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Your vehicleHome›Volkswagen›Tiguan› 2017
Volkswagen · Compact SUV

2017 Volkswagen Tiguan

Gas
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
2 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
C
Safety Signal
77 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
RecallsNHTSA campaigns 4
Complaints6 crash · 4 injured · 1 died reported 76
Crash ratingNHTSA overall 4★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 22 mpg
202720262025202420232022202120202019201820172016

The 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Tiguan, is EPA-rated at 22 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 76 complaints, most often about the air bags. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.

Volkswagen Tiguan — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
Volkswagen Tiguan (2007 generation) · Photo: Alexander-93 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
TiguanGasFWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo202422$3,750
Tiguan 4motionGasAWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo202321$3,900

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 37670, 37792.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
Tiguan, Tiguan 4motion6 / 10Federal Tier 3 Bin 125 / LEV-II ULEVAll 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 styleSport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors4
GVWR classClass 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders4
Displacement2 L

Engine Output

Horsepower200 hp

Fuel Economy

FuelGasoline

Seating

Seat rows2
Seating capacity5 seats

Transmission

DrivetrainFWD/Front-Wheel Drive
TransmissionAutomatic
Transmission speeds6

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Electronic stability control

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: 4Motion Wolfsburg, S 4 Motion, Limited 4Motion, S, Limited, SEL 4Motion). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada
Length174.4 in
Width (body, without mirrors)71.3 in
Height66.9 in
Wheelbase102.4 in
Track, front61.8 in
Track, rear61.8 in
Curb weight3,393–3,591 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear57/43

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 2.0 4Motion 4-door SUV, 2.0 FWD 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 2017 Tiguan
Other years The 2027 Tiguan Recalls Volkswagen recalls
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Factory warranty running out?

The 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan 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 →

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Recalls (4)

Source: NHTSA recall database
●moderate

Unknown Or Other

01F1
46 vehicles 37% reported repaired
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Touareg GP, Tiguan, Golf A6, E-Golf GP, CCF, 2016-2017 Passat GP, 2018-2019 Golf R GP, and 2018 Atlas vehicles. These internal-use vehicles were sold without confirmation that they were built to all applicable regulatory requirements and may have been modified prior to sale. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of various Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. Risk Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of injury, crash, or fire. Fix Volkswagen will repurchase the vehicles. Owner notification letters were mailed May 20, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01F1.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 21V321000 reported May 5, 2021 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
●moderate

Unknown Or Other

01C5/01C6
252 vehicles 78% reported repaired built Jul 8, 2016 – Jul 8, 2016
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Eos, 2012 Passat, 2012-2016 CC, 2015-2016 e-Golf, 2011-2015 Touareg, 2012-2015 and 2017 Tiguan, and 2011-2016 Golf and 2011-2013 GTI vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements. Risk If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury. Fix Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles to make them fully compliant or Volkswagen will repurchase them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 18V329000 reported May 16, 2018 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Air Bags

69V2
3,768 vehicles 88% reported repaired built May 24, 2017 – Jan 16, 2018
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Tiguan Limited vehicles. The front driver air bag installed on these vehicles may not be intended for use in vehicles sold in the United States. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection." Risk In the event of a crash, the incorrect air bags may not protect the driver as intended, increasing the risk of injury. Fix Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering wheel and front driver air bag module, free of charge. The recall began May 30, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69V2.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF
NHTSA campaign 18V102000 reported Feb 9, 2018 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Air Bags

VW: 69P4; Audi 69P2
5,947 vehicles 86% reported repaired built Sep 2, 2016 – Nov 16, 2016
Problem Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2017 Audi A7, A4, A6, Volkswagen Golf and Tiguan vehicles and 2016 Volkswagen e-Golf vehicles for driver frontal air bags, passenger frontal air bags or head air bags that may not deploy properly. Additionally, certain 2017 Audi Q7, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad, and 2018 Audi Q5 vehicles are being recalled because the seat belt pretensioners may not activate properly. Risk In the event of a crash, if the air bags and/or the seat belt pretensioners do not inflate or function properly, the vehicle occupants have an increased risk of injury. Fix Volkswagen and Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected air bags and seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. The recall began April 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 16V955000 reported Dec 29, 2016 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. 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.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Tiguan

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2017 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Volkswagen 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 →Volkswagen’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

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Parts & accessories for the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan

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 Tiguan →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
76complaints filed

6 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 4 injuries · 1 deaths reported

15 per 10,000 built · Volkswagen reported 51,075 Tiguan built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2017: 2 · 2018: 8 · 2019: 5 · 2020: 7 · 2021: 4 · 2022: 21 · 2023: 9 · 2024: 3 · 2025: 11 · 2026: 6

Most-cited components

Air Bags 30
Engine 16
Steering 13
Electrical System 12
Unspecified 9
Fuel/Propulsion System 8

