Universal VIN Decoder Recall Auditor

[](https://apify.com/vibhorv UNIVERSAL-VIN-DECODER-RECALL-AUDITOR)

Decode VIN Numbers & Check for Open Recalls — Vehicle History Made Simple

The Universal VIN Decoder Recall Auditor is a powerful Apify Actor that decodes any valid Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and checks for open recalls, giving you comprehensive vehicle specifications and safety recall data in seconds.

Whether you're a car buyer verifying a vehicle's history, a dealership managing inventory compliance, or a fleet manager auditing recall status, this Actor delivers accurate, structured data from NHTSA databases.

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What It Does

1. Decodes VIN — Extracts manufacturer, model, year, engine specs, transmission, body type, fuel type, and plant country
2. Checks for Recalls — Queries NHTSA for open safety recalls and returns recall details
3. Returns Structured Data — Delivers clean, ready-to-use JSON output per vehicle

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Features

• Batch Processing — Decode hundreds of VINs in a single run
• NHTSA Official Data — Uses the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration database
• Comprehensive Specs — Make, model, year, engine, transmission, body class, fuel type, plant country, manufacturer
• Recall Detection — Identifies all open recalls with count and details
• Fast & Reliable — Built-in delay control for rate limiting
• Clean JSON Output — Structured data ready for analysis or integration

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Input Schema

Field	Type	Required	Default	Description
vins	string[]	Yes	—	Array of 17-character VINs to decode
delay	number	No	1	Delay between requests in seconds (recommended: 1–2)

Example Input

{
  "vins": [
    "1HGBH41JXMN109186",
    "2T1BURHE0JC034312",
    "5YJSA1E14HF190523"
  ],
  "delay": 1
}

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Output Schema

Each item in the dataset contains:

Field	Type	Description
vin	string	The Vehicle Identification Number
make	string	Vehicle manufacturer (e.g., "Toyota", "Honda")
model	string	Vehicle model (e.g., "Camry", "Civic")
year	string	Model year
engine	string	Engine type/displacement
transmission	string	Transmission type
bodyClass	string	Body style (e.g., "Sedan", "SUV")
fuelType	string	Primary fuel type
plantCountry	string	Country of manufacture
manufacturer	string	Full manufacturer name
recallCount	number	Total number of open recalls
recalls	object	Detailed recall information

Example Output

{
  "vin": "1HGBH41JXMN109186",
  "make": "HONDA",
  "model": "ACCORD",
  "year": "1991",
  "engine": "2.2L L4 SOHC 16V",
  "transmission": "Automatic",
  "bodyClass": "Sedan",
  "fuelType": "Gasoline",
  "plantCountry": "JAPAN",
  "manufacturer": "HONDA (AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO.)",
  "recallCount": 3,
  "recalls": [...]
}

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How to Use

Quick Start

1. Click Try Actor on the Actor page
2. Enter your VIN(s) in the input form
3. Set the delay (recommended: 1–2 seconds)
4. Click Start
5. View results in the Output tab or download as JSON/CSV

Using the API

import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

const client = new ApifyClient({ token: 'YOUR_API_TOKEN' });

const run = await client.actor('7bhd75NGjPmBNPctm').call({
  vins: ['1HGBH41JXMN109186', '5YJSA1E14HF190523'],
  delay: 1,
});

const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
console.log(items);

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Data Export

Results can be exported in multiple formats:

• JSON — Native format, available via API
• CSV — Download from the Apify Console
• Excel — Use the CSV export with spreadsheet software
• XML — Via API request

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Usage Examples

Dealership Fleet Audit

"Check all 200 vehicles in our lot for open recalls before the quarterly compliance review."

Car Buyer Verification

"Decode the VIN on a used car I'm looking at to verify its specs and check for safety issues."

Insurance Risk Assessment

"Cross-reference vehicle specifications and recall history for underwriting decisions."

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For AI Agents

This Actor can be integrated into AI-powered workflows for:

• Vehicle Lookup Pipelines — Pass a batch of VINs and receive full specs + recall data
• Automated Compliance Checking — Flag vehicles with open recalls in fleet databases
• Lead Enrichment — Enhance car listing data with official manufacturer specs
• Chatbot Integration — Provide instant VIN decode via conversational interface

API Integration

// Full workflow: decode VINs and filter by recall count
const results = await client.actor('7bhd75NGjPmBNPctm').call({
  vins: inputVins,
  delay: 1,
});

const dataset = await client.dataset(results.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
const vehiclesWithRecalls = dataset.items.filter(v => v.recallCount > 0);

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Pricing

Item	Cost
Per result	$0.005
1,000 VINs	~$5.00
10,000 VINs	~$50.00

Runs use Apify's pay-per-result pricing. You are only charged for successful decodes.

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Legal Disclaimer

This Actor uses publicly available data from the NHTSA VIN Decoder API. Recall data is sourced from official NHTSA records and may not reflect the most recent manufacturer actions. Always verify critical safety information with official dealer records. This tool is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional vehicle inspection or legal advice. The developer assumes no liability for decisions made based on this data.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many VINs can I decode at once?

You can process up to 1,000 VINs per run. For larger batches, split into multiple runs with appropriate delays.

Is the recall data always up to date?

The Actor queries NHTSA in real time, so recall data reflects the current NHTSA database. However, manufacturers may issue recalls that haven't yet been indexed. Always confirm with your local dealer.

What VIN formats are supported?

Any standard 17-character VIN is supported. The Actor validates VIN format before processing and will return an error for invalid VINs.

Can I use this for commercial purposes?

Yes. The data is sourced from public NHTSA databases. However, you are responsible for complying with applicable data usage terms and regulations.

What if a VIN returns no data?

If a VIN is invalid, too short, or not found in NHTSA's database, the Actor will return a record with empty fields and a recall count of 0.

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SEO Keywords

VIN decoder, VIN lookup, vehicle identification number, car VIN check, vehicle recall search, VIN decode API, NHTSA VIN decoder, auto recall check, vehicle history report, VIN number lookup, car recall search, vehicle specs decoder, used car VIN check, auto dealer tools, fleet recall audit, vehicle compliance check, VIN batch decoder, car history API, vehicle identification lookup, open recall search

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Support

• Issues: Report bugs or request features via the Apify Console
• Documentation: Apify Docs
• Community: Apify Discord

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Built on the Apify Platform — scalable web scraping and automation.

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