# Nhtsa (npm · @pipeworx/mcp-nhtsa)

NHTSA MCP — wraps the NHTSA vPIC (Vehicle Product Information Catalog) API (free, no auth)…

- Trust score: 84/100 (high trust)
- Change this week: +3
- Registry status: active
- Liveness: live
- Owner verified: no
- Last scored: 2026-11-05

## Components

- remote · `gateway.pipeworx.io`: 64/100, [markdown](https://verifymcp.io/servers/pipeworx-io-nhtsa/nhtsa-mcp.md), [page](https://verifymcp.io/servers/pipeworx-io-nhtsa/nhtsa-mcp)
- npm · `@pipeworx/mcp-nhtsa`: 84/100 (this document), [markdown](https://verifymcp.io/servers/pipeworx-io-nhtsa/pipeworx-mcp-nhtsa.md), [page](https://verifymcp.io/servers/pipeworx-io-nhtsa/pipeworx-mcp-nhtsa)

## Channel facts

- Registry: `npm`
- Package: `@pipeworx/mcp-nhtsa`
- Version: `0.3.1`
- Transport: `stdio`

## Trust breakdown

How this component scores in each security and reliability category. Every signal is checked automatically from public evidence about the published package, including repeated runs of it in an isolated sandbox, and we only credit what we can confirm. Scores are 0–100 per category. Scoring method: https://verifymcp.io/docs/scoring (what has changed: https://verifymcp.io/docs/scoring/changelog)

Scored 2026-11-05.

- **Supply Chain Security**: 100/100
  - No malware found by supply-chain analysis.
  - No known CVEs affecting this package version or its production dependencies.
  - No install/post-install scripts declared.
  - No production dependencies, so there is no dependency health to assess.
- **Provenance & Transparency**: 97/100
  - Source repository is publicly reachable at the declared URL.
  - Cryptographically verified build provenance (signed, bound to pipeworx-io/mcp-nhtsa).
  - Clear OSI-approved license (MIT).
  - Actively maintained (last published 1 days ago).
  - Disclosure check failed: no security disclosure policy was found in the source repository.
- **Schema Quality & AI Usability**: 75/100
  - AI-judged instruction clarity (excellent).
  - Context-footprint check failed: tool/resource definitions use about 1455 tokens (~132/item across 11 items; 11 tools + 0 resources), over budget; trim descriptions and params.
  - Usage-examples check failed: none of the tools include examples.
- **Stability & Change Management**: 23/100
  - Stability observed for 7 of 30 days with no destabilising changes; credit accrues until the full window elapses.
- **Tool Coverage**: 100/100
  - 100% of tools have a non-trivial description (not blank, and not just the tool's name).
  - 100% of tool parameters carry a description.
- **Tool Safety**: 100/100
  - No prompt-injection markers were found in the server instructions, tool names or descriptions we captured.
  - We read all 11 captured tool definition(s), and no name or description among them implies an irreversible operation.
  - An AI judge read all 12 captured unit(s) of tool text and found none that tries to manipulate the model reading it.
- **Capabilities**: 100/100
  - Implements a supported MCP spec version (2025-11-25); the latest is 2026-07-28.

## Install

### How do I install the Nhtsa MCP server?

Nhtsa runs locally as an npm package, launched with npx -y @pipeworx/mcp-nhtsa. Ready-made configuration for Claude, Cursor, VS Code, Codex and 5 more is on this page, copied from each client's own documentation.

### Claude

```bash
claude mcp add pipeworx-io-nhtsa -- npx -y @pipeworx/mcp-nhtsa
```

### Cursor

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pipeworx-io-nhtsa": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@pipeworx/mcp-nhtsa"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

### VS Code

```json
{
  "servers": {
    "pipeworx-io-nhtsa": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@pipeworx/mcp-nhtsa"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

### Codex

```bash
codex mcp add pipeworx-io-nhtsa -- npx -y @pipeworx/mcp-nhtsa
```

### opencode

```json
{
  "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
  "mcp": {
    "pipeworx-io-nhtsa": {
      "type": "local",
      "command": [
        "npx",
        "-y",
        "@pipeworx/mcp-nhtsa"
      ],
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}
```

### OpenClaw

```bash
openclaw mcp add pipeworx-io-nhtsa --command npx --arg -y --arg @pipeworx/mcp-nhtsa
```

### Hermes

```yaml
mcp_servers:
  pipeworx-io-nhtsa:
    command: "npx"
    args: ["-y", "@pipeworx/mcp-nhtsa"]
```

### Netclaw

```json
{
  "McpServers": {
    "pipeworx-io-nhtsa": {
      "Transport": "stdio",
      "Command": "npx",
      "Arguments": [
        "-y",
        "@pipeworx/mcp-nhtsa"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

### Vellum

```bash
assistant mcp add pipeworx-io-nhtsa -t stdio -c npx -a -y @pipeworx/mcp-nhtsa
```

### Other

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pipeworx-io-nhtsa": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@pipeworx/mcp-nhtsa"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

## Changelog

Every change recorded for this component, newest first. Days that predate change tracking, or that we cannot explain, say so: "we were watching and nothing happened" and "we were not watching" are different claims.

