# Car Recall Scraper — NHTSA Recalls, Complaints & VIN (`hichemdev/vehicle-recalls-scraper`) Actor

Scrape official US vehicle safety data from NHTSA: recalls with component, consequence and remedy, owner complaints with crash, fire, injury and death counts, VIN decoding with 40+ specs, and crash-test star ratings. Search by make, model and year, or by VIN. No API key.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/hichemdev/vehicle-recalls-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Hichem Ben Moussa](https://apify.com/hichemdev) (community)
- **Categories:** Business, E-commerce, News
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $3.00 / 1,000 records

This Actor is paid per event and usage. You are charged both the fixed price for specific events and for Apify platform usage.

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

## Car Recall Scraper — NHTSA Recalls, Complaints & VIN

Scrape **official US vehicle safety data** from NHTSA — the federal regulator — in four modes: **recalls**, **owner complaints**, **crash-test star ratings** and **VIN decoding**.

This is the vehicle half of product safety that the CPSC does not cover: cars, trucks, tyres and child seats are regulated by NHTSA, not the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

No API key required.

### Four datasets, one actor

| Mode | What you get |
|---|---|
| **Recalls** | Campaign number, component, hazard consequence, remedy, manufacturer, and NHTSA's *park it* / *park outside* fire warnings |
| **Owner complaints** | What owners actually reported: crash and fire flags, injury and death counts, incident dates, component, partial VIN |
| **Crash-test ratings** | Overall, front, side and pole star ratings, rollover risk, plus recall, complaint and investigation counts |
| **VIN decode** | 40+ factory specs from a single VIN: engine, transmission, plant, airbags, driver-assist systems, battery capacity |

### What you get — recalls

| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| `campaignNumber` | NHTSA campaign ID, e.g. `23V430000` |
| `reportReceivedDate` | When the recall was filed, **normalised to ISO** |
| `component` | The failing system, e.g. *SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC* |
| `summary` | What is wrong and which vehicles are affected |
| `consequence` | What can happen as a result |
| `remedy` | What the manufacturer will do about it |
| `parkItWarning`, `parkOutsideWarning` | NHTSA's most severe warnings — do not drive, or do not park indoors |
| `overTheAirUpdate` | Whether the fix ships as software |

### What you get — complaints

| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| `odiNumber` | Complaint ID |
| `dateComplaintFiled`, `dateOfIncident` | Both **normalised to ISO** |
| `crash`, `fire` | Whether the incident involved either |
| `numberOfInjuries`, `numberOfDeaths` | Harm reported |
| `component`, `summary` | System affected, and the owner's own words |
| `partialVin` | Partial VIN as submitted |

### Example input

```json
{
  "dataType": "recalls",
  "make": "honda",
  "model": "accord",
  "modelYear": "2022",
  "maxRecords": 100
}
```

Find only serious complaints:

```json
{
  "dataType": "complaints",
  "make": "ford",
  "model": "f-150",
  "modelYear": "2023",
  "injuriesOnly": true
}
```

Decode VINs into full specs:

```json
{ "dataType": "vin", "vins": ["1HGCV1F34LA012345"] }
```

### Example output

```json
{
  "recordType": "recall",
  "campaignNumber": "23V430000",
  "reportReceivedDate": "2023-06-15",
  "manufacturer": "Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)",
  "component": "SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE",
  "summary": "A ball valve in the vehicle stability assist (VSA) modulator may leak brake fluid...",
  "parkItWarning": false,
  "overTheAirUpdate": false
}
```

### Who uses this

- **Dealers and used-car marketplaces** — check every VIN in your inventory against open recalls before you list it
- **Product-liability and injury lawyers** — complaint volume by component is how a defect pattern is established, and the death and injury counts are right there
- **Insurers and actuaries** — crash-test ratings and complaint density by model year
- **Fleet and logistics operators** — catch a *park it* recall on a vehicle your drivers are using today
- **Automotive journalists and researchers** — track which components generate the most owner complaints across a model's life
- **Vehicle history and inspection products** — VIN decode plus recalls in one call

### A date-format trap this actor handles for you

NHTSA serves **two different date orders from the same host**, which is a genuine source of silent corruption if you read the API directly:

- `/recalls` returns `ReportReceivedDate` as **DD/MM/YYYY** — `15/06/2023` is 15 June
- `/complaints` returns its dates as **MM/DD/YYYY** — `09/28/2026` is 28 September

Parse both the same way and roughly a third of your dates land in the wrong month. This actor normalises both to ISO `YYYY-MM-DD`, and falls back to the other reading when a value is impossible under the expected one, so `filedAfter` works consistently across record types.

The API is also inconsistent about its results key — `results` on recalls and complaints, `Results` on VIN decode and safety ratings. Handled.

### Notes on coverage

- **Scope is the US market.** A model sold only outside the US will not be found.
- **Crash-test ratings exist only for tested body styles.** NHTSA rates specific configurations, not every trim, so a lookup can legitimately return nothing for a model that does have recalls. The actor says so rather than failing.
- **Recalls are per make/model/year**, so a campaign covering several models appears once per model you query.
- **Complaints are unverified owner reports**, not findings. High complaint counts are a signal worth investigating, not proof of a defect — treat `summary` as a claim.
- **VIN decode works on 11–17 character VINs**; partial VINs return partial specs, and anything NHTSA cannot interpret comes back in `errorText` rather than being silently dropped.

### Pricing

Pay per result. Each recall, complaint, rating or decoded VIN counts as one result, and the crash/injury and date filters are applied before charging.

### Notes

- Data comes from NHTSA's public recall, complaint, SafetyRatings and vPIC APIs.
- This is an unofficial actor and is not affiliated with NHTSA or the US Department of Transportation.

# Actor input Schema

## `dataType` (type: `string`):

Which NHTSA dataset to pull.

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

Vehicle make, e.g. honda, ford, tesla. Required for everything except VIN mode.

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

Vehicle model, e.g. accord, f-150, model 3.

## `modelYear` (type: `string`):

Four-digit model year, e.g. 2022.

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

One or more 17-character VINs to decode into full factory specs.

## `filedAfter` (type: `string`):

YYYY-MM-DD. Keeps only recalls or complaints filed from this date, so a scheduled run picks up only what is new.

## `crashOnly` (type: `boolean`):

Complaints only: keep only complaints reporting a crash or a fire.

## `injuriesOnly` (type: `boolean`):

Complaints only: keep only complaints reporting an injury or a death.

## `maxRecords` (type: `integer`):

Stop after this many records.

## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`):

Optional. A proxy is not required for this actor.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "dataType": "recalls",
  "make": "honda",
  "model": "accord",
  "modelYear": "2022",
  "crashOnly": false,
  "injuriesOnly": false,
  "maxRecords": 50,
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": false
  }
}
```

# Actor output Schema

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

All scraped items as JSON.

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

Browse results in the Apify Console.

# 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 = {
    "dataType": "recalls",
    "make": "honda",
    "model": "accord",
    "modelYear": "2022",
    "maxRecords": 50
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("hichemdev/vehicle-recalls-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 '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "dataType": "recalls",
    "make": "honda",
    "model": "accord",
    "modelYear": "2022",
    "maxRecords": 50,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("hichemdev/vehicle-recalls-scraper").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 '{
  "dataType": "recalls",
  "make": "honda",
  "model": "accord",
  "modelYear": "2022",
  "maxRecords": 50
}' |
apify call hichemdev/vehicle-recalls-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

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

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/haUqApbsOgfCjhBdt/builds/Sykfvt1Wv6HlzDBaV/openapi.json