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Your vehicleHome›Audi›A3› 2019
Audi · Compact Sedan

2019 Audi A3

Gas
Subcompact Cars
4 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
C
Safety Signal
78 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
RecallsNHTSA campaigns 4
Complaintsnone reporting a crash, fire or injury 14
Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 29 mpg
20272026202520242023202220202019201820172016

The 2019 Audi A3 is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact sedan with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the A3, is EPA-rated at 29 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 14 complaints, most often about the air bags. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Audi A3 — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
Audi A3 · Photo: OSX · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
A3GasFWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo263529$2,300
A3 CabrioletGasFWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo263529$2,300
A3 Cabriolet quattroGasAWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo223025$2,700
A3 quattroGasAWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo223025$2,700

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 41154, 41155, 41200, 41199.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
A3, A3 Cabriolet, A3 Cabriolet quattro, A3 quattro7 / 10California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body styleSedan/Saloon
Doors4
GVWR classClass 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders4
Displacement2 L
Engine configurationIn-Line

Engine Output

Horsepower184 hp

Fuel Economy

FuelGasoline

Seating

Seat rows2
Seating capacity5 seats

Transmission

DrivetrainAWD/All-Wheel Drive
TransmissionAutomatic

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: Premium, Titanium, quattro Premium, quattro Premium Plus). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada
Length169.7–175.6 in
Width (body, without mirrors)70.5–70.9 in
Height53.5–56.3 in
Wheelbase102.4–103.9 in
Track, front60.6–61.4 in
Track, rear59.4–60.2 in
Curb weight3,175–3,616 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear55/45 to 60/40

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 4 configurations: 4-door Sedan, 4-door Sedan Quattro, Cabriolet, Sportback E-Tron. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

Also on file Beside the 2019 A3
Other years The 2027 A3 Recalls Audi recalls
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Factory warranty running out?

The 2019 Audi A3 is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.

What to check before you buy →

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Recalls (4)

Source: NHTSA recall database
▲high

Fuel System, Gasoline

VW: 20UF/AUDI:20YF
261,257 vehicles 57% reported repaired
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain front-wheel drive 2015-2020 Audi A3 Sedan, 2015-2019 Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Volkswagen Jetta GLI, 2018 Golf Sportwagen GP, 2018-2019 Golf Sportwagen A7, 2015-2017 Golf Sportwagen, 2015-2020 Golf GTI, and 2015-2020 Golf A7 vehicles. Due to a problem with a suction jet pump seal inside the fuel tank, fuel may flow into the evaporative emissions (EVAP) system and possibly leak out of the charcoal canister. Risk A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire. Fix Dealers will replace the suction pump, free of charge. Final owner notification letters for Audi owners were mailed on July 25, 2024. Final owner letters for VW owners were mailed on August 13, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are VW: 20UF/Audi: 20YF. Vehicles that were previously recalled under 16V-647 will need to have the new remedy completed. This recall expands and re
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 24V110000 reported Feb 14, 2024 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
○minor

Tires

AU:45J7,VW:45J6,45J8
296,044 vehicles 84% reported repaired
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan LWB, Golf Sportswagen A7, Golf Alltrack, Golf R GP, Audi Q3, Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas, Golf A7, Audi A3, 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021 Atlas FL vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems." Risk An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will update the TPMS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi’s customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 22V815000 reported Oct 31, 2022 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Air Bags

69BY
153,152 vehicles 73% reported repaired
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Audi S3 Sedan, A3 Sedan, 2016-2018 A3 Etron, 2017-2020 RS3 Sedan, and 2015-2019 A3 Cabriolet vehicles. The passenger occupant detection system (PODS) may malfunction and switch off the passenger air bag even when the seat is occupied. Risk A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash. Fix Dealers will replace the PODS sensor mat and update the PODS control module, free of charge. Owners letters were mailed December 23, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69BY.
Filed with NHTSADefect report PDFOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 21V198000 reported Mar 22, 2021 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Air Bags

