2019 Nissan Altima
The 2019 Nissan Altima is sold in the U.S. as a gas midsize sedan with 5 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Altima, is EPA-rated at 32 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for this model year, 2 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of F. Owners have filed 233 complaints, most often about the electrical system. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altima | Gas | FWD | 2.5L 4-cyl | 28 | 39 | 32 | $2,100 |
| Altima SR/Platinum | Gas | FWD | 2.5L 4-cyl | 27 | 37 | 31 | $2,150 |
| Altima AWD | Gas | AWD | 2.5L 4-cyl | 26 | 35 | 30 | $2,250 |
| Altima AWD SR/Platinum | Gas | AWD | 2.5L 4-cyl | 26 | 34 | 29 | $2,300 |
| Altima SR/Platinum | Gas | FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 25 | 34 | 29 | $2,300 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 40884, 40885, 40886, 40887, 40888.
Emissions & certification
Source: EPA emission certificates| Configuration | Smog rating | Emission standard | Where it can be sold new | SmartWay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altima, Altima AWD, Altima SR/Platinum | 7 / 10 | California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | SmartWay |
| Altima AWD SR/Platinum | 7 / 10 | California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | — |
| Altima SR/Platinum | 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 vPICDimensions Exterior
| Body style | Sedan/Saloon |
| Doors | 4 |
| GVWR class | Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less) |
Engine Basics
| Displacement | 2.5 L |
Fuel Economy
| Fuel | Gasoline |
Transmission
| Drivetrain | 4x2 |
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: Platinum, S, SL, SR). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.
Dimensions & weight
Source: Transport Canada| Length | 192.9 in |
| Width (body, without mirrors) | 72.8 in |
| Height | 57.1 in |
| Wheelbase | 111.4 in |
| Track, front | 63.4 in |
| Track, rear | 63.4 in |
| Curb weight | 3,406 lb |
| Weight distribution, front/rear | 61/39 |
Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here one configuration: 4-door Sedan. 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.
Factory warranty running out?
The 2019 Nissan Altima 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 databaseBack Over Prevention
R23C3Tires
PC798Back Over Prevention
Fuel System, Gasoline
Exterior Lighting
Fuel System, Gasoline
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 — Complete loss of motive power due to engine failure closed
On December 13, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23-023 to investigate allegations of engine failures leading to loss of motive power in model year (MY) 2021-2023 Nissan Rogue; MY 2019-2021 Nissan Altima; and MY 2019-2021 Infiniti QX50 vehicles. At that time, ODI had received 6 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ) and multiple early warning reports, with consumers reporting engine knocking noises accompanied by a loss of engine power while driving. The investigation identified bearing failures in certain vehicles equipped with the subject 3-cylinder 1.5L or 4-cylinder 2.0L variable compression turbo (VC-Turbo) engines. ODI also identified early warning reports describin
Opened Dec 13, 2023 · closed Jul 18, 2025 · action PE23023 · the investigation’s page →
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Hood:Latch — Hertz/Vehicles Rented with Open Recalls open
NHTSA is opening this audit query to investigate whether The Hertz Corporation (Hertz) has complied with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Safety Act). The Safety Act requires, among other things, that a rental company shall not rent a vehicle subject to a safety recall unless the recall remedy has been performed. 49 U.S.C. § 30120(i).NHTSA is in receipt of information that indicates Hertz rented vehicles to customers without having performed required recall repairs. Accordingly, we are opening this audit query to seek additional information concerning this issue.
Opened Dec 16, 2022 · action AQ22003 · the investigation’s page →
Whether any of this applies to one specific Altima
A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2019 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Nissan publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.
Hear about a recall before the letter does
The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2019 Nissan Altima, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.
Parts & accessories for the 2019 Nissan Altima
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 Altima →Owner complaints
Source: NHTSA complaint database22 involved a crash · 5 a fire · 12 injuries · 0 deaths reported
13 per 10,000 built · Nissan reported 177,625 Altima built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)
Filed per year: 2018: 2 · 2019: 28 · 2020: 22 · 2021: 25 · 2022: 29 · 2023: 27 · 2024: 28 · 2025: 40 · 2026: 32
Most-cited components
In depth: electrical problems → · engine 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.
My vehicle was in motion on a city street. I went to make a turn because of a curve and my steering wheel and brake would not work. My emergency brake system (which is suppose to stop my vehicle before impact, did not deploy. I ran straight into a stone wall and fence.
