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2018 Toyota Avalon

Hybrid Gas

Midsize Cars
2 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

85 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 2

Complaints7 crash · 4 injured reported 25

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 40 mpg

2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2018 Toyota Avalon is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas midsize sedan with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Avalon Hybrid, is EPA-rated at 40 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 25 complaints, most often about the air bags. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Toyota Avalon — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Toyota Avalon · 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*
Avalon Hybrid	Hybrid	FWD	2.5L 4-cyl + 245V Ni-MH	40	39	40	$1,700
Avalon	Gas	FWD	3.5L 6-cyl	21	30	24	$2,800

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 38786, 38787.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Avalon Hybrid	7 / 10	California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	SmartWay
Avalon	3 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 125 / California LEV-II ULEV	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	Sedan/Saloon
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	2.5 L
Engine configuration	In-Line

Engine Output

Horsepower

156 hp

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Electric

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain	4x2
Transmission	Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
Transmission speeds	6

Driver assistance

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

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: Hybrid - XLE Plus/XLE Premium//Ltd., XLE/XLE Plus/XLE Premium/Touring/Ltd.). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	195.3 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	72.4 in
Height	57.5 in
Wheelbase	111.0 in
Track, front	62.6 in
Track, rear	62.2 in
Curb weight	3,549 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.

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Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Air Bags

20TB03 / 20TA03

2,891,976 vehicles 70% reported repaired

Problem Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Corolla, 2011-2013 Matrix, 2012-2018 Avalon, and 2013-2018 Avalon Hybrid vehicles. During certain crashes, the air bag electronic control unit (ECU) may malfunction, possibly disabling the deployment of the air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners. Risk In the event of a crash, air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners that do not deploy as intended may increase the risk of injury. Fix Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ECU and install a noise filter between the air bag control module and its wire harness, as necessary, free of charge. Owners were notified of the safety risk beginning March 2, 2020. A second letter notifying owners of the remedy repair will be mailed between March 16, 2020 and June 27, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB03, 20TA03 and 20TA05.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 20V024000 reported Jan 17, 2020 Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Fuel System, Gasoline

20TB02/20TA02/20LB01

1,830,752 vehicles 92% reported repaired

Problem Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) recalled certain 2018-2019 4Runner, Highlander, Camry, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma and Tundra, and Lexus RC 300, RC 350, GS 350, GX 460, IS 300, LC 500, LS 500, LX 570, RX 350L, and 2019 Toyota Avalon and Corolla, and certain Lexus NX 300, and ES 350 vehicles on January 13, 2020. On March 4, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include certain 2014-2015 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser, 2018 Avalon, Corolla, 2014 FJ Cruiser, 2017 Sienna and Lexus 2018 ES 350, 2018-2019 GS 300, 2013-2014 GS350, 2014-2015 GX 460, IS 350 and LX 570, 2014 IS F, 2018-2019 IS 350, LC 500H and LS 500H, 2013-2015 LS 460, 2015 NX 200T and RC350, 2017 RC 200T Risk If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began May 4, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB02 and 20TA02 for Toyota vehicles and 20LB01 and 20LA01 for Lexus vehicles.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 20V012000 reported Jan 13, 2020 Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing 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

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 →

Air Bags: Air Bag/Restraint Control Module — Electrical overstress closed

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect. During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (ACU) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) manufactured by ZF-TRW. The ECU receives signals from crash sensors mounted in the vehicle and deploys the vehicle air bags and seat belt pretensioners in accordance with ma

Opened Apr 19, 2019 · closed Sep 19, 2024 · action EA19001 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific Avalon

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2018 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Toyota 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 →Toyota’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 2018 Toyota Avalon, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

25complaints filed

7 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 4 injuries · 0 deaths reported

9.2 per 10,000 built · Toyota reported 27,240 Avalon built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2018: 4 · 2019: 6 · 2020: 5 · 2021: 5 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2025: 1

Most-cited components

Air Bags 6

Unspecified 5

Steering 4

Fuel/Propulsion System 3

Service Brakes 2

Vehicle Speed Control 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.

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Avalon Hybrid. The contact stated that the navigation system, the radio, and the upper third brake light was not functioning properly. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the EMU in the computer on the air bag that was malfunctioning to be replaced.

Electrical System at 66,000 miles Dec 6, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11442884

Involved in a 2 vehicle accident on October 26th. My car is totaled and so is the other car. No airbags deployed and my drivers side seat belt failed to lock in the accident. I was injured and taken by ambulance to hospital

Air Bags Nov 25, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11701511

Date of safety issue: July 12, 2023 Location: Piper Glen Shopping Center, Rea Road, Charlotte NC (destination was Run For Your Life at 6416 Rea Road - within the shopping center). Time: Approximately sometime between 1:30 and 2:00 ET Police Report Complaint # - On July 12, 2023 I entered a parking lot at a busy retail establishment.