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's daughter owns a 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated while his daughter was driving at various speeds and turning the steering wheel, the steering wheel emitted abnormal sounds. The tire pressure monitor system warning light and the airbag warning light illuminated.
Air Bags at 27,749 miles Apr 28, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11462631
The gas pedal stopped responding during high velocity highway drive. Luckily, I was able to steer the car safely to an emergency stop. I was able to shift gear to N and than to P but the car rocked violently when I tried to switch back to D. The car was towed and a mechanic inspection suggested that it's a transmission fail
Power Train Sep 2, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11431439
The contact owns a 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The contact pumped the brake pedal several times before the vehicle would start up. The speedometer started to fluctuate, and the vehicle would shudder or hesitate. Occasionally the vehicle would stall and shut-off.
Electrical System at 58,000 miles Aug 24, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11430333
I was traveling down a road and my brake gave out, when i had it towed to the dealership they said the inside of the brake vacuume exploded???? I was driving with my daughter and we could not stop.
Service Brakes Jun 7, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11419994
While driving at approx 30 MPH slowing down for a red light, on a city street, the panoramic sunroof exploded. Nothing struck the car, no other traffic was within 200 yards, and nothing above. It sounded like a pop, then glass shards fell in rear passenger seating area. No one was injured.
Structure at 43,060 miles Jul 27, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11341647
Upon starting and driving our 2017 Tiguan which has 8000 miles on it the steering system red warning light came on and the vehicle lost all power steering. In fact it was virtually impossible to steer it at all. And im a reasonably arm-strong male.
Steering at 8,000 miles Feb 20, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11310358

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 Volkswagen itself: 12 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 killed, 14 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 23 per 100,000 built. Every Tiguan model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 28k

miles, typically

Half the 20 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 15,000 and 39,000 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 20 on file: 4 under 10k, 3 10k–20k, 4 20k–30k, 4 30k–40k, 1 40k–50k, 2 50k–60k, 1 60k–70k, 1 70k–80k.

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
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
SUV AWD★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★★★★★★★☆18%
SUV FWD★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★★★★★★★☆17%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 574
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-17
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 559 service bulletins, 14 others, 1 warranty extension

Most often about: Equipment, Engine, Electrical System, Unknown Or Other, Equipment Adaptive/Mobility.

  • V0116152014815_20 Service bulletin
    2026-09-17 · Engine
  • Suggested fuel additive
  • 2026-09-09 · Unknown Or Other
  • This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided.
  • 2026-08-06 · Unknown Or Other
  • Permission to change Daily Order upgraded to RED Order
  • V0026012081638_2 Service bulletin
    2026-08-04 · Unknown Or Other
  • Differences between a leak and seepage
  • VOS-26-42 Service bulletin
    2026-07-15 · Electrical System
  • This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during vehicle programming function: A software fix is needed to correct the issue: DA 0019 - Hotfix 12-V battery test(s) – No battery diagnosis - Inconclusive test result.
  • V1718062017813_24 Service bulletin
    2026-07-09 · Engine
  • Oil Consumption Measurement and Electronic Oil Consumption Measurement
  • TT 13-20-01_3 Service bulletin
    2026-06-18 · Engine
  • Instruction, how to lubicate engine before initial start.
  • TT 10-18-02_2 Service bulletin
    2026-06-18 · Engine
  • Lubricating engine components before reassembly.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

CodeWhat it meansMost often filed underWhere it appears
P013E
P013E on Volkswagen →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment7 bulletins
P0196
P0196 on Volkswagen →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Visibility/Wiper · Wiper blades →3 bulletins
P0198
P0198 on Volkswagen →		Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment Adaptive/Mobility2 bulletins

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

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan failed the emissions check on 2.9% of first inspections — lower than the 3.7% for every 2017 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.4% (every 2017 vehicle: 2.1%).

New York inspections 2.9%

failed emissions

1,844 initial inspections of 1,797 vehicles.

MeasureThe 2017 TiguanEvery 2017 vehicleBehind it
Failed the emissions check2.9%3.7%1,839
Failed the safety inspection2.4%2.1%1,844
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit0.38%0.25%1,844
Miles driven a year9,01010,048odometer at inspection
Average odometer83,49493,238odometer 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 2017 vehicle” is every 2017 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).

Tiguan by model year

all years, side by side →
Year Safety Recalls Complaints
2027 A 0 0 29 mpg2026 A 0 37 29 mpg2025 C 3 53 29 mpg2024 B 2 76 27 mpg2023 A 1 70 27 mpg2022 C 5 272 26 mpg2021 C 5 144 25 mpg2020 C 3 141 25 mpg2019 B 5 194 25 mpg2018 F 14 293 Do not drive2017 this page C 4 76 22 mpg2016 B 2 97 23 mpg

Common questions about the 2017 Tiguan

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 4 recall campaigns for the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan. The most serious on file is 18V102000, 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 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan?

NHTSA gave the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan 4 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 3-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it C (77/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan?

Across the 2 EPA-rated configurations of the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan, the best EPA combined figure is 22 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan?

Transport Canada measured it at 174.4 in long, 71.3 in wide (body, without mirrors), 66.9 in tall, on a 102.4 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,393–3,591 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan?

Owners have filed 76 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan, most often about air bags, engine, steering. Of those, 6 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 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan?

The EPA smog rating for the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan is 6 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 — Federal Tier 3 Bin 125, LEV-II ULEV — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan?

The manufacturer has filed 574 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan, most often covering equipment, engine, electrical system. The most recent is dated 2026-09-17. 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 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan failed the emissions check on 2.9% of first inspections — lower than the 3.7% for every 2017 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.4% (every 2017 vehicle: 2.1%). 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.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations2 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates2 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls4NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints76NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings2 testedNHTSA NCAPOnly the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins574NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
InvestigationsnoneNHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationNo defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reportsnoneNHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA12 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 2027 Tiguan The Tiguan model year with the cleanest record on file — grade A, 0 recalls.Recalls Every Volkswagen recall on file All campaigns filed against Volkswagen vehicles, newest first, with the manufacturer's own number.Recall Watch Watch this Tiguan 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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