Back seat doors do not lock when pressing the automatic lock button located on the inside of the doors, and when pressing the lock button on the remote key. Vehicle was stationary
I just received a notice by going to consumer reports that vehicle was recalled? Never received anything. Also, car is newly leased and has an oil change sticker that says: change oil by 5/29/19 ? What , this dealer here has also been reported for consumer protection act here in melbourne fl. Nissan of melbourne.
Back in the july I got into a rear end collision, the emergency braking should have kicked in but it did not. Since then, the emergency braking has applied multiple times in the open by itself with no cars ahead or in view. It makes me very nervous to drive this. It has happened both on city streets and the highway.
The contact owns a 2019 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that the rearview mirror did not adjust high enough for proper visibility. The contact lowered the seat more than necessary in order to see the road. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not respond.
I had an accident on the highway and obtained severe frontal damage totaling over 5000.00 and the airbags did not deploy at all, I purchased the vehicle 0n the 30th of may 2019
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 Nissan itself: 16 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 22 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 9.0 per 100,000 built. Every Altima model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.
When owners reported it
miles, typically
Half the 74 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 3,000 and 52,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.
Median mileage by component
| Component | Reports | Median miles | Vs same age |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 19 | 9,000 | 0.9× |
| Engine | 18 | 67,582 | 1.61× |
| Electrical System | 13 | 21,000 | 1.37× |
Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2019-model-year complaint about the same system, all makes: under 1× means owners of this car reported it at lower mileage. Here, owners reported later: engine (1.61×). Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.
Across 2018–2019 model years the Nissan Altima ranks 49 of 79 nameplates in the odometer-at-first-complaint study: owners reported problems at 1.24× the mileage of vehicles the same age (median 31,000 miles against a fleet 23,512).
Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.
Crash ratings
Source: NHTSA NCAP| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 DR AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 9% |
| 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 9% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.
Service bulletins & campaigns
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications- 15 years or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first · Nissan bulletin PC989 2019-2020Active Grille Shutter Emission Warranty Extension Dealer Notification *****Dealer Announcement***** Nissan is committed to providing the highest levels of product quality and customer satisfaction.
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 warranty extension on file, all makes →
Most often about: Electrical System, Equipment, Power Train, Engine, Fuel/Propulsion System.
- NTB09-131C Service bulletin2026-04-13 · Structure — Body
- CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “Certification Label” or “VIN Plate/Label” may be needed. HINT: Certification Label = FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) label. These items may be available from Nissan by request if certain criteria are met. This bulletin lists the criteria and provides
- NTB09-131C Service bulletin2026-04-13 · Structure — Body
- CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “Certification Label” or “VIN Plate/Label” may be needed. HINT: Certification Label = FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) label. These items may be available from Nissan by request if certain criteria are met. This bulletin lists the criteria and provides
- NTB15-049CC Service bulletin2026-03-30 · Electrical System
- TELEMATICS SERVICE INFORMATION HINT: This bulletin applies to vehicles equipped with a 4G network compatible TCU. TCUs compatible with 3G network only are no longer supported. SERVICE INFORMATION The APPLIED VEHICLES that come equipped with a factory installed SOS switch, located near the overhead map lamp, also come equipped with a wireless communication device called a Telematics Communication U
- NTB19-042F Service bulletin2025-02-20 · Service Brakes
- AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING WARNING LIGHT BLINKING APPLIED SYSTEMS: Vehicles equipped with a lane camera (see Figure 1) SERVICE INFORMATION If the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) warning light or is blinking (but not illuminated steadily) or the customer states it is blinking, and there are no related DTCs, inspect the windshield. A blinking AEB warning light may occur under the following condit
- NTB19-033G Service bulletin2025-02-20 · Electrical System
- INTELLIGENT CRUISE CONTROL INOPERATIVE AND AEB/FEB WARNING LIGHT ON OR RADAR OBSTRUCTION MESSAGE DISPLAYED WITH DTC C1A16 OR C2582 IF YOU CONFIRM IMPORTANT: The purpose of ACTION (on the next page) is to give you a quick idea of the work you will be performing. You MUST closely follow the entire SERVICE PROCEDURE as it contains information that is essential to successfully completing this repair.
- NTB20-066C Service bulletin2024-10-04 · Lane Departure — Assist
- LANE CAMERA AIMING VEHICLE REFERENCE VALUES NOT IN ESM SERVICE INFORMATION If the lane camera requires aiming, the values in Table A on page 4 must be used. For all other models/model years, consult the Electronic Service Manual (ESM).
