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2017 Ford E-Series

Van
0 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-11-04
D
Safety Signal
69 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
RecallsNHTSA campaigns 6
Complaints2 crash · 1 fire · 2 injured reported 27
Crash ratingnot rated by NHTSA —
202720262025202420232022202120202019201820172016

The 2017 Ford E-Series is a special purpose; vehicles over 8,500 lb GVWR are not certified for fuel economy by the EPA, so this page is built from NHTSA's recall, complaint and investigation records. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of D. Owners have filed 27 complaints, most often about the steering.

Ford E-Series — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
Ford E-Series · Photo: Bull-Doser · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

No EPA fuel-economy record: the EPA does not certify vehicles over 8,500 lb GVWR. Recall, complaint and investigation data below come from NHTSA.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body styleIncomplete - Stripped Chassis
GVWR classClass 3: 10,001 - 14,000 lb (4,536 - 6,350 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders10
Displacement6.8 L
Engine configurationV-Shaped

Engine Output

Horsepower305 hp

Fuel Economy

FuelGasoline

Seating

Seat rows2

Transmission

Drivetrain4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Electronic stability control

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 one configuration rather than every trim (seen: Super Duty - Single Rear Wheel). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

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Factory warranty running out?

The 2017 Ford E-Series 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 →

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 (6)

Source: NHTSA recall database
▲high

Back Over Prevention

25S89
1,456,417 vehicles 21% reported repaired
Problem Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Lincoln MKC, Mustang, F-350 SD, F-250 SD, F-450 SD, 2015-2017 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, 2015-2018 Edge, Transit Connect, 2016-2019 F-550 SD, Transit, 2017-2019 Econoline, and 2019 Ranger vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, inverted, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse. Risk A rearview camera that displays an inverted, distorted, or blank image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 13, 2026. Ford owners will receive letters in phases, beginning January 2026 and June 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S89. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 25V270. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning September 8, 202
NHTSA campaign 25V572000 reported Sep 3, 2025 Ford Motor Company the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Equipment

19E-009
52 vehicles built Jun 1, 2017 – Dec 31, 2018
Problem SVO Group Inc. (SVO Group) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Ford E-350 and E-450-based shuttle buses equipped with ASA Electronics Voyager monitors used to display the back-up camera image. The affected monitors may revert back to the factory default settings which may cause the camera image to be reversed. Risk The driver may inadvertently turn the wrong direction to avoid an object behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix SVO Group will work with ASA to notify owners, and ASA will provide a harness relay capacitor module to eliminate the image reversal, free of charge. The recall began May 9, 2019. Owners may contact ASA Electronics customer service at 1-800-384-4400.
NHTSA campaign 19V466000 reported Jun 18, 2019 SVO Group Inc the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
●moderate

Equipment

22 vehicles built May 1, 2017 – Dec 13, 2018
Problem VCI Emergency Vehicle Specialists (VCI) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Ford F-550, 2014 E-350 and E-450, 2015 F-250 and F-450, 2016 E-450, 2017 E-350, F-450 and E-450, 2018 F-350, 2010 E-450, 2005-2006 E-450, 2009 E-450 and Chevrolet C4500-based Type I and Type III ambulances equipped with ASA Electronics Voyager monitors used to display the back-up camera image. The monitors may unexpectedly revert back to the factory default settings which may cause the camera image to be reversed. Risk The driver may inadvertently turn the wrong direction to avoid an object behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix VCI Emergency Vehicle Specialists will work with ASA to notify the owners, and remedy the displays, free of charge. The recall began May 9, 2019. Owners may contact ASA Electronics at 1-800-384-4400.
NHTSA campaign 19V401000 reported May 29, 2019 VCI Emergency Vehicle Specialists the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
●moderate

Exterior Lighting

17 vehicles built Nov 9, 2017 – Feb 22, 2018
Problem Taylor Made Ambulances is recalling certain 2017-2018 Ford E-350, F-450, E-450, F-550, and GMC G3500-based ambulances equipped with Whelen brake lights. Depending on the specific wiring of the vehicle, these brake lights may illuminate when the brake pedal has not been pressed. Risk If the brake lights incorrectly illuminate, it can confuse other drivers, possibly increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Taylor Made will notify owners and Whelen will replace the brake lights, free of charge. The recall began June 5, 2019. Owners may contact Taylor Made Ambulances customer service at 1-800-468-1310.
NHTSA campaign 19V342000 reported May 3, 2019 Taylor Made Ambulances the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Seats

