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2016 Dodge Durango

Gas

Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
4 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

72 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

Recalls1 critical 3

Complaints23 crash · 1 fire · 13 injured reported 161

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 4★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 21 mpg

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

The 2016 Dodge Durango is sold in the U.S. as a gas large SUV with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Durango AWD, is EPA-rated at 21 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 161 complaints, most often about the exterior lighting. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.

Dodge Durango — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Dodge Durango · Photo: Kidfly182 · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Durango AWD	Gas	4WD	3.6L 6-cyl	18	25	21	$3,200
Durango RWD	Gas	RWD	3.6L 6-cyl	19	26	21	$3,200
Durango AWD	Gas	AWD	5.7L 8-cyl	14	22	17	$4,450
Durango RWD	Gas	RWD	5.7L 8-cyl	14	22	17	$4,450

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 37210, 37206, 37211, 37207.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Durango AWD, Durango RWD	6 / 10	Bin 4	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

Engine Output

Horsepower

295 hp

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Transmission

Drivetrain

4x2

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: Citadel, Limited, R/T, SXT). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	200.0 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	76.0 in
Height	70.9 in
Wheelbase	119.7 in
Track, front	63.8 in
Track, rear	64.2 in
Curb weight	4,987–5,331 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	56/44

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 V6, 4-door SUV AWD V8. 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 (3)

Source: NHTSA recall database

!critical

Electrical System

U49,U59-U65,U68,U73

4,815,661 vehicles 77% reported repaired built Jun 2, 2013 – May 23, 2018

Problem Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, 2014-2019 RAM 1500, 2015-2018 Dodge Challenger, 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, 2016-2018 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis (less than 10,000 lb), 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica and 2018 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. These vehicles are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging. If, when using cruise control, there is a short circuit within the vehicle's wiring, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depress Risk If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash. Fix Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the software, and perform a software flash on the engine or powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Note: Owners are advised to stop using cruise control until the software update has been performed. In the event that cruise control cannot be disengaged while driving, owners should firmly and steadily apply the brakes and shift the transmissi

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 18V332000 reported May 17, 2018 Chrysler (FCA US LLC) the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Fuel System, Gasoline

S85

30,183 vehicles 80% reported repaired built Feb 10, 2016 – Apr 28, 2016

Problem Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2016 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured February 10, 2016, to April 28, 2016 and equipped with a 3.6L engine built at the Saltillo engine plant. During the assembly of the engine, the fuel rail crossover tube may have been damaged, which, over time, may result in a fuel leak. Risk A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source, can increase the risk of a fire. Fix Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine assembly for damage to the fuel rail crossover tube, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 23, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S85.

NHTSA campaign 16V814000 reported Nov 10, 2016 Chrysler (FCA US LLC) the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

S16

21,183 vehicles 90% reported repaired built Dec 9, 2015 – Jan 14, 2016

Problem Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles manufactured December 9, 2015, to January 14, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the left front brake caliper may crack due to being made from an incorrect material. Risk A cracked brake caliper may lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increase the risk of a crash. Fix Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front left brake caliper and depending on its casting date, replace it, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on May 12, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S16.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 16V168000 reported Mar 23, 2016 Chrysler (FCA US 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.

NHTSA defect investigations

Seats:Front Assembly:Head Restraint — Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment closed

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19014 on September 9, 2019, to investigate 128 consumer complaints alleging that the Active Head Rest (AHR) inadvertently deployed without the occurrence of a crash or other rear impact event in model year (MY) 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles. When ODI opened the investigation, ODI was aware of thirteen alleged injuries. A small number of Early Warning Reports identified driver and/or passenger front seat AHR inadvertent deployments without a rear impact event. Reported safety consequences resulting from the AHR deployments include concussions, headaches, soft tissue injuries, disorientation, nausea, vomiting and/or loss

Opened Sep 9, 2019 · closed Feb 25, 2026 · action PE19014 · the investigation’s page →

Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Gear Position Indication (Prndl) — Vehicle Rollaway closed

