How Our Data Works

Data Sources

All vehicle safety data on this site comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a division of the U.S. Department of Transportation. NHTSA maintains several public databases that we query through their official APIs. These include the Recalls API for manufacturer safety recalls, the Complaints API for consumer-reported vehicle problems, and the Safety Ratings API for crash test results from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).

How Recalls Work

When a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety defect or does not comply with federal safety standards, a recall is issued. Each recall has a unique NHTSA Campaign Number and includes information about the affected vehicles, the nature of the defect, the potential consequences, and the manufacturer's remedy. Vehicle Safety Hub displays all active recalls for any vehicle searched on our site.

How Complaints Work

Any vehicle owner can file a safety complaint with NHTSA through their online portal. Complaints describe problems experienced with a vehicle, including the component involved, mileage at time of failure, and whether the issue resulted in a crash, fire, injury, or death. We display all complaints on file for each vehicle and group them by component category to help identify patterns.

Safety Ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings program evaluates vehicles through frontal crash, side crash, and rollover resistance tests. Ratings range from 1 star (lowest) to 5 stars (highest). Not all vehicles have been tested — ratings availability depends on NHTSA's testing schedule. We display ratings when available and clearly indicate when a vehicle has not been rated.

Update Frequency

Our data refreshes every 24 hours through NHTSA's APIs. This means new recalls, complaints, and ratings typically appear on our site within one day of being published by NHTSA.

Limitations

While we strive for accuracy, all data originates from NHTSA and is subject to their data collection and publication processes. Complaint counts reflect reports filed with NHTSA and may not represent the full scope of issues experienced by vehicle owners. Safety ratings reflect controlled test conditions and may not predict real-world crash outcomes. We encourage users to verify critical safety information directly with NHTSA at nhtsa.gov.