v1 · legacyDocs for the previous API generation. v1 endpoints keep working, but new work should target v2. See v2 Recalls reference.

Vehicle Recalls

API reference for searching and retrieving vehicle recall information from Transport Canada and NHTSA.

The recalls API returns recall records from Transport Canada and NHTSA. Search by make, model, year, and other criteria to find safety issues affecting specific vehicles.

Search recalls

GET /v1/recalls/:country/search

Search recalls by make, model, and year range, with pagination and sorting. Supports Transport Canada (CA) and NHTSA (US) sources.

Required parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
`country`	string	Country code for recall data source. Must be either "ca" (Canada) or "us" (United States).

Optional parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
`makes`	string	Comma-separated list of vehicle makes to filter by (e.g., "HONDA,TOYOTA,FORD").
`models`	string	Comma-separated list of vehicle models to filter by (e.g., "CIVIC,CAMRY,F150").
`yearMin`	number	Minimum model year for filtering (default: 1900).
`yearMax`	number	Maximum model year for filtering (default: current year + 2).
`limit`	number	Maximum number of results to return (default: 10).
`offset`	number	Number of results to skip for pagination (default: 0).
`sort`	string	Field to sort by: "recall_date", "year", "make", or "model" (default: "recall_date").
`order`	string	Sort order: "asc" or "desc" (default: "desc").

Transport Canada example

curl "https://api.cardog.app/v1/recalls/ca/search" \
  -H "x-api-key: your-api-key" \
  -G \
  -d "makes=HONDA,TOYOTA" \
  -d "models=CIVIC,CAMRY" \
  -d "yearMin=2020" \
  -d "yearMax=2023" \
  -d "limit=5" \
  -d "sort=recall_date" \
  -d "order=desc"

NHTSA example

curl "https://api.cardog.app/v1/recalls/us/search" \
  -H "x-api-key: your-api-key" \
  -G \
  -d "makes=FORD,CHEVROLET" \
  -d "models=F150,SILVERADO" \
  -d "yearMin=2020" \
  -d "yearMax=2023" \
  -d "limit=5" \
  -d "sort=recall_date" \
  -d "order=desc"

Transport Canada response:

Example

4 keys

"response": {

"success": true,

"provider": "Transport Canada",

"data": [

0: {15 items}

"meta": {

"filter": {8 items},

"count": 1

}

NHTSA response:

Example

4 keys

"response": {

"success": true,

"provider": "NHTSA",

"data": [

0: {16 items}

"meta": {

"filter": {8 items},

"count": 1

}

Get recall by ID

GET /v1/recalls/:country/:id

Retrieve one recall by its identifier. The response includes affected units, system type, and manufacturer information. Works for both Transport Canada and NHTSA recalls.

Required parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
`country`	string	Country code for recall data source. Must be either "ca" (Canada) or "us" (United States).
`id`	string	The unique identifier of the recall to retrieve.

# Transport Canada
curl "https://api.cardog.app/v1/recalls/ca/recall-2023-001" \
  -H "x-api-key: your-api-key"

# NHTSA
curl "https://api.cardog.app/v1/recalls/us/23V123456" \
  -H "x-api-key: your-api-key"

Transport Canada response:

Example

15 keys

"response": {

"id": "recall-2023-001",

"recallNumber": "2023-001",

"year": 2023,

"manufacturerRecallNumber": "HONDA-2023-001",

"category": "Safety",

"model": "CIVIC",

"make": "HONDA",

"unitsAffected": 15000,

"systemType": "Brake System",

"notificationType": "Owner Notification",

"comment": "Potential brake fluid leak in master cylinder that could result in reduced braking performance. This condition may lead to increased stopping distances and could increase the risk of a crash.",

"dateYear": 2023,

"recallDate": "2023-03-15",

"processedAt": "2023-03-20T10:30:00Z",

"provider": "Transport Canada"

}

NHTSA response:

Example

16 keys

"response": {

"manufacturer": "Ford Motor Company",

"nhtsaCampaignNumber": "23V123456",

"parkIt": false,

"parkOutSide": false,

"overTheAirUpdate": false,

"nhtsaActionNumber": "EA23001",

"reportReceivedDate": "2023-01-15",

"component": "Electrical System",

"summary": "Potential electrical system malfunction that could cause the vehicle to stall unexpectedly while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.",

"consequence": "May cause vehicle to stall unexpectedly",

"remedy": "Dealer will inspect and replace affected components at no cost to the owner.",

"notes": "Affects certain 2020-2023 F-150 vehicles manufactured between January 2020 and December 2022.",

"modelYear": "2023",

"make": "FORD",

"model": "F150",

"provider": "NHTSA"

}

Legacy Transport Canada endpoint

GET /v1/recalls/transport-canada/:id

Note: This legacy endpoint is maintained for backward compatibility. For new applications, use the unified country-based endpoint /v1/recalls/ca/:id.

