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
Page 123 of 44,908 (2,245,377 complaints)
Incident date: Jul 17, 2026
Since I had Service Campaign 9C2 completed, the car hesitates to start, does a mini-lurch upon cold start and runs rough. Two weeks ago, it was put in park, lurched backwards, then died. The starter and battery have been replaced but this has not helped. The car ran fine before this update was done.
Incident date: Aug 21, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 BMW 230I. The contact stated that while his son was attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact's son attempted to start the vehicle again, and the check engine warning light was blinking. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and the vehicle was diagnosed with a misfire and crankshaft failure. The contact was informed that the valve... Read more
Incident date: Aug 11, 2026
The contact owns a 2014 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ABS, traction control, and cruise control warning lights were illuminated with several other unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the ABS module needed to be replaced. The contact researched and was made aware of an unknown... Read more
Incident date: Aug 3, 2026
Have had repeated intermittent EPS warning light alerts, sometimes followed by complete loss of power steering even at speed. The light and issue go away once I cycle the key off and back on again but eventually come back. Obviously this is a dangerous fault.
Incident date: Aug 24, 2026
Vehicle Information 2021 Ford F-150 XL Supercrew approximately 35,000 miles. While traveling southbound on [XXX] near [XXX], Ok, I was operating my 2021 Ford F-150 XL at approximately 75 mph with the cruise control engaged. As I approached slower traffic ahead, I attempted to disengage the cruise control by pressing the cruise control cancel/off button on the steering wheel. Despite pressing th... Read more
Incident date: Aug 25, 2026
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2020 Toyota Sienna. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 88,044. It was later discovered upon checking with the local DMV that the mileage was 288,044.
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2024) - POWER TRAIN
Aug 25, 2026
Incident date: Aug 12, 2026
I am experiencing severe drivetrain binding and violent shuddering/chatter from the Rear Drive Unit (RDU) during low-speed turns in both directions. The vehicle hesitates and can stop violently on its own while turning. When the vehicle is parked and shut off, it also violently jerks backward, indicating the RDU is binding and storing mechanical tension. This is a significant safety hazard. The sy... Read more
Incident date: Aug 24, 2026
In my chevy equinox 2018 my vacuum pump and brake booster failed when I was driving and I could not brake. I slid into the gravel side of the road on the 138, luckily there were not alot of traffic at the time cause I would have caused a major accident. Never had any braking issue till now. Now this is a major financial hardship on me to fix this issue that should have not happened if it got recal... Read more
Incident date: Aug 24, 2026
In my chevy equinox 2018 my vacuum pump and brake booster failed when I was driving and I could not brake. I slid into the gravel side of the road on the 138, luckily there were not alot of traffic at the time cause I would have caused a major accident. Never had any braking issue till now. Now this is a major financial hardship on me to fix this issue that should have not happened if it got recal... Read more
Incident date: Aug 24, 2026
In my chevy equinox 2018 my vacuum pump and brake booster failed when I was driving and I could not brake. I slid into the gravel side of the road on the 138, luckily there were not alot of traffic at the time cause I would have caused a major accident. Never had any braking issue till now. Now this is a major financial hardship on me to fix this issue that should have not happened if it got recal... Read more
Incident date: Aug 25, 2026
To Whom It May Concern, I am reporting what I believe is a foreseeable child-safety risk involving Tesla’s Toybox feature. Tesla allows parents to PIN-restrict Arcade, Theater, and the web browser, but Toybox remains accessible. Recently, I briefly went inside my home to use the bathroom, and my child slipped outside and climbed into my parked Tesla specifically to use the touchscreen and Toyb... Read more
Incident date: Aug 21, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate from a stop, the vehicle was shuddering, jerking, and vibrating abnormally. The vehicle was cautiously driven to the local dealer, and it was determined that the failures were associated with the transmission and torque converter, which included a 24-man-hour repair. No further information was available. The ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 12, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted from fourth to first gear. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over and waited before restarting the vehicle. The contact stated that two days prior to the failure, a message was displayed indicating that an over-the-air software update... Read more
