How the Battery & Build Check works
Each check combines one lookup of Tesla's records for the VIN with what TeslaTracker has gathered about the car. Every figure in your report carries a label: from Tesla's records (real data for this exact car, not an estimate), TeslaTracker data, our estimate, or what you entered. The four that lead every report come from Tesla's records: the latest battery measurement, usable kWh now vs new, the Autopilot computer and FSD on the car.
Each figure, and where it comes from
From Tesla's recordsReal data for this exact VIN · not an estimate · when Tesla has one
Tesla's latest battery measurement, when available. No battery reading? You get a free check credit. Tesla doesn't keep a battery reading for every car: it's rare for the Cybertruck and older Model S and X, so for those we offer the $1.99 Launch price Build Check.
| Figure | Source | How we read it |
|---|---|---|
| Battery health (%) | From Tesla's records | The car's latest battery measurement from Tesla's records for the VIN, with the date Tesla last recorded it (the car records it while it's in use): real data for this exact car, not an estimate. Shown only when it reads between 50% and 102% (we cap the display at 100%); "0%" or blank means no reading. |
| Usable capacity (kWh) | From Tesla's records | What the pack holds now, from the same measurement in Tesla's records for this car. |
| Autopilot computer (HW3 / HW4) | Tesla's record + build date | HW3 is Tesla's hardware code for the car, from Tesla's records; marked "upgraded" when Tesla's record shows HW3 on a car built before HW3 shipped (a retrofit). Tesla leaves the code blank on HW4 cars, so HW4 is shown from the blank code plus the build date, without the records mark. A blank code on an older car shows as "Not in Tesla's record" with our estimate. |
| FSD on the car | From Tesla's records | "On this car", "removed since new" or "not bought", as Tesla's current record shows. Ask the seller to show Controls → Software as well. |
| Capacity when new, kWh lost | Calculated | Usable kWh ÷ battery health. Shown when health is below 99.5%. |
| Range at 100% today | Calculated | Battery health × our EPA figure for the car's exact trim and factory wheels. US-built cars only. The car's screen at 100% should read about this. |
| Pace | Calculated | Points lost per year since the production date (from half a year on), and per 10,000 miles when a mileage is known. |
| Warranty headroom | Calculated | Points above the 70% floor in Tesla's battery warranty, against its end date and mile limit. Marked "estimated from build date" when we don't know the delivery date. |
| At this pace | Projection | When the battery would reach 70% if it kept its pace. Low confidence: new packs drop fastest at first, then slow down. |
| Pack chemistry | Calculated | LFP or nickel, from model, year, trim and capacity. LFP readings settle after a full charge, so we say so. |
| Build, option prices, total | From Tesla's records | The car as sold new, line by line, with Tesla's option prices. Not what the first owner paid, and not today's equipment. |
| Supercharging, connectivity | From Tesla's records | Packages as sold, not live subscriptions. |
| Production date and plant | From Tesla's records | Build date and week, plant from the VIN, and how they line up with the model year. |
What we add from our own data
Compared with similar cars (our estimate)
Similar cars are measured from the range Tesla showed on its used listings (about 54,000 of them): same EPA rating, model year within one, mileage within 15,000 miles, seen in the last 12 months. We need at least 20 such cars; with fewer, we say so instead. On the same day, the two methods agree within about 0.1 points; older listings read a little higher.
Listing & price timeline
Every time we've seen the VIN for sale on Tesla, Carvana, CarMax or a dealer we track: first and last seen, price steps, mileage and state. Mileage readings are checked to only go up.
What Tesla disclosed
When Tesla listed the car, it said whether it had a previous accident, airbag deployment, damage or demo use. We quote that as listed, with the date, and quote other sellers' notes with credit.
Value, warranty and recalls
Value today for the exact trim and mileage from our valuation model (our estimate); warranty time and miles left from the delivery date (or estimated from the build date); NHTSA recalls for the model year, with a link to check open recalls for the VIN.
What the report can't tell you
- Title status (salvage, rebuilt, flood), liens or theft records
- How many owners the car has had
- Accidents or damage that weren't disclosed to us
- Service and repair history
- Software subscriptions or upgrades bought after delivery, other than FSD's current state
- What the first owner actually paid
History reports cover accidents, title and owners. This adds the car's latest battery measurement and factory build from Tesla's records. For title and accident records, use a vehicle history report alongside this check, and check open recalls for the VIN on NHTSA.
Prices, credits and refunds
Launch price$4.99 per check, 3 for $9.99, or $1.99 for a Build Check. If Tesla has no battery reading for a $4.99 check, has no record of the VIN, or we can't reach the data source, we add a free check credit to your account. Credits never expire. Free credits for a missing reading, an unknown VIN or a failed lookup are limited to 2 per account in any 30 days. If a report is wrong or broken, tell us within 14 days and we'll fix it or refund you. Your report downloads as a PDF for your own records.
Your report stays private
Only you can open your report, signed in. It isn't shared, indexed or emailed (emails carry a link only), and Tesla's data isn't reused for anyone else: every buyer's check is its own lookup. Tesla's data in a report is kept for 12 months, and you can delete it at any time. Found something wrong? Use "Report a discrepancy" in the report; we reply within 3 days.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by Tesla, Inc.