2024 Chevrolet Tahoe
The 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe is sold in the U.S. as a gas and diesel large SUV with 7 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Tahoe 2WD, is EPA-rated at 24 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 69 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tahoe 2WD | Gas | RWD | 5.3L 8-cyl | 15 | 20 | 17 | $3,950 |
| Tahoe 4WD | Gas | 4WD | 5.3L 8-cyl | 15 | 20 | 17 | $3,950 |
| Tahoe 2WD | Gas | RWD | 6.2L 8-cyl | 14 | 20 | 16 | $5,150 |
| Tahoe 4WD | Gas | 4WD | 5.3L 8-cyl | 14 | 18 | 16 | $4,200 |
| Tahoe 4WD | Gas | 4WD | 6.2L 8-cyl | 14 | 18 | 16 | $5,150 |
| Tahoe 2WD | Diesel | RWD | 3.0L 6-cyl turbo | 21 | 28 | 24 | $4,000 |
| Tahoe 4WD | Diesel | 4WD | 3.0L 6-cyl turbo | 20 | 26 | 22 | $4,350 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 47396, 47417, 47398, 47419, 47420, 47400, 47422.
Emissions & certification
Source: EPA emission certificates| Configuration | Smog rating | Emission standard | Where it can be sold new | SmartWay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tahoe 2WD, Tahoe 4WD | 6 / 10 | Federal Tier 3 Bin 50 / California LEV-III ULEV50 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | — |
| Tahoe 2WD, Tahoe 4WD | 6 / 10 | California LEV-III ULEV50 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 50 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | — |
| Tahoe 2WD, Tahoe 4WD | 3 / 10 | California LEV-III ULEV125 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 125 | All 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 vPICDimensions Exterior
| Body style | Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV] |
| Doors | 4 |
| GVWR class | Class 2F: 7,001 - 8,000 lb (3,175 - 3,629 kg) |
Engine Basics
| Cylinders | 8 |
| Displacement | 5.3 L |
| Engine configuration | V-Shaped |
Fuel Economy
| Fuel | Gasoline |
Driver assistance
Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Parking assist, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking, Rear cross-traffic alert
Optional: Blind-spot monitoring
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: High Country, LS, LT, Premier). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.
Dimensions & weight
Source: Transport Canada| Length | 210.6 in |
| Width (body, without mirrors) | 81.1 in |
| Height | 75.6 in |
| Wheelbase | 120.9 in |
| Track, front | 68.5 in |
| Track, rear | 68.1 in |
| Curb weight | 5,355–5,545 lb |
| Weight distribution, front/rear | 51/49 to 52/48 |
Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 4-door SUV AWD, 4-door SUV RWD. 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.
The cheapest ownership win
Insurers price the 2024 Tahoe very differently, and the gap between the best and worst quote on the same car and driver is usually larger than any option you are weighing on this page.
How to compare cover →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.
Recalls (3)
Source: NHTSA recall databaseEngine And Engine Cooling
N252494000Service Brakes, Hydraulic
N242447990These 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
Engine — Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy open
On January 16, 2026, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query RQ26001. This investigation was opened to assess the remedy effectiveness of Recall 25V-274. ODI has received complaints alleging engine failure in vehicles after the recall remedy had been completed, whether that remedy involved an oil viscosity change or a complete engine replacement. General Motors (GM) issued Recall 25V-274 to address concerns of engine failure in the L87 engines produced between March 1, 2021 and May 31, 2024. GM cited the root cause as a supplier manufacturing and quality issue. GM’s recall remedy for Recall 25V-274 consisted of two different repairs, either an oil viscosity change or a
Opened Aug 20, 2026 · action EA26005 · the investigation’s page →
Engine — Loss of motive power due to engine failure post recall remedy closed
On January 16, 2026, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query RQ26001. This investigation was opened to assess the remedy effectiveness of Recall 25V-274. ODI has received complaints alleging engine failure in vehicles after the recall remedy had been completed, whether that remedy involved an oil viscosity change or a complete engine replacement. General Motors (GM) issued Recall 25V-274 to address concerns of engine failure in the L87 engines produced between March 1, 2021 and May 31, 2024. GM cited the root cause as a supplier manufacturing and quality issue. GM’s recall remedy for Recall 25V-274 consisted of two different repairs, either an oil viscosity change or a
Opened Jan 16, 2026 · closed Aug 20, 2026 · action RQ26001 · the investigation’s page →
Engine — Loss of motive power due to engine failure open
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 1,157 reports of engine bearing failure failures in the L87 6.2L engine produced by General Motors (GM). Of the 1,157 reports received, 173 are outside of the scope of recall 25V-274. These engines are installed in Model Years (MY) 2019–2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, and 2021-2024MY Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe, GMC Yukon/Yukon XL, and Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV vehicles. The subject engine failures were investigated as part of a Preliminary Evaluation (PE25001). GM determined that these engine failures were due to multiple supplier manufacturing and quality issues. GM issued recall 25V-274 to address the supplie
Opened Oct 23, 2025 · action EA25007 · the investigation’s page →
Engine — Loss of motive power due to engine failure closed
On January 16, 2025, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE25001 after receiving complaints and field reports concerning engine failures in MY2019-2024 GM’s full-size truck and SUV T1XX platform equipped with the L87 6.2L V8 engine. These complainants alleged engine bearing failures resulting in knocking and growling noises from the engine’s bottom end and in some cases more severe consequences such as broken connecting rods leading to engine damage, or engine failure. If the engine fails during vehicle operation, the vehicle will lose propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. On April 24, 2025, GM issued recall 25V-274 to address the concern with L87 en
Opened Jan 16, 2025 · closed Oct 23, 2025 · action PE25001 · the investigation’s page →
Whether any of this applies to one specific Tahoe
A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2024 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Chevrolet publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.
