Transport Canada Has 32,000 Vehicle Safety Complaints. You Can't See Them.
Transport Canada Has 32,000 Vehicle Safety Complaints. You Can't See Them.
On January 26, 2026, we filed an Access to Information request with Transport Canada. The request was straightforward: give us the vehicle defect complaints that Canadian consumers have submitted over the past eleven years, with personal information redacted.
We asked for this because Americans get equivalent data for free. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) publishes every consumer complaint online, updated daily, downloadable by anyone. Over 2.1 million complaints spanning decades. No request required. No fees. No waiting.
Transport Canada's response arrived on January 30, 2026. The department confirmed the database exists. It contains more than 32,000 complaints submitted between 2015 and 2026. And then came the bureaucratic gut punch:
"Processing your request as submitted would require a review of more than 32,000 records and unreasonably interfere with our operations... We estimate that this would take years to complete."
Years. To release data that Americans access in seconds.
Transport Canada Response
January 30, 2026
"The volume of records responsive to your request exceeds 32,000 records."
"Processing your request would unreasonably interfere with our operations."
"We estimate that this would take years to complete."
Response to Access to Information Request filed January 26, 2026
What We Asked For
Our request was modelled on what NHTSA already provides publicly:
- All consumer defect complaints submitted between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2025
- Vehicle information: make, model, year, VIN (last 6 digits redacted for privacy)
- Complaint details: component affected, failure description, crash/fire/injury data
- Personal information excluded or redacted
This is data the government already collects. It sits in a database. It exists in structured, digital form. We weren't asking them to create anything new—just to share what they already have.
The American equivalent takes about 30 seconds to download. You go to NHTSA's complaints database, enter any make and model, and get every complaint ever filed. Or download the entire dataset as a flat file. No Access to Information request. No waiting period. No bureaucratic obstruction.
What Canada Is Hiding
Let's be specific about what 32,000 complaints over eleven years means.
The 2016 Auditor General's report on Transport Canada's vehicle safety oversight revealed that in 2015 alone, the department received 2,426 defect complaints. The Auditor General noted significant concerns about how these complaints were processed and whether patterns were being identified.
If complaint volume has remained roughly consistent—and there's reason to believe it has increased given rising vehicle complexity and sales—we're looking at:
| Period | Estimated Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 2,426 (Auditor General confirmed) |
| 2016-2020 | ~12,000-15,000 (estimated) |
| 2021-2025 | ~15,000-18,000 (estimated) |
| Total | 32,000+ (Transport Canada confirmed) |
That's 32,000 individual Canadians who took the time to report a safety issue with their vehicle. 32,000 data points that could reveal patterns, predict recalls, and save lives—all locked away where no one can see them.
Hidden Complaints
Estimated annual volume, 2015-2025
32,000+
Total confirmed
What These Complaints Likely Contain
Based on the NHTSA database structure and Transport Canada's intake forms, each complaint probably includes:
- Vehicle identification: Make, model, year, potentially partial VIN
- Component category: Engine, brakes, steering, electrical, airbags, etc.
- Failure description: Consumer's narrative of what happened
- Consequences: Whether a crash, fire, or injury occurred
- Mileage at failure: How many kilometres on the vehicle
- Date of incident: When the problem occurred
This is exactly the type of data that enables pattern recognition. When 200 consumers report the same brake failure in the same model year, that's a signal. When complaints include 15 fires in a specific engine type, that's an emergency. But if no one can see the data, no one can connect the dots.
The American Model: How It's Supposed to Work
NHTSA's approach to complaint data is the opposite of Transport Canada's. Full transparency. Open access. Updated daily.
Data Transparency Comparison
Vehicle safety complaint databases
What NHTSA Data Enables
Because American complaint data is public, it enables:
Consumer research before purchase. Thinking about buying a 2019 Ford Explorer? Search NHTSA's database and see exactly what problems owners have reported. Read their descriptions. See if there are patterns. Make an informed decision.
Independent safety analysis. Journalists, researchers, and advocacy groups can analyze complaint data to identify emerging safety issues—often years before recalls are issued. Our own analysis of 2.1 million NHTSA complaints showed that major recalls are typically preceded by 2-3 years of escalating complaints.
Manufacturer accountability. When complaint data is public, manufacturers can't hide behind claims that problems are isolated. The data speaks for itself. Pattern recognition becomes possible not just for regulators, but for everyone.
