Read the listing correctly
The words a used-car listing uses, defined.
What each term means, where you meet it, and what it is often confused with. Every definition is tied to the document it came from, quoted rather than summarised.
A · 2 terms
E · 2 terms
F · 2 terms
L · 2 terms
M · 2 terms
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL)
The dashboard lamp — usually labelled Check Engine — that the OBD-II system switches on when it confirms a fault.
Monroney window sticker
The label federal law requires on a new car's window, listing suggested price, optional equipment and fuel economy.
O · 3 terms
OBD-II (On-Board Diagnostics II)
The standardised self-diagnostic system in modern cars, read through a connector under the dash.
Odometer rollback
Disconnecting, resetting or altering an odometer so the vehicle shows fewer miles than it has travelled.
Open recall check (by VIN)
Entering a car's 17-character VIN in a recall tool to see whether a recall remedy is still outstanding on that exact vehicle.
P · 3 terms
Powertrain Control Module (PCM)
The onboard computer that runs the engine and, on many cars, the transmission.
Powertrain warranty
Warranty coverage limited to the parts that make power and deliver it to the wheels.
Pre-purchase inspection (PPI)
A mechanical inspection of a used car by a mechanic the buyer chooses, carried out before the sale closes.
R · 2 terms
S · 3 terms
Safety recall
Action taken when a manufacturer or NHTSA finds a vehicle creates an unreasonable safety risk or fails a federal standard.
Salvage title
A title brand recording that the vehicle was acquired as salvage or declared a total loss.
Structural rust
Corrosion that has reached load-bearing metal, as opposed to cosmetic surface rust.
T · 3 terms
Technical Service Bulletin (TSB)
A notice a carmaker sends its dealers describing how to diagnose or repair a known problem on certain vehicles.
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
The system that detects significantly under-inflated tires and lights a dashboard telltale.
Total loss
The insurer's decision to pay the owner to replace a vehicle rather than pay to repair it.
V · 3 terms
Vehicle history report
A lookup of the title, odometer and salvage records reported against one VIN.
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
The 17-character code the manufacturer assigns to one specific vehicle.
Vehicle service contract
An optional contract bought separately that promises to cover certain repairs — commonly sold as an 'extended warranty'.