See what breaks, what it costs to fix, and how to keep it running. We analyze millions of data points so you get the facts, not guesswork.
Surprise repairs drain your wallet. Dealership photos and standard histories don't show design flaws or the exact mileage when a specific engine is known to fail.
If you don't know the water pump fails at 90k miles, a $400 preventative fix becomes a $4,000 engine rebuild.
Timing Chain Replacement
Known failure point at 85k miles
$2,850
Transmission Valve Body
Unaddressed factory recall
$1,400
Total Surprise Cost
$4,250
Dig through outdated forum threads, generic reviews then hope you did not miss the one detail that turns a deal into a mistake.
Get a summary of common failures, hidden risks, and upcoming repair milestones. See the data you need to negotiate a discount if you're buying - or tell your mechanic exactly what to inspect
Don't just kick the tires. Know exactly where the engine leaks, which parts are on the verge of failing, and exactly how much to deduct from their asking price.
Stop relying on generic maintenance schedules. See the exact mileage when major components historically fail on your exact model so you can replace them before they destroy your engine.
Skip the generic reviews. Whether you’re buying a car or booking a service, get the unbiased data you need to save thousands.
— Sarah K, California
"I was about to buy an F-150 with a lot of miles on it. Carfocal basically told me that engine could be a money pit. Dodged that one."
— Brian S, Texas
"My Forester was leaking something and I had no clue what it was. Looked it up and turns out it's a really common issue on my year. Took it in before it got worse."
— Laura M, Colorado
"The Malibu I was looking at drove fine but Carfocal said the transmission is a known problem on that year. Used that to talk the price down. Dealer wasn't happy."
— James D, Florida
"My Ram kept making this ticking noise and everyone had a different answer. Carfocal told me it's a known thing on these trucks. Took it in and got it sorted before it turned into something serious."
— David R, Michigan
Get the data dealerships and mechanics don't want you to have.
Carfocal is a free automotive research web application that aggregates public U.S. government datasets, including NHTSA recalls, consumer complaints, and EPA fuel economy data, into year-specific vehicle reliability reports. It is used by car buyers to identify common engine failures, hidden repair costs, and maintenance timelines without requiring a paid subscription.