# NHTSA Vehicle Safety Scraper (`crawlerbros/nhtsa-scraper`) Actor Scrape the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) with free vehicle safety data including crash test ratings, consumer complaints, recalls, and VIN decode. No auth or proxy needed. - **URL**: https://apify.com/crawlerbros/nhtsa-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [Crawler Bros](https://apify.com/crawlerbros) (community) - **Categories:** Developer tools, Automation, Other - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 4 bookmarks - **User rating**: 5.00 out of 5 stars ## Pricing from $3.00 / 1,000 results This Actor is paid per event and usage. You are charged both the fixed price for specific events and for Apify platform usage. Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases. 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. Actors are written with capital "A". ## 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. The best way to integrate Actors is as follows. In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python.md): ```bash pip install apify-client ``` In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): ````bash # MacOS / Linux curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash # Windows irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex ```bash In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp.md). If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md). For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below. For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt). # README ## NHTSA Vehicle Safety Scraper Scrape free vehicle safety data from the **US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)** — the federal agency responsible for vehicle safety standards in the United States. No API key, no proxy, no authentication required. All data is publicly available. ### What you can scrape | Mode | Data | |---|---| | **Safety Ratings** | NCAP crash test star ratings by vehicle variant | | **Consumer Complaints** | Driver-reported safety problems by make/model/year | | **Recalls** | Official NHTSA safety recalls by make/model/year | | **VIN Decode** | Full vehicle specs decoded from a 17-character VIN | | **Vehicle Makes** | All 12,000+ vehicle makes in the NHTSA VPIC database | ### Input | Field | Type | Description | |---|---|---| | `mode` | select | One of: `safetyRatings`, `complaints`, `recalls`, `decodeVin`, `vehicleMakes` | | `make` | text | Vehicle manufacturer (e.g. `Toyota`, `Ford`, `Honda`) | | `model` | text | Model name (e.g. `Camry`, `F-150`, `Civic`) | | `modelYear` | integer | Four-digit year, 1950–2027 | | `vin` | text | Single VIN to decode (mode=decodeVin) | | `vins` | list | Multiple VINs to decode in batch (mode=decodeVin) | | `maxItems` | integer | Max records to emit (default: 100, max: 5000) | ### Output #### Safety Ratings ```json { "vehicleId": 13200, "make": "TOYOTA", "model": "CAMRY", "modelYear": 2019, "vehicleDescription": "2019 Toyota Camry 4 DR FWD", "overallRating": "5", "overallFrontCrashRating": "4", "sideBarrierRating": "5", "rolloverRating": "4", "rolloverPossibility": "10.0%", "complaintsCount": 45, "recallsCount": 3, "url": "https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/13200", "scrapedAt": "2025-01-01T00:00:00+00:00" } ```` #### Consumer Complaints ```json { "odiNumber": 11739363, "make": "TOYOTA", "model": "CAMRY", "modelYear": 2020, "component": "POWER TRAIN", "summary": "Transmission jolts when reapplying throttle.", "dateComplaintFiled": "05/21/2026", "dateOfIncident": "05/16/2026", "crash": false, "fire": false, "numberOfInjuries": 0, "numberOfDeaths": 0, "vin": "4T1G11AK2LU", "scrapedAt": "2025-01-01T00:00:00+00:00" } ``` #### Recalls ```json { "nhtsaCampaignNumber": "20V682000", "make": "TOYOTA", "model": "CAMRY", "modelYear": 2019, "reportReceivedDate": "04/11/2020", "component": "FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP", "summary": "Low-pressure fuel pump may fail.", "consequence": "Engine can stall while driving.", "remedy": "Dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly.", "scrapedAt": "2025-01-01T00:00:00+00:00" } ``` #### VIN Decode ```json { "vin": "1HGBH41JXMN109186", "make": "HONDA", "model": "Civic", "modelYear": "2021", "bodyClass": "Sedan/Saloon", "vehicleType": "PASSENGER CAR", "engineDisplacement": "1.5", "engineCylinders": "4", "fuelTypePrimary": "Gasoline", "driveType": "Front-Wheel Drive(FWD)", "manufacturerName": "HONDA OF AMERICA MFG., INC.", "plantCity": "MARYSVILLE", "plantCountry": "UNITED STATES (USA)", "scrapedAt": "2025-01-01T00:00:00+00:00" } ``` #### Vehicle Makes ```json { "makeId": 449, "makeName": "TOYOTA", "scrapedAt": "2025-01-01T00:00:00+00:00" } ``` ### Use cases - **Automotive research** — Compare crash test ratings across vehicles before purchasing - **Fleet safety management** — Monitor recalls affecting your fleet by make/model - **Insurance analytics** — Correlate complaint rates with insurance risk models - **Legal research** — Track recall and complaint history for litigation support - **Consumer apps** — Provide safety ratings and recall alerts to car shoppers - **Vehicle data enrichment** — Decode VINs to enrich vehicle databases ### Data source All data is served by the US Department of Transportation / NHTSA: - **Safety Ratings API**: `https://api.nhtsa.gov/SafetyRatings/` - **Complaints API**: `https://api.nhtsa.gov/complaints/` - **Recalls API**: `https://api.nhtsa.gov/recalls/` - **VPIC (VIN decode & makes)**: `https://vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/api/` Data is free, public, and updated regularly by NHTSA. ### FAQ **How current is the data?**\ NHTSA updates their database continuously. Complaints and recalls reflect real-time submissions. **What model years are covered for safety ratings?**\ NHTSA NCAP safety ratings cover model years approximately 1990–present, though coverage varies by make/model. **How many complaints exist for a given vehicle?**\ Popular vehicles can have hundreds to thousands of complaints. A 2020 Toyota Camry has 200+ complaints on file. **Can I decode any VIN?**\ Yes — the VPIC API decodes any valid 17-character VIN and returns up to 100+ vehicle attributes. **Is there a rate limit?**\ NHTSA does not publish an official rate limit. The scraper uses small delays between requests to remain respectful of the free public API. **What happens when no safety rating exists?