Vehicle Speed Control Jul 13, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11532109

Hello, My name is . I bought my car from Longo Toyota in El Monte about 15 months ago. The car was certified preowned and had a Carfax report with no accident reported history. That is exactly why I bought the car, because this was going to be my family car.

Structure Jan 22, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11503063

Intermittently, unpredictably, for several seconds at a time, the engine almost quits, especially when accelerating So far, it has not happened in heavy traffic, but if it did, it would create a possibly major safety hazard. I have not taken it to a dealer yet.

Fuel/Propulsion System Nov 28, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11495198

At approximately 42000 miles with no significant issues and no front end damages, the steering failed as I was driving at highway speed (70 mph) on a 2 lane road approaching a 90 degree curve.

Steering Aug 29, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11430947

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 Toyota itself: 17 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 25 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 62 per 100,000 built. Every Avalon model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 11k

miles, typically

Half the 14 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 4,000 and 35,000 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.

Too few readings for a curve — the 14 on file: 5 under 10k, 4 10k–20k, 3 30k–40k, 1 40k–50k, 1 60k–70k.

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 FWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	11%
4 DR FWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	11%

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

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 259

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-02-13

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 257 service bulletins, 2 service campaigns

Most often about: Equipment, Structure, Electrical System, Engine, Air Bags.

T-SB-0009-26 Service bulletin
2026-02-13 · Engine
This bulletin includes basic procedures for performing a rescue charge on Ni-MH high voltage (HV) batteries. This bulletin should be used in conjunction with the applicable model and model year Repair Manual while performing a rescue charge. The GRX-5100 should be used wherever the Repair Manual references the Toyota Hybrid System (THS) charger.
T-SB-0119-15 Rev2 Service bulletin
2026-02-13 · Engine
OBSOLETE NOTICE February 13, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0009-26.
T-SB-0055-24 Rev2 Service bulletin
2026-01-07 · Unknown Or Other
Some 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This Service Bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare and treat the interi
T-TT-0790-25 Service bulletin
2025-08-20 · Electrical System
Some customers may experience echoing on the line calling the vehicle when using Bluetooth Hands Free. This is caused by the phone Hands Free volume being too low.
T-SB-0058-23 Rev1 Service campaign
2025-06-13 · Electrical System
The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. The procedures outlined in this Service Bulletin aid in locating, inspecting, and repairing refrigerant leaks.
T-SB-0039-24 Rev2 Service bulletin
2024-12-06 · Structure — Body
The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicle surface, especially the horizonal areas of the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage can occur. This damage is the result of actual etching of the paint
T-SB-0038-24 Rev2 Service bulletin
2024-12-06 · Structure — Body
To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and initial rust before the vehicle is delivered to the customer. Consequently, the film should remain on the wheel for as long as possible.
T-SB-0035-24 Rev2 Service bulletin
2024-12-06 · Structure — Body
Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage to the painted surfaces can occur. Acid rain damage can typically be identified on vehicles by the presence of stains on

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
P0A7F P0A7F on Toyota →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	2 bulletins
P0A80 P0A80 on Toyota →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	2 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 0.90%

failed emissions

666 initial inspections of 653 vehicles.

Measure	The 2018 Avalon	Every 2018 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	0.90%	3.0%	664
Failed the safety inspection	0.90%	1.9%	666
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.15%	0.22%	666
Miles driven a year	9,518	10,002	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	79,064	82,833	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 2018 vehicle” is every 2018 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).

Avalon by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2022 A 0 8 44 mpg 2021 B 2 27 44 mpg 2020 C 4 10 44 mpg 2019 C 5 72 44 mpg 2018 this page B 2 25 40 mpg 2017 B 2 14 40 mpg 2016 C 4 25 40 mpg

Common questions about the 2018 Avalon

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2018 Toyota Avalon have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2018 Toyota Avalon. The most serious on file is 20V024000, covering Air Bags. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2018 Toyota Avalon?

NHTSA gave the 2018 Toyota Avalon 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it B (85/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Toyota Avalon?

Across the 2 EPA-rated configurations of the 2018 Toyota Avalon, the best EPA combined figure is 40 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2018 Toyota Avalon?

Transport Canada measured it at 195.3 in long, 72.4 in wide (body, without mirrors), 57.5 in tall, on a 111.0 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,549 lb. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2018 Toyota Avalon?

Owners have filed 25 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Toyota Avalon, most often about air bags, unspecified, steering. Of those, 7 involved a crash, 4 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 2018 Toyota Avalon?

The EPA smog rating for the 2018 Toyota Avalon runs 3 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-II ULEV, California LEV-III SULEV30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2018 Toyota Avalon?

The manufacturer has filed 259 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2018 Toyota Avalon, most often covering equipment, structure, electrical system. The most recent is dated 2026-02-13. 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 2018 Toyota Avalon do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2018 Toyota Avalon failed the emissions check on 0.90% of first inspections — lower than the 3.0% for every 2018 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 0.90% (every 2018 vehicle: 1.9%). 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	2 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	2 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	25	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	259	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	13 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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