# NHTSA Vehicle Complaints Scraper - Auto Defect Reports API (`pink_comic/nhtsa-vehicle-complaints`) Actor

Search NHTSA vehicle complaints for consumer-filed auto safety defect reports. Filter by make, model, year, component, crash/fire flags, injuries, deaths, ODI number, VIN, and full narratives. Use this scraper/API for lemon-law evidence, fleet risk, auto research, and safety monitoring.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/pink\_comic/nhtsa-vehicle-complaints.md
- **Developed by:** [Ava Torres](https://apify.com/pink_comic) (community)
- **Categories:** Developer tools, Business, AI
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $2.00 / 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 Complaints Scraper

Search the official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation consumer-complaints API by vehicle make, model, model year, and component keyword. Each result includes the ODI number, reported dates, component, narrative, crash/fire indicators, reported injuries/deaths, vehicle fields, source link, and evidence limits.

### Default input and pricing

The default searches Toyota Camry model year 2020 and returns at most 10 complaint records:

```json
{"make":"Toyota","model":"Camry","modelYear":2020,"component":"","maxResults":10}
```

At current Pay Per Event pricing, the default costs at most $0.0201 (`$0.0001` start + `$0.002` per result at 1 GB or less). `maxResults` is a total cap applied after the component filter.

### Evidence limits

NHTSA complaints are consumer-submitted reports—not NHTSA verification of a defect, causation, frequency, recall status, manufacturer liability, or current vehicle condition. Reports may be incomplete, duplicated, inaccurate, or later supplemented. Review recalls, investigations, manufacturer materials, and the official ODI record before making safety, legal, purchase, fleet, or compliance decisions.

# Actor input Schema

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

Vehicle manufacturer name (e.g. "Toyota", "Ford", "Honda"). Use with model and model year for precise results.

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

Vehicle model name (e.g. "Camry", "F-150", "Civic"). Leave blank to search all models for the given make.

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

4-digit model year (e.g. 2020). Leave blank to search all years.

## `component` (type: `string`):

Filter complaints by vehicle component keyword (e.g. "AIR BAGS", "BRAKES", "ENGINE", "POWER TRAIN"). Case-insensitive partial match.

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

Maximum number of paid complaint records to return after all filters. The first-run default is 10 records (up to $0.0201 at current pricing).

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "make": "Toyota",
  "model": "Camry",
  "modelYear": 2020,
  "component": "",
  "maxResults": 10
}
```

# 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 = {
    "make": "Toyota",
    "model": "Camry",
    "modelYear": 2020,
    "component": "",
    "maxResults": 10
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("pink_comic/nhtsa-vehicle-complaints").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 = {
    "make": "Toyota",
    "model": "Camry",
    "modelYear": 2020,
    "component": "",
    "maxResults": 10,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("pink_comic/nhtsa-vehicle-complaints").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 '{
  "make": "Toyota",
  "model": "Camry",
  "modelYear": 2020,
  "component": "",
  "maxResults": 10
}' |
apify call pink_comic/nhtsa-vehicle-complaints --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "mcp-remote",
                "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=pink_comic/nhtsa-vehicle-complaints",
                "--header",
                "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_API_TOKEN>"
            ]
        }
    }
}

```

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/RRnmBKOsqI314ntAH/builds/SDPAplGNcLLzzZa9X/openapi.json