How to report a vehicle safety problem to NHTSA

If you think your car, truck, motorcycle, tire, car seat or other vehicle equipment has a safety defect that is not already under recall, telling NHTSA is the official first step. Here is how to file, what to expect, and what kinds of problems the agency treats as safety-related.

Updated November 13, 2026. Facts checked against NHTSA and the agency’s November 2024 owner booklet.

Quick answer

File online at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem, or start at nhtsa.gov/recalls and choose “Report a Safety Problem.” You can also call the Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 or 800-424-9393, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. Spanish-speaking staff are available, and the TTY number is 888-275-9171. Your report is entered as a Vehicle Owner’s Questionnaire (VOQ) and, with personal identifiers removed, is posted in a public database. Filing a complaint does not, by itself, create a recall.

Before you file: check for an existing recall

Search nhtsa.gov/recalls with your 17-character VIN or license plate first. If an unrepaired safety recall already covers the problem, book the free repair at a dealer for that brand. If the remedy is not ready yet, follow the interim-notice steps in our delay guide. Use this complaint process when you have a safety problem that is not part of a current recall, or when you need NHTSA to know you could not get a recall remedy.

How to file

NHTSA offers two main ways to complain, and it also accepts reports by U.S. mail:

Online. Go to nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem or open nhtsa.gov/recalls and select “Report a Safety Problem.” The information is recorded in VOQ format, entered in the consumer-complaint database, and sent to NHTSA staff for evaluation.
Vehicle Safety Hotline. Call 888-327-4236 or 800-424-9393 toll-free from the United States, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands. Hours on NHTSA’s contact page are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. Staff can take complaints and provide recall information; they can also help with air bags, highway safety, and car-seat use. TTY: 888-275-9171. You can also email nhtsa.webmaster@dot.gov.

When you file, you will be asked for the details technical staff need to evaluate the problem (typically including the vehicle or equipment and a clear description of what happened). You will also be asked whether NHTSA may give your personal identifiers to the manufacturer. You are not required to say yes.

What happens to your report

NHTSA catalogs complaints by make, model, model year, manufacturer, and the affected part or system. Reports are listed, with personal identifiers removed, on NHTSA’s datasets and APIs page and updated weekly. NHTSA says complaints like yours help it investigate possible defects, which could lead to a safety recall, and they also give other drivers information about problems under review.

The public process NHTSA describes is: complaints are reviewed; if similar reports suggest a safety-related defect, the agency may screen the issue and open an investigation; an investigation is closed when NHTSA notifies the manufacturer of recall recommendations or when it does not identify a safety-related defect; NHTSA then monitors recall notices, owner communication, and completion rates.

There is no set number of complaints that triggers an investigation. NHTSA staff review every call, letter, and online report. They weigh how often the problem is reported, how severe the outcomes are, how many vehicles or items were made, and how long they have been in use. If a trend is suspected and the problem may pose a safety risk, the agency opens an investigation for a more detailed analysis. Investigations are posted publicly. NHTSA’s booklet says investigations are generally resolved within 18 months of opening.

An investigator from the Office of Defects Investigation may contact you to clarify a report. NHTSA says the volume of filings does not allow a return call for every one. To see whether your concern is already under investigation or recall, search NHTSA’s investigations and recalls resources or the VIN lookup.

Most decisions to conduct a recall are made voluntarily by manufacturers before NHTSA is involved. Manufacturers that discover a safety defect or a failure to meet a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard must report it to NHTSA and correct it.

What NHTSA treats as a safety-related defect

NHTSA generally describes a safety defect as a problem that poses an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety and that may exist in a group of vehicles of the same design or manufacture, or in equipment of the same type and manufacture. The November 2024 booklet gives these examples of problems considered safety-related:

Steering components that break suddenly and cause a partial or complete loss of control
Fuel-system leaks that may cause a fire or a loss of power
Software problems that disable the backup camera and the driver’s rear visibility
Wheels that crack or break
Engine cooling-fan blades that break unexpectedly and can injure someone working on the vehicle
Windshield-wiper assemblies that fail and cause a loss of visibility
Seats or seat backs that fail unexpectedly during normal use
Critical parts that break, fall apart, or separate from the vehicle
Wiring problems that result in a fire, a loss of lighting, or a loss of propulsion
Car ramps or jacks that may collapse
Air bags that deploy when they should not, or that explode and injure occupants
Car seats and booster seats with defective straps, buckles, or other components that create a crash-injury risk

Examples NHTSA lists as not considered safety-related include radios that do not work properly, ordinary wear of shock absorbers, batteries, brake pads and shoes, and exhaust systems, nonstructural or body-panel rust, paint quality or cosmetic blemishes, and excessive oil consumption.

You can also petition NHTSA

NHTSA’s booklet notes that any person may petition the agency to open a defect investigation, or to hold a hearing on whether a manufacturer reasonably met its duty to notify owners or to remedy a defect. If a petition is denied, the reasons are published in the Federal Register.

Frequently asked questions

Does filing a complaint guarantee a recall?

No. Your report is reviewed and added to NHTSA’s complaint database (with personal identifiers removed). If NHTSA sees similar reports that suggest a safety-related defect in a group of vehicles or equipment, it may open an investigation. Most recalls are started voluntarily by manufacturers.

Do I have to let NHTSA share my name with the manufacturer?

No. When you file a Vehicle Owner’s Questionnaire you can choose whether to authorize release of your personal identifiers (name, address and telephone number) to the manufacturer. It is optional, but NHTSA says sharing that information can help the evaluation of your complaint.

Will someone from NHTSA call me back?

Not always. An investigator from the Office of Defects Investigation may contact you to clarify a report, but NHTSA says the volume of reports does not permit a return call for every filing. You can check investigations and recalls at nhtsa.gov.

How many complaints does it take to open an investigation?

NHTSA says there is no established number. Staff review every call, letter and online report. They look at the number of complaints, the severity of the outcomes, how many vehicles or items were made, and how long they have been on the road.

Sources

MotorDeets is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. A complaint to NHTSA is not a warranty claim and does not, by itself, require a manufacturer to repair your vehicle.