471 vehicles 6% reported repaired built Feb 24, 2015 – Jul 10, 2018
Problem Quality Van Sales, Inc. (Quality Van) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford Transit and E-350 vehicles modified to be equipped with Freedman GO-ES Foldaway Seat back cushions. The seat cushion may not remain locked into place when under load, such as in a crash or a sudden stop. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems." Risk In the event of a crash, if the seat back moves, the seat occupant has an increased risk of injury. Fix Quality Van will notify owners and dealers will inspect and repair the foldaway seat, free of charge. The recall began March 21, 2019. Owners may contact Quality Van customer service at 1-800-408-8550.
NHTSA campaign 19V205000 reported Mar 18, 2019 Quality Van Sales, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Fuel System, Other

VR
434 vehicles 99% reported repaired built Aug 1, 2015 – Feb 28, 2017
Problem Roush CleanTech, LLC (Roush) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Roush-modified Ford E-450, F59, F-650 and F-750 vehicles equipped with certain Generation 4 Propane Conversion Kits. The fuel control valve solenoid may short circuit, shutting off the flow of propane to the engine, causing the engine to shut off. Risk An engine stall while driving increases the risk of a crash. Fix Roush has notified owners, and dealers will replace the fuel control valve solenoid, free of charge. The recall began on March 22, 2017. Owners may contact Roush customer service at 1-800-597-6874. Roush's number for this recall is VR.
NHTSA campaign 17V170000 reported Mar 13, 2017 Roush CleanTech, 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 defect investigations

Equipment — Trimark 060-1650 Door Latch Failures closed

On November 23, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE20021 to investigate allegations of inoperative Trimark THP 060-1650 door lock/latches originally equipped on model years (MY) 2015-2017 Class A and Class C motorhomes. ODI received forty-six Vehicle Owner’s Questionnaires (VOQs) describing consumers being locked in or out of their vehicles. The door latch, containing a die-cast zinc plunger, was produced by Equality during calendar years 2014-2016. The die-cast may become porous and brittle over time and can break without warning, causing the vehicle owner to be unable to open the recreational vehicle door equipped with the latch. If the motorhome does not have any oth

Opened Nov 23, 2020 · closed Dec 13, 2024 · action PE20021 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific E-Series

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2017 can differ. Type the VIN and the WhichTrim recall report sets aside the campaigns that name a different engine or drive, and narrows the rest to its build month.

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 2017 Ford E-Series, 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 2017 Ford E-Series

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 E-Series →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
27complaints filed

2 involved a crash · 1 a fire · 2 injuries · 0 deaths reported

10 per 10,000 built · Ford reported 26,731 E-Series built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2017: 2 · 2018: 5 · 2019: 12 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2026: 1

Most-cited components

Steering 7
Engine 5
Visibility/Wiper 4
Suspension 4
Equipment 3
Service Brakes 2

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.

Driving during heavy rain in Texas, vehicle lost power intermittently, causing engine failure, loss of steering, loss of braking, loss of control. This event was apparently due to BCM failure due to moisture getting to the BCM. Upon inspection by a certified Mechanic , BCM and wiring was wet. BCM also had apparent corrosion.11
Electrical System Nov 11, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11624618
Transmissions 6r140 have premature failure this is our 6th transmission to go out in our 5 vans, when transmission goes out, the torque converter fails which results in vehicle stalling in road way the vehicle while jerk really hard and give drive whiplash and when vehicle is going up hill when the torque converter fails the van will…
Power Train Aug 18, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11479886
The windshield wiper does not adequately clear the drivers view. It's travel stops near the midpoint of the drivers view leaving much of the road including part of driving lane and the oncoming lanes. Both manufacturer and dealership have been involved and acknowledge they have received numerous complaints.
Visibility/Wiper at 6,000 miles Oct 6, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11266636
The contact owns a 2017 Ford e -350. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start and was jump started. Additionally, the vehicle failed to shutdown when the key was removed. In addition, while at the local dealer there was smoke emerging from the step well. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 45,000
Engine at 45,000 miles May 14, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11207455
Over the course of the last 3 months I have experienced different problems with the emissions on my truck. It started with replacing the sensor in the tail pipe then that led to loosing power while pulling my 25 foot goose neck trailer. On 7 different occasion I lost power while hooked up to my trailer.
Fuel/Propulsion System Jul 2, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11748039
Fall of 2021 traveling in oklahoma panhandle pulling trailer with livestock the passenger rear tire popped off due to lug bolts breaking. Tow truck took to mckay Ford in woodward, ok and they fixed. Jan 14, 2023 travieling near canadian, texas at night drivers side tire popped off due to lug nuts breaking.
Wheels Jan 14, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11501786

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 Ford itself: 4 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 5 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 15 per 100,000 built. Every E-Series model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 19k

miles, typically

Half the 16 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 3,000 and 21,000 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.

Too few readings for a curve — the 16 on file: 6 under 10k, 3 10k–20k, 4 20k–30k, 2 30k–40k, 1 40k–50k.

