NHTSA Vehicle Safety MCP Server for Windsurf 13 tools — connect in under 2 minutes
Windsurf brings agentic AI coding to a purpose-built IDE. Connect NHTSA Vehicle Safety through the Vinkius and Cascade will auto-discover every tool — ask questions, generate code, and act on live data without leaving your editor.
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The modern way to manage MCP Servers — no config files, no terminal commands. Install NHTSA Vehicle Safety and 2,500+ MCP Servers from a single visual interface.
{
"mcpServers": {
"nhtsa-vehicle-safety": {
"url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
}
}
}
* Every MCP server runs on Vinkius-managed infrastructure inside AWS - a purpose-built runtime with per-request V8 isolates, Ed25519 signed audit chains, and sub-40ms cold starts optimized for native MCP execution. See our infrastructure
About NHTSA Vehicle Safety MCP Server
Connect to NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) and access US vehicle safety data through natural conversation — no API key needed.
Windsurf's Cascade agent chains multiple NHTSA Vehicle Safety tool calls autonomously — query data, analyze results, and generate code in a single agentic session. Paste the Vinkius Edge URL, reload, and all 13 tools are immediately available. Real-time tool feedback appears inline, so you see API responses directly in your editor.
What you can do
- VIN Decoding — Decode any 17-character VIN to reveal make, model, year, engine, transmission and safety features
- Recall Search — Search safety recalls by make, model and year or by campaign number
- Consumer Complaints — Browse vehicle owner complaints filed with NHTSA by make, model or ODI number
- Safety Ratings — Check NHTSA crash test ratings (overall, frontal, side, rollover)
- Car Seat Stations — Find certified car seat inspection stations by ZIP code or GPS coordinates
The NHTSA Vehicle Safety MCP Server exposes 13 tools through the Vinkius. Connect it to Windsurf in under two minutes — no API keys to rotate, no infrastructure to provision, no vendor lock-in. Your configuration, your data, your control.
How to Connect NHTSA Vehicle Safety to Windsurf via MCP
Follow these steps to integrate the NHTSA Vehicle Safety MCP Server with Windsurf.
Open MCP Settings
Go to Settings → MCP Configuration or press Cmd+Shift+P and search "MCP"
Add the server
Paste the JSON configuration above into mcp_config.json
Save and reload
Windsurf will detect the new server automatically
Start using NHTSA Vehicle Safety
Open Cascade and ask: "Using NHTSA Vehicle Safety, help me..." — 13 tools available
Why Use Windsurf with the NHTSA Vehicle Safety MCP Server
Windsurf provides unique advantages when paired with NHTSA Vehicle Safety through the Model Context Protocol.
Windsurf's Cascade agent autonomously chains multiple tool calls in sequence, solving complex multi-step tasks without manual intervention
Purpose-built for agentic workflows — Cascade understands context across your entire codebase and integrates MCP tools natively
JSON-based configuration means zero code changes: paste a URL, reload, and all 13 tools are immediately available
Real-time tool feedback is displayed inline, so you see API responses directly in your editor without switching contexts
NHTSA Vehicle Safety + Windsurf Use Cases
Practical scenarios where Windsurf combined with the NHTSA Vehicle Safety MCP Server delivers measurable value.
Automated code generation: ask Cascade to fetch data from NHTSA Vehicle Safety and generate models, types, or handlers based on real API responses
Live debugging: query NHTSA Vehicle Safety tools mid-session to inspect production data while debugging without leaving the editor
Documentation generation: pull schema information from NHTSA Vehicle Safety and have Cascade generate comprehensive API docs automatically
Rapid prototyping: combine NHTSA Vehicle Safety data with Cascade's code generation to scaffold entire features in minutes
NHTSA Vehicle Safety MCP Tools for Windsurf (13)
These 13 tools become available when you connect NHTSA Vehicle Safety to Windsurf via MCP:
decode_vin
Returns comprehensive vehicle specifications from the NHTSA database. Decode a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
get_car_seat_stations_by_location
Returns station name, address, phone, hours and distance. Useful for finding nearby car seat safety checks. Find car seat inspection stations by coordinates
get_car_seat_stations_by_zip
Returns station name, address, phone, hours and appointment requirements. Useful for parents needing car seat safety checks. Find car seat inspection stations by ZIP code
get_complaint_by_odi
Returns failure description, consequences, remedy, component, mileage and dates. Get complaint details by ODI number
get_complaints_by_vehicle
Returns complaints filed by vehicle owners including component, failure description, consequences, mileage at failure and date. At least one parameter recommended. Search consumer complaints by make, model and year
get_makes_for_year
Useful for discovering which brands were active in a particular year. Get all manufacturers for a specific model year
get_models_for_make
Useful for discovering the full lineup of a brand. Get all models for a specific manufacturer
get_models_for_make_year
Useful for discovering what models a brand offered in a particular year. Get models for a manufacturer in a specific year
get_recalls_by_campaign
Returns component, summary, consequence, remedy, manufacturer notes, dates and affected vehicle count. Get recall details by campaign number
get_recalls_by_vehicle
Returns recall details including campaign number, component affected, summary, remedy, manufacturer, dates and affected vehicle count. At least one parameter (make, model, year) is recommended. Search safety recalls by make, model and year
get_safety_rating_by_vehicle_id
Returns overall rating and detailed breakdown by crash type. Get safety rating for a specific vehicle by NHTSA ID
get_safety_ratings
Returns overall rating and breakdown by frontal crash, side crash and rollover. If only year provided, returns all vehicles for that year. Add make and model for specific vehicle ratings. Get NHTSA safety ratings for vehicles
get_vehicle_types_for_make
g. Passenger Car, Truck, SUV, Motorcycle, Trailer). Useful for discovering what categories a manufacturer produces. Get vehicle types for a specific manufacturer
Example Prompts for NHTSA Vehicle Safety in Windsurf
Ready-to-use prompts you can give your Windsurf agent to start working with NHTSA Vehicle Safety immediately.
"Decode VIN 1HGBH41JXMN109186."
"Are there any recalls for a 2023 Ford F-150?"
"What's the safety rating for a 2024 Toyota Camry?"
Troubleshooting NHTSA Vehicle Safety MCP Server with Windsurf
Common issues when connecting NHTSA Vehicle Safety to Windsurf through the Vinkius, and how to resolve them.
Server not connecting
NHTSA Vehicle Safety + Windsurf FAQ
Common questions about integrating NHTSA Vehicle Safety MCP Server with Windsurf.
How does Windsurf discover MCP tools?
mcp_config.json file on startup and connects to each configured server via Streamable HTTP. Tools are listed in the MCP panel and available to Cascade automatically.Can Cascade chain multiple MCP tool calls?
Does Windsurf support multiple MCP servers?
mcp_config.json. Each server's tools appear in the MCP panel and Cascade can use tools from different servers in a single flow.Connect NHTSA Vehicle Safety with your favorite client
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Connect NHTSA Vehicle Safety to Windsurf
Get your token, paste the configuration, and start using 13 tools in under 2 minutes. No API key management needed.