69Z4
138,896 vehicles 82% reported repaired built Jul 7, 2016 – Mar 14, 2019
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Audi S3 Sedan, 2015-2019 A3 Sedan and A3 Cabriolet, 2016-2018 A3 e-tron, and 2017-2019 RS3 vehicles. An improper electrical contact may cause the Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) to falsely detect a malfunction and deactivate the passenger air bag. Risk A deactivated passenger air bag increases the risk of injury during a crash. Fix Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the connector and reroute the cable, free of charge. The recall began September 12, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69Z4.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 19V474000 reported Jun 19, 2019 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

NHTSA defect investigations

Fuel System, Gasoline — Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647) closed

On December 12, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened RQ23-007 to investigate the remedy repair effectiveness and scope of Volkswagen (VW) recall 16V-647. Recall 16V-647 was issued on September 2, 2016, for a defective suction jet pump (SJP) inside the fuel tank. Failure of the SJP could lead to a fuel leak from the vehicle. This recall covered certain model year (MY) 2015-2016 Volkswagen Golf and Audi A3 passenger car vehicles. The recall remedy repair replaced SJP Version 1.0 with an improved version, Version 1.1. The SJP is designed to purge fuel from the evaporative emissions (EVAP) system. VW’s recall filing stated the SJP may have been damaged during assembly, which c

Opened Dec 12, 2023 · closed Jul 1, 2024 · action RQ23007 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific A3

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2019 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Audi publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Audi’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2019 Audi A3, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

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Parts & accessories for the 2019 Audi A3

Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.

Find parts for this A3 →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
14complaints filed

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported

13 per 10,000 built · Audi reported 10,688 A3 built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2019: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 2

Most-cited components

Air Bags 7
Fuel/Propulsion System 4
Seats 2
Unspecified 1
Visibility/Wiper 1
Electrical System 1

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

Audi has stated there are no parts available to address the PODS recall 21V198 since March 2021. My dealership sold my vehicle to me at the end of my lease without having addressed this safety recall
Air Bags Aug 19, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11480136
The contact owns a 2019 Audi A3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V110000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
Fuel/Propulsion System May 24, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11590650
The contact owns a 2019 Audi A3. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH for a 50-mile trip, the message "Transmission Failure" displayed, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The transmission then inadvertently switched from automatic to manual transmission mode and became stuck in second gear.
Power Train at 34,500 miles Dec 9, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11703985
The headlight assembly failed and manufacturer accepts no responsibility and quoted astronomical repair cost. This should not have been an issue with such new components. I've seen many vehicles like mine with the same problem
Exterior Lighting Jan 6, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11634359
I purchased a 2019 Audi A3 on january 18, 2021 (VIN ) from Audi denver. I replaced the windshield 2/19/2021, was told the windshield had been replaced at least once before (2/2020 at the dealership) and 2 weeks after replacing the windshield, have a new crack that is quickly spreading.
Visibility/Wiper at 11,700 miles Mar 2, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11398794
The contact leased a 2019 Audi A3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V198000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted.
Air Bags Mar 8, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11455718

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Audi itself: 1 death-or-injury claim on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 9.4 per 100,000 built. Every A3 model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
4 DR AWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆11%
4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆11%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Extended coverage on file 1 filing by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 1,045
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-25
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 1029 service bulletins, 14 others, 2 warranty extensions

Most often about: Equipment, Electrical System, Unknown Or Other, Structure, Engine.

