# NHTSA Technical Service Bulletins Search by Make/Model (`hamsmoothie/nhtsa-technical-service-bulletins`) Actor

Search NHTSA manufacturer communications and technical service bulletins (TSBs) by make, model, year, component and keyword. Public data, no login.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/hamsmoothie/nhtsa-technical-service-bulletins.md
- **Developed by:** [Maybe Quark](https://apify.com/hamsmoothie) (community)
- **Categories:** Other, Developer tools
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

$2.00 / 1,000 one manufacturer communication / technical service bulletins

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 Technical Service Bulletins (TSB) Search by Make, Model and Year

**NHTSA Technical Service Bulletins Search** looks up manufacturer communications and technical service bulletins (TSBs) from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration by make, model, model year, component keyword, communication type and date. Each row is one bulletin: NHTSA ID, manufacturer bulletin number, dates, communication type, vehicle (make, model, year), NHTSA and manufacturer component categories and a text summary. Data is NHTSA's public manufacturer-communications file, with no login or API key. This is an independent tool and is not affiliated with NHTSA.

### Input

All fields are optional; leave everything empty to get the newest bulletins. This example finds 2022 Ford transmission bulletins:

```json
{
  "make": "FORD",
  "model": "",
  "modelYear": 2022,
  "keyword": "transmission",
  "communicationType": "Service Bulletin",
  "communicationDateFrom": "2025-01-01",
  "maxResults": 100
}
```

- `make`, `model`: case-insensitive substring match (for example `FORD`, `F-150`, `CAMRY`).
- `modelYear`: exact year, for example `2022`; `0` means any year.
- `keyword`: searched in the summary, component and bulletin-number fields (for example `transmission`, `battery`).
- `communicationType`: substring filter such as `Service Bulletin`, `Campaign`, `Warranty`.
- `communicationDateFrom`: only communications on or after this date, `YYYY-MM-DD`.
- `maxResults`: newest first (default 100, maximum 50000).
- `fileUrls`: NHTSA zip files to read. The default is the current 2025-2026 received file; add other NHTSA file URLs to go further back.

### Output

One row per bulletin, newest first. Real example row (summary shortened here):

```json
{
  "nhtsaId": "11038166",
  "bulletinNumber": "SSM 55218",
  "communicationDate": "2026-10-06",
  "dateAddedToFile": "2026-10-06",
  "communicationType": "Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions",
  "campaignId": null,
  "make": "FORD",
  "model": "F-450 SD",
  "modelYear": "2022",
  "nhtsaComponents": "POWER TRAIN",
  "mfrComponentSystem": null,
  "mfrComponentSubsystem": null,
  "summary": "For 2020-2026 vehicles equipped with the 10R140 transmission, a new Transmission Clutch Circuit Leak Test has been introduced in the Ford Diagnosis and Repair System (FDRS). ...",
  "url": "https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/ffdd/tsbs/TSBS_RECEIVED_2025-2026.zip"
}
```

### Use cases

Search phrases this actor is built for:

- **"NHTSA technical service bulletins by make and model"**: set `make`, `model` and `modelYear` before diagnosing a vehicle.
- **"Find a TSB by year and component"**: set `modelYear` and a `keyword` such as `transmission` or `battery`.
- **"Manufacturer communications service bulletin search"**: use `communicationType` and `communicationDateFrom`, and schedule a weekly run to export new bulletins to a spreadsheet.

Typical users are independent repair shops, used-car buyers and inspectors, fleet managers, insurers and warranty analysts. It also works as a tool for AI agents through the Apify MCP server.

### Pricing

Pay per result: each bulletin row returned is one billable result, listed at $0.002 per row ($2 per 1,000), plus Apify platform usage. Set a maximum charge on the run for a hard ceiling.

### Limits

- NHTSA's file does not hold every bulletin a manufacturer issues, and it does not include safety recalls.
- By default only the 2025-2026 received file is read; older bulletins need the matching NHTSA file URL in `fileUrls`.
- The summary is the manufacturer-reported text, not repair advice. Check with the manufacturer or a dealer before acting.
- The file is downloaded on every run, so large runs take a little longer.

### FAQ

**Does this include recalls?** No. Safety recalls are a separate NHTSA dataset.

**Why is a bulletin missing?** NHTSA says its file does not contain every manufacturer bulletin.

**How fresh is it?** It reads NHTSA's file at run time, which NHTSA updates regularly.

# Actor input Schema

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

Vehicle make, case-insensitive substring match (e.g. FORD, TOYOTA). Leave empty for all makes.

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

Vehicle model, case-insensitive substring match (e.g. F-150, CAMRY). Leave empty for all.

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

Exact model year, e.g. 2022. 0 means any year.

## `keyword` (type: `string`):

Case-insensitive text searched in the summary, component and document ID fields (e.g. transmission, battery).

## `communicationType` (type: `string`):

Substring filter on communication type (e.g. Service Bulletin, Campaign, Warranty). Empty for all.

## `communicationDateFrom` (type: `string`):

Only include communications on or after this date, format YYYY-MM-DD. Empty for no limit.

## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):

Maximum rows to return, newest manufacturer communication first.

## `fileUrls` (type: `array`):

NHTSA manufacturer communications zip files to read. The default is the current 2025-2026 file.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "make": "",
  "model": "",
  "modelYear": 0,
  "keyword": "",
  "communicationType": "",
  "communicationDateFrom": "",
  "maxResults": 100,
  "fileUrls": [
    "https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/ffdd/tsbs/TSBS_RECEIVED_2025-2026.zip"
  ]
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `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 = {};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("hamsmoothie/nhtsa-technical-service-bulletins").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 = {}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("hamsmoothie/nhtsa-technical-service-bulletins").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 '{}' |
apify call hamsmoothie/nhtsa-technical-service-bulletins --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,hamsmoothie/nhtsa-technical-service-bulletins"
        }
    }
}
```

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/aOXouCHbzwiCgKKhf/builds/4QUTl3vlg3m2X5SVs/openapi.json