Incident date: Aug 21, 2026
During a recent inspection at Audi Chantilly (Virginia), the service department inspected cracked upper control arm bushings in the front suspension that were noted during a recent service to install new tires and perform an alignment (see attached photos. There is cracking and what appears to be some type of fluid leakage). The dealership denied warranty coverage, claiming these are merely "cosme... Read more
Incident date: Aug 21, 2026
Vehicle experiences a severe, unpredictable 1 to 2-second acceleration delay/dead spot when pulling away from stop signs or turning from low-speed near-stops. This vehicle nearly caused an accident due to entering an intersection and losing all throttle response before cross-traffic. I do not feel safe driving this vehicle
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2021) - ENGINE
Aug 25, 2026
Incident date: Oct 1, 2025
For close to one year, there feels like a catch, grind, stall, or slight shake, mostly while the vehicle is shifting gears, made worse or noticed more by higher speeds like driving on the highway vs. slow city streets. It's difficult to explain or assess so not sure if it is the engine or transmission. With the open recall from GMC on some vehicles with the same engine as mine it is concerning tha... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2021) - POWER TRAIN
Aug 25, 2026
Incident date: Oct 1, 2025
For close to one year, there feels like a catch, grind, stall, or slight shake, mostly while the vehicle is shifting gears, made worse or noticed more by higher speeds like driving on the highway vs. slow city streets. It's difficult to explain or assess so not sure if it is the engine or transmission. With the open recall from GMC on some vehicles with the same engine as mine it is concerning tha... Read more
Incident date: Apr 5, 2026
The passenger‑side airbag warning light first appeared within the first year of ownership. During that visit, the dealership did not repair the defect. They only reset the warning light and told me it was not a problem. No diagnostic documentation or repair explanation was provided, and the underlying issue was not addressed. The warning light returned in April 2026, showing the same unresolved... Read more
Incident date: May 11, 2026
I have a 2017 Kia Sportage with a recurring door latch problem. Several years ago, the driver’s door developed a problem where it would not open properly from the outside. Kia repaired the driver’s door latch under warranty extension WTY020. The passenger door has now developed the exact same problem. It will not open from the outside, although it can still be opened from inside. A Kia deale... Read more
Incident date: Jul 7, 2026
Was on a trip and on the highway home the service break lights came on. By the time we got home(less than 200 miles) the breaks where scraping the calipers. Truck only had 25,586 miles on it when they picked it up to take to the shop. Dealership had to replace the break pads, calipers and rotor on the front driver side.
Incident date: Aug 25, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera displayed an inverted, blank, or blue image. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 24, 2026
Front passenger safety restraint system issue requiring replacement of Occupant Classification System and updating front passenger airbag to maintain compatibility with front passenger seat. Costing almost $2000. Many others have reported of multiple repairs
Incident date: Aug 24, 2026
Front passenger safety restraint system issue requiring replacement of Occupant Classification System and updating front passenger airbag to maintain compatibility with front passenger seat. Costing almost $2000. Many others have reported of multiple repairs
FORD
FUSION HYBRID
(2016) - BACK OVER PREVENTION
Aug 25, 2026
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall rep... Read more
Incident date: Aug 6, 2026
Motor completely over heated causing the hose to rupture underneath the intake manifold. Engine is unrepairable. Had to order new engine and a new intake manifold because it melted the current one. Also approximately 2 years ago, I also had to replace the transmission. This truck only has 155,000 miles in it and has had 2 major break downs. WHY? This truck is unsafe.
Incident date: Aug 6, 2026
Motor completely over heated causing the hose to rupture underneath the intake manifold. Engine is unrepairable. Had to order new engine and a new intake manifold because it melted the current one. Also approximately 2 years ago, I also had to replace the transmission. This truck only has 155,000 miles in it and has had 2 major break downs. WHY? This truck is unsafe.
MITSUBISHI
OUTLANDER
(2023) - FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Aug 25, 2026
Incident date: Jul 31, 2026
The warning went off that the system was not working while I was driving. The call was evaluated by a Mitsubishi Service Center. The Service Center said the Front Bracket for the radar was bent. The Service Center said there is no evidence of a collision to the front end of the car.
