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: Apr 12, 2023
Per the technician: "the rear subframe is rusted out and the lateral strut arm is starting to break away". Because of this issue, the car unknowingly presented a safety risk to occupants and other drivers. A failure of the subframe or connected components could have resulted in a serious accident. Photos are attached. The vehicle is currently available for inspection upon request. There were ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 12, 2023
Per the technician: "the rear subframe is rusted out and the lateral strut arm is starting to break away". Because of this issue, the car unknowingly presented a safety risk to occupants and other drivers. A failure of the subframe or connected components could have resulted in a serious accident. Photos are attached. The vehicle is currently available for inspection upon request. There were ... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2023
Brake lights stay on when not even pressing the brake pedal. This causes cruise control to shut off too. Sometimes "Service ESC" and "Traction Control" light will come on randomly too. Had taken it to Chevy dealership multiple times to have this issue fixed but problems seems to come back after a few months.
Incident date: Apr 7, 2023
My wife was driving her Jeep to work this morning and a warning message came on the info screen stating the vehicle was shutting down soon and to safely pull over. She only had a two minute warning which was not enough time to pull over to a safe place without risking injury from being hit from another vehicle. The Jeep ended up and powered down within the two minutes of receiving the warning whic... Read more
Incident date: May 14, 2023
About every 10 to 15 seconds an alarm sounds and warning sign blinks on dash with message to service anti-braking system and traction control. If cruise control was engaged it disengages and sometimes will not reset until engine is turned off and restarted. Vehicle seems to have braking issues, especially on wet pavement. Brake pads have been checked and are ok. Vehicle odometer has 34102 miles on... Read more
Incident date: May 14, 2023
About every 10 to 15 seconds an alarm sounds and warning sign blinks on dash with message to service anti-braking system and traction control. If cruise control was engaged it disengages and sometimes will not reset until engine is turned off and restarted. Vehicle seems to have braking issues, especially on wet pavement. Brake pads have been checked and are ok. Vehicle odometer has 34102 miles on... Read more
Incident date: May 14, 2023
When car is locked alarm sporadically goes off on its own also when the headlights are set to auto and the car is turned off the headlights will come on sporadically and drain the battery. Having electrical components come on on their own is obviously a safety concern. The dashboard lights and warning icons will also flicker. There have been numerous complaints of this kind on the Honda Pilot foru... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2023
On 5/8 a conversation took place with a Chrysler Customer Service representative which was recorded. The representative acknowledged that the TCM going out is common due to the Transaxle Control Harness recall. The representative acknowledged this has not become a recall yet but this is a known problem and issue with the vehicles.
Incident date: May 1, 2023
On 5/8 a conversation took place with a Chrysler Customer Service representative which was recorded. The representative acknowledged that the TCM going out is common due to the Transaxle Control Harness recall. The representative acknowledged this has not become a recall yet but this is a known problem and issue with the vehicles.
Incident date: Dec 1, 2021
The Bridgestone T30 EVO 180/55/17 simply blew out. NO notice. The tire has approximately 2500 miles on it. It was properly inflated at 42 PSI as per Yamaha. I was going 55 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone. I walked the road where the tire failed and there was NOTHING in the road that I had run over. I have contacted Bridgestone and am awaiting their packet to come in the mail so I can mail th... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2023
This car, along with several other models of Kia and Hyundai, are unsafe due to the ease with which they can be stolen. Hyundai/Kia must recall all of their vehicles that lock proper anti-theft mechanisms in the ignition, steering column, and drive train. Until this is done, all American auto dealers and insurance companies must refuse to sell and insure any new Hyundais and Kias.
Incident date: Apr 27, 2023
Due to design issues, the engine cylinder head became cracked after normal everyday usage. Coolant began to leak badly and car engine became hot while driving.
Incident date: Apr 27, 2023
2019: cooling temperature sensor failed. Brought to ford dealership and paid $5000 for new computer and sensors. 2023: radiator overheated with no warning and messed up engine. Now radiator won’t hold fluid and continues to get over heat warning. Brought to Ford dealer and they said the engine needs replaced now. Same issues are reported all over the form forums with these similar issues.