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 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.
Parts & accessories for the 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe
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 Tahoe →Owner complaints
Source: NHTSA complaint database1 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 2 injuries · 0 deaths reported
6.6 per 10,000 built · Chevrolet reported 103,974 Tahoe built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)
Filed per year: 2024: 6 · 2025: 38 · 2026: 25
Most-cited components
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.
I had a misfire and I bring it to Chevy dealership on 86st Brooklyn ny they did diagnostic And they stated I need a new engine I’m without a car I have wife and kid at home i use my truck to work and feed my family
Unknown but there was many lights on at the time of brake failure. I was driving home from Florida to NJ with my four young children in the vehicle on a 65mph highway when all these lights came on, the brakes completely stopped working and it told me it was reducing speed to 62mph for safety because the brakes were failed.
While driving at approximately 25-30 MPH the steering system locked up for a 2-3 second period not allowing the driver to maintain the desired direction of vehicle movement. The first incident occurred while navigating a turn in the road, the second occurred while turning left at an intersection.
On one morning w/20 something temperature, Tahoe started and immediately shut down. When restarted, multiple malfunction lights were lit: engine, ABS/brake, steering column, traction control, etc.
I was in a rollover crash on 3/9/25. I hit the guardrail head on, then completely rolled the vehicle multiple times. The driver/steering wheel airbag did NOT deploy. Curtain airbags, and the airbag from the seat deployed but the steering wheel did NOT. My head hit the steering wheel as a result with injuries to my face.
Fuel System Control Module went out abruptly and without warning resulting in the vehicle and occupant being stranded on highway. This was a brand new vehicle with only 320 miles on the odometer, and happened after only 6 days of ownership. The dangerous nature of above situation is self evident.
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 Chevrolet itself: 5 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 11 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 4.8 per 100,000 built. Every Tahoe model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.
Crash ratings
Source: NHTSA NCAP| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUV 4WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | 22% |
| SUV RWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | 21% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.
Service bulletins & campaigns
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications- 10 years or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first · GM service campaign N252494003-02Certain vehicles listed above, may have a condition where the connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components in these vehicles may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and…
- 10 years or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first · GM service campaign N252494003-01Certain vehicles listed above, may have a condition where the connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components in these vehicles may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and…
- 10 years or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first · GM service campaign N252494003Certain vehicles listed above, may have a condition where the connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components in these vehicles may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and…
- Term not in NHTSA’s summary · GM warranty extension 22-NA-244This warranty administration service bulletin provides information about GM Accessories - Dealer-Installed, Repaired or Replaced During Warranty Coverage Period.
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 GM warranty extension (33) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →
Most often about: Unknown Or Other, Electrical System, Engine, Equipment, Power Train.
- PIC6602Y Service bulletin2026-10-17 · Unknown Or Other
- This Preliminary information communicates to dealers steps to follow to obtain an IOK radio.
- PIT6110L Service bulletin2026-10-07 · Unknown Or Other
- This Preliminary information communicates an issue with the SES MIL and DTC P062B and engineering is currently investigating.
- PIT6477D Service bulletin2026-10-05 · Unknown Or Other
- This preliminary PI was created to advise techniians in the field that they will not be able to perform a GDS automated bleed with the scan tool dues to a issue with the software in the scan tool
- PIT6457C Service bulletin2026-09-28 · Unknown Or Other
- This preliminary information is for technicians that may see DTCs that are history and should not perform any part replacements. They should follow the notes mentioned prior to anything being replaced.
- PIC6540K Service bulletin2026-09-28 · Unknown Or Other
- This Preliminary information communicates to dealers a procedure to reset the radio.
- PIT5698F Service bulletin2026-09-26 · Unknown Or Other
- This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.
- PIT6549 Service bulletin2026-09-21 · Unknown Or Other
- This preliminary information communicates an issue with a service column lock message and DTC U3000. Engineering is working on the issue and in the meantime dealerships are to reset/clear the DTC and perform four sleep cycles to verify the DTC does not return.