Basis – On December 16, 2016, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE16-014 to investigate 43 vehicle rollaway incidents with operators alleging they had shifted to Park and then exited the vehicle prior to the rollway incidents. These complaints involved multiple Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) model and model year vehicles that share a common electronic rotary shifter design. Of the 43 consumer complaints, 25 complaints alleged crashes, and eight complaints alleged at least one injury. Subject Vehicles – When NHTSA opened the investigation, the subject vehicles were model year (MY) 2013-2016 Ram 1500 vehicles and MY 2014-2016 Dodge Durango vehicles equi

Opened Dec 16, 2016 · closed Jan 25, 2024 · action PE16014 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific Durango

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2016 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Dodge 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 →Dodge’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 2016 Dodge Durango, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

161complaints filed

23 involved a crash · 1 a fire · 13 injuries · 0 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2016: 17 · 2017: 13 · 2018: 22 · 2019: 42 · 2020: 16 · 2021: 17 · 2022: 10 · 2023: 11 · 2024: 5 · 2025: 6 · 2026: 2

Most-cited components

Exterior Lighting 53

Electrical System 40

Power Train 30

Unspecified 26

Engine 16

Vehicle Speed Control 9

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.

My car is 16 months old, leased for 3 years. Electrical malfunctions such as camera not working properly, lights not turning off inside the car, software in the car malfunctioning and creating random error messages on the screen, and turn signals burning out within the first year of the life of the car happened very often.

Electronic Stability Control at 20,000 miles Nov 22, 2017 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11048023

Key fob message key fob has left vehicle when vehicle is in motion, driving highway, stopped as well as parked. At times unable to get in to car. Other times when in vehicle the vehicle will not start.

Service Brakes Oct 28, 2017 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11040815

The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Durango. While parking the vehicle, the electronic rotary control failed to reverse the vehicle and, instead, it independently surged forward. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer (best chrysler Dodge jeep ram, 520 colony pl, plymouth, ma 02360), but was not diagnosed or repaired.

Power Train at 25,000 miles Aug 24, 2017 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11019434

While reversing to hook boat trailer up to vehicle, vehicle took off at a high rate of speed in revers. Hitting the brakes did not help. The vehicle slammed into the trailer with boat sitting on it and pushed into a tree before the vehicle would stop.

Electrical System at 26,171 miles Jul 25, 2017 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11010515

Second time water has gotten into a tail light. First was the drivers side which has been replaced. When it was replaced one of the mechanics dropped it and chipped a corner and have yet to order a replacement. Also, the middle "track light" is starting to fill up with water. Ridiculous for a $45,000 vehicle

Exterior Lighting at 18,500 miles Apr 13, 2017 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10972171

A few weeks ago we had a car accident, it was a front impact between 40 and 45 MPH, the vehicle was a total loss but the airbag system didn't deploy with the impact

Air Bags at 4,500 miles Nov 14, 2016 NHTSA owner report · ODI 10925961

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 Dodge itself: 36 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 44 injured, as claimed, not verified. Every Durango model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 41k

miles, typically

Half the 100 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 20,000 and 58,000 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 13

10k–20k 12

20k–30k 8

30k–40k 10

40k–50k 17

50k–60k 20

60k–70k 3

70k–80k 6

80k–90k 3

90k–100k 2

100k–150k 6

150k + 0

Median mileage by component

Component	Reports	Median miles	Vs same age
Exterior Lighting	34	50,000	1.14×
Electrical System	24	51,800	1.15×
Power Train	20	25,000	0.48×
Unspecified	15	20,715	—

Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2016-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: power train (0.48×). Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.

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 2WD	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	20%
SUV 4WD	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★☆☆	21%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 302

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-06-12

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 301 service bulletins, 1 other

Most often about: Engine, Electrical System, Equipment, Structure, Power Train.