Early warning detection. The Hyundai/Kia engine fire crisis was visible in NHTSA complaint data years before major recalls. Ford Explorer exhaust leak complaints spiked 15,367% over five years before action was taken. The data was there. Anyone could see it.
What Complaint Data Looks Like
Sample NHTSA complaints — this is what Canada hides
While driving at highway speed, the engine seized without warning. No prior symptoms. Vehicle had 47,000 miles. Towed to dealer who confirmed engine failure. Manufacturer denied warranty claim.
Fuel leak detected under vehicle after parking. Strong gasoline odor. Dealer found cracked fuel line. Vehicle had 28,000 km. Part on backorder for 3 weeks.
Touchscreen went black while driving. Lost access to speedometer, navigation, climate controls, and turn signals. Had to pull over and restart vehicle. Third occurrence in 6 months.
Oil dilution issue. Fuel mixing with oil, causing oil level to rise above full mark. Strong gasoline smell from dipstick. Dealer performed oil change but problem returned within 3,000 km.
Cardog surfaces NHTSA complaints for every vehicle. Add a vehicle to your Garage to see complaints that affect you.
Browse ResearchWhat Canada's Secrecy Enables
Nothing. It enables nothing productive.
It enables consumers to buy vehicles without knowing what problems other Canadians have experienced. It enables patterns to go undetected. It enables manufacturers to avoid the accountability that comes with public scrutiny.
This data exists. It's just not public.
Transport Canada collects complaints using structured digital forms. The database exists. Releasing it requires a policy decision, not a technical breakthrough. The US has published equivalent data daily for decades.
This Isn't About Privacy
Transport Canada's response suggested we narrow the scope of our request. But the scope isn't the problem—the secrecy is.
We didn't ask for names, addresses, or phone numbers. We asked for vehicle information and complaint details with personal information redacted. This is exactly what NHTSA publishes, and no one argues that American consumers' privacy is violated by the complaints database.
The data format already exists. Transport Canada collects complaints using structured forms. The fields are standardized. Redacting personal information is a database query, not a multi-year manual review of 32,000 paper documents.
The "years to complete" estimate is either:
- A dramatic overstatement of the actual effort required
- An indication of severe resource constraints in Transport Canada's ATIP office
- A bureaucratic strategy to discourage requests
None of these explanations justify keeping safety data secret from the public that data is meant to protect.
The Auditor General Already Flagged This
In 2016, the Auditor General of Canada examined Transport Canada's oversight of vehicle safety. The findings were not encouraging.
Key concerns from the 2016 audit:
- Transport Canada received 2,426 defect complaints in 2015
- The department lacked adequate systems to analyze complaint patterns
- Complaint data was not being systematically used to identify emerging defects
- Resources for defect investigation were limited
- Follow-up on manufacturer-reported issues was inconsistent
The Auditor General recommended improvements to how Transport Canada processes and uses complaint data. Eight years later, we've filed a request that reveals the database has grown to 32,000+ complaints—and the public still can't see any of it.
If the department struggled to analyze 2,426 complaints in 2015, what's happening with 32,000? Are patterns being identified? Are emerging defects being caught early? We have no way to know, because the data is secret.
Why Canadian Complaints Matter Specifically
Some might argue that NHTSA data is good enough—the same vehicles are sold in both countries, so American complaints should reveal Canadian problems too.
This is wrong for several important reasons.
Climate and Usage Differences
Canadian vehicles face conditions American vehicles don't:
- Extreme cold: Battery failures, heating system problems, cold-start issues
- Road salt: Accelerated corrosion, brake line failures, undercarriage damage
- Winter tires: Suspension and steering wear patterns differ
- Rural distances: Higher mileage accumulation, different failure profiles
A problem that emerges at 100,000 miles might show up at 80,000 kilometres in Canada due to harsher conditions. Canadian-specific complaint data would reveal these patterns.
Regulatory Differences
Some vehicles are configured differently for the Canadian market:
- Daytime running lights: Standard in Canada since 1990
- Metric instrumentation: Different dashboards in some models
- Block heater options: Standard equipment in Canada, often optional in US
- Cold weather packages: Different component specifications
Problems specific to Canadian configurations won't appear in American data.
