Frequently Asked Questions

The AI mechanic gives an informed first opinion: the most likely causes for your vehicle, the cheapest checks to do first and a rough cost range. It works from your description and photos, not an in-person inspection, so its accuracy depends on how much detail you give (year, make, model, engine, symptoms, trouble codes), and it can be wrong. For safety-critical issues or before an expensive repair, always have a qualified technician confirm it.

Include your vehicle's year, make, model and engine, when the problem occurs (startup, driving, braking, hot or cold), any sounds, smells or vibrations, warning lights or trouble codes, and recent repairs. The more specific you are, the better the answer.

It can help with most common issues, including engine, electrical, brake, suspension and transmission problems. Some faults can only be found with hands-on testing, specialised scan tools or a physical inspection, and the AI will tell you when that is the case.

Partly. A new account gets 10 free AI credits to try the AI mechanic, one time, after you confirm your email or sign up with Google. They do not renew. To keep using the AI mechanic after that, you need an active Basic or Pro subscription with available credits. The common issues library, OBD-II code guides, tips, maintenance planner, emergency guide and mechanic map are free. Basic is $8.99/month with 200 credits and Pro is $49.99/month with 2,000 credits; yearly billing costs less.

A text message to the AI mechanic costs 1 credit and a photo analysis costs 5 credits. Your balance resets to your plan's allowance at the start of every monthly cycle, and unused credits do not roll over. The free credits a new account gets are given once and do not renew. If the AI fails to answer, the credits are returned automatically.

Cancel at any time in the Subscription section of your profile. Your plan stops renewing, you keep access until the end of the period you already paid for, and you are not charged again.

Payments are generally non-refundable and we do not refund partial periods after you cancel. We always refund billing mistakes such as a double charge or a charge after cancelling. Full details are in our Terms of Service.

The guides and code pages work without an account. You need a free account to use the mechanic map and to try the AI mechanic with the free credits a new account gets, and an active subscription to keep using the AI mechanic after that.

Yes. You can attach a photo (JPEG, PNG or WebP, up to 5 MB) of a warning light, leak, worn part or damage, and the AI will describe what it sees and connect it to your symptoms. Each photo costs 5 credits. Audio uploads are not supported.

Your 10 most recent chats are kept in your browser on this device, so you can reopen them from History on the AI mechanic page. They are not stored on our servers, and signing out removes them. On the Basic and Pro plans you can also press Save to keep a chat with one of your cars in My Garage and reopen it on any device. Photos are never stored. Every message is sent to our AI provider, OpenAI, to generate the reply.

My Garage comes with the Basic plan (2 vehicles) and the Pro plan (up to 100 vehicles). You can add each car you own (make, model, year, engine, mileage and optionally the VIN), keep the AI chats about each car together, set reminders for oil changes, tire rotation and replacement, transmission and differential fluid, brake fluid, coolant and more, and keep a service log with dates, mileage and costs. Reminders are shown in the app and count down by miles or months from the last time each job was done.

No. The AI is a tool for a first assessment and for knowing what to ask, not a replacement for a qualified mechanic. Always have a professional confirm safety-critical issues and check any diagnosis before you pay for a major repair.

For immediate safety concerns like brake failure, overheating, smoke or loss of steering, pull over safely, turn on your hazard lights and call emergency services if anyone is at risk. Our emergency guide gives general steps, but your safety comes first.