FAQs: Compliance Test Report Database

If the item you are searching for has not been tested as part of the Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance’s compliance program, it will not appear in the drop-down list. NHTSA does not test every vehicle or item of motor vehicle equipment. By law, manufacturers themselves certify that their products meet the minimum performance requirements in applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.  

Compliance test reports are included in the database and are made available to inform the public and interested parties. The opinions, findings and conclusions expressed in these test reports should not be read as determinative of whether the product failed to comply or met a particular standard, as the test report itself is only part of NHTSA’s investigative process. For other documentation related to potential safety issues, including if a product is recalled, search for the vehicle or equipment at NHTSA.gov/Recalls.

When a user filters the database using any one of the categories on the screen, the available choices shown in the drop-down menus are narrowed for the remaining filters. For example, on the Vehicle tab, if you first select the Year as 2019, then select the Make as Ford, the choices that remain under the filter headings Model and FMVSS, have been narrowed to show only models and FMVSSs for the selected Year and Make for which a test report will be available. Similarly, if you first select Test Results as Issue Identified – Valid Test, then select the Make as Fiat, the choices that will be displayed under the remaining filters will have been narrowed based on the Test Result and Make selected for which a test report will be available. Select Clear Filters to begin a new search.

When searching by report number for reports from our 2022 and earlier program years, the full report number is a seven-digit numerical string for tire reports and a six-digit numerical string for everything else. The number is sometimes prefaced by the letters HS. Reports for the 2023 and later program years use a report number formatted similar to: 213-2302645-TEST, where the first three characters are the three-digit FMVSS number and the middle set of characters are unique.

Some components of a motor vehicle such as headlamps, brake hoses, door locks, etc. are categorized as motor vehicle equipment and can be found under the Other tab instead of on the Vehicle tab. Search the Other tab if you are searching for a report about a component on a motor vehicle and you don’t find it under the Vehicle tab. If it was tested to the requirements of the FMVSS listed on the Other tab, it will not appear on the Vehicle tab.

A test is marked as indicant when it is significant in some way. This may include a slight variation in the specific test conditions, a noteworthy aspect of the test sample or other item of interest causing the test to be flagged for awareness. A test may also be labeled as indicant when NHTSA collects data potentially relevant to one standard while performing a test directed at measuring performance to another standard. Information gathered during such an indicant test may provide a basis for further testing or investigation. As this test data may be useful and informative, it is provided here in the Compliance Test Report Database.