Component

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:BULBS

43 NHTSA complaints about exterior lighting:headlights:bulbs issues across 16 makes and 28 models.

The exterior lighting:headlights:bulbs is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 43 filings from 16 manufacturers and 28 distinct vehicle models, a footprint large enough that defect engineers can isolate part-family patterns across different platforms that share the same supplier or the same federal motor vehicle safety standard.

Among filings citing this component, owners have reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the NISSAN ALTIMA with 6 filings, followed by KIA SORENTO and HYUNDAI SONATA. These severity counters are what separates a nuisance complaint trend from a pattern NHTSA is likely to escalate into a Preliminary Evaluation.

Component-level analysis is how the Office of Defects Investigation spots cross-manufacturer supplier issues — the same airbag inflator, the same takata-style ignition switch, the same brake hose material — before they become industry-wide recalls. When you see a single component accumulating large complaint volume across several unrelated nameplates, that is usually a signature of a shared supplier or a shared federal standard being stressed by real-world conditions. Use the affected-vehicles table below to see whether the pattern is concentrated on a handful of models or distributed evenly, and cross-reference each model's full recall and investigation history before drawing conclusions about any one nameplate.

43
Complaints
28
Models Affected
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Deaths

Most Affected Vehicles

# Vehicle Complaints
1 NISSAN ALTIMA 6
2 KIA SORENTO 6
3 HYUNDAI SONATA 2
4 HYUNDAI ELANTRA 2
5 DODGE CHARGER 2
6 CADILLAC SRX 2
7 ACURA RDX 2
8 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 1
9 SUBARU FORESTER 1
10 RAM 2500 1
11 RAM 1500 1
12 NISSAN SENTRA 1
13 MAZDA MAZDA6 1
14 LINCOLN MKZ 1
15 LEXUS CT HYBRID 1
16 KIA TELLURIDE 1
17 KIA SOUL 1
18 KIA FORTE 1
19 INFINITI QX60 HYBRID 1
20 HYUNDAI TUCSON 1
21 FORD FOCUS 1
22 FORD F-350 1
23 FORD F-250 1
24 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 1
25 CHEVROLET MALIBU 1
26 CHEVROLET HHR 1
27 CHEVROLET COBALT 1
28 BMW 328I 1

Recent Complaints

2022 NISSAN SENTRA

The front passenger headlight started to go in and out. After a while it started to burn the connector. Also the back passenger side taillight is out too. The plugs in the car also make the speakers t

2025 RAM 2500

Will not work my brand new camper keeps making light blink when headlights are on and now know lights at all

2018 KIA SORENTO

The contact owns a 2018 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the headlights failed to function as intended. The contact, who was a retired certified mechanic, in

2019 FORD F-250

The contact owns a 2019 Ford F-250. The contact stated that the passenger’s side headlight bulb was blown, and the battery was not operating as needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the he

2019 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the high beam headlights failed to function as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it

2015 KIA SOUL

The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the high-beam headlights and turn signals were not working as needed. The contact stated that the local dealer was

2009 CHEVROLET COBALT

OEM headlights had become dim and one could no longer be aimed, so I ordered these replacements through Amazon. I paid $92 to have them installed, and the mechanic let me know that the high beams coul

2017 FORD FOCUS

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Focus. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, he became aware that the headlamp was not illuminating properly. The contact stated that the bulbs inside headlamp ho

2015 ACURA RDX

The contact owns a 2015 Acura RDX. The contact stated that the headlights failed to produce adequate lighting while driving at night. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact drove the vehi

2012 CADILLAC SRX

The contact owns a 2012 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the headlights were extremely dim. The contact stated while driving in the dark for four hours, the

2015 RAM 1500

The contact owns a 2015 Ram 1500. The contact stated that the driver's side and passenger’s side front headlight bulbs burned out. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the bulbs w

2019 DODGE CHARGER

The contact owns a 2019 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that the illumination of the headlights was inadequate for the vehicle to be driven at night. While driving the visibility was only 5 feet ahe

2018 HYUNDAI TUCSON

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that the headlights intermittently failed to operate as needed. The headlight bulbs detached from the headlight socket with the headlight mes

2015 NISSAN ALTIMA

The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the front headlight bulbs became inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer

2004 MAZDA MAZDA6

The contact owns a 2004 Mazda Mazda6. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the driver’s and passenger’s side headlights were inoperable and failed to illuminate as needed. The cont

2020 KIA FORTE

The contact owns a 2020 Kia Forte. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, the passenger’s side headlight became inoperable and no longer illuminated as needed. The light bulb was replaced;

2016 CADILLAC SRX

The contact owns a 2016 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated while driving at night she was unable to see the roadway due to the headlights not providing adequate illumination. The contact stated the TPMS

2014 NISSAN ALTIMA

The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH or various speeds at night, the headlights were extremely dim. The contact stated no warning light was

2013 SUBARU FORESTER

The contact owns a 2013 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the headlights and taillights became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who

2010 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

I purchase The H4 LED’s from headlightexperts.com February 2022. There is a design flaw with their H4.bulb. The low beam have LED’s on both sides of the light bulb, however the halogen bulb has

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints involve exterior lighting:headlights:bulbs issues?
The NHTSA has received 43 complaints about exterior lighting:headlights:bulbs problems across 28 vehicle models from 16 manufacturers.
How dangerous are exterior lighting:headlights:bulbs defects?
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:BULBS issues have been linked to 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths according to NHTSA complaint data.
Which vehicles have the most exterior lighting:headlights:bulbs problems?
The most complained-about vehicle for exterior lighting:headlights:bulbs issues is the NISSAN ALTIMA with 6 complaints.
Where does PlainCars get its safety data?
All vehicle safety data comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database, which collects reports from vehicle owners about safety-related defects.

Data Sources

Vehicle complaint data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database. Includes consumer-reported safety issues filed with NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Severity counts cross-reference NHTSA FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) for fatal incidents where a corresponding FARS record exists.

Component categories are standardized by NHTSA. Crash-test ratings where shown are drawn from the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Complaint counts, crash reports, fire reports, and fatality data reflect consumer-submitted reports and may not represent all incidents.

Disclaimer: This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for vehicle purchase decisions. NHTSA complaint data is self-reported by consumers and has not been verified or investigated. A high complaint count does not necessarily indicate a defect. Always consult a qualified mechanic and check official NHTSA recall notices before making safety-related decisions.

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