For owners who look after their own vehicles
Know what your vehicle needs.
Fix it. Keep the record.
Crew Chief turns a check engine light or a symptom into a plain-English report, helps you plan the repair, and keeps the service history for every vehicle you own. Start with a free diagnostic. No account or scanner needed.
- Free plan for 1 vehicle
- No credit card
- Web and iPhone
Vehicle Overview · Example vehicle with sample records. Not a customer account.
2018 Subaru Outback
84,200 mi · Updated Sep 13, 2026
Scheduled maintenance
1 overdue · 1 due
2 current · 1 need review
Current mileage
84,200 mi
Recorded Sep 13, 2026
Needs your attention
Engine oil and filter
Overdue by 200 mi
Tire rotation
Due in 300 mi
Brake fluid
Last service not recorded
Work in progress
View all projects (1)Front brake pads
Planned · Parts on order
Recent service
View all (4)Thermostat replacement
Sep 6, 2026 · 83,900 mi · $42.18
Engine air filter
Aug 22, 2026 · 83,400 mi · $19.50
How it works
One problem, start to finish
Follow one warning light on the example 2018 Subaru Outback from the first report to the record you can show a mechanic or a buyer. Each screen below mirrors the current product with sample data.
Step 1: Understand the problem
Enter a trouble code or describe a symptom. You get a plain-English report with the likely causes ranked, whether it’s safe to keep driving, and what the fix costs yourself or at a shop. On the web you type the code in. On iPhone, a compatible scanner can read it for you.
Example vehicle with sample records. Not a customer account.
Diagnostic report
2018 Subaru Outback · P0128
Engine isn’t reaching operating temperature
Coolant Thermostat (P0128)
Limit DrivingAddress this weekLikely causes
- Stuck-open thermostat · 65%
- Coolant temperature sensor · 20%
- Low coolant level · 10%
Do it yourself
$15 – $150
Beginner-friendly
Take it to a shop
$150 – $450
Also in the report
- Parts with pricing
- Repair videos
Estimates and AI suggestions are starting points to verify, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Step 2: Plan the work
Turn the answer into a task on the vehicle’s project board. Set a priority, track whether parts are ordered or have arrived, and estimate the cost. Planned work stays separate from what’s due, so a job in progress never hides overdue maintenance.
Example vehicle with sample records. Not a customer account.
Projects
2018 Subaru Outback · 2 open
- $45 est.
Replace thermostat and housing gasket
In progress · Mechanical · Med priority
Parts arrived
- $85 est.
Front brake pads
Planned · Mechanical · Low priority
Parts on order
Started from the P0128 report · Complete a task to save its service record
Step 3: Keep the record
When the job is done, log it: what was done, the date, the mileage, what it cost, and any notes. Completing a linked task saves the record too. The maintenance schedule updates from that record, and the history stays with the vehicle for you, anyone you share it with, and the next owner.
Example vehicle with sample records. Not a customer account.
Log service
2018 Subaru Outback
Service saved
Thermostat replacement is now in your service history.
- Date performed
- Sep 6, 2026
- Mileage at service
- 83,900 mi
- Actual cost · USD
- $42.18
- Shop or location
- Home garage
- Notes
- OEM thermostat and gasket, 1 gal coolant. Bled the system, no leaks.
The linked maintenance schedule now uses this service as its latest record.
Before you start
What you need, what’s free, and what we can prove
Web and iPhone
On the web you can diagnose from a code or symptoms, keep your garage, maintenance schedule, projects, service history, and documents, and use the selling tools.
The iPhone app is the same garage on your phone, plus a scanner connection for reading codes and live engine data from the vehicle.
A scanner is optional
You don’t need a scanner to use Crew Chief. Type a code or describe the symptoms on the web or in the app.
To read codes and live data from the vehicle, the iPhone app connects to ELM327 adapters that support Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). Adapter and vehicle support varies. Bluetooth Classic and Wi-Fi adapters are not supported by the current connection flow.
What’s free
- 1 vehicle in your garage
- 1 diagnostic report per vehicle, for its lifetime
- Maintenance schedule, service records, and project boards
- Documents, photos, and vehicle sharing
- OBD2 code database, VIN decoder, and maintenance reference
- Up to 3 saved dream cars
You can also run one diagnostic before creating an account. Paid plans add unlimited vehicles and larger diagnostic allowances. Compare plans for current limits and reset timing. No credit card to start.
What we can prove
Every screen on this page is an example built with sample records, not a customer’s account. We don’t publish user counts or testimonials yet.
The numbers we do publish are content counts from the product: 500+ OBD2 code entries, 1,000+ models in the maintenance reference library, and 16 vehicle types. AI reports and cost estimates are starting points to verify with your own inspection or a shop, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Also in Crew Chief
Everything else around the garage
Tools that support the same journey: look things up before you start, and handle the paperwork when a vehicle moves on.
OBD2 code database
Definitions, symptoms, likely causes, and repair guidance for 500+ codes. Free to browse, no account.
Browse codesMaintenance reference
Interval and spec references for 1,000+ models to seed a vehicle’s schedule.
Open the referenceVIN decoder
Decode year, make, model, engine, and more from a VIN using NHTSA data.
Decode a VINProject boards
Task boards per vehicle with priority, parts status, and cost estimates. Finished tasks become service records.
Create free accountSell your vehicle
A step-by-step wizard with state-specific documents, a transfer checklist, and marketplace listing copy.
Start a saleDream car search
Save vehicles you’re looking for with a budget, search eBay Motors from Crew Chief, and open a matching AutoTempest search.
Create free accountTrusted shops
A community shop directory by specialty and location, with member vouches and reviews where available.
Browse shops16 vehicle types
Cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats, tractors, RVs, ATVs, and more, each with its own fields. VINs for road vehicles, serial numbers for the rest.
Create free account
Why Crew Chief
Built in the Shop, Not a Boardroom
I spent 20 years in the shop watching people get ripped off because they couldn't get a straight answer about what was wrong with their vehicle. Crew Chief is the tool I wish existed back then.
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OBD2 Code Entries
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Models in Reference Library
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Vehicle Types Supported
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Years of Mechanical Experience
Start with the problem in front of you
Understand it, fix it, and keep the record
Run a free diagnostic now, or set up your garage and log the last service you remember. Free to start, no credit card required.