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2019 Ford EcoSport

Gas

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

Safety Signal

85 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 2

Complaints7 crash · 2 fire · 5 injured · 1 died reported 461

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 4★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 28 mpg

2022 2021 2020 2019 2018

The 2019 Ford EcoSport is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the EcoSport FWD, is EPA-rated at 28 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 461 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.

Ford EcoSport — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Ford EcoSport (2003 generation) · Photo: Vauxford · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
EcoSport FWD	Gas	FWD	1.0L 3-cyl turbo	27	29	28	$2,400
EcoSport AWD	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl	23	29	25	$2,700

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 40908, 40917.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
EcoSport AWD, EcoSport 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	5
GVWR class	Class 1B: 3,001 - 4,000 lb (1,360 - 1,814 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	3
Displacement	1 L
Engine configuration	In-Line

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain

FWD/Front-Wheel Drive

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, 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 the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: S, SE, SES, Titanium). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	161.4 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	69.3 in
Height	65.0 in
Wheelbase	99.2 in
Track, front	59.8 in
Track, rear	59.8 in
Curb weight	3,020–3,300 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	59/41

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 4-door Cuv AWD, 4-door Cuv 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.

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 (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Engine And Engine Cooling

23S64

139,730 vehicles 54% reported repaired built Apr 3, 2017 – Oct 12, 2021

Problem Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Ford Focus and 2018-2022 Ford EcoSport vehicles. The oil pump drive belt or drive belt tensioner may fail, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure. Risk A loss of oil pressure can result in an engine stall and a loss of power braking assist, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will replace the oil pump tensioner assembly and oil pump drive belt, free of charge. If engine failure occurs due to a damaged oil pump belt and/or oil pump belt tensioner, Ford has authorized dealers to replace the engine assembly as an interim repair before the availability of remedy parts for the final repair. This repair will be free of charge (parts and labor). Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. For

Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF

NHTSA campaign 23V905000 reported Dec 22, 2023 Ford Motor Company the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Seats

18C08

63 vehicles 70% reported repaired built Jul 10, 2018 – Jul 21, 2018

Problem Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Ford EcoSport vehicles. The front seat frames may have been improperly welded, resulting in the seat back being improperly secured. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems," and 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages." Risk A loose seat back can increase the risk of injury in a crash. Fix Ford has notified owners, and dealers will replace the front seat assemblies, free of charge. The recall began May 8, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18C08.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 19V023000 reported Jan 2, 2019 Ford Motor Company 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

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Oil/Lubrication:Pump — Oil Pump Failure closed

On September 20, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-015 to investigate instances of engine failure due to loss of oil pressure in model year (MY) 2018-2021 Ford EcoSport vehicles. Some consumers reported a low engine oil pressure warning lamp immediately preceding a complete loss or reduction of motive power while the vehicle was in motion. The investigation revealed that the engine oil pump drive belt tensioner arm may fracture, separate from the tensioner backing plate, and/or the oil pump drive belt may degrade and lose teeth, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure. A loss of engine oil pressure can result in engine seizure, which can result in a loss of motiv

Opened Sep 20, 2023 · closed Feb 14, 2024 · action PE23015 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific EcoSport

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2019 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Ford 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 →Ford’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

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

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

461complaints filed

7 involved a crash · 2 a fire · 5 injuries · 1 deaths reported

86 per 10,000 built · Ford reported 53,584 EcoSport built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2019: 3 · 2020: 6 · 2021: 4 · 2022: 12 · 2023: 100 · 2024: 199 · 2025: 99 · 2026: 38

Most-cited components

Engine → 409

Power Train → 51

Fuel/Propulsion System 35

Unspecified 29

Electrical System 18

Service Brakes 14

In depth: engine problems → · transmission and drivetrain 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 2019 Ford Ecosport. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, the oil warning light illuminated and the message "low oil pressure" flashed on and off. The contact was advised to immediately stop driving the vehicle.

Engine at 94,300 miles Jan 18, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11502433

The contact owned a 2019 Ford Ecosport. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at approximately 30 MPH, a van crashed into the passenger side. No warning lights were illuminated, and all air bags failed to deploy. The contact's daughter sustained unknown injuries and required medical attention. A police report was filed.

Air Bags at 17,200 miles Dec 12, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11497100

on 8/16/22, I was driving my car at 35 miles and my car started accelerating and making noise and warning light illuminated and I have to emergency pullover, my 2019 EcoSport have 69,400 miles. Now the Ford dealer said is an TSB on my car and I need to call Ford Company because my extended warranty is expired.

Power Train Aug 29, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11481834

Since I leased this car, I’ve had three transmission replacements, a full wiring harness replacement, numerous electrical issues with the display, and now can’t drive it due to engine low oil pressure. This car is nothing but a nightmare

Electrical System Jul 23, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11475496

We purchased the car new in July 2020. ON May 28 2022. My daughter did not see a stop sign. She broadsided an on coming pickup. The "cross lane alert" did not sound .. The pre collision braking system did not activate. lucky no one was serious injured.

Forward Collision Avoidance Jun 1, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11467025

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ecosport. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brakes seized and the vehicle lost motive power. The check engine, battery, and ABS warning lights were illuminated. The contact replaced the battery; however, the failure recurred.

Service Brakes at 55,000 miles May 9, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11463937

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: 10 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 killed, 12 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 19 per 100,000 built. Every EcoSport model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 67k

miles, typically

Half the 174 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 50,000 and 80,000 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 6

10k–20k 10

20k–30k 4

30k–40k 9

40k–50k 12

50k–60k 20

60k–70k 36

70k–80k 33

80k–90k 15

90k–100k 14

100k–150k 12

150k + 3

Median mileage by component

Component	Reports	Median miles	Vs same age
Engine	163	68,000	1.62×

Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2019-model-year complaint about the same system, all makes: under 1× means owners of this car reported it at lower mileage. Here, owners reported later: engine (1.62×). Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.

