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Your vehicleHome›GMC›Savana› 2017
GMC · Special purpose

2017 GMC Savana

Van
0 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
F
Safety Signal
58 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
Recalls1 critical 7
Complaints1 crash · 1 injured reported 7
Crash ratingnot rated by NHTSA —
20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016

The 2017 GMC Savana 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 7 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of F. Owners have filed 7 complaints, most often about the power train.

GMC Savana — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
GMC Savana · Photo: Kevauto · CC BY-SA 4.0 · 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 - Cutaway
GVWR classClass 4: 14,001 - 16,000 lb (6,350 - 7,258 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders8
Displacement6 L

Fuel Economy

FuelGasoline

Seating

Seat rows1
Seating capacity2 seats

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 the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: 2500 Cargo, 4500 Cutaway, EXT). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada
Length224.0–244.1 in
Width (body, without mirrors)79.5 in
Height81.5–81.9 in
Wheelbase135.0–155.1 in
Track, front68.1 in
Track, rear67.7 in
Curb weight5,205–5,567 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear53/47

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 4 configurations: 2500 Cargo Van LWB, 2500 Cargo Van SWB, 3500 Cargo Van LWB, 3500 Cargo Van SWB. 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.

Also on file Beside the 2017 Savana
Other years The 2024 Savana Recalls GMC recalls
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Factory warranty running out?

The 2017 GMC Savana 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 (7)

Source: NHTSA recall database
▲high

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

N242466950
18,325 vehicles 36% reported repaired
Problem General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Chevrolet Express Cutaway and GMC Savana Cutaway vehicles equipped with optional GM-provided body mounts (RPO BNC). The brake line may have insufficient clearance to the body mounts, which can result in brake line damage that can lead to a brake fluid leak. Risk A brake fluid leak can result in brake failure, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will inspect and replace the brake line as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed November 5, 2024. A second notice will be sent once the remedy becomes available, anticipated February 28, 2025. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N242466950.
Filed with NHTSADefect report PDFOwner letter PDF
NHTSA campaign 24V702000 reported Sep 19, 2024 General Motors, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Electrical System

N222386050
150,830 vehicles 58% reported repaired
Problem General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2003-2023 Chevrolet Express Cutaway and GMC Savana Cutaway incomplete vehicles equipped with wiring for an optional rear heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system. When the HVAC blower motor circuit is left unused with exposed connectors and wiring, the circuit can corrode and overheat. Risk An overheated electrical circuit increases the risk of a fire. Fix Dealers will properly seal the rear HVAC blower motor circuits at the left side B-pillar, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 2, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GMC's number for this recall is N222386050.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 23V247000 reported Apr 6, 2023 General Motors, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Equipment

325 vehicles 12% reported repaired built Oct 20, 2017 – Nov 13, 2018
Problem Unicell Body Company Inc. (Unicell) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savanna, 2018-2019 Hino 155, Ford Econoline and Transit and Isuzu NPR, and 2018 Ram ProMaster-based vehicles 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 Unicell will work with ASA Electronics to notify owners and offer a remedy, free of charge. The recall began May 9, 2019. Owners may contact ASA Electronics customer service 1-800-384-4400 or Unicell at 1-716-853-8628.
NHTSA campaign 19V428000 reported Jun 11, 2019 Unicell Body Company Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Visibility

N192218960
1,159 vehicles 70% reported repaired built Aug 11, 2015 – Apr 2, 2019
Problem General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles. One or both of the rear-quarter windows may be tempered glass instead of laminated glass. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation." Risk Tempered glass increases the risk of injury in the event of a side impact or rollover crash. Fix GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the tempered glass windows with laminated glass windows, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 5, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-586-596-1733. GM's number for this recall is N192218960.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF
NHTSA campaign 19V387000 reported May 23, 2019 General Motors LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
!critical

