diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin-typescript/lib/configs/recommended.json b/packages/eslint-plugin-typescript/lib/configs/recommended.json
index 58a2568e7ef..44d97034180 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin-typescript/lib/configs/recommended.json
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin-typescript/lib/configs/recommended.json
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
         "camelcase": "off",
         "typescript/camelcase": "error",
         "typescript/class-name-casing": "error",
-        "typescript/explicit-function-return-type": "warning",
+        "typescript/explicit-function-return-type": "warn",
         "typescript/explicit-member-accessibility": "error",
         "indent": "off",
         "typescript/indent": "error",
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
         "no-array-constructor": "off",
         "typescript/no-array-constructor": "error",
         "typescript/no-empty-interface": "error",
-        "typescript/no-explicit-any": "warning",
+        "typescript/no-explicit-any": "warn",
         "typescript/no-inferrable-types": "error",
         "typescript/no-misused-new": "error",
         "typescript/no-namespace": "error",
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
         "typescript/no-parameter-properties": "error",
         "typescript/no-triple-slash-reference": "error",
         "no-unused-vars": "off",
-        "typescript/no-unused-vars": "warning",
+        "typescript/no-unused-vars": "warn",
         "typescript/no-use-before-define": "error",
         "typescript/no-var-requires": "error",
         "typescript/prefer-interface": "error",
diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin-typescript/lib/rules/explicit-function-return-type.js b/packages/eslint-plugin-typescript/lib/rules/explicit-function-return-type.js
index f3402af23b2..c55def38a9a 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin-typescript/lib/rules/explicit-function-return-type.js
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin-typescript/lib/rules/explicit-function-return-type.js
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ module.exports = {
                 "Require explicit return types on functions and class methods",
             category: "TypeScript",
             url: util.metaDocsUrl("explicit-function-return-type"),
-            recommended: "warning",
+            recommended: "warn",
         },
         schema: [
             {
diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin-typescript/lib/rules/no-explicit-any.js b/packages/eslint-plugin-typescript/lib/rules/no-explicit-any.js
index fa7f6b624b7..557b3e85ed7 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin-typescript/lib/rules/no-explicit-any.js
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin-typescript/lib/rules/no-explicit-any.js
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ module.exports = {
             extraDescription: [util.tslintRule("no-any")],
             category: "TypeScript",
             url: util.metaDocsUrl("no-explicit-any"),
-            recommended: "warning",
+            recommended: "warn",
         },
         schema: [],
     },
diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin-typescript/lib/rules/no-unused-vars.js b/packages/eslint-plugin-typescript/lib/rules/no-unused-vars.js
index a165fed4702..856b7511427 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin-typescript/lib/rules/no-unused-vars.js
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin-typescript/lib/rules/no-unused-vars.js
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ module.exports = Object.assign({}, baseRule, {
             extraDescription: [util.tslintRule("no-unused-variable")],
             category: "Variables",
             url: util.metaDocsUrl("no-unused-vars"),
-            recommended: "warning",
+            recommended: "warn",
         },
         schema: baseRule.meta.schema,
     },
diff --git a/packages/eslint-plugin-typescript/tools/update-recommended.js b/packages/eslint-plugin-typescript/tools/update-recommended.js
index 8d30d03112a..b80e41e332d 100644
--- a/packages/eslint-plugin-typescript/tools/update-recommended.js
+++ b/packages/eslint-plugin-typescript/tools/update-recommended.js
@@ -33,6 +33,13 @@ function generate() {
             const ruleName = `typescript/${key}`;
             const setting = allRules[key].meta.docs.recommended;
 
+            if (!["error", "warn"].includes(setting)) {
+                console.log(`ERR! Invalid level for rule ${key}: "${setting}"`);
+                // Don't want to throw an error since ^ explains what happened.
+                // eslint-disable-next-line no-process-exit
+                process.exit(1);
+            }
+
             console.log(ruleName.padEnd(MAX_RULE_NAME_LENGTH), "=", setting);
             config[ruleName] = setting;