Across 2018–2021 model years the Ford EcoSport ranks 77 of 79 nameplates in the odometer-at-first-complaint study: owners reported problems at 3.09× the mileage of vehicles the same age (median 65,000 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	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	19%
SUV FWD	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★☆☆	20%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 69

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-08-25

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 67 service bulletins, 2 others

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

26L02 Other
2026-08-25 · Engine
Customer Satisfaction Program 26L02 Certain 2014-2021 Model Year Various Vehicles 1.0L Fox Classic Engine Timing Belt and Oil Pump Belt Interval Change
25P28 Other
2025-09-17 · Unknown Or Other
Certain Model Year Multiple Vehicles Ford Pass/Lincoln Way Connectivity Concerns
TSB 24-2165 Service bulletin
2024-05-27 · Unknown Or Other
This article supersedes TSB 21-2175 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some 2016 MKS, 2016-2017 Navigator, 2016-2018 F-150/Focus/C-MAX/Edge/Fiesta/MKX/Transit Connect/Mustang, 2017-2018 Continental/Fusion/MKZ, 2017-2019 Explorer, 2016-2019 Escape/MKC/Flex/MKT/Taurus/Transit/Expedition/F-Super Duty, and 2018-2019 EcoSport vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may experience various SYNC performance relat
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
SAN-Vol1 I1 Service bulletin
2023-06-08 · Equipment — Other — Owners/Service/Other Manual
The Service Awareness Newsletter is an informal communication that contains information that may not be presently available in a TSB, SSM, GSB, or other electronic communication. This article includes information on warranty, technical service tips and other service information.
SSM 51536 Service bulletin
2023-04-04 · Structure
For 2000-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, swapping a module from a vehicle for diagnosis purposes is likely to cause errors and is not recommended. It is also not recommended to order a replacement module using a vehicle identification number (VIN) from a different vehicle. Most modules on these affected vehicles are VIN/vehicle specific and hardware variations between modules do exist. Swapping a
SSM 50873 Service bulletin
2022-06-21 · Electrical System
Some 2017-2022 Ford and Lincoln vehicle owners may experience a condition of missing authorization, command and control, battery charging details or phone-as-a-key setup buttons/selections in their FordPass or LincolnWay App. This condition is due to an error within the FordPass or LincolnWay App and not due to a concern on the vehicle. Verify that the customers FordPass or LincolnWay App is at th

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
U0198 U0198 on Ford →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	6 bulletins
P0011 P0011 on Ford →	Camshaft timing on bank 1 is more advanced than commanded.	Power Train	3 bulletins
P0012 P0012 on Ford →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	3 bulletins
P0014 P0014 on Ford →	The second camshaft on bank 1 is timed further advanced than commanded.	Power Train	3 bulletins
P0015 P0015 on Ford →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	3 bulletins
P0016 P0016 on Ford →	The crankshaft and camshaft are not where they should be relative to each other — timing, chain or phaser.	Power Train	3 bulletins
P0017 P0017 on Ford →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	3 bulletins
P0018 P0018 on Ford →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	3 bulletins
P0019 P0019 on Ford →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	3 bulletins
P0021 P0021 on Ford →	Camshaft timing on bank 2 is more advanced than commanded.	Power Train	3 bulletins
P0022 P0022 on Ford →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	3 bulletins
P0024 P0024 on Ford →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	3 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 2.3%

failed emissions

2,571 initial inspections of 2,517 vehicles.

Measure	The 2019 EcoSport	Every 2019 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	2.3%	2.7%	2,560
Failed the safety inspection	2.1%	1.7%	2,571
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.16%	0.20%	2,571
Miles driven a year	8,497	9,904	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	61,858	72,084	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 2019 vehicle” is every 2019 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

EcoSport by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2022 B 2 12 25 mpg 2021 B 3 261 28 mpg 2020 B 3 400 28 mpg 2019 this page B 2 461 28 mpg 2018 B 2 727 28 mpg

Common questions about the 2019 EcoSport

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2019 Ford EcoSport have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2019 Ford EcoSport. The most serious on file is 23V905000, covering Engine And Engine Cooling. 1 of them was filed with no repair available at the time — NHTSA's file records what the manufacturer had in hand on the filing date, not what exists today. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2019 Ford EcoSport?

NHTSA gave the 2019 Ford EcoSport 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 B (85/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2019 Ford EcoSport?

Across the 2 EPA-rated configurations of the 2019 Ford EcoSport, the best EPA combined figure is 28 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2019 Ford EcoSport?

Transport Canada measured it at 161.4 in long, 69.3 in wide (body, without mirrors), 65.0 in tall, on a 99.2 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,020–3,300 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2019 Ford EcoSport?

Owners have filed 461 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Ford EcoSport, most often about engine, power train, fuel/propulsion system. Of those, 7 involved a crash, 2 a fire, 5 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 2019 Ford EcoSport?

The EPA smog rating for the 2019 Ford EcoSport 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 2019 Ford EcoSport?

The manufacturer has filed 69 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2019 Ford EcoSport, most often covering electrical system, equipment, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-08-25. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2019 Ford EcoSport do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2019 Ford EcoSport failed the emissions check on 2.3% of first inspections — close to the 2.7% for every 2019 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.1% (every 2019 vehicle: 1.7%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

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

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	2 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	2 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	461	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	69	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	1	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	10 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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