VIN Decoder MCP Server
Connect any AI assistant to U.S. vehicle data. Decode any 17-character VIN and look up NHTSA recall campaigns right inside the chat — Claude, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, ChatGPT, Continue, or any custom MCP client. Free, no auth, one-click or copy-paste install.
https://try.vin/mcp/vin- Transport
- HTTP (Streamable)
- Authentication
- None — public, 120 requests / minute per IP (per MCP session from Claude's connectors)
- Tools
- 3 read-only lookups
Install in your AI client
Use a one-click install link or copy the snippet for your client. The decode_vin, lookup_recalls, and lookup_recall_campaign tools then appear in the tool picker (some clients need a restart first).
Claude & Claude Desktop
Add to Claude opens the Add custom connector dialog with the name and URL filled in for you to confirm. Or open Customize → Connectors → Add custom connector and enter the values below. On Team and Enterprise plans, an Owner adds it under Organization settings → Connectors.
Add to ClaudeCustomize → Connectors → Add custom connector
Name: try-vin
URL: https://try.vin/mcp/vinClaude Code
Run this in your terminal. Add --scope user for global install. Verify with /mcp.
claude mcp add --transport http try-vin https://try.vin/mcp/vinCursor
Add to Cursor opens Cursor's MCP install prompt. Or add this entry to ~/.cursor/mcp.json (all projects) or .cursor/mcp.json (one project).
{
"mcpServers": {
"try-vin": {
"url": "https://try.vin/mcp/vin"
}
}
}VS Code
Add to VS Code opens VS Code's MCP server install prompt. Or run this command to add the server to your user profile.
code --add-mcp '{"name":"try-vin","type":"http","url":"https://try.vin/mcp/vin"}'ChatGPT
Open Plugins, select +, then Add custom MCP server. Enter a name and the URL below, choose no authentication, and select Create as a plugin. Your account and workspace settings decide whether custom MCP servers are available.
chatgpt.com/plugins → + → Add custom MCP server
Name: try-vin
MCP server URL: https://try.vin/mcp/vin
Authentication: NoneAnthropic SDK
Use the MCP server from any custom integration with the Messages API MCP connector: pass mcp_servers plus an mcp_toolset tool to client.beta.messages.create with the mcp-client-2025-11-20 beta.
import Anthropic from '@anthropic-ai/sdk';
const client = new Anthropic();
const message = await client.beta.messages.create({
model: 'claude-opus-5-5',
max_tokens: 16000,
betas: ['mcp-client-2025-11-20'],
mcp_servers: [
{
type: 'url',
url: 'https://try.vin/mcp/vin',
name: 'try-vin',
},
],
tools: [{ type: 'mcp_toolset', mcp_server_name: 'try-vin' }],
messages: [
{ role: 'user', content: 'Decode VIN 1HGCM82633A004352 and check for recalls.' },
],
});Tools
These are the tools the MCP server advertises to your AI client. Each one has a JSON schema the AI uses to call it correctly without any glue code on your side.
decode_vinDecode VIN
Decode a 17-character Vehicle Identification Number into structured vehicle data — year, make, model, trim, series, engine displacement, engine model, and country of assembly. Sourced from NHTSA's vPIC dataset. A VIN vPIC flags but still identifies (for example one whose check digit does not calculate) comes back marked partial, with vPIC's warnings.
| Argument | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
vin | string | yes | The 17-character VIN. Case-insensitive. Cannot contain the letters I, O, or Q. |
lookup_recallsLook up NHTSA recalls
Look up NHTSA safety recall campaigns for a U.S. make, model, and model year. Common spellings such as "Chevy" or "F150" are normalized first. Returns each campaign number, summary, consequence, remedy, and the official NHTSA URL. Campaigns cover the model year, not a specific VIN.
| Argument | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
make | string | yes | Vehicle manufacturer (e.g. "Honda", "Ford", "Chevy"). |
model | string | yes | Vehicle model (e.g. "Accord", "F-150", "Camry"). |
year | integer | yes | Four-digit model year, 1950 or later. |
lookup_recall_campaignLook up an NHTSA recall campaign
Look up one NHTSA recall campaign by its campaign number in any common form (26V104000, 26V-104, 26V104), or find campaigns by the manufacturer's campaign number (such as Ford's 26C10), optionally for one make. Returns NHTSA's text, the campaign's facts and the vehicles on file for it by model year. A manufacturer's number can be shared, so every match is returned.
| Argument | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
campaign | string | no | NHTSA campaign number, e.g. "26V104000", "26V-104" or "26V104". Give this or mfr_campaign_number. |
mfr_campaign_number | string | no | The manufacturer's own campaign number from an owner letter, e.g. "26C10". |
make | string | no | Limits a manufacturer campaign number lookup to one make, e.g. "Ford". |
Try a prompt
Once the MCP server is installed, paste any of these into your AI client. The model will automatically pick the right tool and call it.
Decode a VIN from a listing
"I'm looking at a used car listing with VIN 1HGCM82633A004352. Decode it and tell me what year, make, model, and engine I'm about to look at."
Check recalls before a test drive
"I'm about to test-drive a 2018 Honda Accord. Look up the NHTSA recall campaigns for that model year so I can ask the seller whether they were repaired."
One-shot used-car vetting
"Here's a VIN: 5YJ3E1EAXJF005893. Decode it, then look up every NHTSA recall on file for that year/make/model. Summarize anything I should park-it-now or worry about."
Triage a fleet of VINs
"I have a fleet of 5 VINs (1FTFW1ET5DKE82010, 1HGCM82633A004352, 5YJ3E1EAXJF005893, JTDKB20U887763811, 4T1B11HKXJU123456). Decode each one and group them by make."
Look up a recall from an owner letter
"My recall letter says Ford campaign 26C10. Look up that recall and tell me which vehicles NHTSA lists for it and what the remedy is."