NHTSA Vehicle and Equipment Recalls Since 1966

Department of Transportation data contains recall campaigns for vehicles, tires, car seats, and equipment reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The dataset includes information from 1966 onward, with completion rate data available from 2015 Q1. Manufacturers are required to report safety defects or noncompliance within 5 business days.

Use Cases

• Analyze recall completion rate trends by manufacturer and component from 2015 Q1 onward.
• Compare the frequency of recall campaigns across types like tires, vehicles, car seats, and equipment.
• Identify manufacturers with the highest number of safety defect or noncompliance reports.
• Filter historical recall data by characteristics like manufacturer and component for targeted safety audits.

Strengths

• Data coverage begins in 1966, providing a long-term historical perspective on vehicle safety.
• Recalls are categorized by specific types: tires, vehicles, car seats, and equipment.
• Manufacturer reporting is mandated by Federal Regulation 49 Part 573, ensuring a consistent data source.
• Includes completion rate metrics from the latest Recall Quarterly or Annual Reports.

Limitations

• The default visualization only shows the top 12 manufacturers for the current year, potentially hiding full historical data.
• Sample data and specific column structure are unavailable, complicating initial data assessment.
• The dataset's size, row count, and specific features per record are unknown.

Provenance

Source

Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Collection Method

Manufacturers file mandatory Defect and Noncompliance Reports under Federal Regulation 49 Part 573.

Time Range

1966 to present, with completion rate data from 2015 Q1 onward.

Freshness

Last updated March 2026, indicating regular maintenance.

Geography

United States (federal safety standards).