VIN reports list records. We explain the car.
Before you pay thousands for a used car, find out what this exact car is likely to need, which repairs the manufacturer may still pay for, and whether its paperwork adds up. Every fact comes from US government records.
- Free VIN check
- Free count of what we found
- No sign-up
What government records hold for this car
These counts are real and free. The details, dates and what to do about each one are in your report.
Make it about this exact carFree
Add the odometer and we show which known problems match its mileage. Add a VIN report you already have and we check it for rollbacks, salvage, title washing and flood exposure.
Every fact shows its source
Each section names where its data came from: NHTSA, the EPA or FEMA.
Every report can be verified
A QR code opens the original findings online for 60 days, so an edited PDF is easy to spot.
Your uploaded report is deleted
We read it once for your check, then delete the file. We keep only our findings.
Refund if it fails
If your report can't be built or downloaded, you get your money back.
Six questions a VIN report can't answer
A history report tells you where a car has been. It doesn't tell you what the car will cost you next. These answers sit in government files that most buyers never see. Your report pulls them for your exact car.
Will the manufacturer still pay for this repair?
Manufacturers extend warranties on parts that fail early. The letters go to the owner on record, so a second or third owner often never hears about them. We list every extension filed with NHTSA for this model.
NHTSA manufacturer communicationsWhat usually goes wrong at this mileage?
Owners tell NHTSA the mileage when a part failed. We turn those reports into ranges, so you see which problems this car is heading into, or is already in the middle of.
NHTSA owner complaintsIs the government investigating a defect?
Some problems are under federal investigation before any recall exists. We show every open and closed NHTSA investigation into this model, so you know before the recall letter arrives.
NHTSA defect investigationsIs the catalytic converter still covered?
Federal law covers the catalytic converter and engine computer for 8 years or 80,000 miles. They are among the most expensive parts to replace. We tell you whether this car is likely still covered.
Federal emissions warranty, 40 CFR 85.2103What will it really cost to run?
The EPA rating, the MPG that real drivers report, the yearly fuel cost and the smog score. For electric cars, the range and charge time too.
US EPA fueleconomy.govIs it a car thieves target?
We check the model against the National Insurance Crime Bureau's list of the most-stolen vehicles in the US, so you know to ask about anti-theft protection and insurance cost.
NICB most-stolen vehiclesDrag the odometer. Watch the problems line up.
Every known problem has a mileage range where most owners report it. Your report draws these ranges for your car and marks where its odometer sits.
Illustration with example figures. Your report uses the real NHTSA complaint data for your car's model and year.
What you get on top of a VIN report
A VIN report shows what was recorded. VIN Shield checks those records for warning signs and adds what the report leaves out, so a buyer can decide and an honest seller can prove the car is what they say.
| What matters | A VIN report alone | With VIN Shield |
|---|
Watch a real report get checked
This is a free VIN report for a 2012 Honda Civic. Every record was in the report. None of it was explained.
- !Sold through Copart, a salvage auction, on May 28, 2024.
- !Branded salvage in Illinois in August 2024, then re-titled in North Carolina two months later.
- ?Only 2,026 miles added in 3.2 years, ending on a reading of exactly 40,000.
- ?Titled in North Carolina 20 days after Hurricane Helene began there.
- ?No accident records, service history, owner count, theft check or lien check.
- +The VIN, year, make, model and engine match the official decode.
Mileage that doesn't add up
We put every reading on a timeline and check the miles per year between them. Gaps, round numbers and readings that go down get flagged.
Oct 15, 2024, North CarolinaWhat's in your report
One PDF, built in seconds from US government records and our own analysis. The same report works for a buyer checking a car and a seller showing the car is genuine.
Plain-English verdict
What matters about this car in one paragraph, with key findings and a model safety score.
Check of your VIN report
Rollbacks, round-number estimates, salvage auctions, title washing, flood exposure, report age and missing sections.
Warranty extensions and service bulletins
Repairs the manufacturer may still cover, known fixes dealers use, and over-the-air software updates.
Problems by mileage
When each known problem usually appears, drawn to scale, with this car's odometer marked.
Safety recalls and investigations
Every recall with do-not-drive warnings highlighted, plus NHTSA defect investigations into the model.
