# NHTSA Vehicle Recall & Complaint Lookup (VIN, Make, Model) (`calculating_kitchen_h0b/nhtsa-vehicle-recall-lookup`) Actor

Check US vehicles for NHTSA safety recalls by VIN or make/model/year, in bulk. Recall component, consequence, remedy, park-it warnings, plus optional owner complaints. No API key.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/calculating_kitchen_h0b/nhtsa-vehicle-recall-lookup.md
- **Developed by:** [Andres Barcelo](https://apify.com/calculating_kitchen_h0b) (community)
- **Categories:** Business, Automation, Open source
- **Security:** Limited permissions
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

Pay per event

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## NHTSA Vehicle Recall & Complaint Lookup (VIN or Make/Model/Year)

Check **any US vehicle for open safety recalls** using official NHTSA data. Enter VINs (auto-decoded to make, model and year) or make/model/year, and get clean, structured recall records: campaign number, component, summary, consequence, remedy, "park it" / "park outside" warnings and over-the-air-update flags. Optionally add **NHTSA owner complaints** (crash, fire, injury and death flags). No API key needed.

### Use cases

- **Used-car dealers and marketplaces**: bulk-check inventory VINs for recalls before listing
- **Fleet managers and rental companies**: schedule weekly runs with `recallsSinceDate` to catch new recalls on your fleet
- **Insurance, auto repair, warranty and lending** workflows
- **Automotive research and journalism**: compare complaint volumes and failure components across models
- Feed AI agents / MCP clients with structured vehicle-safety data

### Input

| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| `vins` | List of 17-character VINs |
| `vehicles` | List of `{"make","model","modelYear"}` objects (or `{"vin"}`) |
| `make` / `model` / `modelYear` | Quick single-vehicle input |
| `recallsSinceDate` | Only recalls reported on or after this date (YYYY-MM-DD) |
| `includeComplaints` | Also return owner complaints |
| `maxComplaintsPerVehicle` | Cap on complaints per vehicle (newest first) |

```json
{"vins":["1HGCM82633A004352"],"vehicles":[{"make":"Ford","model":"F-150","modelYear":2020}],"includeComplaints":true,"maxComplaintsPerVehicle":20}
```

### Output

```json
{"type":"recall","modelYear":2018,"make":"HONDA","model":"CIVIC","campaignNumber":"20V314000","reportReceivedDate":"2020-05-28",
 "component":"FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP","summary":"...The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.",
 "consequence":"...the engine can stall while driving...","remedy":"...dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge...",
 "parkIt":false,"overTheAirUpdate":false,"nhtsaUrl":"https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=20V314000"}
```

### Pricing

Pay per result: **$2 per 1,000 recall records** and **$1 per 1,000 complaint records**. Vehicles with no recalls cost nothing beyond the tiny Actor start.

### Notes

- Data comes from NHTSA's public recalls, complaints and vPIC APIs (US government, public domain). Recalls are matched by make/model/year, so check the campaign's VIN range with the manufacturer for an exact VIN-level confirmation.
- Not affiliated with NHTSA.

# Actor input Schema

## `vins` (type: `array`):

17-character VINs. Each is decoded (NHTSA vPIC) to make, model and year, then checked for recalls.

## `vehicles` (type: `array`):

List of objects like {"make":"Ford","model":"F-150","modelYear":2020}. You can also put {"vin":"..."} here.

## `make` (type: `string`):

Optional quick input, e.g. Toyota.

## `model` (type: `string`):

e.g. Camry

## `modelYear` (type: `integer`):

e.g. 2019

## `recallsSinceDate` (type: `string`):

Optional. Useful for scheduled monitoring of a fleet or inventory.

## `includeComplaints` (type: `boolean`):

Also return NHTSA owner complaint records (crash/fire/injury flags, component, summary), newest first.

## `maxComplaintsPerVehicle` (type: `integer`):

Cap on complaint records per vehicle.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "vins": [
    "1HGCM82633A004352"
  ],
  "vehicles": [
    {
      "make": "Honda",
      "model": "Civic",
      "modelYear": 2018
    }
  ],
  "includeComplaints": false,
  "maxComplaintsPerVehicle": 50
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

Recall and complaint records in the default dataset (overview view).

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "vins": [
        "1HGCM82633A004352"
    ],
    "vehicles": [
        {
            "make": "Honda",
            "model": "Civic",
            "modelYear": 2018
        }
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("calculating_kitchen_h0b/nhtsa-vehicle-recall-lookup").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "vins": ["1HGCM82633A004352"],
    "vehicles": [{
            "make": "Honda",
            "model": "Civic",
            "modelYear": 2018,
        }],
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("calculating_kitchen_h0b/nhtsa-vehicle-recall-lookup").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "vins": [
    "1HGCM82633A004352"
  ],
  "vehicles": [
    {
      "make": "Honda",
      "model": "Civic",
      "modelYear": 2018
    }
  ]
}' |
apify call calculating_kitchen_h0b/nhtsa-vehicle-recall-lookup --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,calculating_kitchen_h0b/nhtsa-vehicle-recall-lookup"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/tVda64xA3Bs1WBCdo/builds/QJQ5piiS3wFyN4yBU/openapi.json