MITSUBISHI
OUTLANDER
(2023) - FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Aug 25, 2026
Incident date: Jul 31, 2026
The warning went off that the system was not working while I was driving. The call was evaluated by a Mitsubishi Service Center. The Service Center said the Front Bracket for the radar was bent. The Service Center said there is no evidence of a collision to the front end of the car.
MITSUBISHI
OUTLANDER
(2023) - FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Aug 25, 2026
Incident date: Jul 31, 2026
The warning went off that the system was not working while I was driving. The call was evaluated by a Mitsubishi Service Center. The Service Center said the Front Bracket for the radar was bent. The Service Center said there is no evidence of a collision to the front end of the car.
LAND ROVER
DEFENDER
(2024) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Aug 25, 2026
Incident date: Aug 25, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 Land Rover Defender. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V248000 (Electrical System). The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were on backorder. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Incident date: Aug 17, 2026
My car wouldn’t start in my driveway.. onstar sent me an email with code P129F ( fuel pump driver control module) failed. I am thankful I wasn’t driving down the highway when it went out. My husband took it to Lexington Park Chevrolet Buick GMC dealership, where we bought the car and they replaced the part. My car only has 41,898 miles. My VIN #: [XXX] , a 2022 GMC Terrain Denali. I noticed on... Read more
Incident date: Aug 24, 2026
The contact owned a 2021 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle independently accelerated and the brakes failed to operate while the brake pedal was depressed, causing the front center of the vehicle to crash into a tree. No warning lights were illuminated. The air bags deployed as needed. The vehicle was deemed a total loss at the scene. Neither a Police r... Read more
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Aug 24, 2026
The contact owned a 2021 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle independently accelerated and the brakes failed to operate while the brake pedal was depressed, causing the front center of the vehicle to crash into a tree. No warning lights were illuminated. The air bags deployed as needed. The vehicle was deemed a total loss at the scene. Neither a Police r... Read more
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Aug 24, 2026
The contact owned a 2021 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle independently accelerated and the brakes failed to operate while the brake pedal was depressed, causing the front center of the vehicle to crash into a tree. No warning lights were illuminated. The air bags deployed as needed. The vehicle was deemed a total loss at the scene. Neither a Police r... Read more
Crash
2 injured
GMC
SIERRA 2500
(2024) - POWER TRAIN
Aug 25, 2026
Incident date: Aug 21, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 GMC Sierra 2500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear axle unexpectedly locked up, and the vehicle stopped in the middle of the road. The rear axle independently released, and the vehicle was driven back to the residence. The dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure... Read more
Incident date: Aug 9, 2026
Alert RCM_a021pretenLapFrontLeft. Caused by the seat harness wires being pinched and stretched when moving the seat back/forward/up/down. Eventually the wires are damaged by the seat movement. Tesla has touted a feature called "Easy Entry" which moves the seat to a preset position to allow the driver to get in and out of the car more easily. This moves the seat lower and farther back and then mov... Read more
Incident date: Aug 9, 2026
Alert RCM_a021pretenLapFrontLeft. Caused by the seat harness wires being pinched and stretched when moving the seat back/forward/up/down. Eventually the wires are damaged by the seat movement. Tesla has touted a feature called "Easy Entry" which moves the seat to a preset position to allow the driver to get in and out of the car more easily. This moves the seat lower and farther back and then mov... Read more
Incident date: Aug 9, 2026
Alert RCM_a021pretenLapFrontLeft. Caused by the seat harness wires being pinched and stretched when moving the seat back/forward/up/down. Eventually the wires are damaged by the seat movement. Tesla has touted a feature called "Easy Entry" which moves the seat to a preset position to allow the driver to get in and out of the car more easily. This moves the seat lower and farther back and then mov... Read more
TOYOTA
VENZA HYBRID
(2024) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Aug 25, 2026
Incident date: Dec 28, 2025
After coming to a stop at a STOP sign, the vehicle accelerated unintentionally, crossing the highway and hitting a parked car, causing injuries and totaling my vehicle. While my vehicle sustained a crumbled chassis, no airbags were deployed, causing injuries to the driver and passenger. Additionally, the emergency automatic brakes did not stop the car from ploughing into the parked car. The car wa... Read more