Incident date: May 11, 2022
I purchased a certified pre-owned 2020 Chevy Silverado 3500HD (6.6 Gas) November 2021. Within the next few weeks, I noticed brake squeaking that kept getting worse and the truck braking system would not stop like the 2500 I had traded in when I purchased the 3500HD. I had to adjust the trailer brake gain control up to as high as 9 or 9.5, should not have to adjust that high. I had trouble stopping... Read more
Incident date: May 11, 2022
The affected component is the backup camera and warning system. The malfunction happens in a loop around every 3 minutes. My safety and that of others is put at risk when the backup and rear collision warning fails to function and negates backward motion visibility to the driver by such failure. There are no warning lamps currently or any notification of any failure in the car. I have taken th... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2023
engine does not respond when trying to pass slower traffic, press the gas pedal several times with no response, car started to slow down with fast traffic behind/sides on the freeway, took more than 20 seconds to respond to gas pedal input almost causing an accident
Incident date: May 1, 2023
While driving 70 mph on the highway, the car gave a light that stated, "power steering unavailable" and in fact, I had no power steering. I had to really muscle the car to get it to turn at all. If this had happened while I was turning a corner, it could have been the cause of an accident. Obviously driving a car with no power steering is dangerous in and of itself, not to mention it happening out... Read more
Incident date: Feb 28, 2023
My car was purchased with 12,000 miles and supposedly worn tires. Because of that, I went to the dealership to get new tires and an alignment since the car was always pulling to the right. My car has been at the dealership four times for the same problem, and they still haven't fixed it. My car continues to constantly pull to the right, and when I use the cruise control, it stays above the other c... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2023
Outer plastic A-Pillar Trim detaching from body of vehicle, putting other drivers at risk of vehicle parts coming off and hitting vehicle or causing accident
Incident date: Mar 13, 2023
My car went into Limp mode at high way speeds. the transmission is faulty. it feels like a misfire. the transmission does not shit out of 1st.
Incident date: Jan 10, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle, the transmission failed to shift into park(P), with the Service Transmission Now message displayed. Additionally, the vehicle made abnormal sounds while driving. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where recall repair of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V413000 (Power Train) was performed; however, the failure recurre... Read more
Incident date: May 5, 2023
After owning the vehicle for about a year to a year and half transmission developed jerking in 3rd gear occasionally. Took the vehicle to the dealership while under warranty and was advised multiple times that this was normal. Now occasionally there is a sudden reduction in power to the wheels and it almost seems like the vehicle is not shifting at all. This has happened more than once and unfortu... Read more
Incident date: May 2, 2023
On our 2014 Nissan Altima, the left rear lower control arm broke apart and the right rear lower control arm was badly cracked; both are integral parts of the suspension. This happened on a 350 mile trip to visit my father, driving at top speeds of 70 mph, 80 miles of which were on a two-lane highway. I was fortunate to be driving only 15 mph and just a few blocks from my destination when the ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 22, 2023
I'm reporting two issues: 1) The gas gauge (the 3rd circle on instrument panel) keeps going out. Over the 18 months, when starting the car on cold mornings, the gas gauge would show blank, I can't see how much gas I have in the car. After about 10 minutes, the gas gauge information would show up. I initially associated the issue with starting the car in cold weather, but in the last couple of mont... Read more
Incident date: Apr 29, 2023
The rear crossmember subframe is rusted out very badly, and has all the rear axel and components attached to it. This is very unacceptable for car that cost nearly 40 grand.
Incident date: Apr 29, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V650000 (Electrical System) 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. VIN tool c... Read more
Incident date: Apr 29, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V504000 (Air Bags) 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 contact had n... Read more
Incident date: Apr 30, 2023
I had issues with the electrical systems on various occasions. There were times when the vehicle shut down in middle of driving while other times some functions such as keyless entry or auto braking didn't work. I took the vehicle to the dealership on 3 separate occasions and they said that they could not recreate the issues but rewired the system. I still had issues and was told that as long as t... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Apr 1, 2023
This vehicle, Kia Soul 2016, uses excessive oil, no matter what the manufacturer or dealers say. There is no reason to put 1 to 1/2 quarts of synthetic oil in this vehicle every week to make sure the engine doesn't seize. Severe manufacturer flaw and/or design with this engine.
Incident date: Apr 1, 2023
The car's ENTIRE ENGINE needed to be replaced due to coolant intrusion in cylinder three - at a cost of $7,000 - through no fault of mine. The car had had absolutely no problems up until this time, and the prescribed regular maintenance was preformed religiously. When "Googling" Ford Edge coolant intrusion, I found that numerous Ford owners with 4-cylinder turbo engines have had to have their en... Read more
Incident date: Oct 29, 2022
Piston slap not covered but known problem
Incident date: Oct 29, 2022
*Inside of car smelt like urine upon start. Car went into limp mode. First trip to dealership, catalytic converter was replaced. After the 6th time to dealership for same issue, manufacture approved engine replacement. *The car went into limp mode which posed a safety risk to our family as well as other vehicles on the road. This happened twice while on the freeway and we could have been rear-e... Read more
Incident date: Apr 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle made an abnormal rattling sound. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the cam phaser needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the failure was related to TSB Number: 21N03-S4. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was infor... Read more
Incident date: Apr 6, 2023
Engine revved at 5000RPM would not switch from 1st gear. Now engine is showing a cylinder misfire which is moving from Cyln. 4 to Cyln 3 and so on.
