Buying Used? A Safety Decision Guide

This guide follows the order you’d actually use when shopping: home research first, then the in-person look, then a decision. Every step uses an official source.

At home: decode and look up

1. Decode the VIN

NHTSA’s vPIC decoder lets you query a VIN to identify the information encoded in it, using data reported by the manufacturer, including the plant of manufacture. ^{[NHTSA vPIC]} Compare the decoded details against the listing. A mismatch in model year or trim is worth asking about.

2. Check open recalls

Enter the VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup to see unrepaired safety recalls. ^[NHTSA] Remember the limits: the lookup won’t show recalls already repaired, recalls more than 15 years old (unless the maker offers more coverage), some small-manufacturer recalls, or non-safety campaigns. ^[NHTSA] Recall remedies are free at a dealer, so an open recall doesn’t have to be a deal-breaker, but it should be fixed. ^[NHTSA]

3. Look at complaints for that model

A year/make/model search returns recalls, investigations, complaints and manufacturer communications, which give useful context on known issues. ^[NHTSA]

Air bags: the hidden-history question

NHTSA urges used-car buyers to learn the vehicle’s history and make sure it has genuine air bag inflators. In 2024 it issued a consumer alert after at least three deaths and two life-altering injuries from faulty aftermarket replacement inflators. ^[NHTSA] Counterfeit air bags have also been found in vehicles where an air bag was replaced after a crash. ^[NHTSA] A previously deployed air bag may never have been replaced. ^[NHTSA] Separately, Takata inflators in tens of millions of vehicles are under recall. ^[NHTSA]

What to ask the seller: “Has the car been in a crash where air bags deployed? Who replaced them, and do you have the paperwork?”

At the viewing: tires tell a story

• Age. Find the DOT code. The last four digits give the week and year (for example, “0308” is the third week of 2008). Some vehicle and tire makers recommend replacing tires six to 10 years old regardless of tread. ^[NHTSA]
• Tread. Tires aren’t safe below 2/32 inch. Use the wear bars or the penny test. ^[NHTSA]
• Damage. Look for cuts, cracks and bulges, or irregular wear from underinflation or overloading. ^[NHTSA]
• Uneven wear. NHTSA says uneven wear across the tread indicates the tires need rotation and/or the wheels need aligning. ^[NHTSA]
• Size. Replacement tires should match the original size or another size the vehicle maker recommends. Check the door-edge label. ^[NHTSA]

Budget for tires if they’re old or worn. It’s a fair point in price negotiation.

Confirm the safety technology

NHTSA notes that manufacturers use different names for driver assistance technologies, so check what the car actually has. ^[NHTSA] Backup cameras have been required on all new vehicles since May 2018. ^[NHTSA] NHTSA recommends forward collision warning, lane departure warning and automatic emergency braking. ^[NHTSA] Look for these features in the owner’s manual or settings menu, and make sure any warning lights go out after startup.

Check the TPMS

All 2008-and-newer passenger cars, light trucks and vans must have tire pressure monitoring. A light that flashes for 60 to 90 seconds and then stays on indicates a system malfunction. ^[NHTSA] Watch the dash at startup during your test drive.

Making the decision

After you buy

Register the vehicle with the manufacturer so recall notices reach you, and check for recalls twice a year, as NHTSA recommends. ^[NHTSA]

Know the recall lookup’s blind spots

A clean recall result is good news, but NHTSA notes that some recently announced recalls may not show yet, because VINs are added continuously. ^[NHTSA] If you’re buying a recently released model, check again shortly before you sign, and after purchase. If a plate search shows a different vehicle, search by VIN instead, since plate data comes from state DMVs. ^[NHTSA]

Test-drive checks that support your decision

During the drive, watch whether the car drifts on a straight, level road. NHTSA says a proper alignment prevents that. ^[NHTSA] Note any vibration, which NHTSA links to balance. ^[NHTSA] And make sure every warning light goes out shortly after startup.

Child seats and air bags

If you’re buying a family car, NHTSA’s rule of thumb still applies: children under 13 ride in the back, and rear-facing car seats never go in front of an active air bag. ^[NHTSA] Check that the back seat fits your car seats.

Calm next steps

1. Get the VIN from the seller before you visit.
2. Decode it and run the recall lookup at home.
3. Ask the seller for crash and repair history.
4. Check tire dates, tread and sidewalls at the viewing.
5. Have a pre-purchase inspection done if you’re serious about the car.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check a used car for recalls?

Enter its 17-character VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup. It shows unrepaired safety recalls for that vehicle. ^[NHTSA]

Why worry about replacement air bags?

NHTSA has warned about dangerous counterfeit and substandard replacement inflators, and it urges used-car buyers to learn the vehicle’s history. ^[NHTSA]

Can I tell how old the tires are?

Yes. The last four digits of the DOT Tire Identification Number show the week and year the tire was made. ^[NHTSA]

Related reading

• How to Choose a Shop for Car A/C Repair
• Choosing Tires in Southern California: A Decision Guide
• Driver Assistance Tech: What It Does and Doesn't Do
• Dealer or Independent Shop? Recalls, Bulletins and Maintenance
• Ask a question

Sources

1. https://vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/decoder/
2. https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls
3. https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle-safety/air-bags
4. https://www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/tires
5. https://www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/driver-assistance-technologies
6. https://www.bar.ca.gov/consumer/smog-check-program

General education, not a diagnosis. See our disclaimer.