Otto

Don't guess. Know.

Scan any VIN and find out what's actually wrong with the car you're about to buy.

CarFax doesn't tell you what's going to break.

A clean title doesn't mean a clean car. Otto cross-references TSBs, recalls, NHTSA complaints, and real-world failure data to tell you the specific problems that vehicle is known for.

How it works

1

Enter a VIN

Paste the 17-digit vehicle identification number from any car you're considering.

2

Otto investigates

Looks up known failure modes, technical service bulletins, open recalls, crash ratings, and NHTSA complaints for that specific vehicle.

3

See the real picture

Get a risk level backed by evidence, a targeted inspection checklist for that exact car, and a mileage window for when problems typically appear.

What you get

⚙️

Known Failure Modes

Not a generic "might have issues" warning. Specific, documented problems for that year, make, model, and engine with descriptions and symptoms to look for.

📊

Risk Level + Confidence

High, Medium, or Low risk. Plus a confidence tier that tells you honestly how much data backs the assessment. No false precision.

📎

Evidence-Backed

Every finding is backed by TSBs, recalls, NHTSA complaints, or market signals. See the sources. Decide for yourself.

🔍

VIN Decode

Year, make, model, engine, and trim pulled instantly from the VIN. Free for everyone.

📋

Targeted Inspection Checklist

Not a generic "check the brakes" list. Specific items to inspect for that vehicle's known failure modes. Walk into a mechanic's shop knowing what to ask about.

📏

Mileage Windows

Know when problems typically appear. At 60k miles? 120k? Otto shows the onset mileage for documented failure modes so you know what's ahead.

🛡️

Recall & Crash Data

Open recalls and NHTSA crash test ratings pulled straight from the source. Included free with every scan.

📅

Follow-Up Tracking

Report back after 30, 90, and 180 days. Help build the most accurate used-car failure database out there.

Be first in line

Otto is launching soon on iOS and Android. Drop your email and we'll let you know when it's live.

No spam. One email when Otto launches, and that's it.