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NHTSA vehicle safety complaints organized by model year, from 1970 through the most recent reporting year. Click any year to see the most complained-about vehicles and components in context.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 2,054,142 consumer complaints have been filed against U.S. vehicles since 1995, as of June 2026. The table below breaks that record down by vehicle model year, from 1970 to the present, so you can see how complaint, crash, and recall volume tracks each cohort. Read our methodology for how the federal records are compiled and why older model years tend to carry more cumulative complaints.

Year Complaints Crashes Deaths
2026 971 85 0
2025 9,205 723 10
2024 18,969 1,224 23
2023 27,666 1,999 24
2022 31,757 1,760 321
2021 33,804 1,901 32
2020 36,398 1,854 52
2019 52,003 2,425 30
2018 62,803 2,833 43
2017 65,686 3,147 112
2016 66,886 3,460 164
2015 69,381 3,919 116
2014 74,949 4,364 111
2013 82,124 3,845 94
2012 72,547 3,830 82
2011 72,544 3,500 107
2010 67,458 3,448 241
2009 58,267 3,290 108
2008 85,865 4,630 160
2007 93,701 5,274 161
2006 94,544 5,394 398
2005 90,987 5,487 173
2004 77,954 5,150 238
2003 71,524 5,181 200
2002 72,172 5,658 307
2001 66,025 5,437 408
2000 73,120 5,842 259
1999 66,670 5,253 335
1998 56,077 4,396 283
1997 50,534 3,927 268
1996 48,891 3,994 362
1995 54,258 5,583 251
1994 36,737 4,005 205
1993 30,029 2,445 94
1992 22,102 1,714 118
1991 17,375 1,304 62
1990 12,437 930 37
1989 9,769 638 72
1988 7,055 419 47
1987 4,622 298 156
1986 3,121 207 40
1985 1,887 132 21
1984 1,250 90 18
1983 465 16 4
1982 252 18 7
1981 194 14 3
1980 119 14 0
1979 139 14 7
1978 135 10 0
1977 127 9 2
1976 64 4 0
1975 39 3 1
1974 41 6 1
1973 30 2 0
1972 22 4 0
1971 16 1 0
1970 13 0 0

Source: NHTSA Vehicle Complaints Database NHTSA Vehicle Complaints Database

Frequently Asked Questions

Which model years have the most vehicle complaints?
Model years with the highest production volumes and the most time on the road typically accumulate the most complaints. The table above ranks every model year from 1970 to present by total NHTSA complaints, crashes, fires, and deaths.
How does PlainCars organize complaints by year?
PlainCars groups NHTSA complaint data by the vehicle model year reported in each filing. Each year page shows the total complaint count, number of affected models, and safety statistics including crashes, fires, and fatalities for that model year.
Can I compare complaint trends across years?
Yes. The table above lets you compare complaint counts, crash reports, and fatality numbers side by side for every model year. Click any year to drill into the specific makes and models that generated the most complaints.