How Bad Is the Damage?

The amount of information available often depends on when the accident happened, and where. Different states report varying amounts of information after a crash, and older crashes often have less information available.

Damage events result in one of the following severity levels:

• Minor: Generally, minor damage is cosmetic (including dents or scratches), may only require reconditioning, and typically does not compromise a vehicle's operation and/or safety.

• Moderate: Moderate damage may affect multiple components of the vehicle and may impair the vehicle's operation and/or safety.

• Severe: Severe damage usually affects multiple components of the vehicle and is likely to compromise the vehicle's operation and/or safety.

CARFAX recommends getting a pre-purchase inspection at a certified collision repair facility.

Where’s the Damage? On a Carfax Vehicle History Report, shoppers can often see an overhead diagram of the vehicle, with shading to indicate where the damage occurred. In some cases, the report includes information on the severity of the crash (see graphic above). The diagram identifies where the impact was.

More Details: When the information is available, Carfax will tell you if the car’s airbags deployed and whether the car was still driveable. Some states even require disclosure if the damage exceeds a certain dollar level.

Damage Without an Accident: Not all damage is from an accident. It could include damage of all severities. The damage could be from incidents such as backing into a pole, having a tree limb fall on the car, or other events. When considering a damage report, it’s important to remember that minor damage may be only cosmetic; it may be noted that way in the Carfax report.