---
license: cc-by-4.0
language:
- en
pretty_name: "NHTSA Defect Investigations - Tracked US Vehicles"
tags:
- automotive
- vehicles
- nhtsa
- defect-investigations
- odi
- recalls
- vehicle-safety
- open-data
size_categories:
- n<1K
configs:
- config_name: default
  data_files:
  - split: train
    path: nhtsa-investigations.csv
---

# NHTSA Defect Investigations

Every NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) action touching a tracked vehicle — open and historical. The leading indicator of a recall: a Preliminary Evaluation (PE) can escalate to an Engineering Analysis (EA) and then a recall. Includes the recall campaign number for investigations that became recalls.

## Columns
| column | meaning |
|---|---|
| `action_number` | NHTSA investigation ID (prefix = type) |
| `type` | PE \| EA \| RQ \| DP \| AQ — investigation stage |
| `status` | open \| closed, per the NHTSA record |
| `make` | Manufacturer (blank if it spans multiple makes) |
| `model` | Model (blank if it spans multiple models) |
| `year_start` | Earliest affected model year in our fleet |
| `year_end` | Latest affected model year in our fleet |
| `component` | NHTSA component under investigation |
| `opened` | Investigation open date |
| `closed` | Close date (blank if open) |
| `recall_campaign` | NHTSA recall campaign # if it led to a recall |
| `nhtsa_url` | Official NHTSA record |

## Source & methodology
Parsed from NHTSA’s ODI investigations flat file (FLAT_INV) and matched to our vehicles by year/make/model. One row per NHTSA action number. "status" is open when the federal record carries no close date; "recall_campaign" holds the NHTSA campaign number when the investigation led to a recall. An investigation is NHTSA examining a pattern — not a confirmed defect.

Canonical version, full methodology, and the other datasets: **https://problemsbyvin.com/data/** .

## License
CC BY 4.0 — free to use with attribution to **ProblemsByVin (https://problemsbyvin.com)**.