# NHTSA Vehicle Recall Scraper - Car Safety API (`pink_comic/nhtsa-vehicle-recalls`) Actor

Search official NHTSA vehicle recalls by make, model, year, or campaign number. Use this scraper/API for car safety recalls, dealer and fleet compliance, auto recall monitoring, warranty research, and vehicle-history workflows. No API key needed.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/pink\_comic/nhtsa-vehicle-recalls.md
- **Developed by:** [Ava Torres](https://apify.com/pink_comic) (community)
- **Categories:** Automation, Business, AI
- **Stats:** 1 total users, 0 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 Recall Search

Search the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) vehicle safety recall database by make, model, year, or campaign number. Returns structured recall records including affected components, safety consequences, and remedies. No API key required.

***

### Data Source

NHTSA Recalls API (api.nhtsa.gov). Official federal vehicle safety data covering all NHTSA recall campaigns from 1966 to present.

***

### Output Fields

| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| `nhtsaCampaignNumber` | string | Official NHTSA recall campaign number |
| `manufacturer` | string | Vehicle or equipment manufacturer |
| `make` | string | Vehicle make (e.g., Toyota, Ford) |
| `model` | string | Vehicle model (e.g., Camry, F-150) |
| `modelYear` | string | Affected model year(s) |
| `component` | string | Affected vehicle component or system |
| `summary` | string | Full text description of the defect |
| `consequence` | string | Potential safety consequence if unaddressed |
| `remedy` | string | Manufacturer-specified fix or remedy |
| `reportReceivedDate` | string | Date NHTSA received the recall report |
| `parkIt` | boolean | True if NHTSA advises not to drive the vehicle |
| `parkOutSide` | boolean | True if NHTSA advises parking outside due to fire risk |

***

### Use Cases

- **Used vehicle screening** -- check any make/model/year for open recalls before purchasing or listing a vehicle.
- **Fleet management** -- programmatically monitor recall status across a fleet of vehicles.
- **Automotive compliance** -- track recall exposure for warranty, insurance, or dealer inventory purposes.
- **Consumer safety applications** -- surface recall warnings to end users by vehicle make and model.
- **Research and journalism** -- analyze recall frequency by manufacturer, component type, or date range.
- **Lead generation** -- identify vehicles with outstanding recalls for service outreach campaigns.

***

### How to Use

Set the input fields and run the actor. Results are pushed to the Apify dataset and can be exported as JSON, CSV, or Excel.

#### Input Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `searchType` | string | `vehicle` | `vehicle` to search by make/model/year, `campaignNumber` for a direct campaign lookup |
| `make` | string | | Vehicle manufacturer (e.g., `Toyota`, `Ford`, `Tesla`) |
| `model` | string | | Vehicle model (e.g., `Camry`, `F-150`, `Model 3`) |
| `modelYear` | integer | | Model year (e.g., `2024`). Leave empty to return all years for the make/model |
| `campaignNumber` | string | | NHTSA campaign number (e.g., `24V123`). Used when `searchType` is `campaignNumber` |
| `maxResults` | integer | `100` | Maximum recall records to return (1-10000) |

#### Example -- Search by Vehicle

```json
{
  "searchType": "vehicle",
  "make": "Toyota",
  "model": "Camry",
  "modelYear": 2024,
  "maxResults": 100
}
```

#### Example -- All Recalls for a Make

```json
{
  "searchType": "vehicle",
  "make": "Tesla",
  "maxResults": 500
}
```

#### Example -- Look Up a Specific Campaign

```json
{
  "searchType": "campaignNumber",
  "campaignNumber": "24V123",
  "maxResults": 10
}
```

***

### Cost

- **Actor start fee:** ~$0.10 per run
- **Compute:** minimal -- typical runs complete in seconds
- **Data cost:** $0.005 per result

Most searches return results well under $0.20 total.

***

### Output Formats

Results are available in the Apify dataset viewer and can be exported as:

- JSON
- CSV
- Excel (XLSX)
- XML
- RSS

***

### FAQ

**Do I need an NHTSA account or API key?**
No. The NHTSA Recalls API is fully public and requires no authentication.

**How current is the recall data?**
The NHTSA API reflects the live federal database. New recalls are typically added within days of the official recall announcement.

**Can I check all recalls for a make without specifying a model or year?**
Yes. Leave `model` and `modelYear` empty to retrieve all recalls for a given make.

**What do the `parkIt` and `parkOutSide` flags mean?**
These are formal NHTSA safety advisories. `parkIt` means the vehicle should not be driven until repaired. `parkOutSide` means the vehicle should be parked away from structures due to fire risk -- typically associated with certain lithium-ion battery defects.

**Does this cover non-vehicle recalls (tires, equipment)?**
The actor is designed for passenger vehicles. Equipment and tire recalls may appear depending on the make/model query but are not the primary focus.

# Actor input Schema

## `searchType` (type: `string`):

How to search for recalls.

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

Vehicle manufacturer (e.g. "Toyota", "Ford", "Tesla", "Honda").

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

Vehicle model (e.g. "Camry", "F-150", "Model 3", "Civic").

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

Model year (e.g. 2024). Leave empty or set to 0 to search all years.

## `campaignNumber` (type: `string`):

NHTSA recall campaign number (e.g. "24V123"). Only used when Search Type is "By Campaign Number".

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

Maximum number of recall results to return.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "searchType": "vehicle",
  "make": "Toyota",
  "model": "Camry",
  "modelYear": 2024,
  "maxResults": 100
}
```

# 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 = {
    "searchType": "vehicle",
    "make": "Toyota",
    "model": "Camry",
    "modelYear": 2024,
    "campaignNumber": "",
    "maxResults": 100
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("pink_comic/nhtsa-vehicle-recalls").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 = {
    "searchType": "vehicle",
    "make": "Toyota",
    "model": "Camry",
    "modelYear": 2024,
    "campaignNumber": "",
    "maxResults": 100,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("pink_comic/nhtsa-vehicle-recalls").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 '{
  "searchType": "vehicle",
  "make": "Toyota",
  "model": "Camry",
  "modelYear": 2024,
  "campaignNumber": "",
  "maxResults": 100
}' |
apify call pink_comic/nhtsa-vehicle-recalls --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

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

```

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/ZeeJNDSKNo2afeZ4T/builds/j6XL3nK6BX0kRCKY7/openapi.json