# NHTSA Vehicle Recall Scraper (`moving_beacon-owner1/nhtsa-vehicle-recall-scraper`) Actor

Scrapes U.S. vehicle safety recall records from the official NHTSA API. Search by make, model, and model year, or retrieve a specific recall campaign. Supports automatic model discovery when the model is omitted and returns recall details, affected units, manufacturer, remedy.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/moving\_beacon-owner1/nhtsa-vehicle-recall-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Jamshaid Arif](https://apify.com/moving_beacon-owner1) (community)
- **Categories:** Developer tools, Automation, Other
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 50.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $9.99 / 1,000 results

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/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
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.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — 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 Recall Scraper

Scrapes US vehicle safety recalls from the official NHTSA recalls API (`api.nhtsa.gov`). Search by vehicle (make / model / model year) or look up a single recall campaign number. If `model` is left empty, the actor enumerates every model of the given make/year that has recalls and collects them all (up to the limit).

### Input

| Field | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| `mode` | `by_vehicle` | `by_vehicle` or `campaign_number` |
| `make` | `HONDA` | Vehicle make (by\_vehicle mode) |
| `model` | `CIVIC` | Vehicle model; empty = all models of the make/year |
| `model_year` | `2020` | Vehicle model year (by\_vehicle mode) |
| `campaign_number` | `""` | NHTSA campaign number, e.g. `21V215000` (campaign\_number mode) |
| `limit` | `50` | Max records to output (1–1000) |

### Output example

```json
{
    "campaign_number": "21V215000",
    "manufacturer": "Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)",
    "component": "FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP",
    "summary": "Honda is recalling certain 2019-2020 ... The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.",
    "consequence": "Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.",
    "remedy": "Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge.",
    "report_received_date": "25/03/2021",
    "make": "HONDA",
    "model": "CIVIC",
    "model_year": "2020",
    "units_affected": 624552,
    "raw": { "NHTSACampaignNumber": "21V215000", "...": "..." }
}
```

# Actor input Schema

## `mode` (type: `string`):

Search recalls by vehicle (make/model/year) or look up a single NHTSA recall campaign number.

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

Vehicle make, e.g. HONDA, TOYOTA, FORD. Used in by\_vehicle mode.

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

Vehicle model, e.g. CIVIC. Leave empty to enumerate ALL models of the make/year that have recalls (slower).

## `model_year` (type: `integer`):

Vehicle model year, e.g. 2020. Used in by\_vehicle mode.

## `campaign_number` (type: `string`):

NHTSA recall campaign number, e.g. 21V215000. Used (and required) in campaign\_number mode.

## `limit` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of recall records to output.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "mode": "by_vehicle",
  "make": "HONDA",
  "model": "CIVIC",
  "model_year": 2020,
  "campaign_number": "21V215000",
  "limit": 50
}
```

# 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 = {
    "mode": "by_vehicle",
    "make": "HONDA",
    "model": "CIVIC",
    "model_year": 2020,
    "campaign_number": "21V215000",
    "limit": 50
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("moving_beacon-owner1/nhtsa-vehicle-recall-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 = {
    "mode": "by_vehicle",
    "make": "HONDA",
    "model": "CIVIC",
    "model_year": 2020,
    "campaign_number": "21V215000",
    "limit": 50,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("moving_beacon-owner1/nhtsa-vehicle-recall-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 '{
  "mode": "by_vehicle",
  "make": "HONDA",
  "model": "CIVIC",
  "model_year": 2020,
  "campaign_number": "21V215000",
  "limit": 50
}' |
apify call moving_beacon-owner1/nhtsa-vehicle-recall-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,moving_beacon-owner1/nhtsa-vehicle-recall-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/31RiuZZF9ItFny6ps/builds/NWtHB4HD6nORx41oa/openapi.json