S1623000028 Rev. K Service bulletin
2026-06-12 · Structure — Body
Outside Power Fold Rearview Mirror Noise Or Loose At Pivot. Mirror Contacts Door Window Glass In The Folded Position.
S1623000028 REV. J Service bulletin
2026-06-05 · Structure — Body
Outside Power Fold Rearview Mirror Noise Or Loose At Pivot. Mirror Contacts Door Window Glass In The Folded Position.
S1623000028 REV. I Service bulletin
2026-05-29 · Structure — Body
Outside Power Fold Rearview Mirror Noise Or Loose At Pivot. Mirror Contacts Door Window Glass In The Folded Position.
112191 Service bulletin
2026-05-19 · Engine
COOLER - ENGINE OIL
112192 Service bulletin
2026-05-19 · Engine
COOLER - ENGINE OIL
S2623000023 Service bulletin
2026-04-08 · Electrical System
Power Liftgate Inoperative.
S1623000028 REV. H Service bulletin
2026-04-01 · Structure — Body
Outside Power Fold Rearview Mirror Noise Or Loose At Pivot. Mirror Contacts Door Window Glass In The Folded Position.
S2223000022 REV. E Service bulletin
2026-04-01 · Electrical System
Power Liftgate Inoperative Or Intermittently Will Not Open Or Close.

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
B23C3	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	6 bulletins
P0335 P0335 on Dodge →	A fault in the crankshaft position sensor circuit — the computer has lost track of where the crank is.	Power Train · Crankshaft position sensor →	5 bulletins
P2681	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	5 bulletins
U1424	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	5 bulletins
P040B	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	4 bulletins
P2299 P2299 on Dodge →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Vehicle Speed Control	3 bulletins
U0404	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	3 bulletins
C0042	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Service Brakes · Brake pads →	2 bulletins
P0017	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	2 bulletins
P0019	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	2 bulletins
P0556	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	2 bulletins
P0572	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Service Brakes · Brake pads →	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.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 8.3%

failed emissions

1,229 initial inspections of 1,196 vehicles.

Measure	The 2016 Durango	Every 2016 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	8.3%	4.2%	1,229
Failed the safety inspection	1.7%	2.2%	1,229
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.49%	0.27%	1,229
Miles driven a year	11,897	10,028	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	122,369	103,109	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 2016 vehicle” is every 2016 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).

Durango by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2027 A 0 0 20 mpg 2026 A 0 14 20 mpg 2025 A 0 8 20 mpg 2024 A 0 14 21 mpg 2023 C 3 38 21 mpg 2022 D 7 60 21 mpg 2021 D 8 205 21 mpg 2020 B 2 55 21 mpg 2019 C 4 144 21 mpg 2018 F 5 233 21 mpg 2017 C 2 215 21 mpg 2016 this page C 3 161 21 mpg

Common questions about the 2016 Durango

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2016 Dodge Durango have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 3 recall campaigns for the 2016 Dodge Durango, 1 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 18V332000, covering Electrical System. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2016 Dodge Durango?

NHTSA gave the 2016 Dodge Durango 4 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 (72/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Dodge Durango?

Across the 4 EPA-rated configurations of the 2016 Dodge Durango, the best EPA combined figure is 21 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2016 Dodge Durango?

Transport Canada measured it at 200.0 in long, 76.0 in wide (body, without mirrors), 70.9 in tall, on a 119.7 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 4,987–5,331 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 2016 Dodge Durango?

Owners have filed 161 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Dodge Durango, most often about exterior lighting, electrical system, power train. Of those, 23 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 13 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 2016 Dodge Durango?

The EPA smog rating for the 2016 Dodge Durango is 6 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. The certificate names the standard as Bin 4.

Are there service bulletins for the 2016 Dodge Durango?

The manufacturer has filed 302 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2016 Dodge Durango, most often covering engine, electrical system, equipment. The most recent is dated 2026-06-12. 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 2016 Dodge Durango do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2016 Dodge Durango failed the emissions check on 8.3% of first inspections — higher than the 4.2% for every 2016 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.7% (every 2016 vehicle: 2.2%). 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	4 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	4 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	161	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	302	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	2	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	9 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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