Vehicle History

Every used car has a story. Find out what it is.

Accident history, title records, odometer fraud, open recalls — know everything before you hand over a deposit.

Free VIN Lookup

Enter a 17-character VIN to get started

Accident history Title records Odometer Open recalls Ownership count Theft records Flood/fire damage Lien status

Basic lookup is free. Full detailed report available for purchase. Powered by Bumper.com.

What's Included

What a vehicle history report tells you

A full report pulls data from insurance companies, state DMVs, auto auctions, and federal databases to give you the complete picture.

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Accident & Damage History

Shows reported collisions, airbag deployments, and structural damage filed through insurance claims. Not all accidents are reported — always pair the report with a physical inspection.

Red flag: Any structural or frame damage significantly affects safety and resale value.

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Title Records

Reveals if the car has a clean title or a branded title — salvage, rebuilt, flood, lemon law buyback, or junk. A branded title can mean serious past damage and affects insurability and resale.

Red flag: Salvage or rebuilt titles mean the car was declared a total loss at some point.

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Odometer Verification

Cross-references mileage readings from service records, inspections, and title transfers to catch rollback fraud. Odometer fraud is more common on high-value used vehicles.

Red flag: Mileage inconsistencies between records indicate potential odometer tampering.

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Open Recalls

Shows any outstanding NHTSA safety recalls that haven't been repaired. Recalls are fixed free at any authorized dealership — but only if the current owner knows about them.

Red flag: Open recalls on safety-critical systems like brakes, steering, or airbags.

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Ownership History

Shows how many owners the car has had and where it was registered. Multiple owners in a short time, or fleet/rental use, can indicate higher wear than the mileage suggests.

Red flag: 3+ owners in under 5 years, or extended rental/fleet use on a high-mileage vehicle.

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Lien & Theft Records

Confirms the seller actually owns the vehicle free and clear. An active lien means a lender has a claim on the car — buying it without clearing the lien can result in repossession.

Red flag: Any active lien or theft record on the vehicle you're considering.

Finding Your VIN

Where to find the VIN on any vehicle

The VIN is a 17-character identifier unique to every vehicle. Here's where to look.

Dashboard (Driver's Side)

The most common location — visible through the windshield on the lower left corner of the dashboard.

Driver's Door Jamb

On a sticker inside the door frame when you open the driver's door. Also shows tire pressure and weight ratings.

Vehicle Title & Registration

Printed on the title, registration card, and insurance documents. Always verify it matches the VIN on the car itself.

Engine Block

Stamped directly on the engine. Check that this matches the dashboard VIN — mismatches may indicate the engine was swapped.

Red Flags

Used car red flags that mean walk away

Salvage or Rebuilt Title

The car was declared a total loss by an insurance company. Even if repaired, it may have structural issues, difficulty getting insurance, and significantly lower resale value.

Flood Damage

Water damage causes long-term electrical and mechanical problems that can take months or years to surface. Flood-title cars are often moved to states with less strict disclosure laws.

Odometer Rollback

A vehicle showing 60,000 miles that was recorded at 80,000 three years ago has been tampered with. This is federal fraud — don't buy and don't ignore it.

Frame or Structural Damage

Even after repair, frame damage affects how a car handles in a collision. It also dramatically reduces resale value and can affect alignment and tire wear for the life of the vehicle.

Active Lien on the Title

If the seller still owes money on the car, their lender technically owns it. Buying without clearing the lien could result in the lender repossessing the car from you.

VIN Mismatch

If the VIN on the dashboard, door jamb, engine, and title don't all match, something is wrong. This could indicate a stolen vehicle or title washing.

FAQ

Vehicle history questions answered

Free checks give you basic information — title brand, number of owners, and sometimes recall data. Paid reports from services like Bumper, Carfax, or AutoCheck provide more detailed accident histories, service records, and auction data. For any serious purchase, a full paid report is worth the $20–$40.

No. History reports only show events that were reported to insurance companies, state agencies, or service databases. A car with cash-pay accident repairs, private-party work, or unreported incidents will show a clean history. Always pair any report with a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic.

Both pull from similar data sources — NMVTIS, insurance claims, state DMVs, and auctions. Carfax has been around longer and has a larger data network. Bumper is newer, typically less expensive, and includes additional data points like estimated market value. For most buyers, either report provides sufficient information.

Before. There's no point test driving a car that has a salvage title, flood damage, or active lien. Run the VIN check first, and if the report looks clean, proceed with a test drive and independent mechanical inspection.

Yes, and it's actually useful. You can verify your title is clean, check for any open recalls you may not know about, and get a snapshot of your car's market history — which can help when it comes time to sell or trade in.