Electrical System

18299
30,448 vehicles 79% reported repaired built Feb 5, 2016 – Sep 18, 2018
Problem General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Chevrolet Express and GMC Sierra vehicles equipped with a single, manual, rear climate control module (CCM). If the temperature is set to maximum heat or the mode knob is set to maximum floor vent and an electrical short occurs, components within the CCM may overheat. Risk If the CCM overheats, there is an increased risk of a fire in the vehicle's headliner. Fix GM will notify owners, and dealers will remove the electrical insulation from a wiring connector within the CCM to remove the fire risk, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18299.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF
NHTSA campaign 18V655000 reported Sep 21, 2018 General Motors LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Visibility

18155
207,483 vehicles 52% reported repaired built Apr 15, 2013 – Jun 17, 2016
Problem General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2017 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles equipped with power windows. Liquid may leak into the driver's power window switch and cause corrosion, resulting in high electrical resistance. Risk High electrical resistance can increase the risk of a fire. Fix GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side window switch, free of charge. The recall began August 10, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18155.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF
NHTSA campaign 18V295000 reported May 3, 2018 General Motors LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
●moderate

Equipment

18146
6,154 vehicles 14% reported repaired built Sep 12, 2008 – Mar 10, 2018
Problem General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD, 2009 GMC Topkick 5000, 6000, 7000 and 8000 Series and Isuzu F Series, and 2009-2018 Chevrolet Express, and GMC Savana vehicles, equipped with certain Plastic-Handle Fire Extinguishers or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or requiring excessive force to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguishe Risk In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury. Fix GM will notify owners, instructing them to contact Kidde to get a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began June 11, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, and Isuzu customer service at 1-866-441-9638. GM's number for this recall is 18146.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF
NHTSA campaign 18V267000 reported Apr 26, 2018 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

Power Train — 6L90 Transmission Failure closed

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) after receiving one Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) complaint related to four school buses built on General Motors (GM) van chassis. The VOQ alleged transmission failure resulting in a loss of all forward gear. In ODI's pre-investigative discussions with GM, ODI learned that valve body separator plates had been machined out of tolerance during production periods between October 2016 to April 2017 and February 2021 to April 2021. This out of tolerance machining may create excessive wear to the valve body check balls, possibly resulting in an inability to engage drive or reverse. The potential loss of drivabili

Opened Sep 27, 2023 · closed Jan 10, 2025 · action PE23016 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific Savana

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2017 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 2017 GMC Savana, 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 GMC Savana

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 Savana →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
7complaints filed

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

1.9 per 10,000 built · GMC reported 36,013 Savana built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2018: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2026: 1

Most-cited components

Power Train 3
Air Bags 2
Structure 1
Seat Belts 1
Suspension 1
Wheels 1

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.

I was involved in a company car wreck on July 23 2026 I got hurt the airbags didn't deploy at all
Air Bags Sep 10, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11763252
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Savana. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. No warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced.
Power Train at 75,000 miles Jun 13, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11526817
The ABS Control Unit is faulty for the second time on this vehicle, with only 28,174 miles on it. The first time was 11/09/20 at 24,156 miles
Service Brakes Jan 18, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11502438
Have taken it to the GMC dealership over seven times with same issue. They refuse to fix problem due to not being able to replicate it. Losing steering and braking issue is getting worse. This is a LARGE HEAVY TRUCK and GM refuses to help fix. This is very disturbing. Has to be something in the drive train
Steering Jul 26, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11426488
I have purchased a conversion van that has been modified by an aftermarket upfitter but sold as new on a franchised Gmc dealership lot. The van carries two placards with conflicting GVWR information. These vans are being modified in mass quantities.
Seat Belts at 24,000 miles Dec 5, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11287037
The contact owns a 2017 Gmc Savana. While driving, the vehicle started to veer to the right without warning. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 3,000
Structure at 3,000 miles Mar 8, 2018 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11078219

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: 6 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 killed, 7 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 17 per 100,000 built. Every Savana model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

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

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Extended coverage on file 1 filing by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

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 2,353
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-26
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 2340 service bulletins, 5 others, 4 warranty extensions

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

  • PIT5698F Service bulletin
    2026-09-26 · Unknown Or Other
  • This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.
  • PIP4902W Service bulletin
    2026-09-04 · Unknown Or Other
  • This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
  • PIT5099J Service bulletin
    2026-07-21 · Unknown Or Other
  • PI to help diagnose A/C concern
  • PIT3271Q Service bulletin
    2026-04-01 · Unknown Or Other
  • This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.
  • PIP6104 Service bulletin
    2026-03-09 · Unknown Or Other
  • This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.
  • PIP4902V Service bulletin
    2026-03-09 · Unknown Or Other
  • This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
  • PIT6400A Service bulletin
    2026-01-16 · Unknown Or Other
  • This PI Communications information on an alternative product dealers can use to perform 19-NA-255: Wax Coating on Frame Peeling, Metal Shows Corrosion/Rusting due to issue with getting product from current supplier listed in the bulletin.
  • PIP5700G Service bulletin
    2026-01-12 · Unknown Or Other
  • This PI communicates the proper part numbers for transmission connectors and internal harness to prevent confusion when ordering

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
P2463
P2463 on GMC →		Soot has built up in the diesel particulate filter beyond the allowed limit.Engine17 bulletins
B3055
B3055 on GMC →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Unknown Or Other11 bulletins
B3060
B3060 on GMC →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Unknown Or Other11 bulletins
B3935
B3935 on GMC →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Unknown Or Other11 bulletins
P0300
P0300 on GMC →		Misfire detected, but not isolated to one cylinder.Engine · Ignition coils →7 bulletins
P0308
P0308 on GMC →		Cylinder 8 is misfiring.Engine · Ignition coils →7 bulletins
P050D
P050D on GMC →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Engine7 bulletins
P0442
P0442 on GMC →		A small leak in the evaporative emissions system.Engine · Gas cap →6 bulletins
P0455
P0455 on GMC →		A large leak in the evaporative emissions system — often a fuel cap left off.Engine · Gas cap →6 bulletins
C0750Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Unknown Or Other5 bulletins
C0755Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Unknown Or Other5 bulletins
C0760Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Unknown Or Other5 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.

Savana by model year

all years, side by side →
Year Safety Recalls Complaints
2026 C 3 0 2025 D 4 0 2024 A 1 0 2023 B 2 0 2022 B 2 2 2021 C 3 2 Park outside2020 B 2 0 2019 D 6 6 2018 F 8 3 2017 this page F 7 7 2016 F 8 6

Common questions about the 2017 Savana

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2017 GMC Savana have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 7 recall campaigns for the 2017 GMC Savana, 1 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 18V655000, covering Electrical System. 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. The manufacturer's own estimate for when a fix would be ready: February 28, 2025. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2017 GMC Savana?

NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2017 GMC Savana yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it F (58/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.

What are the dimensions of the 2017 GMC Savana?

Transport Canada measured it at 224.0–244.1 in long, 79.5 in wide (body, without mirrors), 81.5–81.9 in tall, on a 135.0–155.1 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 5,205–5,567 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 2017 GMC Savana?

Owners have filed 7 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 GMC Savana, most often about power train, air bags, structure. Of those, 1 involved a crash, 1 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 GMC Savana?

The manufacturer has filed 2353 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2017 GMC Savana, most often covering equipment, engine, electrical system. The most recent is dated 2026-09-26. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

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.
Recalls7NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints7NHTSA 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 bulletins2353NHTSA 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 NHTSA7 fieldsNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWhat the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions7 fieldsTransport Canada, Canadian Vehicle SpecificationsLength, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
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 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Where to go next

pages beside this one
Other years The 2024 Savana The Savana model year with the cleanest record on file — grade A, 1 recall.Recalls Every GMC recall on file All campaigns filed against GMC vehicles, newest first, with the manufacturer's own number.Recall Watch Watch this Savana by VIN Give it the VIN and you hear the night a campaign is filed — from $29 a month for a lot, free for ten.

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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