nhtsa-vehicle-safety-mcp-server

Decode VINs, search recalls, complaints, crash ratings, and investigations.

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What it can do

    What data it sees

    Do you need an account

    No: the server works without sign-in

    Decode VINs, search recalls, complaints, crash ratings, and investigations.

    How to connect

    How to connect nhtsa-vehicle-safety-mcp-server to Claude

    The server address to paste into Claude settings:

    https://nhtsa.caseyjhand.com/mcp

    1. Open Claude (claude.ai or the desktop app).
    2. Go to Settings → Connectors.
    3. Click Add custom connector.
    4. Paste the server address copied below into Remote MCP server URL and click Add.
    5. In a chat, click + → Connectors and switch the new connector on.

    Custom connectors are available on Free, Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise plans (Free is limited to one). On Team and Enterprise an organization Owner adds the connector first under Organization settings → Connectors.

    Authorization

    After you click Add, a sign-in window for the service opens. Sign in with your own account and approve access. Claude never sees your password.

    How to connect nhtsa-vehicle-safety-mcp-server to ChatGPT

    The server address to paste into ChatGPT settings:

    https://nhtsa.caseyjhand.com/mcp

    1. Open ChatGPT in a browser (chatgpt.com). A Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise or Edu plan is required.
    2. Turn on developer mode once: Settings → Apps → Advanced settings → Developer mode.
    3. Open Settings → Connectors and click Create.
    4. Fill in the form: Name (anything), Description (one line about what the service does), MCP server URL (copy it below).
    5. Under Authentication choose OAuth if the service requires sign-in, otherwise None. Click Create.
    6. In a new chat open + → Apps/Connectors and enable the connector.

    OpenAI has renamed this section before (Connectors → Apps/Plugins). If the label differs, search settings for "developer mode". On Business/Enterprise workspaces an admin must allow custom connectors first.

    Authorization

    On first use ChatGPT opens the service's sign-in window. Sign in and approve access.

    How to connect nhtsa-vehicle-safety-mcp-server to Cursor

    The server address to paste into Cursor settings:

    https://nhtsa.caseyjhand.com/mcp

    Fastest: click Open in Cursor below and confirm the prompt.

    Manually:

    1. In Cursor open Settings → Cursor Settings → MCP and click Add new global MCP server.
    2. Paste the JSON copied below into ~/.cursor/mcp.json (per project: .cursor/mcp.json in the repo root).
    3. Save the file. The server appears in the MCP list; authorize it there if asked.

    Authorization

    If the service needs sign-in, an authorize button appears next to the server in the MCP list.

    Server tool list (7)

    Raw names from tools/list. Only developers need these.

    nhtsa_get_vehicle_safetyGet a comprehensive safety profile for a vehicle. Combines NCAP crash test ratings, recalls, and complaint summary into a single response. Use as the default when asked about vehicle safety, reliability, or purchase decisions.
    nhtsa_search_recallsSearch recall campaigns by vehicle or campaign number. Use for specific recall lookups, recall history for a vehicle, or looking up a known campaign number.
    nhtsa_search_complaintsSearch consumer safety complaints filed with NHTSA for a specific vehicle. Returns a component breakdown over all matching complaints plus a paginated slice of the most recent complaints. Use for common problems, failure patterns, or owner-reported issues.
    nhtsa_get_safety_ratingsGet NCAP crash test ratings and ADAS feature availability for a vehicle. Use when the user specifically wants crash test stars, rollover risk, or wants to compare safety features across vehicles. NCAP data available from 1990+, best coverage for 2011+.
    nhtsa_decode_vinDecode a Vehicle Identification Number to extract make, model, year, body type, engine, safety equipment, and manufacturing details. Pass a single 17-character VIN string, or an array of up to 50 VINs for batch decode. Partial VINs accepted — use * for unknown positions.
    nhtsa_search_investigationsSearch NHTSA defect investigations from the ODI flat file — covering Preliminary Evaluations (PE), Engineering Analyses (EA), Defect Petitions (DP), Recall Queries (RQ), Audit Queries (AQ), and additional ODI types. make, model, and component are structured filters against the investigation record's vehicle associations. All filters are ANDed. Use nhtsaId to fetch one investigation by its exact ID — including the investigationId nhtsa_search_recalls returns for a campaign. Investigations may link to a resulting recall campaign via recallCampaign.
    nhtsa_lookup_vehiclesLook up valid makes, models, and vehicle types in NHTSA's database. Use to resolve ambiguous vehicle names, find correct make/model spelling, or discover what models a manufacturer produces.