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2024 GMC Canyon

Gas

Small Pickup Trucks 4WD
5 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

81 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 3

Complaintsnone reporting a crash, fire or injury 207

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 4★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 20 mpg

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2024 GMC Canyon is sold in the U.S. as a gas large pickup truck with 5 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Canyon 2WD, is EPA-rated at 20 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 207 complaints, most often about the exterior lighting. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.

GMC Canyon — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — GMC Canyon · Photo: Kevauto · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Canyon 2WD	Gas	RWD	2.7L 4-cyl turbo	19	23	20	$3,350
Canyon 4WD	Gas	4WD	2.7L 4-cyl turbo	18	22	19	$3,550
Canyon Mud Terrain Tires 4WD	Gas	4WD	2.7L 4-cyl turbo	17	20	18	$3,700
Canyon AT4X 4WD	Gas	4WD	2.7L 4-cyl turbo	17	17	17	$3,950
Canyon AT4X AEV 4WD	Gas	4WD	2.7L 4-cyl turbo	16	16	16	$4,200

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 47365, 47111, 47596, 47597, 47595.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Canyon 2WD, Canyon 4WD	7 / 10	California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
Canyon AT4X 4WD, Canyon AT4X AEV 4WD, Canyon Mud Terrain Tires 4WD	7 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III SULEV30	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	Pickup
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 2E: 6,001 - 7,000 lb (2,722 - 3,175 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	2.7 L
Engine configuration	In-Line

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Transmission

Drivetrain

4x2

Driver assistance

Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Parking assist, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking, Rear cross-traffic alert

Optional: Blind-spot monitoring

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: AT4, AT4X, Denali, Elevation). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	213.0 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	74.8–76.4 in
Height	79.9–81.5 in
Wheelbase	131.5 in
Track, front	66.1 in
Track, rear	66.1 in
Curb weight	4,716–5,298 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	55/45 to 56/44

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 4 configurations: Crewcab 2WD, Crewcab 4WD, Crewcab 4WD AT4, Crewcab 4WD AT4X. 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

▲high

Air Bags

N252533510

1,120 vehicles 79% reported repaired built Aug 2, 2023 – Oct 25, 2024

Problem General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2024–2026 GMC Canyon AT4X AEV vehicles. Incorrect sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software may cause a second stage passenger air bag deployment when only a first stage is intended. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, “Occupant Crash Protection." Risk An air bag that deploys improperly increases the risk of injury in a crash. Fix Dealers will update the SDM software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 30, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N252533510. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on December 11, 2025.

Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF Owner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 25V856000 reported Dec 11, 2025 General Motors, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

●moderate

Exterior Lighting

N242468880

13,241 vehicles 97% reported repaired built Apr 19, 2024 – Aug 3, 2024

Problem General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2024 GMC Canyon vehicles. The headlights may flicker while driving and while the vehicle is in park. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment." Risk Headlights flickering can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will replace a module in the headlight, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 10, 2024. Owners can contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N242468880.

Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF Owner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 24V673000 reported Sep 12, 2024 General Motors, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Fuel System, Gasoline

N242451330

8,622 vehicles 93% reported repaired

Problem General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2024 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon vehicles. The lock ring that secures the fuel pump to the fuel tank assembly may not have been fully locked during assembly, which can result in a fuel leak during a crash. Risk A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire. Fix Dealers will inspect and fully lock the fuel tank lock ring as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 13, 2024. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC Customer Call Center at (888) 988-7267. GM's number for this recall is N242451330.

Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF Owner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 24V491000 reported Jun 28, 2024 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.

NHTSA defect investigations

Service Brakes — Electronic Brake Module Component Failure open

On April 11, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE24011 after receiving complaints concerning a loss of brake assist in 2023 MY Cadillac Lyriq vehicles. These complaints allege a hard brake pedal, followed by a “Brake System Failure” message at start up or while driving. GM shared records regarding several internal investigations for loss of brake assist due to alleged spindle fractures in the eBoost system. GM has stated that in the event of a spindle fracture, anti-lock brakes (ABS), stability control, and traction control remain functional until the vehicle comes to a complete stop. At this point, ABS, brake assist, stability control, and tractio

Opened Aug 21, 2026 · action EA26006 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific Canyon

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2024 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. GMC 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 →GMC’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 2024 GMC Canyon, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

207complaints filed

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

50 per 10,000 built · GMC reported 41,789 Canyon built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2024: 166 · 2025: 27 · 2026: 14

Most-cited components

Exterior Lighting → 159

Electrical System 27

Forward Collision Avoidance 14

Service Brakes 14

Engine 14

Unspecified 10

In depth: exterior lighting 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.

Headlights blink or flicker off and on. Both will do it but not at same time. Seems to be only low beams and happens driving or parked. Have been to dealer and they saw it happening.

Exterior Lighting Aug 6, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11606856

The contact owns a 2024 GMC Canyon. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to slow the vehicle while in traffic, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to slow as quickly as needed. The contact stated that the brake pedal required increased effort to slow the vehicle.

Service Brakes at 250 miles Aug 6, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11606751

Headlights began flickering two days after purchase of vehicle. Infotainment screen that operates the headlights, as there is no physical headlight knobs or buttons, also malfunction and is inoperable. So I can not turn my headlights on or off, they're set to auto and I can not adjust it.

Electrical System Aug 5, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11606602

The valve body on GM's 8 speed transmission is a known fail point for many GM truck owners. I believe the NHTSA should investigate this for the extreme risk of an accident. My truck has been inoperable for a month awaiting a back ordered part.

