# VIN Decoder + Recalls + Complaints + Crash Ratings (NHTSA) (`dodge_bot/vehicle-safety-intel`) Actor

Give it VINs, get specs, safety recalls, owner complaints and crash-test ratings from official US government data. Built for AI agents and repair, insurance and used-car workflows.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/dodge\_bot/vehicle-safety-intel.md
- **Developed by:** [Dodge Sucharda](https://apify.com/dodge_bot) (community)
- **Categories:** Automation, Developer tools
- **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

## VIN Decoder + Recalls + Complaints + Crash Ratings (NHTSA)

Give it VINs. Get back one clean record per vehicle: specs, safety recall campaigns, owner complaint counts and the most affected components, and NHTSA crash-test star ratings. All from official US government data (NHTSA), no scraping and no login.

Built for AI agents and for repair shops, insurers, used-car buyers and dealers who need the same lookup for many vehicles.

### What you get per VIN

| Field group | Contents |
|---|---|
| Specs | Year, make, model, trim, body, drive type, engine size and power, fuel, transmission, plant, airbags, GVWR class |
| Recalls | Every NHTSA recall campaign for this make, model and year: number, component, summary, consequence, remedy, "park it" and over-the-air flags |
| Complaints | Total owner complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths, top 8 components, and the most recent complaints (you choose how many) |
| Crash ratings | NHTSA 5-star overall, front, side and rollover ratings, when the vehicle was rated |

### Pricing

You pay per delivered vehicle report. Invalid VINs, VINs that cannot be decoded, and failed lookups are not charged. Set a maximum cost per run and the Actor stops when it is reached.

### Input

- **VINs**: one 17-character VIN per line, up to 1,000 per run. Duplicates are removed.
- **Include recalls / complaints / ratings**: switch off what you do not need for faster runs.
- **Recent complaints per vehicle**: 0 to 50 (counts are always included).

### Output example (shortened)

```json
{
  "vin": "5YJ3E1EA7KF317000",
  "status": "partial",
  "year": 2019, "make": "TESLA", "model": "Model 3",
  "recallCount": 22,
  "complaintCount": 614,
  "complaintSummary": {"crashes": 0, "topComponents": [{"component": "...", "count": 0}]},
  "overallSafetyRating": "5",
  "warnings": ["Check digit (position 9) does not match. ..."]
}
```

`status` is `ok` (complete), `partial` (decoded but a warning applies, such as a check-digit mismatch or one lookup failing), `invalid_vin`, `not_decodable` or `lookup_failed`. Read `warnings` and `decodeMessage` when status is not `ok`.

### What this does not tell you

- **Recalls are per model and year, not per car.** NHTSA does not publish whether a specific VIN was already repaired. Use the manufacturer's VIN recall lookup or a dealer to confirm open recalls on a particular car.
- **Complaints are unverified reports** filed by owners. They are a signal, not proof of a defect.
- **Ratings exist only for vehicles NHTSA tested.** Older and low-volume vehicles often show no rating.
- Model names differ between NHTSA databases (for example F-150 and F150). The Actor matches them automatically and lists the names it used in `recallsMatchedModels` and `complaintsMatchedModels`. If a model still returns no records, the name may not match: check those fields.
- Coverage is the US market. Vehicles built for other markets may decode partially or not at all.
- This is information, not legal, safety or insurance advice, and it is not affiliated with NHTSA.

### Data sources

NHTSA vPIC (VIN decoding), NHTSA Recalls, Complaints and Safety Ratings APIs. Public US government data.

# Actor input Schema

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

17-character Vehicle Identification Numbers, one per item (up to 1,000 per run). Example: 1HGCM82633A004352

## `includeRecalls` (type: `boolean`):

Recall campaigns for this make, model and year (NHTSA). Note: this lists campaigns that apply to the model year, it cannot say whether this particular car has already been repaired.

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

Count of owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this make, model and year, the most affected components, and the most recent complaints.

## `includeRatings` (type: `boolean`):

NHTSA 5-star safety ratings (overall, front, side, rollover) when the vehicle was rated.

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

How many of the most recent complaint records to include (the total count is always included). Set 0 for counts only.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "vins": [
    "1HGCM82633A004352"
  ],
  "includeRecalls": true,
  "includeComplaints": true,
  "includeRatings": true,
  "maxComplaintsPerVehicle": 5
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `overview` (type: `string`):

No description

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

No description

# 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"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("dodge_bot/vehicle-safety-intel").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"] }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("dodge_bot/vehicle-safety-intel").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"
  ]
}' |
apify call dodge_bot/vehicle-safety-intel --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,dodge_bot/vehicle-safety-intel"
        }
    }
}
```

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/IFgedzUMAOip8F0co/builds/jSkz2ybVTJ7rAHv12/openapi.json