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Your vehicleHome›Jaguar›I-Pace› 2021
Active NHTSA advisory: park outside and away from structures until repaired. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and see the recall details below.
Jaguar · Compact SUV

2021 Jaguar I-Pace

Electric
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
1 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
F
Safety Signal
53 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
Recalls3 critical 6
Complaintsnone reporting a crash, fire or injury 2
Crash ratingnot rated by NHTSA —
EV rangebest configuration, EPA 234 mi
202420232022202120202019

The 2021 Jaguar I-Pace is sold in the U.S. as an electric compact SUV. Its longest-range version, the I-Pace EV400, is EPA-rated at 234 miles with 76 MPGe combined efficiency. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for this model year, 3 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of F. Owners have filed 2 complaints, most often about the electrical system.

Jaguar I-Pace — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
Jaguar I-Pace · Photo: Alexander-93 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombRangekWh/100miCharge (240V)Annual fuel*
I-Pace EV400Electric4WD147 and 147 kW AC 3-Phase807276 MPGe234 mi44.313 h$1,000

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 43889.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
I-Pace EV40010 / 10Federal Tier 3 Bin 0 / California ZEVAll 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standardsSmartWay Elite

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 styleSport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors5
GVWR classClass 1D: 5,001 - 6,000 lb (2,268 - 2,722 kg)

Engine Output

Horsepower394 hp

Fuel Economy

FuelElectric

Transmission

DrivetrainAWD/All-Wheel Drive
TransmissionAutomatic

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: Waymo). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada
Length184.3 in
Width (body, without mirrors)79.1 in
Height61.8 in
Wheelbase117.7 in
Track, front64.6 in
Track, rear64.6 in
Curb weight4,868 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 one configuration: 4-door SUV. 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 2021 I-Pace
Other years The 2024 I-Pace Recalls Jaguar recalls
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Factory warranty running out?

The 2021 Jaguar I-Pace is in the years where high-voltage electronics and module 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 →

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Recalls (6)

Source: NHTSA recall database
!critical

Electrical System

H570 H571 H572
2,278 vehicles built Mar 9, 2020 – Jun 10, 2021
Problem Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Jaguar) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Jaguar I-PACE vehicles. The high voltage battery may overheat. Risk A high voltage battery that overheats increases the risk of a fire. Fix Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures, charge outside, and limit their charge to a maximum of 90% until the recall repair is complete. As an interim repair, the battery software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update to limit the state of charge to 90%. The final remedy is currently under development. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed April 2, 2026. Additional letters will
Filed with NHTSADefect report PDFInterim owner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 26V067000 reported Feb 5, 2026 Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
○minor

Exterior Lighting

H475
2,015 vehicles 61% reported repaired
Problem Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Jaguar) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Jaguar I-Pace vehicles. In the event that one of the turn signals stops working, the turn signal flash rate frequency will not adjust to warn the driver that a turn signal is not working correctly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment." Risk Inoperative rear turn signals may not notify other drivers of a turning vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will update the Car Configuration File (CCF) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 8, 2024. Owners may contact Jaguar customer service at 1-800-452-4827. Jaguar's number for this recall is H475.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 24V134000 reported Feb 22, 2024 Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
!critical

Electrical System

H459
Park outside 501 vehicles 93% reported repaired
Problem Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Jaguar) is recalling certain 2019-2023 I-PACE vehicles previously repaired under recall 23V-369. The previous repair may not have been completed correctly, and still allow the high-voltage battery to overheat. Risk The high-voltage battery overheating increases the risk of a fire. Fix Owners are advised to park and charge their vehicle outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete, and for 30 days after the repair has been completed. Dealers will update the battery energy control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 11, 2023. Owners may contact Jaguar customer service at 1-800-452-4827. Jaguar's number for this recall is H459.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF
NHTSA campaign 23V709000 reported Oct 19, 2023 Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
●moderate

Visibility

H448
668 vehicles 69% reported repaired
Problem Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Jaguar) is recalling certain 2021-2022 I-Pace vehicles. The high voltage coolant heater may fail to defrost the windshield. Risk A high voltage coolant heater that fails to defrost the windshield can reduce the driver's view, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will replace the high voltage coolant heater, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 26, 2023. Owners may contact Jaguar customer service at 1-800-452-4827. Jaguar's number for this recall is H448.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDFChronology PDF
NHTSA campaign 23V518000 reported Jul 27, 2023 Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
!critical

Electrical System

H441
Park outside 6,422 vehicles 96% reported repaired
Problem Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Jaguar) is recalling certain 2019-2024 Jaguar I-PACE vehicles. The high-voltage battery may overheat. Risk The high-voltage battery overheating increases the risk of a fire. Fix Owners are advised to park and charge vehicle outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. The battery energy control module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update. In addition, battery modules will be replaced as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 18, 2023. Owners may contact Jaguar's customer service at 1-800-452-4827. Jaguar's number for this recall is H441.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF
NHTSA campaign 23V369000 reported May 25, 2023 Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
●moderate