- NTB19-071D Service bulletin2024-09-19 · Air Bags
- DTC B00A0-00 STORED This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. IF YOU CONFIRM DTC B00A0-00 (OCCUPANT DETECTION SENSOR UNIT) is stored, AND OCS zero point reset cannot be performed, (continued on the next page)
- NTB12-103I Service bulletin2024-06-07 · Power Train
- CVT/TCM CALIBRATION DATA “WRITE” PROCEDURE This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
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 complaintsCodes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| P0087 P0087 on Nissan → | Fuel rail pressure is below what the system commanded. | Engine · Fuel pump → | 5 bulletins · 1 owner report |
| P0101 P0101 on Nissan → | The mass air flow sensor is reporting a figure the engine computer does not believe for the conditions. | Engine · Mass air flow sensor → | 5 bulletins · 1 owner report |
| P0448 P0448 on Nissan → | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Engine | 4 bulletins |
| P0456 P0456 on Nissan → | A very small leak in the evaporative emissions system. | Fuel/Propulsion System · Gas cap → | 4 bulletins |
| P161D P161D on Nissan → | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Electrical System · Battery → | 4 bulletins |
| P2008 P2008 on Nissan → | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Engine | 4 bulletins |
| B26FE | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Electrical System · Battery → | 3 bulletins |
| P059F | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Structure | 1 bulletin · 2 owner reports |
| P0776 P0776 on Nissan → | Pressure control solenoid B is not holding the pressure it was commanded. | Power Train | 2 bulletins · 1 owner report |
| P17F0 P17F0 on Nissan → | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Power Train | 2 bulletins · 1 owner report |
| C1A16 C1A16 on Nissan → | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Electrical System · Battery → | 1 bulletin · 1 owner report |
| P0404 P0404 on Nissan → | The exhaust gas recirculation valve is not moving the way it was commanded. | Engine · EGR valve → | 1 bulletin · 1 owner report |
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.
At the New York inspection station
Source: New York State DMVIn New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2019 Nissan Altima failed the emissions check on 7.2% of first inspections — higher than the 2.7% for every 2019 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.1% (every 2019 vehicle: 1.7%).
failed emissions
4,676 initial inspections of 4,558 vehicles.
| Measure | The 2019 Altima | Every 2019 vehicle | Behind it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failed the emissions check | 7.2% | 2.7% | 4,665 |
| Failed the safety inspection | 2.1% | 1.7% | 4,676 |
| Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit | 0.30% | 0.20% | 4,676 |
| Miles driven a year | 10,613 | 9,904 | odometer at inspection |
| Average odometer | 77,366 | 72,084 | odometer at inspection |
New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2019 vehicle” is every 2019 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).
Altima by model year
all years, side by side →Common questions about the 2019 Altima
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsDoes the 2019 Nissan Altima have any recalls?
NHTSA has posted 7 recall campaigns for the 2019 Nissan Altima, 2 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 25V437000, covering Engine And Engine Cooling. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.
How safe is the 2019 Nissan Altima?
NHTSA gave the 2019 Nissan Altima 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 5-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it F (54/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.
What is the fuel economy of the 2019 Nissan Altima?
Across the 5 EPA-rated configurations of the 2019 Nissan Altima, the best EPA combined figure is 32 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.
What are the dimensions of the 2019 Nissan Altima?
Transport Canada measured it at 192.9 in long, 72.8 in wide (body, without mirrors), 57.1 in tall, on a 111.4 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,406 lb. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.
What do owners complain about on the 2019 Nissan Altima?
Owners have filed 233 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Nissan Altima, most often about electrical system, engine, forward collision avoidance. Of those, 22 involved a crash, 5 a fire, 12 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.
How clean is the 2019 Nissan Altima?
The EPA smog rating for the 2019 Nissan Altima runs 5 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. 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, California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.
Are there service bulletins for the 2019 Nissan Altima?
The manufacturer has filed 188 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2019 Nissan Altima, most often covering electrical system, equipment, power train. The most recent is dated 2026-04-13. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.
How does the 2019 Nissan Altima do at state inspection?
In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2019 Nissan Altima failed the emissions check on 7.2% of first inspections — higher than the 2.7% for every 2019 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.1% (every 2019 vehicle: 1.7%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.
What we hold, and what an empty row means
Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.
| Data | Held | Source | What it covers — or what empty means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy & configurations | 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 | 7 | NHTSA recall campaigns | A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags. |
| Owner complaints | 233 | 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 | 188 | NHTSA manufacturer communications | Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall. |
| Investigations | 2 | 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 | 6 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.