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: Oct 3, 2024
Driving on a major roadway with no traffic or obstacles in front of me the car went into emergency braking mode and the engine shut down. The dashboard warning said “Engine Control Issue, Park in a Safe Place”. I could not restart the car for about 15 minutes, then it finally restarted and acted normally. The danger was the car braked violently and stopped in the middle lane of a busy... Read more
Incident date: Oct 3, 2024
Driving on a major roadway with no traffic or obstacles in front of me the car went into emergency braking mode and the engine shut down. The dashboard warning said “Engine Control Issue, Park in a Safe Place”. I could not restart the car for about 15 minutes, then it finally restarted and acted normally. The danger was the car braked violently and stopped in the middle lane of a busy... Read more
Incident date: Oct 3, 2024
Driving on a major roadway with no traffic or obstacles in front of me the car went into emergency braking mode and the engine shut down. The dashboard warning said “Engine Control Issue, Park in a Safe Place”. I could not restart the car for about 15 minutes, then it finally restarted and acted normally. The danger was the car braked violently and stopped in the middle lane of a busy... Read more
Incident date: Oct 3, 2024
While driving the car at approximately 40 mphs the car suddenly jolted and stopped moving. Luckily no one was behind and I pulled over also noticing check engine light came on. I immediately called Toyota and was able to drive it to them. I spent $140 diagnosis fees for them to say it was ignition coil B. After replacing the coil the light and same problems continued. We took the car to anoth... Read more
Incident date: Oct 3, 2024
While driving the car at approximately 40 mphs the car suddenly jolted and stopped moving. Luckily no one was behind and I pulled over also noticing check engine light came on. I immediately called Toyota and was able to drive it to them. I spent $140 diagnosis fees for them to say it was ignition coil B. After replacing the coil the light and same problems continued. We took the car to anoth... Read more
Incident date: Oct 3, 2024
Driving with adaptive cruise control engaged in 45mph zone. Without intervention the cruise setting jumped to 90mph. I was able to press the pause bar to cancel it. Next I was able to re engage cruise normally without a repeat issue. There's been no outside inspection, or assessment. So far it's happened only once. The runaway speed was controllable. We're driving with extra care.
Incident date: Oct 4, 2024
Experiencing an ongoing problem where the brakes pulsate and vibrate badly, especially after rotors and pads get hot. I am concerned about the safety and possible failure of the brakes if it is not corrected. - The vehicle was purchased as CPO at Antwerpen Chevrolet dealership in Eldersburg, MD with 2155 miles on it. The Carfax noted the front brake rotor(s) were resurfaced. I questioned it and th... Read more
Incident date: Jun 26, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes Benz Metris equipped with Hankook Tires, Tire Line: Ventus S1 Noble, Tire Size: 225/55/R17, DOT Number: (N/A). The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the rear driver's side tire experienced a blowout. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who replaced the tire. The contact stated that all the... Read more
Incident date: Feb 16, 2023
Loss of ABS, Traction Control
Incident date: Aug 5, 2024
Receiving the "Anti-lock brake system Warning" comes on frequently. Once cleared, the sensor or module either fails again, or provides the erroneous warning. Happens frequently, at least once every 1-15 miles, whether vehicle is moving or not. Dealer mechanic says this is a known problem with 2018-22 Ram trucks. New replacement modules are not available, and those who have had them replaced re... Read more
Incident date: Jun 10, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact called the dealer to schedule an appointment for the recall repair and the appointment was set for September 2024. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the dealer informed the contact that the fuse needed to be ordered to perform the repair. The v... Read more
Incident date: Jun 10, 2024
Vehicle is displaying service abs and traction control. C-0020 and told to replace abs pump and hcu module. Ram has multiple issues with different year makes and models involving abs and recently recalled the new rams. Research has shown high numbers of issues involving the 2017 ram 2500 for this exact issue and ram also could not provide the recommended part to fix. Abs does not work which is req... Read more
Incident date: Jun 10, 2024
Stopped at a red light at busy intersection. The Auto Stop/Start was enabled and activated when stopped at the light. When the light turned green, tried to go, but the AS/S system failed. A “No Eyesight” warning flashed and disappeared; various symbol lights blinked. Car would not start. Driver activated hazard lights, which flashed for no longer than three to five minutes before stopping comp... Read more
Incident date: May 8, 2024
[XXX] - Driving my 2019 Rav4 Hybrid Se nearing [XXX] [XXX] traveling 25-30mph suddenly felt like car was moving faster, stop sign came up fast, slammed on brakes with 0 effect! Yelled [XXX]? as I shot across the highway, down the shoulder, coming to rest against a couple small trees. No air bag deployed, wearing seat belts of course, still bumped head on ceiling causing small laceration, neck ... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Sep 22, 2024
Backup camera works when it wants to. Most times it's upside down, or staticky. Dealership says the only fix is to replace it, but we can't afford that. It's a safety hazard.
