NHTSA Vehicle Safety MCP Server

NHTSA Vehicle Safety

Open U.S. NHTSA data: decode 17-character VINs through vPIC, look up safety recalls by make, model, and model year, and browse manufacturers and models. No authentication required.

Typical workflow

1. Identify a vehicle — decode a VIN for make, model, and model year, or list models for a known make.
2. Check recalls — query recall campaigns once you have make, model, and model year (at least one filter required).
3. Explore catalog — paginate all manufacturers or list models for a make and optional year or vehicle type.

Data sources

• vPIC (vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov) — VIN decode, manufacturers, models.
• Recalls API (api.nhtsa.gov) — recall campaigns; separate host from vPIC.

Gotchas

• vPIC defaults to XML on the wire; this integration requests JSON automatically.
• Standard VINs are 17 characters; optional model year improves pre-1980 or ambiguous year-digit VINs.
• VIN decode returns a compact decoded map of field names to values (empty fields omitted).
• Recall lookup requires at least one of make, model, or model_year; year-only searches can be broad.
• No API keys; excessive volume may be throttled despite no documented rate-limit headers.