Electrical System

H421
1,072 vehicles 95% reported repaired
Problem Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Jaguar) is recalling certain 2021-2022 I-Pace vehicles. The vehicles fail to make sufficient pedestrian warning sounds when stationary and in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 141, "Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles." Risk A vehicle that fails to make sufficient sound may result in pedestrians being unaware of an approaching vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will update the audio amplifier software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 16, 2023. Owners may contact Jaguar customer service at 1-800-452-4827. Jaguar's number for this recall is H421.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 23V030000 reported Jan 26, 2023 Jaguar Land Rover North America, 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

Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System:Windshield:Electrical Heating Element — High Voltage Coolant Heaters may fail to defrost windshield open

In a Part 573 Report dated July 27, 2023, Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (JLR) notified NHTSA of a safety-related defect in 2021-2022 Jaguar I-Pace vehicles. This filing was assigned Recall No. 23V-518. JLR noted that the subject vehicles are equipped with High Voltage Coolant Heaters (HVCH), supplied by Webasto Group (Webasto), that can develop cracking and delamination of the heating element, leading to an inability to defrost the front windshield, which may increase the risk of a crash. In a Part 573 Report dated January 11, 2024, Lucid USA, Inc. (Lucid) notified NHTSA of a safety-related defect in 2022-2023 Lucid Air vehicles. This filing was assigned Recall No. 24V-011. Lucid note

Opened Apr 3, 2024 · action AQ24004 · the investigation’s page →

Electrical System:Propulsion System — Pedestrian alert sounds closed

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021. On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject mat

Opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · action DP22005 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific I-Pace

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2021 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Jaguar 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 →Jaguar’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 2021 Jaguar I-Pace, 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 2021 Jaguar I-Pace

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 I-Pace →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
2complaints filed

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

Filed per year: 2026: 2

Most-cited components

Electrical System 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.

On , at approximately , I was a passenger in a Waymo autonomous vehicle traveling from to Alamo Drafthouse New Mission in San Francisco, CA (fare $16.94). After exiting, I realized I had left my keys in the backseat.
Electrical System Sep 21, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11765739
Waymo vehicle made a sudden merge into my vehicle's lane despite only about 1 car space between me and another vehicle in front when the Waymo's lane was blocked. I had to swerve my car hard left to avoid the Waymo from colliding into my vehicle
Electrical System Mar 21, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11726108

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.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

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

Driver-assist crash reports (540)

Source: NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01
540reports filed

1 moderate · 27 minor · 419 no injury reported · 93 severity unknown

Jul 2021 to Sep 2026 · 2 with an air bag deployment · 173 towed

What was engaged, and what was hit

System named: 5th Generation ADS (367), 5th Generation (68), 5th Generation ADS, Version 10 (49), 5th Generation ADS, Version 11 (19)

Crash partner: Passenger Car 203 · SUV 114 · Other 87 · Pickup Truck 47

Filed by: Waymo LLC, Transdev Alternative Services

IncidentSystemStruckInjury allegedStateSpeedReport
Apr 2025ADS · 5th Generation ADSPassenger Carno injury reportedCA—30270-10573
Apr 2024ADS · 5th Generation ADSPassenger Carno injury reportedCA7 mph30270-7573
Apr 2024ADS · 5th Generation ADSPickup Truckno injury reportedCA27 mph30270-7551
Mar 2024ADS · 5th Generation ADSPassenger Carno injury reportedCA2 mph30531-7545
Mar 2024ADS · 5th Generation ADSPassenger Carno injury reportedCA—30270-7525
Mar 2024ADS · 5th Generation ADSSUVno injury reportedCA—30270-7540
Mar 2024ADS · 5th Generation ADSPassenger Carno injury reportedCA—30270-7542
Mar 2024ADS · 5th Generation ADSOtherno injury reportedCA2 mph30270-7543
Mar 2024ADS · 5th Generation ADSOtherno injury reportedAZ19 mph30270-7533
Mar 2024ADS · 5th Generation ADSPassenger Carno injury reportedAZ—30270-7522
Mar 2024ADS · 5th Generation ADSOtherno injury reportedAZ19 mph30270-7515
Mar 2024ADS · 5th Generation ADSPickup TruckminorAZ8 mph30270-7531

Showing the 12 most recent of 540; every one is in this page’s JSON and the dataset.

From the manufacturer’s own filing

The reporting entity’s narrative as NHTSA published it, with anything identifying removed and nothing added. A narrative is a notice, written before the entity had verified what happened.

