Terms of Use
Last updated: June 2026
Important: eli5cars is informational only and is not a substitute for the advice of a licensed mechanic. For any safety-critical system — brakes, steering, suspension — you must have your vehicle physically inspected by a qualified professional before driving.
1. Acceptance of terms
By accessing or using eli5cars.com (“the Site,” “eli5cars,” “we,” “us”), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Use. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site.
2. Informational purpose only — not professional advice
All content on eli5cars.com is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not, and should not be treated as, professional automotive advice, a mechanical diagnosis, or an instruction to perform any specific repair or service.
Car problems are complex and highly vehicle-specific. The same symptom can have many different causes on different vehicles, model years, and trim levels. Cost estimates are approximations based on commonly reported ranges and may not reflect current prices in your area.
Before acting on any information from this Site:
- Get your vehicle's OBD2 codes scanned at AutoZone, O'Reilly Auto Parts, or Advance Auto Parts (free, no purchase required) to confirm the specific fault.
- Consult a licensed mechanic or automotive technician for a physical inspection and diagnosis.
- For any work involving brakes, steering, suspension, airbags, fuel systems, or other safety-critical systems, have the vehicle professionally inspected before driving it. Do not rely solely on information from this Site.
3. Limitation of liability
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ELI5CARS.COM, ITS OPERATOR, AND ANY CONTRIBUTORS ARE NOT LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE OF, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS SITE OR ITS CONTENT.
This includes but is not limited to: vehicle damage resulting from repairs attempted based on Site content; personal injury resulting from following any driveway test or diagnostic procedure described on the Site; financial loss arising from reliance on cost estimates; or any other damages whether based on warranty, contract, tort (including negligence), strict liability, or any other legal theory.
If your jurisdiction does not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages, some of the above limitations may not apply to you; in such cases, our liability is limited to the fullest extent permitted by law.
4. No warranty
The Site and its content are provided “as is” and “as available” without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. We do not warrant that the information on this Site is accurate, complete, current, or error-free.
Automotive specifications, maintenance intervals, and cost estimates can change without notice. Always verify specifications against your vehicle's owner's manual and consult a professional for safety-critical decisions.
5. Third-party links and services
The Site contains links to third-party websites including Amazon.com, AutoZone.com, YouTube, and NHTSA.gov. We are not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or accuracy of those sites. Links to Amazon may be affiliate links — see our Affiliate & Advertising Disclosure for details.
6. Intellectual property
All content on this Site — text, graphics, page layouts, and data — is owned by eli5cars.com or its licensors. You may view and print pages for your personal, non-commercial use. You may not reproduce, republish, scrape, or distribute Site content for commercial purposes without prior written permission.
7. User conduct
You agree not to use the Site to: (a) violate any applicable law or regulation; (b) abuse or overload our infrastructure (including the VIN lookup API); (c) attempt to access non-public areas of the Site; or (d) scrape or harvest content or data at scale without permission.
8. Governing law
These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States and the state in which the Site operator resides, without regard to conflict of law provisions.
9. Changes to these terms
We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be reflected in the “Last updated” date above. Your continued use of the Site after a change constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.
10. Contact
Questions about these Terms? Email hello@eli5cars.com.