- PIT6545A Service bulletin2026-09-15 · Unknown Or Other
- This PI is created to inform GM dealers that some vehicles may intermittently fail to connect wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto after Bluetooth pairing during the first key cycle. The condition is caused by a software anomaly.
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 complaintsCodes 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.
| Code | What it means | Most often filed under | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|---|
| P062B P062B on Chevrolet → | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Unknown Or Other | 11 bulletins |
| C1197 C1197 on Chevrolet → | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Suspension · Struts and shocks → | 8 bulletins |
| C1114 C1114 on Chevrolet → | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Service Brakes · Brake pads → | 6 bulletins |
| U3000 U3000 on Chevrolet → | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Forward Collision Avoidance | 6 bulletins |
| P0202 P0202 on Chevrolet → | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Electrical System · Fuel injector → | 5 bulletins |
| P2714 P2714 on Chevrolet → | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Unknown Or Other | 5 bulletins |
| P0562 P0562 on Chevrolet → | System voltage is below the operating range. | Service Brakes · Alternator → | 4 bulletins |
| P0606 P0606 on Chevrolet → | An internal processor fault in the engine control module. | Service Brakes · Brake pads → | 4 bulletins |
| P0203 P0203 on Chevrolet → | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Electrical System · Fuel injector → | 3 bulletins |
| P0016 P0016 on Chevrolet → | The crankshaft and camshaft are not where they should be relative to each other — timing, chain or phaser. | Unknown Or Other | 2 bulletins |
| P0102 P0102 on Chevrolet → | Mass air flow sensor signal too low. | Electrical System · Mass air flow sensor → | 2 bulletins |
| P0172 P0172 on Chevrolet → | The engine is running rich on bank 1: too much fuel for the air going in. | Engine · Oxygen sensor → | 2 bulletins |
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.
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At the New York inspection station
Source: New York State DMVIn New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe failed the emissions check on 1.6% of first inspections — close to the 1.5% for every 2024 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 0.46% (every 2024 vehicle: 0.74%).
failed emissions
2,624 initial inspections of 2,574 vehicles.
| Measure | The 2024 Tahoe | Every 2024 vehicle | Behind it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failed the emissions check | 1.6% | 1.5% | 2,041 |
| Failed the safety inspection | 0.46% | 0.74% | 2,624 |
| Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit | 0.27% | 0.17% | 2,624 |
| Miles driven a year | 10,543 | 9,424 | odometer at inspection |
| Average odometer | 23,941 | 21,104 | odometer 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 2024 vehicle” is every 2024 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).
Common questions about the 2024 Tahoe
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsDoes the 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe have any recalls?
NHTSA has posted 3 recall campaigns for the 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe. The most serious on file is 25V619000, covering Fuel System, Diesel. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.
How safe is the 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe?
NHTSA gave the 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe 4 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 3-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it B (81/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.
What is the fuel economy of the 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe?
Across the 7 EPA-rated configurations of the 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe, the best EPA combined figure is 24 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.
What are the dimensions of the 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe?
Transport Canada measured it at 210.6 in long, 81.1 in wide (body, without mirrors), 75.6 in tall, on a 120.9 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 5,355–5,545 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 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe?
Owners have filed 69 complaints with NHTSA about the 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe, most often about engine, electrical system, service brakes. Of those, 1 involved a crash, 2 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.
How clean is the 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe?
The EPA smog rating for the 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe runs 3 to 6 out of 10 across its configurations. 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 ULEV125, California LEV-III ULEV50, Federal Tier 3 Bin 125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 50 — which the table above lists per configuration.
Are there service bulletins for the 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe?
The manufacturer has filed 747 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe, most often covering unknown or other, electrical system, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-10-17. 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 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe do at state inspection?
In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2024 Chevrolet Tahoe failed the emissions check on 1.6% of first inspections — close to the 1.5% for every 2024 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 0.46% (every 2024 vehicle: 0.74%). 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.
| Data | Held | Source | What it covers — or what empty means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy & configurations | 7 configurations | EPA certification records | Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures. |
| Emission certificates | 7 configurations | EPA emission certificates | Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new. |
| Recalls | 3 | NHTSA recall campaigns | A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags. |
| Owner complaints | 69 | NHTSA complaint database | Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold. |
| Crash ratings | 2 tested | NHTSA NCAP | Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them. |
| Service bulletins | 747 | NHTSA manufacturer communications | Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall. |
| Investigations | 4 | NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation | Open and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative. |
| Driver-assist crash reports | none | NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01 | No 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 NHTSA | 7 fields | NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns | What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder. |
| Measured dimensions | 7 fields | Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications | Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions. |
| Trims, pricing & equipment | none | Manufacturer press kit | We 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.
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.