Recall Timing
Our analysis of recall data shows that Canadian recalls often lag American recalls by weeks or months. Sometimes this is justified by different defect rates; sometimes it appears to be bureaucratic delay. If Canadian complaint data were public, we could compare defect reporting patterns between countries and identify whether delays are justified.
Right to Know
Fundamentally, Canadian consumers have a right to know what safety issues other Canadians have experienced with their vehicles. This isn't about borrowing American data—it's about access to Canadian data that Canadian taxpayers fund and Canadian regulators collect.
What Transport Canada Should Do
The fix is straightforward. Other countries do this. The technology exists. It's a policy choice, not a technical limitation.
Publish the Database
Create a public, searchable database of vehicle defect complaints. Update it regularly. Allow consumers to search by make, model, year, and component category.
Technical requirements:
- Web interface for searching complaints (standard web development)
- Bulk download option for researchers (CSV/JSON export)
- Automated redaction of personal information (database query)
- Regular update schedule (weekly or daily)
This is not complex technology. NHTSA has operated such a system for decades. Transport Canada already has the database—they just need to put a public interface on it.
Streamline Complaint Submission
Make it easy for Canadians to file complaints. NHTSA's online form takes about five minutes. Transport Canada should offer equivalent simplicity.
Integrate with Recall Data
Link complaints to recalls when they occur. Show consumers that their complaints contributed to safety improvements. This encourages reporting and builds trust in the system.
Report Publicly on Patterns
Publish regular reports on complaint trends. Which makes and models are generating the most complaints? What components are failing most often? What patterns are emerging?
This is what regulators are supposed to do—not just collect data, but analyze it and share findings with the public.
The Accountability Gap
Consider the incentives at play when complaint data is secret:
Manufacturers face less public pressure when problems aren't visible. They can manage defects privately, negotiating with regulators behind closed doors while consumers remain unaware.
Regulators face less scrutiny for slow responses. If no one can see the complaint pattern that preceded a recall, no one can ask why it took so long to act.
Consumers bear all the risk. They buy vehicles without access to the safety information that exists about those vehicles. When something goes wrong, they have no way to know if they're alone or part of a pattern.
This is the opposite of how public safety regulation should work.
What You Can Do
File Complaints
Even if the data stays hidden, your complaints contribute to Transport Canada's internal analysis. Report safety issues:
- Online: Transport Canada's Motor Vehicle Safety Defect Reporting Form
- Phone: 1-800-333-0510
- Also file with NHTSA: Even for Canadian-market vehicles, NHTSA complaints contribute to the public record
Support Open Data Advocacy
Organizations advocating for government transparency and open data access need public support. When citizens demand that safety data be public, politicians listen.
Share This Story
The more attention Transport Canada's data secrecy receives, the harder it becomes to maintain. Share this article. Contact your Member of Parliament. Ask why Canadian vehicle safety data is secret when American data is public.
Use Available Resources
While we work toward better transparency in Canada, use the resources that do exist. Cardog's recall lookup tool checks both Transport Canada and NHTSA databases. Our platform aggregates the safety data that is available, making it easier for Canadians to research vehicles before purchase.
When you're shopping for a used vehicle, the NHTSA complaints database is your best available source for owner-reported issues—even for Canadian purchases. The same vehicles are sold in both markets, so American complaints often apply.
The Bottom Line
Somewhere in Transport Canada's systems sits a database containing 32,000+ vehicle safety complaints submitted by Canadians over eleven years. This data could help consumers make safer purchase decisions. It could help researchers identify emerging defects. It could hold manufacturers accountable for dangerous products.
Instead, it sits locked away, inaccessible to the public whose safety it's supposed to protect.
When we asked for this data, Transport Canada told us it would take "years" to release. The United States publishes equivalent data daily. This isn't a resource problem or a privacy problem. It's a transparency problem.
Canadian vehicle owners deserve the same access to safety data that American vehicle owners take for granted. The data exists. The technology exists. The precedent exists in every other major automotive market.
What's missing is the political will to make it happen.
We're continuing to pursue our Access to Information request. We'll publish what we receive. And we'll keep advocating for a Canada where vehicle safety data is public by default, not secret by design.
Cardog is building the most comprehensive vehicle safety intelligence platform in Canada. While we push for greater transparency from regulators, we're making the data that is available more accessible. Check any vehicle for recalls at cardog.app/tools/recalls or browse listings with integrated safety data at cardog.app/explore.