**\ Not all vehicles receive NHTSA crash testing. If no record is found, the scraper reports 0 results for that make/model/year. # Actor input Schema ## `mode` (type: `string`): What data to fetch from NHTSA. ## `make` (type: `string`): Vehicle manufacturer name (e.g. Toyota, Ford, Honda). Used for safetyRatings, complaints, and recalls modes. ## `model` (type: `string`): Vehicle model name (e.g. Camry, F-150, Civic). Used for safetyRatings, complaints, and recalls modes. ## `modelYear` (type: `integer`): Four-digit model year (e.g. 2020). Used for safetyRatings, complaints, and recalls modes. ## `vin` (type: `string`): 17-character Vehicle Identification Number to decode (mode=decodeVin with a single VIN). ## `vins` (type: `array`): List of VINs to decode in batch (mode=decodeVin). When provided, takes precedence over the single VIN field. ## `maxItems` (type: `integer`): Maximum number of records to emit. For vehicleMakes this caps the 12,000+ entry list. ## Actor input object example ```json { "mode": "complaints", "make": "Toyota", "model": "Camry", "modelYear": 2020, "vin": "1HGBH41JXMN109186", "vins": [], "maxItems": 10 } ``` # Actor output Schema ## `records` (type: `string`): Dataset containing all scraped NHTSA records (safety ratings, complaints, recalls, or VIN decode results depending on mode). # 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 '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = { "mode": "complaints", "make": "Toyota", "model": "Camry", "modelYear": 2020, "vin": "1HGBH41JXMN109186", "vins": [], "maxItems": 10 }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("crawlerbros/nhtsa-scraper").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 '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "mode": "complaints", "make": "Toyota", "model": "Camry", "modelYear": 2020, "vin": "1HGBH41JXMN109186", "vins": [], "maxItems": 10, } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("crawlerbros/nhtsa-scraper").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"]) for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "mode": "complaints", "make": "Toyota", "model": "Camry", "modelYear": 2020, "vin": "1HGBH41JXMN109186", "vins": [], "maxItems": 10 }' | apify call crawlerbros/nhtsa-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=crawlerbros/nhtsa-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "NHTSA Vehicle Safety Scraper", "description": "Scrape the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) with free vehicle safety data including crash test ratings, consumer complaints, recalls, and VIN decode. No auth or proxy needed.", "version": "1.0", "x-build-id": "e0pddtFGg5AOGr5c3" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/crawlerbros~nhtsa-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-crawlerbros-nhtsa-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/crawlerbros~nhtsa-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-crawlerbros-nhtsa-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/crawlerbros~nhtsa-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-crawlerbros-nhtsa-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } } }, "components": { "schemas": { "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "required": [ "mode" ], "properties": { "mode": { "title": "Mode", "enum": [ "safetyRatings", "complaints", "recalls", "decodeVin", "vehicleMakes" ], "type": "string", "description": "What data to fetch from NHTSA.", "default": "safetyRatings" }, "make": { "title": "Make", "type": "string", "description": "Vehicle manufacturer name (e.g. Toyota, Ford, Honda). Used for safetyRatings, complaints, and recalls modes." }, "model": { "title": "Model", "type": "string", "description": "Vehicle model name (e.g. Camry, F-150, Civic). Used for safetyRatings, complaints, and recalls modes." }, "modelYear": { "title": "Model Year", "minimum": 1950, "maximum": 2027, "type": "integer", "description": "Four-digit model year (e.g. 2020). Used for safetyRatings, complaints, and recalls modes." }, "vin": { "title": "VIN", "type": "string", "description": "17-character Vehicle Identification Number to decode (mode=decodeVin with a single VIN)." }, "vins": { "title": "VINs (batch decode)", "type": "array", "description": "List of VINs to decode in batch (mode=decodeVin). When provided, takes precedence over the single VIN field.", "default": [], "items": { "type": "string" } }, "maxItems": { "title": "Max Items", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 5000, "type": "integer", "description": "Maximum number of records to emit. For vehicleMakes this caps the 12,000+ entry list.", "default": 100 } } }, "runsResponseSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "data": { "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string" }, "actId": { "type": "string" }, "userId": { "type": "string" }, "startedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "finishedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "status": { "type": "string", "example": "READY" }, "meta": { "type": "object", "properties": { "origin": { "type": "string", "example": "API" }, "userAgent": { "type": "string" } } }, "stats": { "type": "object", "properties": { "inputBodyLen": { "type": "integer", "example": 2000 }, "rebootCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "restartCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "resurrectCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "computeUnits": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "options": { "type": "object", "properties": { "build": { "type": "string", "example": "latest" }, "timeoutSecs": { "type": "integer", "example": 300 }, "memoryMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 1024 }, "diskMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 2048 } } }, "buildId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultKeyValueStoreId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultDatasetId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultRequestQueueId": { "type": "string" }, "buildNumber": { "type": "string", "example": "1.0.0" }, "containerUrl": { "type": "string" }, "usage": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 1 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "usageTotalUsd": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "usageUsd": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } } } } } } } } } ```