DTC Lookup

Overview

Covers all 9,533 generic codes defined by SAE J2012 / ISO 15031-6 (P0, P2, P3, B0, C0, U0 and U3 families), with descriptions in English and German, plus carmaker codes for 32 makes, strongest for GM, Ford, Volkswagen and Chrysler brands. Generic code content comes from the OBDex open dataset; carmaker titles are given as the carmaker defines them. Warning light and system category data from OBD Codes List, https://obdcodeslist.com/code-data.html. Repair costs are estimates in euros. Data is refreshed weekly.

Live Test DTC Lookup Skill →

The tool

Once your client is connected to the VerveKit server, this appears in its tool list as DTCLookup. It is read-only and open-world — it fetches and never mutates anything on your side — so most clients call it without asking you to confirm.

{
  "name": "DTCLookup",
  "arguments": {
    "code": "P0301"
  }
}

You do not name the tool yourself; the model picks it. Asking about P0301 in the terms this skill covers is enough for it to reach for DTCLookup on its own — naming it explicitly also works, and is the way to force the call.

Connecting

One server URL covers every skill in the catalog, including this one. Authorization is OAuth: the client opens a browser once, and there is no key to paste into a config file.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "vervekit": {
      "url": "https://api.vervekit.com/v1/mcp"
    }
  }
}

https://api.vervekit.com/v1/mcp

Per-client setup — Claude, Cursor, VS Code, ChatGPT — is on the MCP setup page.

Arguments

These are the properties on the tool's inputSchema, so a well-behaved client validates them before the call is made. Premium arguments are accepted on every plan but only take effect on plans that include them.

What the model gets back

The result carries a structuredContent object matching the tool's declared outputSchema, so a client reads fields without parsing prose. status is "ok" and error is null on success; a null field means the value was not available for that input, not that the call failed.

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{
  "status": "ok",
  "error": null,
  "data": {
    "code": "P0301",
    "found": true,
    "system": "Powertrain",
    "subsystem": "Ignition",
    "codeType": "generic",
    "title": "Cylinder 1 Misfire Detected",
    "description": "Misfires concentrated on cylinder 1. A cylinder-specific code points away from shared causes (fuel pressure, MAF) toward components dedicated to that cylinder — coil, spark plug, injector, compression.",
    "warningLight": "Check Engine Light",
    "affectedComponents": [
      "ignition_coil",
      "spark_plug",
      "fuel_injector"
    ],
    "causes": [
      {
        "cause": "Ignition coil for cylinder 1 failed",
        "likelihood": "high"
      },
      {
        "cause": "Spark plug for cylinder 1 worn or fouled",
        "likelihood": "high"
      },
      {
        "cause": "Cylinder 1 injector clogged",
        "likelihood": "medium"
      },
      {
        "cause": "Low compression on cylinder 1",
        "likelihood": "low"
      }
    ],
    "symptoms": [
      "Check engine light on or flashing",
      "Rough idle and uneven running",
      "Power loss, hesitation under acceleration",
      "Increased fuel consumption",
      "Possible smell of unburned fuel from exhaust"
    ],
    "repairDifficulty": "easy",
    "diyPossible": true,
    "estimatedRepairCost": {
      "min": 40,
      "max": 800,
      "currency": "EUR"
    },
    "estimatedLaborHours": {
      "min": 0.3,
      "max": 4
    },
    "emissionsRelated": true,
    "limpModePossible": null,
    "relatedCodes": [
      "P0302",
      "P0303",
      "P0304",
      "P0305",
      "P0306",
      "P0307",
      "P0308",
      "P0309",
      "P0310",
      "P0311",
      "P0312"
    ],
    "make": null,
    "manufacturer": null,
    "availableMakes": null,
    "language": "en"
  }
}

Response fields

Paths are relative to data. Premium fields are absent rather than zeroed on plans that do not include them, so check for presence instead of comparing to 0.

Failure modes

Errors come back as tool errors carrying a sentence the model can act on, not a bare status code. Error handling covers the full list.

A call costs 1 credit each time the tool actually runs; a model that reasons about the tool without calling it costs nothing.

Use cases

Scan Tool Apps

Bluetooth OBD-II dongle apps turn the raw codes a car reports into plain-language titles, likely causes and the warning light involved.

Repair Shop Software

Workshop systems attach the likely causes, labor hours and cost range to a job card the moment a technician reads a code.

Fleet Telematics

Fleet platforms receiving fault codes from vehicles flag which ones are emissions-related or can put the vehicle into limp mode, and route them to maintenance.

Used Car Inspections

Inspection and listing tools explain stored codes found during a pre-purchase check in terms a buyer understands.

Other ways to use DTC Lookup

Set up DTC Lookup on VerveKit, or reach the same source a different way. Your VerveKit account and credits work on all of them — one key, one balance.

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