Built from 184,639 NHTSA owner complaints

Going to see a used car? Check these first.

Pick the make, model, and year. You get the checks for the problems owners of that exact car reported, the recalls to confirm, and the mileages where things start to fail.

224 models · 1,395 model years · free, no sign-up

2018 Honda CR-V

2/4 checked

Ask for steering rack or gearbox repair records and run the VIN for recall 18V663000.
Confirm with a Honda dealer that fuel system recalls 23V858000 and 21V215000 are completed for this VIN.
Ask whether the fuel injectors have been replaced, and start the car cold to look for a cascade of warning lights.
Seat an adult in the front passenger seat and confirm the passenger airbag indicator shows correctly.

See the full sheet

Not a generic checklist

A 2018 SUV with a known steering fault needs a different test drive from a 2020 sedan with transmission complaints. Each sheet is built for one model year.

1
Owner complaints
Complaints owners filed with NHTSA for that model year, grouped by the part that failed.
2
Checks you can do
Each common failure becomes something to test at the car: a smell, a sound, a warning light, a receipt.
3
In the right order
Paperwork, cabin, cold start, then the drive, so you are not jumping around at the car.