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2021 Lincoln Nautilus

Gas

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
5 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

87 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 2

Complaints1 crash reported 27

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 23 mpg

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019

The 2021 Lincoln Nautilus is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 5 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Nautilus FWD, is EPA-rated at 23 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 27 complaints, most often about the structure. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Lincoln Nautilus — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Lincoln Nautilus · Photo: Dinkun Chen · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Nautilus FWD	Gas	FWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	21	26	23	$2,900
Nautilus FWD	Gas	FWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	21	26	23	$2,900
Nautilus AWD	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	20	25	22	$3,050
Nautilus AWD	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	20	25	22	$3,050
Nautilus AWD	Gas	AWD	2.7L 6-cyl turbo	19	25	21	$3,200

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 43712, 43713, 43717, 43719, 43718.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Nautilus AWD, Nautilus 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	4
GVWR class	Class 1D: 5,001 - 6,000 lb (2,268 - 2,722 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	2 L
Engine configuration	In-Line

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain	FWD/Front-Wheel Drive
Transmission	Automatic
Transmission speeds	8

Driver assistance

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

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: Blk Label, Reserve, Standard). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	189.8 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	76.0 in
Height	66.1 in
Wheelbase	111.8 in
Track, front	64.6 in
Track, rear	64.6 in
Curb weight	4,306–4,566 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: I-4 4-door SUV, V6 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.

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Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database

●moderate

Back Over Prevention

25S49

1,076,138 vehicles 90% reported repaired

Problem Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Bronco, F-150, 2021-2024 Edge, 2022-2025 Escape, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, F-600, 2022-2024 Expedition, 2022-2025 Transit, 2021-2023 Mach-E, 2024 Ranger, Mustang, 2021-2023 Lincoln Nautilus, 2022-2024 Navigator, and 2023-2024 Corsair vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera image to delay, freeze, or not display when the vehicle is in reverse. Risk A frozen or missing rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix The accessory protocol interface module (APIM) software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air update, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on June 26, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Owner notification letters were sent on October 8, 2025. Owners may contact Ford

Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF Owner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 25V315000 reported May 9, 2025 Ford Motor Company the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Engine And Engine Cooling

24S55

90,736 vehicles 66% reported repaired built May 10, 2021 – Oct 29, 2021

Problem Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Bronco, F-150, Edge, Explorer, Lincoln Nautilus, and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with either a 2.7L or 3.0L Nano EcoBoost engine. The engine intake valves may break while driving, which can result in engine failure and a loss of drive power. Risk A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will perform an engine cycle test and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 3, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S55.

Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF

NHTSA campaign 24V635000 reported Aug 23, 2024 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 — Loss of Motive Power closed

On July 22, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) granted a Defect Petition (DP22001) and opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE22007) to investigate allegations of loss of motive power in model year (MY) 2021 Ford Bronco vehicles equipped with 2.7L EcoBoost engines. Complainants were reporting sudden engine failure while driving resulting in a loss of motive power, often without the ability to restart. During PE22007, the cause of engine failure and loss of motive power in the subject vehicles was determined to be intake valve fracture, and the full scope of vehicles affected by the subject defect was identified as all MY 2021-2022 Ford and Lincoln models equipped with either the 2.7

Opened Sep 29, 2023 · closed Oct 31, 2024 · action EA23002 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific Nautilus

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. Lincoln 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 →Lincoln’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 Lincoln Nautilus, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

27complaints filed

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

15 per 10,000 built · Lincoln reported 17,531 Nautilus built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2021: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 8 · 2026: 15

Most-cited components

Structure 9

Power Train 8

Engine 5

Unspecified 4

Fuel/Propulsion System 3

Electrical System 3

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.

Drivers front door inner sheet metal structure has failed/torn at the hinge and check arm mounting points under normal operating conditions.. safety hazard. Dealership and Lincoln will not take full responsibility after known structural defect exists

Structure Oct 15, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11771453

Transmission was shuddering when it shifted gears. It would lose power and jerk between each gear. We paid for diagnostic at the dealership and they diagnosed as torque converter shudder under 2 separate TSB's. Dealership offered to fix at a cost of $6400. Told not to drive the vehicle or at least as little as possible.

Power Train Oct 3, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11768750

2021 Lincoln Nautilus Reserve 2.7-liter twin-turbocharged V6 with coolant intrusion caused by a blown head gasket on cylinder #6. Vehicle would not accelerate properly and lurch forward when the gas pedal was pressed over 25%. The issue was taken to the shop and not found. The issue progressed and was taken to the shop a second time.

Engine Jun 1, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11741378

Vehicle died in parking lot. The electronics all worked, it just would not start and would not go into any gear. Had to have it towed to dealer for repair. They replaced the PCM but it still would not start. They again replaced the PCM and a fuse. The vehicle started. This is the FOURTH time for the exact same issue.

Electrical System Apr 26, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11733835

The contact owns a 2021 Lincoln Nautilus. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V315000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted.

Back Over Prevention Sep 10, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11686356

I bought the 2021Lincoln Nautilus in Aug 2024 with only 54000miles. I was leaving the dealership and driving home with my suv & noticed that the suv was slightly trembling. Since then, I realized that my vehicle would tremble once I put gas in it, and this would happen at any gas station.