Incident date: Sep 22, 2024
Backup camera works when it wants to. Most times it's upside down, or staticky. Dealership says the only fix is to replace it, but we can't afford that. It's a safety hazard.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2024
The rear shocks on my vehicle were checked and the left rear is requiring replacement at approximately 33K miles. The leakage was gradual and after the ride became noticeably rough, I took it for diagnosis at Safford Brown in Fairfax, VA. A failed left rear shock was confirmed. I am replacing to make the ride bearable, and in researching the issue, learned of a TSB for my model year issued by Hyun... Read more
Incident date: Sep 2, 2024
Air bags failed to deploy when the car hit a tree. Issue has not be reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. Vehicle has been inspected by claims adjuster only. There were no messages or symptoms of an issue prior to failure.
Crash
Incident date: Sep 20, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Acura MDX. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V858000 (Fuel system, Gasoline) and 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. 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 h... Read more
Incident date: Sep 9, 2024
Paddle shifter does not work appropriately—when shifting rapidly using paddle shifters, right shifter (up-shift) occasionally commands transmission to shift down.
Incident date: Feb 23, 2024
At 120k the transmission went bad. Dealership charged $7k to replace. We chose to replace because it was cheaper than buying a new vehicle. A few months after the transmission was repaired, we started losing a lot of coolant. The dreaded coolant leak through the head gasket into cylinder 2 is the diagnosis. Dealer, told us $12k for a new motor. This is not okay!!!
Incident date: Sep 19, 2024
Service electronic braking system continues to flash along with Service Antilock brake system--This is a failure of the HCU (hydrolic control unit) that should be a RECALL. Thousands of people are having the same issue.
Incident date: Sep 20, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the message "Front Driver’s Side Safety Restraint Fault" remained displayed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 35,000.
Incident date: May 14, 2024
Catastrophic engine failure. I was driving home when the engine began knocking. Drove the last couple miles home and parked in my driveway. Engine running rough, and oil was dripping onto the ground under the engine. Toyota has evaluated and said it needs a new engine. Note - Toyota has a recall but is currently claiming my vehicle is not covered as it's just outside/newer than the covered trucks... Read more
Incident date: Sep 16, 2024
My mechanic could not clear the "Engine Maintenance Required. Visit the Dealer." message after a routine oil change on my 2020 Rav4. It turns out that the coolant bypass valve is defective. I am now aware of the many, MANY issues other Rav4 owners are having with this same part and that a class action suit has been filed.
Incident date: Sep 14, 2024
ABS and Traction Control lights have come on for the second time. First time at 100K miles the Hydraulic Module and Controller were replaced at my expense. Now at 153K miles the lights are coming on again. This is a habitual problem with this generation of RAM trucks and it's a safety issue for the following reasons: 1) the ABS system stops working 2) the traction control system stops working... Read more
Incident date: Sep 14, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Low Cab Forward truck. The contact stated that an employee had started the vehicle while parked and placed the vehicle in drive (D), the vehicle independently accelerated and crashed into 2 vehicles parked in front of the contact's vehicle. The contact stated that the employee had not noticed any warning lights. The contact stated that his vehicle had crashed into... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Sep 14, 2024
Intermittent issue with power steering where the wheel becomes extremely hard to turn in both directions. Also have had issue where wheel will stop turning midway through a turn and when trying to return to center.
Incident date: Aug 7, 2024
Driver side mirror glass shakes constantly at any speed. This has been reported to the only dealership around my area. Mirror was replaced once by Service Dept, but only the mirror housing (not the glass). The mirror shakes the same or worse now. I went back to the dealership within minutes of driving my car off the lot after the replacement and told them the issue was not fixed. I was told to res... Read more
Incident date: Aug 7, 2024
I purchased the vehicle new and noticed right away that the transmisson would clunk right away when I put it into gear[ it's an automatic]. I asked the dealership about it and they said it was normal and no issues. Now I'm [XXX] and have owned many cars so.... Anyway, over the years I've asked several times and they say no issue. Now, just this morning, my wife found an article about the issue and... Read more
Incident date: Aug 7, 2024
Driver side window will not go up on command. It gets stuck and has a mind of its own. This started in August of 2024. This is a safety hazard, as I live in Alaska with very cold temperatures and blowing snow. This was reported to the only available dealership in my area. I even showed the Service Advisor a video on my phone that I took of the window not responding to the controls. I was told the ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 12, 2024
While driving my car made a loud beep sound and Faulty Brake Booster appeared on the dash and the BRAKE light came on and the brakes would not work properly. I was almost rear ended because of this.