Crash
3 injured
TOYOTA
VENZA HYBRID
(2024) - FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Aug 25, 2026
Incident date: Dec 28, 2025
After coming to a stop at a STOP sign, the vehicle accelerated unintentionally, crossing the highway and hitting a parked car, causing injuries and totaling my vehicle. While my vehicle sustained a crumbled chassis, no airbags were deployed, causing injuries to the driver and passenger. Additionally, the emergency automatic brakes did not stop the car from ploughing into the parked car. The car wa... Read more
Crash
3 injured
TOYOTA
VENZA HYBRID
(2024) - AIR BAGS
Aug 25, 2026
Incident date: Dec 28, 2025
After coming to a stop at a STOP sign, the vehicle accelerated unintentionally, crossing the highway and hitting a parked car, causing injuries and totaling my vehicle. While my vehicle sustained a crumbled chassis, no airbags were deployed, causing injuries to the driver and passenger. Additionally, the emergency automatic brakes did not stop the car from ploughing into the parked car. The car wa... Read more
Crash
3 injured
Incident date: Aug 9, 2026
Vehicle had the official HECU fire recall performed overheated less than 2 weeks later causing an overheated ECM power relay. Spoke with KIA corporate a represenative in the premium department is actively denying the existence of their court-ordered safety settlement and refusing to repair the vehicle. The dealership and Kia Corporate Customer Care are denying warranty coverage and refusing to rec... Read more
Incident date: Aug 10, 2026
Timing belt tensioner is failing on my 2023 Honda passport. I have read this to be a common problem on many Honda passports enough where a recall would be justified. If it fails the engine will completely implode causing the car to come to a complete stop even on the highway. The problem can be easily be confirmed to be a widespread issue through searching the Internet for the same vehicle. Yes my... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. An independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle with transmission failure. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V574000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The manu... Read more
Incident date: Aug 5, 2026
Driving on the freeway the engine started making super loud knocking noises for while going 70mph . Then it immediately died everything turned off no power I was barely able to get it off the freeway while coasting. And my husband tried to push it off the road more but when it dies we are not able to put the car in neutral !! It’s a push button gear shift ! When there’s no power the buttons do... Read more
Incident date: Feb 15, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure). The contact stated that while parked, the windshield molding trim next to the pillar and windshield became raised. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the driver’s and passenger’s side windshield trim was flopping and was loose, and... Read more
FREIGHTLINER
CASCADIA
(2022) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
Aug 25, 2026
Incident date: Aug 25, 2026
The contact's former employer owns a 2022 Freightliner Cascadia Commercial vehicle. The contact stated that while a company's technician was performing a preventative maintenance service on the vehicle, an exhaust leak was discovered; however, the technician informed the contact that the vehicle was safe to drive. While driving 65 MPH, the contact fell asleep, causing the vehicle to drift into the... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Jul 27, 2026
The vehicle will not turn off. I returned it to the Dealer, Oakland Hyundai, and their service department has had the vehicle since 7/27/26. When I brought the vehicle in to service it had 2,519 miles. Service rep has advised that technicians are trying to find the faulty part and have been unsuccessful to date. A technician from another location is scheduled to see the vehicle during the week... Read more
Incident date: Aug 25, 2026
2024 Hyundai Santa Fe VIN [XXX], June 2024 build, 62k miles. Vehicle experienced total loss of power and drive, matching NHTSA recall 24V-529 / 263 for DCT failure. Dealer is refusing to perform recall, refusing to provide diagnostic codes via email, and demanding title and all service records before any work. Dealer claims new engine needed but won’t provide proof. This is a safety defect and d... Read more
Incident date: Aug 25, 2026
2024 Hyundai Santa Fe VIN [XXX], June 2024 build, 62k miles. Vehicle experienced total loss of power and drive, matching NHTSA recall 24V-529 / 263 for DCT failure. Dealer is refusing to perform recall, refusing to provide diagnostic codes via email, and demanding title and all service records before any work. Dealer claims new engine needed but won’t provide proof. This is a safety defect and d... Read more