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

NHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 59
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-04-20
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 56 service bulletins, 3 others

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

  • 25N15 S1 Other
    2026-04-20 · Unknown Or Other
  • Customer Satisfaction Program 25N15 - Supplement #1 Certain 2015-2019 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines Rear View Camera Inspection For One-Time Replacement
  • SSM 54601 Service bulletin
    2026-02-24 · Electrical System
  • Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated wired keypad, the accessory wireless keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool or from the label printed on the body control module (BCM). Th
  • 25N15 Other
    2026-01-05 · Visibility/Wiper
  • Certain 2015-2019 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines Rear View Camera Inspection For One-Time Replacemen
  • 25N15 Other
    2025-12-22 · Visibility/Wiper
  • Certain 2015-2019 Model Year Multiple Vehicle Lines Rear View Camera Inspection For One-Time Replacement
  • SSM 53040 Service bulletin
    2024-10-10 · Unknown Or Other
  • While performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a transmission seal kit may be on backorder due to supply chain interruptions.
  • SSM 52476 Service bulletin
    2024-04-24 · Equipment
  • All accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code. If the accessory keypad was factory installed, this card will be placed in the glove box and should be handed to the vehicles owner during initial delivery. Unlike the integrated (wired) factory keypad, the accessory keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool.
  • SSM 52314 Service bulletin
    2024-03-01 · Power Train
  • During service and repair requiring removal and replacement of a crankshaft bolt and/or crankshaft damper, achieving proper torque of the crankshaft pulley bolt is critical. Incorrect torque may allow the bolt to loosen resulting in the timing gear breaking and engine damage. Replacement of the bolt is critical to the repair and accurately following the installation procedure in the Workshop Manua
  • SSM 51854 Service bulletin
    2023-08-10 · Power Train — Automatic Transmission — Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm)
  • Various 2013-2019 vehicles may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P264F after powertrain control module (PCM) replacement. This DTC indicates that the engine serial number (ESN) must be programmed into the PCM. The ESN is located on PTS > Diagnostics tab > HVBoM > Features > Engine Serial Number. Once the ESN is obtained from the historical v

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
P264F
P264F on Ford →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Power Train6 bulletins
P0011
P0011 on Ford →
Camshaft timing on bank 1 is more advanced than commanded.Equipment3 bulletins
P0012
P0012 on Ford →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment3 bulletins
P0014
P0014 on Ford →
The second camshaft on bank 1 is timed further advanced than commanded.Equipment3 bulletins
P0015
P0015 on Ford →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment3 bulletins
P0016
P0016 on Ford →
The crankshaft and camshaft are not where they should be relative to each other — timing, chain or phaser.Equipment3 bulletins
P0017
P0017 on Ford →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment3 bulletins
P0018
P0018 on Ford →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment3 bulletins
P0019
P0019 on Ford →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment3 bulletins
P0021
P0021 on Ford →
Camshaft timing on bank 2 is more advanced than commanded.Equipment3 bulletins
P0022
P0022 on Ford →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment3 bulletins
P0024
P0024 on Ford →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment3 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.

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 26, 2026, the 2017 Ford E-Series failed the emissions check on 0% of first inspections — lower than the 3.7% for every 2017 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.3% (every 2017 vehicle: 2.1%).

New York inspections 0%

failed emissions

606 initial inspections of 593 vehicles.

MeasureThe 2017 E-SeriesEvery 2017 vehicleBehind it
Failed the emissions check0%3.7%525
Failed the safety inspection1.3%2.1%606
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit0.50%0.25%606
Miles driven a year5,59010,037odometer at inspection
Average odometer52,26793,551odometer 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 2017 vehicle” is every 2017 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 2017 E-Series

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2017 Ford E-Series have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 6 recall campaigns for the 2017 Ford E-Series. The most serious on file is 25V572000, covering Back Over Prevention. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2017 Ford E-Series?

NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2017 Ford E-Series yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it D (69/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.

What do owners complain about on the 2017 Ford E-Series?

Owners have filed 27 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Ford E-Series, most often about steering, engine, visibility/wiper. Of those, 2 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 2 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

Are there service bulletins for the 2017 Ford E-Series?

The manufacturer has filed 59 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2017 Ford E-Series, most often covering power train, engine, equipment. The most recent is dated 2026-04-20. 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 2017 Ford E-Series do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 26, 2026, the 2017 Ford E-Series failed the emissions check on 0% of first inspections — lower than the 3.7% for every 2017 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.3% (every 2017 vehicle: 2.1%). 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 & configurationsnoneEPA certification recordsThe EPA does not certify vehicles rated over 8,500 lb GVWR, so heavy-duty nameplates have no entry at all.
Emission certificatesnoneEPA emission certificatesThe EPA published no certificate we could match to a configuration on this page.
Recalls6NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints27NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratingsnoneNHTSA NCAPNHTSA has not tested this model year. Cars are selected for testing, so untested is not unsafe.
Service bulletins59NHTSA 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 NHTSA9 fieldsNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWhat the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
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 2026-11-04. 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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