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2018 Chevrolet Traverse

Gas

Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
3 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

85 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 2

Complaints9 crash · 2 fire · 7 injured reported 464

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 22 mpg

2027 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2018 Chevrolet Traverse is sold in the U.S. as a gas large SUV with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Traverse FWD, is EPA-rated at 22 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 464 complaints, most often about the power train. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Chevrolet Traverse — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Chevrolet Traverse · Photo: Autosdeprimera · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Traverse FWD	Gas	FWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	20	26	22	$3,750
Traverse FWD	Gas	FWD	3.6L 6-cyl	18	27	21	$3,200
Traverse AWD	Gas	AWD	3.6L 6-cyl	17	25	20	$3,350

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 39405, 38956, 38960.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Traverse AWD, Traverse FWD	5 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 / California LEV-III ULEV70	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
Traverse FWD	5 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70	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 vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 2E: 6,001 - 7,000 lb (2,722 - 3,175 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	6
Displacement	3.6 L
Engine configuration	V-Shaped

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain	FWD/Front-Wheel Drive
Transmission	Automatic
Transmission speeds	9

Driver assistance

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

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	204.3 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	78.7 in
Height	70.9 in
Wheelbase	120.9 in
Track, front	67.3 in
Track, rear	66.9 in
Curb weight	4,361–4,700 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	58/42

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 FWD. 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.

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Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Air Bags

N202321200

108 vehicles 50% reported repaired

Problem General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2015, 2017 Buick Enclave, 2010-2019 Chevrolet Traverse, and 2011-2016 GMC Acadia vehicles. The side curtain air bags may not be properly attached. Risk Unsecured side curtain air bags may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of injury. Fix GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, realign or replace the weld nuts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 24, 2021. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N202321200.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 21V246000 reported Apr 8, 2021 General Motors, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Power Train

N202313440

194,105 vehicles 82% reported repaired

Problem General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts. Risk Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire. Fix GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.

NHTSA campaign 20V668000 reported Oct 29, 2020 General Motors LLC 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.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Traverse

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2018 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.

NHTSA VIN check →Chevrolet’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 2018 Chevrolet Traverse, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

464complaints filed

9 involved a crash · 2 a fire · 7 injuries · 0 deaths reported

36 per 10,000 built · Chevrolet reported 128,261 Traverse built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2017: 2 · 2018: 31 · 2019: 58 · 2020: 48 · 2021: 37 · 2022: 32 · 2023: 50 · 2024: 67 · 2025: 85 · 2026: 54

Most-cited components

Power Train → 196

Unspecified 105

Engine → 102

Electrical System → 102

Fuel/Propulsion System 38

Service Brakes 37

In depth: transmission and drivetrain problems → · engine problems → · electrical problems →

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.

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. While attempting to park the vehicle, it suddenly accelerated independently, drove forward, and crashed into a building. A police report was filed and there were no injuries. The cause of the failure was not determined. The vehicle damage was repaired.

Power Train at 4,000 miles Oct 12, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11139948

While driving on rainy day about 20 MPH the engine would alternate between a power surge to no power. This continued for several minutes while driving (nowhere to pull over) until the engine completely died. Both the jerking forward and the shutoff while driving could have caused a horrible accident but fortunately we were lucky.

Electrical System at 13,000 miles Sep 18, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11130171

The contact leases a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. While driving in traffic, the vehicle powered off, the engine failed, and all the instrument panel indicators flickered. The contact was able to coast the vehicle out of traffic. The contact stated that the vehicle continued to roll when the gear was shifted into park.

Engine at 2,000 miles Sep 17, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11129941

Driving this SUV on the road the inner liner under the fender started to come down and rub on the tire, smelly rubber was being burnt as I stop right away and notice the weak cheap fabric that was in-place instead of a hard plastic came down almost causing a fire hazard !!

Steering Aug 20, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11121021

Main sunroof (the one that tilts and opens) shattered. It was closed at the time, all windows were closed, driving straight down a good, smooth highway at 74 MPH, in good weather

Structure at 7,000 miles Aug 14, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11119810

The gist of this complaint is that there is no way to lock the gas filler door, so anyone at any time can open the gas filler door and potentially access and/or contaminate the fuel. This is a safety and environmental hazard. There is no gas cap, either. Its is a "capless" design, so anyone can access the vehicle's fuel system

Fuel/Propulsion System Jun 28, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11104574

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: 56 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 killed, 75 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 44 per 100,000 built. Every Traverse model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 32k

miles, typically

Half the 181 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 13,000 and 55,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

under 10k 38

10k–20k 26

20k–30k 22

30k–40k 16

40k–50k 23

50k–60k 15

60k–70k 9

70k–80k 6

80k–90k 9

90k–100k 5

100k–150k 10

150k + 2

Median mileage by component

Component	Reports	Median miles	Vs same age
Power Train	76	36,000	1.04×
Engine	54	32,500	0.65×
Electrical System	33	21,700	0.96×
Unspecified	25	15,438	—
Fuel/Propulsion System	16	50,000	1.57×
Service Brakes	15	39,000	1.37×

Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2018-model-year complaint about the same system, all makes: under 1× means owners of this car reported it at lower mileage. Here, owners reported earlier than same-age vehicles: engine (0.65×); later: fuel/propulsion system (1.57×). Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.