Fuel/Propulsion System Jan 5, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11634165

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 Lincoln 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 11 per 100,000 built. Every Nautilus 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
SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	16%
SUV FWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	16%

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

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 133

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-10-14

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 123 service bulletins, 7 over-the-air updates, 3 others

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

TSB 26-2442 Service bulletin
2026-10-14 · Unknown Or Other
This bulletin supersedes 26-2297. Reason for update: Add 2022-2025 Transit vehicles. Some of the vehicles listed in the model statement above equipped with SYNC4 may experience a blank center display screen or black center display screen after welcome animation. The rear-view camera will still function when shifting the vehicle to reverse under these conditions.
TSB 26-2092 V2 Service bulletin
2026-09-22 · Structure — Body
This article supersedes TSB 25-2466 to add Bronco Sport, Escape, Maverick and Corsair, as well as removing Expedition and Navigator. One time use parts for Corsair and Bronco Sport were also added to the parts list. Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit a headliner rattle or sagging condition around the roof opening panel. This may be due to the adhesive separating f
TSB 26-2341 v2 Service bulletin
2026-09-17 · Unknown Or Other
This bulletin supersedes 26-2171. Reasons for update: update the Parts list to add a note to clarify the application of the part numbers W520102-S442 and 4S4Z-3N324-AA "FWD Only". Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit all of the following conditions: Shudder condition, most noticeable at speeds below 60 mph (100 km/h) No relevant diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) pr
SSM 55031 Service bulletin
2026-07-23 · Fuel/Propulsion System
Some 2021-2026 Ford/Lincoln vehicles may exhibit various symptoms including but not limited to the auto start/stop system not operating as intended with a "Check Charging System" message in the instrument panel cluster (IPC) while the charging system is operating properly with no charging related diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) stored. This may be due to someone using an aftermarket programmer to c
TSB 26-2341 Service bulletin
2026-07-23 · Unknown Or Other
This bulletin supersedes 26-2171. Reasons for update: update the Parts list to add a note to clarify the application of the part numbers W520102-S442 and 4S4Z-3N324-AA "FWD Only". Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit all of the following conditions: Shudder condition, most noticeable at speeds below 60 mph (100 km/h) No relevant diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) pr
TSB 26-2328 Service bulletin
2026-07-15 · Unknown Or Other
This bulletin supersedes 26-2194. Reason for update: update the Parts list to correct a part description " Loctite 638", update the claim quantity for the drain/fill plug, update the claim quantity of the wheel hub bolts (Corsair) and limited the parts list for Edge/Nautilus to only the rear drive unit fluid. Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit all of the following
ECG-26.2.11.4.1 Nautilus Over-the-air update
2026-07-08 · Unknown Or Other
Quality improvements include: - Enhanced system performance, disk usage limits and memory monitoring
TSB 26-2297 Service bulletin
2026-06-24 · Electrical System
Some of the vehicles listed in the model statement above equipped with SYNC4 may experience a blank center display screen or black center display after welcome animation. The rear-view camera will still function when shifting the vehicle to reverse under these conditions.

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
B15A5 B15A5 on Lincoln →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment Adaptive/Mobility	3 bulletins
P0011 P0011 on Lincoln →	Camshaft timing on bank 1 is more advanced than commanded.	Engine	3 bulletins
P0012 P0012 on Lincoln →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	3 bulletins
P0014 P0014 on Lincoln →	The second camshaft on bank 1 is timed further advanced than commanded.	Engine	3 bulletins
P0015 P0015 on Lincoln →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	3 bulletins
P0016 P0016 on Lincoln →	The crankshaft and camshaft are not where they should be relative to each other — timing, chain or phaser.	Engine	3 bulletins
P0017 P0017 on Lincoln →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	3 bulletins
P0018 P0018 on Lincoln →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	3 bulletins
P0019 P0019 on Lincoln →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	3 bulletins
P0021 P0021 on Lincoln →	Camshaft timing on bank 2 is more advanced than commanded.	Engine	3 bulletins
P0022 P0022 on Lincoln →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	3 bulletins
P0024 P0024 on Lincoln →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	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 0.22%

failed emissions

461 initial inspections of 447 vehicles.

Measure	The 2021 Nautilus	Every 2021 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	0.22%	1.9%	461
Failed the safety inspection	0.22%	1.5%	461
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	1.1%	0.19%	461
Miles driven a year	8,280	10,343	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	43,428	54,681	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 2021 vehicle” is every 2021 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).

Nautilus by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2026 B 2 12 30 mpg 2025 D 8 31 30 mpg 2024 F 9 35 30 mpg 2023 B 3 7 23 mpg 2022 B 2 15 23 mpg 2021 this page B 2 27 23 mpg 2020 C 5 34 23 mpg 2019 D 8 102 23 mpg

Common questions about the 2021 Nautilus

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2021 Lincoln Nautilus have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2021 Lincoln Nautilus. The most serious on file is 24V635000, 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. 1 campaign is phased, so the repair reached some model years before others. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2021 Lincoln Nautilus?

NHTSA gave the 2021 Lincoln Nautilus 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it B (87/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2021 Lincoln Nautilus?

Across the 5 EPA-rated configurations of the 2021 Lincoln Nautilus, the best EPA combined figure is 23 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2021 Lincoln Nautilus?

Transport Canada measured it at 189.8 in long, 76.0 in wide (body, without mirrors), 66.1 in tall, on a 111.8 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 4,306–4,566 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 2021 Lincoln Nautilus?

Owners have filed 27 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Lincoln Nautilus, most often about structure, power train, engine. Of those, 1 involved a crash. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2021 Lincoln Nautilus?

The EPA smog rating for the 2021 Lincoln Nautilus 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 2021 Lincoln Nautilus?

The manufacturer has filed 133 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2021 Lincoln Nautilus, most often covering electrical system, unknown or other, equipment. The most recent is dated 2026-10-14. 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 2021 Lincoln Nautilus do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2021 Lincoln Nautilus failed the emissions check on 0.22% of first inspections — lower than the 1.9% for every 2021 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 0.22% (every 2021 vehicle: 1.5%). 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	2	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	27	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	133	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	12 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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