Power Train Jul 17, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11602956

I was driving with my cruise control set at 77 mph in the fast lane of a four-lane highway. There was no one in front of me for more than 3/4 of a mile. A car in the lane to my right apparently triggered the automatic breaking system to the point it slammed on my brakes, pushed me into the steering wheel, and slowed me all the way to 38…

Forward Collision Avoidance Apr 21, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11584326

LED headlamps on both sides of vehicle routinely "flicker" / "blink". The effect is such that oncoming traffic assumes you are "flashing" them or "high beaming" them. Have had several encounters with motorists honking at me or yelling as I pass by. I was also break checked by a vehicle in front of me on the highway when driving at night.

Exterior Lighting Aug 6, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11606919

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 GMC itself: 2 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 2 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 4.8 per 100,000 built. Every Canyon model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
PU/CC 4WD	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★☆☆	—
PU/CC RWD	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★☆☆	—
PU/CC 4WD	not rated	★★★★☆	★★★★★	not rated	—
PU/CC RWD	not rated	★★★★☆	★★★★★	not rated	—

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Extended coverage on file 2 filings by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

5 years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first · GM service campaign N262546590-01Certain vehicles listed above, may have a condition where coolant leaks from the radiator hose quick connect at the radiator inlet.
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 536

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-10-07

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 505 service bulletins, 14 service campaigns, 14 over-the-air updates

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

PIT6110L Service bulletin
2026-10-07 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary information communicates an issue with the SES MIL and DTC P062B and engineering is currently investigating.
PIP6127B Service bulletin
2026-10-05 · Unknown Or Other
This document assists GM dealer technicians with diagnosing torque converter concerns to ensure torque converter replacement is necessary. The torque converter part number will be placed on order restriction, and the technician will be asked to follow 25-NA-148 before requesting a part through PQC.
PIT6457C Service bulletin
2026-09-28 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information is for technicians that may see DTCs that are history and should not perform any part replacements. They should follow the notes mentioned prior to anything being replaced.
PIC6540K Service bulletin
2026-09-28 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary information communicates to dealers a procedure to reset the radio.
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.
N242452131-02 Emissions
2026-09-11 · Fuel/Propulsion System
Emission Recall. General Motors has decided to conduct a Voluntary Emission Recall involving certain 2023-2024 model year Chevrolet Colorado / Silverado 1500 and GMC Canyon / Sierra 1500 vehicles equipped with a 2.7L engine (RPO L3B). The Engine Control Module (ECM) may not sufficiently control fuel injector flow rate under certain driving conditions. Dealers are to reprogram the ECM.
PIC6629F Service bulletin
2026-09-10 · Unknown Or Other
This PI is to instruct dealer on diagnostic procedures that need to be completed prior to replacing a radio or IPC display
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.

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
P30BF P30BF on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Unknown Or Other	10 bulletins
C1114 C1114 on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Service Brakes · Brake pads →	5 bulletins
P0326 P0326 on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	3 bulletins
P0331 P0331 on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	3 bulletins
P0607 P0607 on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Unknown Or Other	3 bulletins
P0604 P0604 on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Unknown Or Other	2 bulletins
P0606 P0606 on GMC →	An internal processor fault in the engine control module.	Unknown Or Other	2 bulletins
P062B P062B on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Unknown Or Other	2 bulletins
P25A2 P25A2 on GMC →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	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 1.9%

failed emissions

1,064 initial inspections of 1,046 vehicles.

Measure	The 2024 Canyon	Every 2024 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	1.9%	1.5%	836
Failed the safety inspection	0.47%	0.74%	1,064
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.47%	0.17%	1,064
Miles driven a year	8,000	9,424	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	18,060	21,104	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2024 vehicle” is every 2024 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Canyon by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2026 B 2 8 20 mpg 2025 B 2 8 20 mpg 2024 this page B 3 207 20 mpg 2023 C 3 62 20 mpg 2022 A 1 27 23 mpg 2021 B 2 12 23 mpg 2020 A 0 14 23 mpg 2019 A 0 17 23 mpg 2018 A 1 53 25 mpg 2017 A 1 66 25 mpg 2016 C 4 271 25 mpg

Common questions about the 2024 Canyon

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2024 GMC Canyon have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 3 recall campaigns for the 2024 GMC Canyon. The most serious on file is 25V856000, 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 2024 GMC Canyon?

NHTSA gave the 2024 GMC Canyon 4 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 3-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it B (81/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2024 GMC Canyon?

Across the 5 EPA-rated configurations of the 2024 GMC Canyon, the best EPA combined figure is 20 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2024 GMC Canyon?

Transport Canada measured it at 213.0 in long, 74.8–76.4 in wide (body, without mirrors), 79.9–81.5 in tall, on a 131.5 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 4,716–5,298 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2024 GMC Canyon?

Owners have filed 207 complaints with NHTSA about the 2024 GMC Canyon, most often about exterior lighting, electrical system, forward collision avoidance. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2024 GMC Canyon?

The EPA smog rating for the 2024 GMC Canyon is 7 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 SULEV30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2024 GMC Canyon?

The manufacturer has filed 536 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2024 GMC Canyon, most often covering unknown or other, electrical system, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-10-07. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2024 GMC Canyon do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2024 GMC Canyon failed the emissions check on 1.9% of first inspections — higher than the 1.5% for every 2024 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 0.47% (every 2024 vehicle: 0.74%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

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

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	5 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	5 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	207	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	4 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	536	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	8 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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