What is the CarsXE Plugin for Claude Code?
The CarsXE Plugin for Claude Code provides direct access to our comprehensive automotive APIs through simple commands and auto-invoked skills. Decode VINs, look up license plates, get market values, check vehicle history, recalls, liens, OBD codes, and more — all within your Claude Code environment.
GitHub Repository: carsxe-claude-plugin
Plugin Marketplaces
You can also find and install the CarsXE plugin from these Claude plugin directories:
Installation
Step 1: Add the CarsXE Marketplace
Claude Code Terminal
Step 2: Install the Plugin
Claude Code Terminal
Setup
1. Get Your CarsXE API Key
- Visit the CarsXE API dashboard
- Navigate to your API keys section
- Copy your API key
2. Authenticate with Your API Key
Use the auth command to validate credentials and establish session access:
Available Commands
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
/carsxe:auth <API_KEY> | Validate and configure API credentials |
/carsxe:specs <VIN> | Decode a VIN — full vehicle specs |
/carsxe:plate <PLATE> <COUNTRY> [STATE] | Look up vehicle from license plate |
/carsxe:value <VIN> | Get current market value |
/carsxe:history <VIN> | Full vehicle history report |
/carsxe:images <MAKE> <MODEL> [YEAR] | Fetch vehicle photos |
/carsxe:recalls <VIN> | Check for open safety recalls |
/carsxe:intvin <VIN> | Decode international (non-US) VINs |
/carsxe:ocr <IMAGE_URL> | Extract VIN from a photo |
/carsxe:lien <VIN> | Check for liens and theft records |
/carsxe:plateocr <IMAGE_URL> | Extract license plate from a photo |
/carsxe:ymm <YEAR> <MAKE> <MODEL> [TRIM] | Look up vehicle by Year/Make/Model |
/carsxe:obd <CODE> | Decode an OBD diagnostic trouble code |
Usage Examples
Decode a VIN
Look up a California Plate
Check Market Value
Get Vehicle History
Find Vehicle Images
Check Recalls
Decode an International VIN
Extract VIN from a Photo
Check Liens and Theft
Extract Plate from a Photo
Look up by Year/Make/Model
Decode an OBD Code
Skills (Auto-invoked)
Skills are automatically triggered by Claude based on the conversation context. No need to type a command — just describe what you need naturally.
| Natural Language Query | Triggered Skill |
|---|---|
| "What are the specs of VIN WBAFR7C57CC811956?" | vehicle-specs |
| "Does this car have any recalls?" | vehicle-recalls |
| "What does the check engine code P0300 mean?" | obd-decoder |
| "What's the value of this vehicle?" | market-value |
| "Show me images of a 2020 Tesla Model 3" | vehicle-images |
| "Get the history report for this VIN" | vehicle-history |
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
Authentication Error
- Verify your API key is correct
- Ensure the
CARSXE_API_KEYenvironment variable is set - Check that your API key has the necessary permissions
Plugin Not Found
- Verify you've added the marketplace correctly
- Try reinstalling the plugin
- Restart Claude Code
Command Not Working
- Check the command syntax matches the examples above
- Ensure all required parameters are provided
- Verify your API account has sufficient credits
Ready to supercharge your vehicle data workflows with CarsXE and Claude Code!