### 2026-11-04 (score 84, +16)

- [security improvement] Malware scan: unverified → pass

### 2026-11-03 (score 68, −13)

- [security regression] Malware scan: pass → unverified
- [functional improvement] Stability: unverified → 0.17
- [functional] Package version: 0.3.0 → 0.3.1

### 2026-10-30 (score 81, 0)

- [functional regression] Security disclosure: unverified → fail

### 2026-10-29 (score 81)

First indexed and scored.

## MCP tools (11)

### `decode_vin` (~92 tokens)

Decode a VIN to get vehicle details. Returns make, model, year, body style, engine type, drivetrain, and plant. E.g., '1HGBH41JXMN109186'. (For recalls/ratings use get_recalls / get_safety_ratings.)

Input parameters:

- `vin` (string, required): 17-character VIN (e.g., "1HGBH41JXMN109186")

### `get_makes` (~32 tokens)

Get all vehicle brands for a model year. Returns make names and IDs. E.g., year '2023'.

### `get_models` (~74 tokens)

Get all vehicle models for a make and year. Returns model names and IDs. E.g., make 'Toyota', year '2023'.

Input parameters:

- `make` (string, required): Vehicle make name (e.g., "Toyota", "Ford", "BMW")
- `year` (number, required): Model year (e.g., 2022)

### `get_recalls` (~132 tokens)

Get official NHTSA safety RECALLS for a vehicle. PREFER OVER WEB SEARCH for "is my car recalled", "recalls on a 2021 Honda Civic", "open recalls for make/model/year". Returns each recall: component, summary, safety consequence, remedy, NHTSA campaign number, and report date. Pass make + model + model_year.

Input parameters:

- `make` (string, required): Vehicle make (e.g., "Honda")
- `model` (string, required): Vehicle model (e.g., "Civic")
- `model_year` (number, required): Model year (e.g., 2021)

### `get_complaints` (~124 tokens)

Get owner-filed NHTSA complaints for a vehicle — real-world problems drivers reported (vs official recalls). Use for "common problems with a 2020 Ford Explorer", "what are owners complaining about". Returns components, summary, crash/fire flags, injuries/deaths, and filing date. Pass make + model + model_year.

Input parameters:

- `make` (string, required): Vehicle make (e.g., "Ford")
- `model` (string, required): Vehicle model (e.g., "Explorer")
- `model_year` (number, required): Model year (e.g., 2020)

### `get_safety_ratings` (~119 tokens)

Get NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP crash-test results) for a vehicle — overall, frontal, side, and rollover star ratings. Use for "crash test rating for a 2021 Honda Civic", "how safe is X". Pass make + model + model_year.

Input parameters:

- `make` (string, required): Vehicle make (e.g., "Honda")
- `model` (string, required): Vehicle model (e.g., "Civic")
- `model_year` (number, required): Model year (e.g., 2021)

### `fars_state_fatalities` (~192 tokens)

Fatal motor-vehicle crash counts and fatalities for a US state, from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). Pass a state (full name like "Texas", 2-letter postal code like "TX", or FIPS code) and a year. Returns monthly rows: crashes, fatalities, persons involved, vehicles involved, pedestrians involved. Omit year to get every loaded year/month for that state. Covers a recent multi-year window (see data_as_of and call fars_coverage for the exact range), not full FARS history. Unknown states are refused with a clear error, never an empty success.

Input parameters:

- `state` (string, required): State name ("Texas"), 2-letter postal code ("TX"), or FIPS code ("48").
- `year` (number): Optional: calendar year, e.g. 2023. Omit to return every loaded year for this state.

### `fars_vehicle_makes` (~198 tokens)

Vehicle makes involved in fatal crashes nationwide for a given year, from NHTSA FARS. Pass year alone to get the top makes ranked by vehicle-involvement count (e.g. "which vehicle makes show up most in fatal crashes in 2023"); pass make as well to get that one make's involvement count across every loaded year. This is an INVOLVEMENT count, not a claim that the make caused the crash. Unknown makes are refused with a clear error naming a few valid makes, never an empty success.