Retrieve one Transport Canada recall by its identifier.

Required parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
`id`	string	The unique identifier of the Transport Canada recall to retrieve.

bash

curl "https://api.cardog.app/v1/recalls/transport-canada/recall-2023-001" \
  -H "x-api-key: your-api-key"

Example

15 keys

"response": {

"id": "recall-2023-001",

"recallNumber": "2023-001",

"year": 2023,

"manufacturerRecallNumber": "HONDA-2023-001",

"category": "Safety",

"model": "CIVIC",

"make": "HONDA",

"unitsAffected": 15000,

"systemType": "Brake System",

"notificationType": "Owner Notification",

"dateYear": 2023,

"recallDate": "2023-03-15",

"processedAt": "2023-03-20T10:30:00Z",

"provider": "Transport Canada"

}

Data Sources

The recalls API reads from two regulatory sources:

Source	Coverage
Transport Canada	Canadian vehicle safety recalls and defect investigations. Covers vehicles sold in Canada, with affected units, system types, and manufacturer details.
NHTSA	National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (US) recall data. Covers vehicles sold in the United States, with campaign numbers, component information, and remedy instructions.

Data Format Differences

Note: Transport Canada and NHTSA use different formats and field names. The API normalizes the response shape and keeps the source-specific fields.

Transport Canada fields

Field	Type	Description
`recallNumber`	string	Transport Canada's unique recall identifier.
`manufacturerRecallNumber`	string	Manufacturer's internal recall number.
`unitsAffected`	number	Number of vehicles affected by the recall.
`systemType`	string	Vehicle system affected by the recall.

NHTSA fields

Field	Type	Description
`nhtsaCampaignNumber`	string	NHTSA's unique campaign identifier (e.g., "23V123456").
`nhtsaActionNumber`	string	NHTSA's action number for the recall.
`component`	string	Specific component affected by the recall.
`parkIt`	boolean	Whether the vehicle should be parked until repaired.
`parkOutSide`	boolean	Whether the vehicle should be parked outside until repaired.
`overTheAirUpdate`	boolean	Whether the issue can be resolved via over-the-air software update.

Recall Categories

Recalls are categorized by severity and type:

Category	Description
Safety	Critical safety issues that could affect vehicle operation or occupant safety.
Compliance	Issues related to regulatory compliance or emissions standards.
Service	Non-critical issues that may affect vehicle performance or convenience features.

System Types

Common vehicle systems that may be subject to recalls:

System	Description
Brake System	Brakes, brake fluid, brake lines, and related components.
Air Bag System	Air bag deployment, sensors, and control modules.
Engine System	Engine components, fuel system, and emissions controls.
Electrical System	Wiring, lighting, and electronic control systems.
Steering System	Steering components, power steering, and steering columns.
Suspension System	Suspension components, shocks, and structural elements.

Error Responses

Failed requests return a structured error:

Example

2 keys

"response": {

"success": false,

"error": "Invalid country parameter"

}

Example

2 keys

"response": {

"success": false,

"error": "Recall not found"

}

Use Cases

Use case	Description
Vehicle Safety Checks	Check if a specific vehicle has any active recalls before purchase or during ownership.
Fleet Management	Monitor recalls across multiple vehicles in a fleet to ensure compliance and safety.
Dealership Operations	Identify vehicles with recalls during inventory management and customer service.
Consumer Applications	Provide recall information to vehicle owners through mobile apps or websites.
Regulatory Compliance	Track and report recall data for regulatory and safety monitoring purposes.
Cross-Border Operations	Monitor recalls for vehicles operating in both Canada and the United States.

Rate Limits

Note: The recalls API is rate limited. Use retry logic with exponential backoff in production.

Next Steps

VIN decoding to identify specific vehicles
Vehicle research
Market analysis