There's been a bit of chatter about complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) lately. Toyota can't seem to get enough of them these days, but as you'll see after the jump, not all NHTSA complaints are created equal.

You see, the complaint submission process is not an exact science. Just about every problem imaginable comes through the NHTSA database. That leads to some rather misleading statistics, and as we found out while sifting through the hundreds of safety complaints, it also leads to some completely off the wall complaints. Examples of what we mean after the jump.


All of these complaints were taken directly from NHTSA's database. Some were written by the consumer while others were dictated over the phone to a NHTSA representative. The names and VINs were removed to protect the innocent -- and the stupid.

"THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 PONTIAC SOLSTICE. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH WITH A BOAT IN TOW, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE, THE A-FRAME FAILED, AND THE MAIN FRAME COLLAPSED. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL AND THE BOAT DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP WHEN IT CRASHED INTO A BRIDGE."

"THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S RPMS RADICALLY INCREASED AND A LOUD REVVING NOISE WAS HEARD. THE FAILURE IS MORE NOTICEABLE AFTER ACCELERATING FROM AN IDLE POSITION."

"HEAT/A.C/VENTILATION SYSTEM ALLOWS RODENTS TO ENTER FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT INTO THE DUCTWORK INSIDE THE VEHICLE MEANING ALL AIR CONSUMED BY OCCUPANTS IS LACED WITH RODENT FECES/EXCREMENT WHICH IS UNHEALTHFUL FOR OCCUPANTS TO BREATHE AND IN SOME CONDITIONS WILL LEAD TO DEATH VIA ANTIVIRUS."

"I LEASED A LEXUS 2005 RX 330 ON NOVEMBER 30, 2004. SINCE I HAVE HAD THE CAR THE CAR HAS BEEN VANDALIZED TWO TIMES ONCE ON DECEMBER. 12 AND AGAIN ON JANUARY. 22. EACH TIME THERE HAS BEEN IN EXCESS OF 5,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE. EACH TIME IT IS THEFT INVOLVING OF XENON HEADLIGHTS. THIS IS A OBVIOUS MANUFACTURES DEFECT AND THE CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED. I URGE THIS DONE!!!"

"PAGE 307 OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE OWNERS MANUAL, ENTITLED "TIRE CHAIN", STATES THAT IN INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE TIRE CHAINS CAN BE PLACED ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRES TO ASSIST WITH DRIVING. AFTER THE CONTACT PLACED THE CHAINS ON THE VEHICLE, THE ELECTRONIC MONITORING SYSTEM ACTIVATES BRAKING AND TRACTION. THE FAILURE SPORADICALLY CAUSES A LOSS OF CONTROL THAT FREQUENTLY RESULTS IN 180 DEGREE TURNS."


"MY CADILLAC STS MAKES A FARTING NOISE AT TIMES. CADILLAC CANNOT TELL ME WHAT IS CAUSING THIS NOISE."

John Wayne once said.."life is tough, but it is even tougher when you are stupid". He was right.

I think the Caddy likes burritos and beans

i have that farting noice in my vette at times must be a GM thing Lead lol.