  • TSB_2083409_1 Service bulletin
    2026-09-25 · Unknown Or Other
  • This bulletin states that technicians are required to report to the manufacturer when a vehicle has flooded, and specify the height to which the vehicle has been flooded.
  • TSB_2052680_2 Service bulletin
    2026-09-25 · Unknown Or Other
  • This bulletin provides information for reporting safety related information to the manufacturer.
  • TSB_2074846_5 Service bulletin
    2026-09-22 · Steering
  • This bulletin provides information about vibrations and rotational steering vibrations.
  • TSB_2020552_15 Service bulletin
    2026-09-22 · Visibility/Wiper
  • This bulletin provides service information regarding exterior glass cleaning.
  • TSB_2078648_4 Service bulletin
    2026-09-18 · Structure — Body
  • This bulletin provides information about billing for a broken sunroof glass panel.
  • TSB_2068573_6 Service bulletin
    2026-09-18 · Electrical System
  • This bulletin provides information when the rear parking sensor sometimes does not work, rear parking sensor loose, rear parking sensor fault message.
  • TSB_2030471_9 Service bulletin
    2026-09-15 · Unknown Or Other
  • This bulletin provides information when the license plate mounting bracket threded inserts are stripped.
  • 2026-09-09 · Unknown Or Other
  • This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

CodeWhat it meansMost often filed underWhere it appears
P0148Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Fuel/Propulsion System · Fuel pump →1 owner report

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2019 Audi A3 failed the emissions check on 0.33% of first inspections — lower than the 2.7% for every 2019 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.9% (every 2019 vehicle: 1.7%).

New York inspections 0.33%

failed emissions

307 initial inspections of 300 vehicles.

MeasureThe 2019 A3Every 2019 vehicleBehind it
Failed the emissions check0.33%2.7%307
Failed the safety inspection1.9%1.7%307
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit0%0.20%307
Miles driven a year7,0349,904odometer at inspection
Average odometer51,32872,084odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2019 vehicle” is every 2019 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

A3 by model year

all years, side by side →
Year Safety Recalls Complaints
2027 A 0 0 28 mpg2026 A 0 2 28 mpg2025 A 0 5 28 mpg2024 A 0 2 32 mpg2023 B 2 7 32 mpg2022 C 6 9 32 mpg2020 B 3 16 30 mpg2019 this page C 4 14 29 mpg2018 F 7 45 36 mpg2017 C 5 71 34 mpg2016 D 6 121 39 mpg

Common questions about the 2019 A3

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2019 Audi A3 have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 4 recall campaigns for the 2019 Audi A3. The most serious on file is 24V110000, covering Fuel System, Gasoline. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2019 Audi A3?

NHTSA gave the 2019 Audi A3 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it C (78/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2019 Audi A3?

Across the 4 EPA-rated configurations of the 2019 Audi A3, the best EPA combined figure is 29 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2019 Audi A3?

Transport Canada measured it at 169.7–175.6 in long, 70.5–70.9 in wide (body, without mirrors), 53.5–56.3 in tall, on a 102.4–103.9 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,175–3,616 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2019 Audi A3?

Owners have filed 14 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Audi A3, most often about air bags, fuel/propulsion system, seats. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2019 Audi A3?

The EPA smog rating for the 2019 Audi A3 is 7 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2019 Audi A3?

The manufacturer has filed 1045 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2019 Audi A3, most often covering equipment, electrical system, unknown or other. The most recent is dated 2026-09-25. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2019 Audi A3 do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2019 Audi A3 failed the emissions check on 0.33% of first inspections — lower than the 2.7% for every 2019 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.9% (every 2019 vehicle: 1.7%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations4 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates4 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls4NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints14NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings2 testedNHTSA NCAPOnly the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins1045NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations1NHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationOpen and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative.
Driver-assist crash reportsnoneNHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA12 fieldsNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWhat the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions7 fieldsTransport Canada, Canadian Vehicle SpecificationsLength, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipmentnoneManufacturer press kitWe have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Where to go next

pages beside this one
Other years The 2027 A3 The A3 model year with the cleanest record on file — grade A, 0 recalls.Recalls Every Audi recall on file All campaigns filed against Audi vehicles, newest first, with the manufacturer's own number.Recall Watch Watch this A3 by VIN Give it the VIN and you hear the night a campaign is filed — from $29 a month for a lot, free for ten.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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