Other than the updated time zone of submission, the content of this report is unchanged from the initial report submitted on April [redacted], 2022 [Report ID # 30270-2793-1]. On April [redacted], 2022 at 2:31 AM PST a Waymo Autonomous Vehicle ('Waymo AV') operating in San Francisco, CA made contact with a parking lot driveway on the 200 block of…
Waymo LLC report 30270-2793 Apr 2022 NHTSA SGO filing
The content of this report is unchanged from the initial report submitted on April [redacted], 2022 [Report ID # 30270-2743-1]. On April [redacted], 2022 at 2:53 PM PST a Waymo Autonomous Vehicle ('Waymo AV') operating in San Francisco, California was in a collision involving a pickup truck on [redacted] at [redacted].
Waymo LLC report 30270-2743 Apr 2022 NHTSA SGO filing
The content of this report is unchanged from the initial report submitted on April [redacted], 2022 [Report ID # 30270-2657-1]. On April [redacted], 2022 at 6:29 PM PST a Waymo Autonomous Vehicle ('Waymo AV') operating in Phoenix, Arizona was in a collision involving a motorcycle on [redacted] at [redacted].
Waymo LLC report 30270-2657 Apr 2022 NHTSA SGO filing

A report under the General Order is a notice the manufacturer or operator must file within days of hearing of a crash in which a Level 2 driver-assist or automated-driving system was engaged within 30 seconds of impact. It is filed before anything is verified, and entities with telematics hear of far more crashes than entities that rely on complaints, so counts say as much about the reporting as about the car and are not comparable across makes. Nothing is normalised by fleet size. Every report on file, by make and year → · NHTSA’s page and files

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 243
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-08-21
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 176 service bulletins, 63 others, 3 over-the-air updates

Most often about: Electrical System, Equipment, Unknown Or Other, Seats, Suspension.

  • 2026-08-21 · Unknown Or Other
  • TCU Activation Failure And InControl App Inoperative After Software Update
  • 2026-07-22 · Unknown Or Other
  • Intermittent Passive Entry Operation 24MY Or With New Service Smart Key Fob.
  • 2026-07-04 · Unknown Or Other
  • Unable to select Navigation when pressing the navigation Tile on the Touchscreen.
  • 2026-05-16 · Unknown Or Other
  • Software Over The Air (SOTA) updates are failing to complete. Specifically Vehicle Domain Controller (VDC) PIVI and Gateway Module A (GWM). These vehicles have now been stopped from further SOTA attempts and require a wired intervention.
  • 2026-04-17 · Unknown Or Other
  • Software Over The Air (SOTA) updates are failing to complete.
  • 2026-03-20 · Electrical System
  • Software Over The Air (SOTA) updates are failing to complete
  • 2026-03-18 · Unknown Or Other
  • Wireless Charger - Charging Interruption With iPhone 15 and 16 Devices
  • 2026-03-13 · Unknown Or Other
  • While driving with satellite maps, sometimes image doesn't load fully and then comes back

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.

I-Pace by model year

all years, side by side →
Year Safety Recalls Complaints
2024 B 2 24 Park outside2023 C 3 2 Park outside2022 D 5 4 Park outside2021 this page F 6 2 Park outside2020 F 8 62 Park outside2019 F 8 149 Park outside

Common questions about the 2021 I-Pace

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2021 Jaguar I-Pace have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 6 recall campaigns for the 2021 Jaguar I-Pace, 3 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 26V067000, 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. There is an active park outside advisory — act on it before driving. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2021 Jaguar I-Pace?

NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2021 Jaguar I-Pace yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it F (53/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2021 Jaguar I-Pace?

For the 2021 Jaguar I-Pace, the longest EPA range is 234 miles on a charge. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2021 Jaguar I-Pace?

Transport Canada measured it at 184.3 in long, 79.1 in wide (body, without mirrors), 61.8 in tall, on a 117.7 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 4,868 lb. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2021 Jaguar I-Pace?

Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Jaguar I-Pace, most often about electrical system. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2021 Jaguar I-Pace?

The EPA smog rating for the 2021 Jaguar I-Pace is 10 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 ZEV, Federal Tier 3 Bin 0 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2021 Jaguar I-Pace?

The manufacturer has filed 243 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2021 Jaguar I-Pace, most often covering electrical system, equipment, unknown or other. The most recent is dated 2026-08-21. 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 & configurations1 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates1 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls6NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints2NHTSA 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 bulletins243NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations2NHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationOpen and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative.
Driver-assist crash reports540NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01Crashes the manufacturer or operator reported with a Level 2 or automated-driving system engaged. Notices, filed before verification; not comparable across makes.
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 I-Pace The I-Pace model year with the cleanest record on file — grade B, 2 recalls.Recalls Every Jaguar recall on file All campaigns filed against Jaguar vehicles, newest first, with the manufacturer's own number.Recall Watch Watch this I-Pace 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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