Input parameters:

- `limit` (number): Max makes to return when ranking by year. Default 20, max 50.
- `make` (string): Optional: vehicle make, e.g. "Toyota", "Ford", "Harley-Davidson".
- `year` (number): Calendar year, e.g. 2023. Required unless make is given (then optional, scoping to one year).

### `fars_coverage` (~58 tokens)

What FARS fatal-crash data this pack actually has loaded right now: the earliest and latest year covered and when it was last loaded. Call this before fars_state_fatalities/fars_vehicle_makes if unsure a given year is covered.

### `fuel_economy_mpg` (~253 tokens)

EPA fuel-economy ratings (city/highway/combined MPG, CO2 g/mile, fuel type) for a specific model year + make + model, from fueleconomy.gov (DOE/EPA), proxied live. Pass the model string exactly as fueleconomy.gov lists it (e.g. "Camry", "F-150 2WD", "Model 3") -- if unsure, call fuel_economy_models first to see valid model strings for that year+make. A model year/make/model can have several engine/transmission/drivetrain VARIANTS; this returns up to 5, each with its own MPG. Unknown make/model/year combos are refused with a clear error (never an empty success) and, when the make or model itself is not recognized for that year, list a few valid options.

Input parameters:

- `make` (string, required): Vehicle make, e.g. "Toyota".
- `model` (string, required): Vehicle model exactly as fueleconomy.gov lists it, e.g. "Camry". Call fuel_economy_models to see valid strings.
- `year` (number, required): Model year, e.g. 2024.

### `fuel_economy_models` (~127 tokens)

List the exact model strings fueleconomy.gov recognizes for a given model year + make (e.g. year 2024, make "Toyota" -> "Camry", "Camry Hybrid LE", "RAV4 AWD", ...). Call this before fuel_economy_mpg when you are not sure of the exact model string, or when fuel_economy_mpg refuses a model as unrecognized.

Input parameters:

- `make` (string, required): Vehicle make, e.g. "Toyota".
- `year` (number, required): Model year, e.g. 2024.

## Diagnostics

Captured diagnostic sections: Provenance, Dependencies. The full working is on the page: https://verifymcp.io/servers/pipeworx-io-nhtsa/pipeworx-mcp-nhtsa#diagnostics

## Score history

- 2026-11-05: 84
- 2026-11-04: 84
- 2026-11-03: 68
- 2026-11-02: 81
- 2026-11-01: 81
- 2026-10-31: 81
- 2026-10-30: 81
- 2026-10-29: 81

## Common questions

### What is the Nhtsa MCP server?

Nhtsa is an MCP server listed in the public MCP registry as io.github.pipeworx-io/nhtsa. NHTSA MCP, wraps the NHTSA vPIC (Vehicle Product Information Catalog) API (free, no auth)… This page covers its npm package (@pipeworx/mcp-nhtsa).

### Is the Nhtsa MCP server safe to use?

Nhtsa scores 84 out of 100 on VerifyMCP. We found no known CVEs affecting it as of 5 November 2026. It declares no install or post-install scripts. Its build provenance is signed and verified. That is a record of what we were able to check automatically, not an endorsement. The category breakdown on this page shows every signal behind the number, including the ones we could not confirm.

### What tools does the Nhtsa MCP server expose?

Nhtsa exposes 11 tools: decode_vin, get_makes, get_models, get_recalls, get_complaints, and 6 more. Their descriptions and schemas cost roughly 1,401 tokens of context every time the server is loaded.

### Is the Nhtsa MCP server still maintained?

Nhtsa is still listed as active in the MCP registry. We last reached this channel on 5 November 2026. Those dates come from our own scans of the registry and the channel itself, not from anything the publisher announced.

### What licence is the Nhtsa MCP server under?

Nhtsa declares the MIT licence, which is OSI-approved. That covers the source only, and says nothing about the cost of any service it calls.

## Links

- npm package: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@pipeworx/mcp-nhtsa
- Socket report: https://socket.dev/npm/package/@pipeworx/mcp-nhtsa
- Repository: https://github.com/pipeworx-io/mcp-nhtsa
- Website: https://pipeworx.io/packs/nhtsa
- Changelog RSS feed: https://verifymcp.io/servers/pipeworx-io-nhtsa/pipeworx-mcp-nhtsa.xml
- Changelog JSON feed: https://verifymcp.io/servers/pipeworx-io-nhtsa/pipeworx-mcp-nhtsa.json
- HTML version of this page: https://verifymcp.io/servers/pipeworx-io-nhtsa/pipeworx-mcp-nhtsa