Incident date: May 9, 2024
On July 15th , July 30th and August 11th 2024 the gas pedal on my less than 2 month old Jeep Wrangler 4xE did respond / engage while driving and pressing on the pedal. It felt like the car was dying. This happened at three different speeds, 65mph on the highway, 30mph on a side road and around 40mph on a state road. In addition to the gas pedal not working/ vehicle not moving forward the vehicle ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 22, 2024
My 2018 Honda According Touring 1.5 Liter Turbo has an intermittent problem with the vehicle’s warning alerts. The vehicle systems affected include Adaptive Cruise Control, Vehicle Emission System, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, Vehicle Stability Assistance, Hill Start Assist, Braking System, Road Departure Mitigation, Blind Spot Info System, and Collision Mitigation System. When I checked onl... Read more
Incident date: Sep 2, 2024
I just purchased my 2024 Nissan VERSA two weeks ago August 24, 2024. Since I have had it my car doesn’t seem to want to shift speed like it should. My transmission seems to be stalling to change out. My car also constantly makes a growling noise when left I’m on my brakes sitting. I took my car back to the dealerships and they tried tell me that it was the compressor which is false my AC nor m... Read more
Incident date: Sep 7, 2024
My 2024 Nissan Versa 5 speed has gone into limp mode approximately 4 times in 6 months. When this happens you can’t accelerate which could be a great safety issue
Incident date: Sep 7, 2024
My 2024 Nissan Versa 5 speed has gone into limp mode approximately 4 times in 6 months. When this happens you can’t accelerate which could be a great safety issue
Incident date: Sep 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that the engine overheated while driving at various speeds with the temperature gauge showing that the engine was hot(H). The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal with an engine misfire alert on the Ford App. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where a pressurized test was performed; the test showed ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 30, 2024
My car has 33,214 miles on it. For no reason the alternator DIED ON IT. There was no warning on the dash of the vehicle. So the computer inside the vehicle did not give a warning that the electrical system for the alternator had died or that the battery had died. There’s no corrosion. There’s no shorts. I checked the fuses myself. This car has two sets of fuses one leads to the battery. The o... Read more
Incident date: Aug 23, 2024
At 41,000 miles “check abs and electronic brake system” warning started coming on causing system failure to vehicle. Vehicle was taken to dealer with it requiring replacement of Hydraulic Control Unit and ABS control unit. Now at 71,000 miles same problem is occurring with cruise control deactivating, traction control failure, and ABS failure without warning. Apparently this is a known issue b... Read more
Incident date: Aug 23, 2024
The Headlights flicker, mostly noticeable at night. They do not remain a steady beam of illumination. This is a major distraction and noticeable by other drivers as well as I have been asked not so kindly by another driver, why I keep flashing my lights at them. I have had this vehicle at the dealership for over a month, waiting for a repair. This is a brand new vehicle and should not have this ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 23, 2024
Purchased 2017 Pacifica Limited in [XXX] from Carmax. 38K miles. Purchased Carmax 100K warranty. Within 90 day Carmax dealer repair warranty, Misfire cylinder 3 check engine light came on. Carmax replaced coil, injector etc. Cleared check engine light. June 24 Misfire cylinder 5 check engine light came on. Vehicle never over heated. Took the vehicle to independent repair shop that performs MaxCare... Read more
Incident date: May 30, 2022
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-250. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 16,000.
Incident date: May 30, 2022
The contact owns a 2023 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at 15-20 MPH and attempting to come to a complete stop, the vehicle suddenly accelerated on its own. As a result, the driver briefly lost control of the vehicle before coming to a complete stop by intentionally running into a curb on the side of the roadway. The air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were il... Read more
Crash
Incident date: May 30, 2022
For starters, about 2-3 days before August 6, 2024 (the day I took my van to Autozone to diagnose my check engine light) my ford transit shot a check engine light due to a "P0304 Cylinder 4 Misfire". On August 8, 2024 after dropping my van off once the mechanic opened, around 11:27 AM i received a call from the mechanic I was referred to by the dealership I bought the van from that the car was fi... Read more
Incident date: Aug 30, 2024
Vehicle shuts off and engine stalls at slow speeds, then applies electronic e brake for no reason. I have seen multiple reports online for same issue. Then voltage drops until restarting Vehicle which then resets. Went to dealership and they have found code p032f with no fix.
Incident date: Aug 30, 2024
Vehicle shuts off and engine stalls at slow speeds, then applies electronic e brake for no reason. I have seen multiple reports online for same issue. Then voltage drops until restarting Vehicle which then resets. Went to dealership and they have found code p032f with no fix.
Incident date: Aug 30, 2024
I found out my 2015 BMW 528i has a recall on the Engine Coolant Pump, and it’s causing some serious issues. The pump can fail, leading to engine overheating, which could even result in a fire. The car’s performance has dropped, and there’s a risk the engine might shut down while driving. I’m stuck waiting for the parts to come in, which means the car’s out of commission for a while. On t... Read more
Incident date: Aug 29, 2024
When driving through city traffic basically stop and go the brake pedal gets very hard and the car does not stop as smooth or almost not at all. It gets very dangerous.
Incident date: Jul 24, 2024
I was driving my mother's 2018 Honda CR-V at a steady rate of about 30 mph when there was a warning chirp and the car suddenly braked hard and came to a complete stop. At that time, I was at least 30 feet behind the car in front and both my car and the one in front were traveling at the same speed. I can only assume that the collision avoidance system kicked in unexpectedly. After stopping, I r... Read more