Across 2018–2020 model years the Chevrolet Traverse ranks 68 of 79 nameplates in the odometer-at-first-complaint study: owners reported problems at 1.9× the mileage of vehicles the same age (median 37,000 miles against a fleet 23,512).

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	15%
SUV FWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	17%

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

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 →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 1,108

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-26

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 1103 service bulletins, 3 service campaigns, 1 warranty extension

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

PIT5698F Service bulletin
2026-09-26 · Unknown Or Other
This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.
PIP4902W Service bulletin
2026-09-04 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIT5099J Service bulletin
2026-07-21 · Unknown Or Other
PI to help diagnose A/C concern
PIT3271Q Service bulletin
2026-04-01 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.
PIP6104 Service bulletin
2026-03-09 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.
PIP4902V Service bulletin
2026-03-09 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIP4902U Service bulletin
2026-01-08 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIT5214G Service bulletin
2025-11-20 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customer’s vehicles that exhibit vibration conditions without utilizing the support of General Motors Technical Assistance Center. If valid vibration frequency or Road Force Variation data has been collected and a repair attempt does no

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.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P0014 P0014 on Chevrolet →	The second camshaft on bank 1 is timed further advanced than commanded.	Electrical System · Battery →	9 bulletins · 4 owner reports
P0024 P0024 on Chevrolet →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	9 bulletins · 4 owner reports
P0011 P0011 on Chevrolet →	Camshaft timing on bank 1 is more advanced than commanded.	Electrical System · Battery →	9 bulletins · 3 owner reports
P0300 P0300 on Chevrolet →	Misfire detected, but not isolated to one cylinder.	Engine · Ignition coils →	12 bulletins
P0021	Camshaft timing on bank 2 is more advanced than commanded.	Engine	9 bulletins · 2 owner reports
B3055 B3055 on Chevrolet →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	10 bulletins
B3060 B3060 on Chevrolet →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	10 bulletins
B3935 B3935 on Chevrolet →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	10 bulletins
C056D C056D on Chevrolet →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Parking Brake · Parking brake cable →	10 bulletins
C056E C056E on Chevrolet →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Parking Brake · Parking brake cable →	8 bulletins
P0557 P0557 on Chevrolet →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Service Brakes · Brake pads →	8 bulletins
P0747 P0747 on Chevrolet →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	8 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.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 8.7%

failed emissions

4,207 initial inspections of 4,085 vehicles.

Measure	The 2018 Traverse	Every 2018 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	8.7%	3.0%	4,201
Failed the safety inspection	2.1%	1.9%	4,207
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.31%	0.22%	4,207
Miles driven a year	12,103	10,002	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	100,400	82,833	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 2018 vehicle” is every 2018 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).

Traverse by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2027 A 0 1 22 mpg 2026 A 1 26 22 mpg 2025 A 0 185 23 mpg 2024 A 0 141 23 mpg 2023 B 2 94 21 mpg 2022 A 1 100 21 mpg 2021 C 3 92 21 mpg 2020 D 8 234 21 mpg 2019 C 3 412 22 mpg 2018 this page B 2 464 22 mpg 2017 D 3 361 18 mpg 2016 F 5 292 18 mpg

Common questions about the 2018 Traverse

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. The most serious on file is 21V246000, covering Air Bags. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?

NHTSA gave the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse 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 B (85/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?

Across the 3 EPA-rated configurations of the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse, the best EPA combined figure is 22 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?

Transport Canada measured it at 204.3 in long, 78.7 in wide (body, without mirrors), 70.9 in tall, on a 120.9 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 4,361–4,700 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 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?

Owners have filed 464 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse, most often about power train, unspecified, engine. Of those, 9 involved a crash, 2 a fire, 7 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 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?

The EPA smog rating for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse is 5 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 ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?

The manufacturer has filed 1108 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse, most often covering equipment, engine, electrical system. The most recent is dated 2026-09-26. 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 2018 Chevrolet Traverse do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse failed the emissions check on 8.7% of first inspections — higher than the 3.0% for every 2018 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.1% (every 2018 vehicle: 1.9%). 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	3 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	3 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	2	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	464	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	1108	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
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	12 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.

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