Tools (6)

decode_vin
get_recalls
get_complaints
get_safety_ratings
search_makes
report_feedback

decode_vin

Decode a VIN to get vehicle specifications — make, model, year, engine, drivetrain, and more.

Returns decoded vehicle details from the NHTSA Vehicle Product Information Catalog (vPIC).
Supports all standard 17-character VINs for vehicles sold in the US and Canada.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`vin`	`string`	required	17-character Vehicle Identification Number (e.g. "1HGCM82633A004352").

Request Body

{
  "vin": "123456789"
}

get_recalls

Get safety recalls for a specific vehicle make, model, and year.

Returns recall campaigns with component affected, summary, consequence,
remedy, and NHTSA campaign numbers. Covers all federally mandated recalls.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`make`	`string`	required	Vehicle manufacturer (e.g. "Honda", "Toyota", "Ford").
`model`	`string`	required	Vehicle model name (e.g. "Accord", "Camry", "F-150").
`model_year`	`string`	required	4-digit model year (e.g. "2020").

Request Body

{
  "make": "example",
  "model": "example",
  "model_year": "example"
}

get_complaints

Get consumer complaints filed with NHTSA for a specific vehicle.

Returns complaints with crash/fire indicators, injury/death counts,
affected components, incident summaries, and dates. Useful for
identifying common issues with a vehicle.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`make`	`string`	required	Vehicle manufacturer (e.g. "Honda", "Toyota", "Ford").
`model`	`string`	required	Vehicle model name (e.g. "Accord", "Camry", "F-150").
`model_year`	`string`	required	4-digit model year (e.g. "2020").
`limit`	`integer`	optional	Max complaints to return (1-100). Default 20. (default: 20)

Request Body

{
  "make": "example",
  "model": "example",
  "model_year": "example"
}

get_safety_ratings

Get NHTSA crash test safety ratings (NCAP 5-star system).

Returns overall, frontal crash, side crash, and rollover ratings.
Also includes complaint, recall, and investigation counts per vehicle variant.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`make`	`string`	required	Vehicle manufacturer (e.g. "Honda", "Toyota", "Ford").
`model`	`string`	required	Vehicle model name (e.g. "Accord", "Camry", "F-150").
`model_year`	`string`	required	4-digit model year (e.g. "2020").

Request Body

{
  "make": "example",
  "model": "example",
  "model_year": "example"
}

search_makes

List all vehicle makes with safety rating data for a given model year.

Useful to discover which manufacturers and brands are available before
querying specific models. Returns make names and IDs.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`model_year`	`string`	required	4-digit model year to list makes for (e.g. "2024").

Request Body

{
  "model_year": "example"
}

report_feedback

Report a bug, feature request, or general feedback for this data source.

Use this when something doesn't work as expected, when you'd like
a new feature, or when you have suggestions for improvement.

Args:
feedback: Describe the issue or suggestion.
feedback_type: One of 'bug', 'feature_request', or 'general'.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`feedback`	`string`	required
`feedback_type`	`string`	optional	(default: "general")

Request Body

{
  "feedback": "example"
}

Quick Start

Shell

curl -X POST "https://context.gnist.ai/rest/nhtsa/decode_vin" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Gnist-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -d '{"vin": "example"}'

Python

import httpx

resp = httpx.post(
    "https://context.gnist.ai/rest/nhtsa/decode_vin",
    headers={"Gnist-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"},
    json={
  "vin": "example"
},
)
print(resp.json())