Read more
Incident date: Jul 20, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed at night, the vehicle lost motive power. No warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V373000 (Electrical System, Air Bags);... Read more
Incident date: Oct 31, 2024
I was in an accident on 10/18/24 where a person switched lanes and hit the front end of my vehicle. My airbags didn't deploy.
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Oct 28, 2024
Stopped at a red light, rear-ended and when hit, seat belt malfunction, did not restrain
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Apr 1, 2024
My wife started noticing issues with our 2019 Equinox. We got several error mesaages: service brakes, service sylteering, enigine light and abs. I did some digging online and found similar issues with other Equinox owners. The fix is to replace the battery. We did and after leaving the shop the car won't move. It will go into differnt gears but wont move and is currently at home in our driveway.
Incident date: Apr 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2024 BMW I7. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to respond when the brake pedal was depressed. The contact stated that the brakes were occasionally inoperable. The contact had been driving 25 MPH due to concerns about the brakes failing with his children inside the vehicle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V104000 (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTRO... Read more
Incident date: Oct 23, 2024
The fuel economy ump module is not working. The dealership said this is happening to all GMC models and it is a nation wide back order. Some dealerships have had vehicles sitting for 3+months and GMC will not do a recall. The expected fix date is “hopefully” February 2025
Incident date: Oct 17, 2024
This vehicle has a dashboard. The dashboard is made out of material that is subjected to extremely bad solar glare there are times that when driving you can’t even see out of the front window without wearing polarized sunglasses and even then you still can’t see. I’ve never had a car do this. It is so bad that when rounding corners, you may not be able to see a pedestrian or bicycle on the s... Read more
Incident date: Oct 16, 2024
Vehicle displayed a “Critial Power Failure” on the highway twice while under 1000 miles odometer. Vehicle acceleration stopped and car coasted. Needed to pull over and shut off. After turning on displayed “Emissions System Failure” warning for about 48 hours then cleared. Vehicle stalled twice while driving on the highway with no power. Very dangerous as one time I had nowhere to pull ove... Read more
Incident date: Sep 25, 2024
my whole entire car smells like gas. I cannot drive this car around because I will pass out and it is a safety hazard. There is a recall for this exact same issue, just not for my Vin number. I would like to get this done for my car, please.
Incident date: Aug 29, 2024
I contacted my dealer to have the brake recall corrected as the Mopar site indicated the repair parts were available. I scheduled an appointment and the vehicle was taken into the shop this morning. However, the dealer advised that the repair couldn”t be completed as the parts wouldn’t be available from Mopar until January 2025. I’m concerned about the safety of this vehicle if the brake m... Read more
Incident date: Mar 14, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated the gear shift was in reverse however the vehicle went forward independently. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.
Incident date: Oct 16, 2024
Battery drain kept on happening. The nth time after buying 2 batteries and getting battery recharge 2x, Subaru sent me a letter of notice of possible problems with car keeps on finding radio or gps signal thus drains the battery. Brought car to Subaru then they changed the signal unit and gave me a new battery as well.
Incident date: Sep 26, 2024
Power steering was repaired under recall warranty about 3 years ago. The replacement part failed. This part should have outlasted the car, this it's a known issue
Incident date: Sep 18, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Honda CR-V. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); 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 made aware of the issue. The contact had not e... Read more
Incident date: Aug 27, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 Buick Verano. The contact stated that while the vehicle was off on an inclined driveway, the vehicle rolled away. The contact had accidentally not shifted out of the drive gear position. The contact was able to jump back in the vehicle where he pressed the brake pedal and shifted into the park position. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was examined, but not diagno... Read more
Incident date: Sep 14, 2024
Traveling on Interstate at freeway speeds (65 mph) when instrument cluster lights all lit up, started flashing, motorcycle lost power and all electronics shut off. Fortunately was able to get to side of the interstate. Started bike back up but it kept failing in the same manner. Towed to dealer and they were unable to diagnose so they opened a ticket with Polaris Corporate Engineering. Ultimatel... Read more