Incident date: Nov 9, 2022
UNKNOWN My issue is PAINT DELAMINATION. I own a 2015 KIA Sorento, color is PEARL WHITE. I understand that this type of factory paint defect is not uncommon with a 2015 KIA Sorento, especially with the color being pearl white. Here is a description and timeline of my paint delamination: Sept 2022, I noticed a relatively small paint chip (1" x 4" long) on the drivers side pillar. Very unusual but... Read more
Incident date: Nov 9, 2022
The contact owns a 2022 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V859000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The m... Read more
Incident date: Jan 23, 2023
My instrument cluster and infotainment system went black while driving. This means that I had no access to my speedometer, which I believe is a safety issue. Additionally, I had no access to my range estimate or any other vehicle information. No backup camera, no lane assist, etc.
Incident date: Apr 20, 2023
I bought the car in August of last year and drove it for about 3 days before it started giving me problems. First incident I was driving my children home from the hairdresser and the car completely went out us on the highway, after repeated attempts for a half hour or so I was able to start it and drive it back home very slowly..this happened twice I went to get it diagnosed and codes came up for ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 20, 2023
I bought the car in August of last year and drove it for about 3 days before it started giving me problems. First incident I was driving my children home from the hairdresser and the car completely went out us on the highway, after repeated attempts for a half hour or so I was able to start it and drive it back home very slowly..this happened twice I went to get it diagnosed and codes came up for ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 20, 2023
My car which is a 2019 Subaru ourback started having main computer display showing bubbles which then started randomly activating a touch and activating different menus of the car July of 2022. This pretty much renders the the main computer display useless which controls many of the car controls, through which the rear view camera is displayed and through which the phone connects for hands free ca... Read more
Incident date: Apr 22, 2023
The steering wheel seems to stick causing me to stay straight on turns at highway speeds. Also at other times feels as if someone pulled (jerked) the steering wheel from my hands.
Incident date: Apr 22, 2023
TCM has now faulted twice on my Ford Fiesta. My Fiesta was built 7/9/2015. My TCM was replaced under standard power train warranty in 10/2019 at 47,000 miles. 02/2023 my TCM has faulted again at 68,500 miles and needs to be replaced. Ford extended its warranty on TCMs for their Fiesta models to 10 years 150,000 miles for fiestas built between 11/3/2009 and 6/30/2015. My car is out of the extend... Read more
Incident date: Apr 17, 2023
In October 2022 I was driving down a residential road and slowed to turn into a parking lot and all power was lost. Was able to safely maneuver car and stop in parking lot. Put car in park, turned off the ignition. Restarted car, seemed ok. Mechanic said nothing was wrong. Now it’s happened twice more (April 14th and 17th, 2023). Once when trying to accelerate and merge onto a highway, onc... Read more
Incident date: Apr 12, 2023
It’s not a accident The car won’t start and brake and wheels keep locking by itself.
Incident date: Apr 8, 2023
The rear power lift gage has stopped working due to leaking in the rear of the van. Per online threads, this is a common issue and should be a recall as so many issues have happened to other with this same problem.
Incident date: Feb 14, 2023
I took my car into Fairfield Dodge (Fairfield Texas). I have taken my car in about 3 times already. The first two was to do test on it. I can be driving my car and smell Gas as if I stepped in it. the smell makes me sick. I can park my car and the smell is just ask bad on the outside as it is in the inside. the car dealership said oh we have found the problem. They had my car for 1mth and 2 days a... Read more
Incident date: Mar 30, 2023
The front and rear parking cameras are inoperable and infrequently randomly operate. Dealer performed a proxy reconfiguration and reset the park assist module. System worked briefly then reverted back to original unoperative condition. Assigned star case S2208000172 claiming manufacturer is “investigating” and that no repair is available. A software update was supposed to correct the issue. ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 5, 2023
I had to get my brake booster replaced as it caused delayed braking almost causing me to crash
Incident date: Apr 4, 2023
Steering wheel is sticking when making minor adjustments at low to high speeds. When turning the wheel, initially there is higher than normal amount resistance that only last for a moment causing a driver to jerk the wheel. Issue keeps becoming more exasperated.