Known problems
What owners report most often to NHTSA, with real owner statements.
VIN integrity and mileage check
Every VIN character explained, checks that catch cloned VINs, and the odometer compared with the car's age.
Running costs and emissions warranty
EPA and real-world MPG, yearly fuel cost, smog rating, crash stars and whether the emissions warranty is likely still active.
Theft risk
Whether the model is on the NICB most-stolen list, and what to ask because of it.
Viewing checklist and questions
What to check on this car and what to ask the seller, built from everything we found.
Verification page
A QR code and link that show the report's findings online for 60 days.
Every source named
Each section says where its data came from, so you can check any fact yourself.
One report. Useful on both sides of the deal.
If you're buying
- Know what the car is likely to need before you settle on a price.
- Use recalls, known problems and coming repairs as facts in the negotiation.
- Find repairs the manufacturer may still pay for.
- Walk into the viewing with a checklist for this exact model.
- Catch a rolled-back odometer or a washed title in a report the seller hands you.
If you're selling
- Show buyers the recalls, bulletins and ratings before they ask.
- Share a verification link that proves nothing was edited out.
- Point to repairs that are still covered, which adds value to your car.
- Answer the hard questions with official sources, not promises.
An edited report gets caught
Anyone can change a PDF. Nobody can change our verification page. Scan the QR code on a VIN Shield report and you see the findings exactly as we issued them.
The PDF a buyer receives
Edited after it was downloaded
VIN Shield verification page
Opened from the QR code on the PDF
How it works
Enter the VIN
Free: the car's identity, a VIN integrity check and a count of every recall, bulletin and warranty extension we found.
Add what you have
Free: add the odometer and any VIN report. We tell you how many warnings we found before you pay a cent.
Unlock the PDF
Pay once and download straight away. Your findings stay verifiable online for 60 days.
No subscription.
- Warranty extensions the maker may still cover
- Problems by mileage for this car
- Recalls and defect investigations
- Service bulletins and software updates
- Check of your existing VIN report
- VIN clone and mileage checks
- Real-world MPG and emissions warranty
- Theft risk and crash ratings
- Viewing checklist and seller questions
- Verification page with QR code
If a single warranty extension or open recall applies to your car, the repair it covers can be worth far more than the report. And you see how many we found before you pay.
Questions
Why should I trust VIN Shield?
Every fact in the report names its source, and the government sources are public, so you can check any of them yourself. Every report has a verification page that shows our original findings. We say clearly what the report does not cover, and if a report can't be built, you get a refund.
How is this different from Carfax or AutoCheck?
Those companies sell history records. VIN Shield doesn't. We check the records you already have for warning signs, and add recalls, known problems, crash ratings, running costs, an inspection checklist and a verification page. Many buyers use both.
Where does the data come from?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (VIN decoding, recalls, owner complaints, crash ratings, manufacturer service bulletins and warranty extensions, defect investigations), the EPA (fuel economy, real-world MPG and emissions), FEMA (disaster declarations), the National Insurance Crime Bureau (most-stolen list) and federal emissions warranty law. The check of your VIN report uses only the PDF you add.
Are the counts in the free preview real?
Yes. The numbers you see after entering a VIN come from the same government records as the report. If we find nothing, we say so. You pay only to see the details and what to do about them.
Does a warranty extension mean my repair is free?
Not always. Each extension has its own limits, usually years, miles and the exact fault covered. The report lists each one with its bulletin number so a dealer can look it up and confirm whether your car qualifies.
Does the report include title or accident history?
No. We don't sell title, accident or ownership records. If you already have a history report, add it and we check it for warning signs and tell you what it's missing.
What happens to the VIN report I add?
We read it once to build your findings, then delete the file. We keep only our findings, so your verification page can show them.
Can a seller use VIN Shield?
Yes. Sellers share the PDF or the verification link with buyers. Because the findings live on our page, buyers can confirm nothing was removed.
Do I need a VIN report to buy one?
No. Every report includes recalls, known problems, crash ratings, running costs, the VIN check and the mileage check. Adding a VIN report unlocks the report check at no extra cost.
What if something goes wrong?
If your report can't be generated or downloaded, you get a full refund. See the refund policy.