Used-Car Inspections in Türkiye: Scope, Fees and Warranty
An inspection documents a vehicle’s examined condition; it does not eliminate every hidden defect or future failure. The report obligation, its fee and the seller’s warranty are separate matters.
An inspection documents a vehicle’s examined condition; it does not eliminate every hidden defect or future failure. The report obligation, its fee and the seller’s warranty are separate matters.
Who needs a report and when?
Article 16 of the vehicle-trade regulation published on 27 August 2024 requires businesses to obtain a report within the ten days before selling vehicles registered as M1, M1G, N1 or N1G. An exception applies to businesses in provinces without a TSE service-qualified inspection provider.
Vehicles above eight years by model year or above 160,000 km are exempt from the report requirement. A low value for one measure does not make the other irrelevant: for example, a young vehicle above 160,000 km can meet the mileage exception.
Do not transfer this commercial-sale obligation unchanged to every private sale. An exemption does not mean inspection is unnecessary or the vehicle defect-free. Check the current regulation before the transaction.
Who prepares and pays for the report?
The report is prepared by an inspection business with the relevant TSE service qualification. The regulation requires the selling business and inspection provider to retain it for at least five years and the seller to present a copy to the notary at sale.
Under Article 16, the buyer pays if the sale fails for a reason attributable to the buyer; otherwise the business pays. It is incorrect to describe payment by the buyer as the rule in every transaction. Check the vehicle and business details on the report.
Warranty is a separate assessment
Article 17 provides three months or 5,000 km for the engine, transmission, electrical and electronic systems of covered vehicles. It gives one year or 20,000 km for second-hand vehicles refurbished by the manufacturer.
Read Articles 17–18 together for age/mileage, continuing manufacturer/importer warranty, known faults, recorded damage, normal wear and misuse. This is not unlimited cover for the entire vehicle or every failure; consumer defective-goods/services rights are separate.
Avoid absolute technical promises
OBD scans, mechanical tests and physical inspection complement each other. A single resistance check does not establish 100% airbag safety, and battery-health testing cannot be promised to give an identical definitive result in the same time for every vehicle.
For an EV, check the health-report method, temperature, software, capacity definition and manufacturer conditions. Do not equate SOH directly with real-world range in all conditions. For rentals, maintenance, damage and replacement terms also need written quotation and contract checks.