Methodology & data sources
This page documents exactly where the numbers on RecallRadar come from and how each vehicle page is built. Nothing is invented: every recall description, complaint count and star rating is what the NHTSA APIs returned, captured as a dated snapshot. The authoritative, per-VIN check is always nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Data sources (all NHTSA, US public domain)
- Recalls — the NHTSA
recallsByVehicleAPI. For each vehicle we pulled every recall campaign across model years 2020-2024, keeping the campaign number, affected component, summary, consequence and remedy exactly as published. - Complaints — the NHTSA
complaintsByVehicleAPI. We record the total count of owner complaints for the same model years, plus how many mention a crash or fire. We do not reproduce individual complaint narratives. - Crash-test ratings — the NHTSA NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) 5-Star Safety Ratings API. Where a model year was tested, we show the overall, frontal, side and rollover stars. Many model years are not crash-tested, so "Not rated" is common and expected.
| Source | Cadence | License |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA Recalls API (recallsByVehicle) | none | U.S. public domain |
| NHTSA Complaints API (complaintsByVehicle) | none | U.S. public domain |
| NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings API | none | U.S. public domain |
How a vehicle page is built
We curated about 52 of the most-searched US cars, trucks and SUVs across 15 makes. For each, we queried model years 2020-2024 and aggregated the results into one page: the count of distinct recall campaigns (a single campaign can span several model years, so we de-duplicate by NHTSA campaign number), the most recent campaigns with their component, summary and remedy, the total owner-complaint count, and the NCAP overall stars where the model was tested. Across the snapshot that is 838 distinct recall campaigns and 45,190 owner complaints; 47 of 52 models have an NCAP overall rating.
What the numbers do and don't mean
- Recall count is history, not your status. A model can show many past campaigns even though your specific VIN's repairs are all done. Only the VIN lookup shows what is open.
- More recalls is not always "worse". Some manufacturers recall proactively; a high count can reflect transparency as much as quality. Read the consequences, not just the total.
- Complaints are unverified. Each is one owner's report to NHTSA, not a confirmed defect. They are useful as a signal, especially crash/fire mentions.
- Coverage is bounded. We track popular models and model years 2020-2024. Other vehicles, years, and equipment/tire/child-seat recalls are not in this snapshot — use NHTSA for those.
Snapshot & refresh
The data is a committed static snapshot fetched in June 2026. Recalls are issued continuously, so figures here can lag NHTSA by days or weeks. We re-run the same NHTSA fetch script to refresh. Always confirm current, open recalls for your exact vehicle at nhtsa.gov/recalls. This site is for general information and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer; see our disclaimer.
Last updated: 2026-06-20