NHTSA vs ProblemsByVin

Same instrument, two spec sheets — measured, not claimed.

Uptime · 30d
Uptime · 90d—%—%
Uptime · 30d—%—%
P50 · ms
P95 · ms
Authnonenone
CORSyesyes
HTTPSyesyes
Card requirednono
Commercial useyesyes
Data licensePublic domain (U.S. Government work)CC BY 4.0
Free tierFree, no keyFree (weekly-refreshed static JSON datasets)
Rate limitUnpublishedUnpublished (static JSON files)
In directory since2026-07-052026-07-05
operationalpartialdownno data

NHTSA vs ProblemsByVin: common questions

Which is more reliable, NHTSA or ProblemsByVin?

On our scheduled checks, ProblemsByVin leads on measured uptime — NHTSA at —% versus ProblemsByVin at —% over 90 days. These are our own probe results, not provider claims; the uptime bars above show the day-by-day record for both.

Do NHTSA and ProblemsByVin need an API key?

Neither needs a paid key — NHTSA is callable with no signup, and ProblemsByVin is callable with no signup. Both are quick to prototype with; rate limits still apply.

Can I call NHTSA and ProblemsByVin from the browser?

Yes — both NHTSA and ProblemsByVin send CORS headers over HTTPS, so front-end code can fetch either directly with no backend proxy. That makes them easy to swap in a client-side app while you compare responses.

Are NHTSA and ProblemsByVin free for commercial use?

NHTSA allows commercial use on its free tier, and ProblemsByVin allows commercial use on its free tier. We track service terms and the data license as separate fields — see the Commercial use and Data license rows above, and confirm both before shipping either in a paid product.