Selling a car with small problems in Tulsa: flat tire, dead battery, broken glass
Yes, you can sell a car in Tulsa as it is with a flat tire, a dead battery, cracked glass, warm A/C or the check engine light on. Call (539) 271-2021 or use the form: we buy some cars ourselves, and the partner's free online offer is the other route. Thinking of fixing it first? Below, one problem at a time: the cheap checks, whether Oklahoma law lets you drive it, and what to mention when you call.
Sources re-checked .
Short answer
You can sell a car in Tulsa as it is with a flat tire, a dead battery, cracked glass, warm A/C or a warning light on. Some are cheap checks worth trying first; each section says which, and whether Oklahoma lets you drive it.
Fix it first, or sell it as it is?
Start with the cheap checks. Filling a tire, trying a jump or looking at the battery terminals shows whether the problem is small at all. If not, learn what the car brings as it is before you pay a shop. A repair that adds less to the price than it costs leaves you behind; the repair-or-sell worksheet does the math with your own numbers.
Check for a recall too. The FTC sends owners to NHTSA's free listing of open safety recalls, where you enter the VIN. Federal law makes the manufacturer fix a recall defect without charge, unless the car's first owner bought it more than 15 calendar years before the recall notice.
Source: FTC: Used Cars, has the car been recalled?; 49 U.S.C. § 30120, remedies for defects.
Flat or bald tires
If a flat holds air once filled, or the spare goes on, the car can roll onto a truck or be driven. With two or more flats, or a bent wheel, plan on a tow.
Bald tires are a legal problem. Oklahoma law bars driving on a tire with less than 2/32 of an inch of tread, exposed cord or bulges, or on a cracked wheel. That car goes to a buyer on a truck.
In Tulsa, a car parked on flats has a second problem. The City's code enforcement list says "Signs of inoperable vehicles can include flat tires, missing parts, out of date tags, or missing license plate," and an inoperable car may not sit outdoors in a yard, driveway or street. Street parking is limited to 24 hours, and the notice process is on the towed and impounded page. When you call, say how many tires are flat, whether each holds air, and whether any wheel is damaged.
Source: City of Tulsa: Code Enforcement top violations; Oklahoma Statutes, Title 47, § 12-405.
A dead battery
A car that clicks and won't start may need only a battery, or less. The FTC's repair guide says "Corroded or loose battery terminals can make the battery appear dead or defective." Have the terminals cleaned and the battery tested before buying a new one; the guide adds that a starter that seems bad may be a dead battery or a poor connection.
Try a jump. If the engine starts and keeps running, you can probably drive it. If the battery keeps going flat, the trouble may be elsewhere; the guide notes that loose wiring can make an alternator look defective. Once you are chasing a fault rather than replacing a part, selling as is may be simpler. Have three answers ready: whether it starts on a jump, how long it has sat, and whether the battery is new.
Selling a car with a broken windshield or side glass
Oklahoma's windshield law turns on where the damage is: the critical area, the glass swept by the driver's-side wiper. You may not drive with the windshield, or the window on either side of the driver, cracked through so that air passes, or so that the glass moves or sharp edges can be felt under a fingertip. The law also bars a car that "Has any star break or shot damage, three (3) inches or more in diameter, located in the critical area," or two or more hairline cracks there totaling 12 inches or more.
A small chip on the passenger side will not usually keep the car off the road. A long crack in front of the driver will, so that car gets towed. New glass bought only to sell may not come back in the price; ask your insurer about glass coverage first. Tell a buyer which glass is damaged, where, how long the crack is, and whether it is growing.
A check engine or other warning light
A check engine light says something is wrong, not what. The FTC lists it among the signs of engine trouble and says to get a diagnosis, with a second opinion before expensive or complicated work and a written estimate if you go ahead.
The light does not block the sale. Service Oklahoma's list for transferring an Oklahoma title is all paperwork: the notarized title (or Form 718 when the title is electronic), a driver license, proof of insurance, any lien release and proof of the price. Nothing on it tests the car, and the paperwork guide covers each item.
Overheating is different. The FTC says that once the engine has overheated, with steam from under the hood, you should pull over at once and have it towed. When you call, say which light is on, whether it is steady or flashing, and any codes a shop has read.
Source: FTC: Auto Repair Basics; Service Oklahoma: Vehicle Titles, transferring an Oklahoma title.
A/C that blows warm
Broken A/C makes a Tulsa summer drive miserable, but it does not make the car illegal to drive. Oklahoma's equipment law has an air-conditioning section, and it covers which refrigerants are allowed and the safety of the people inside, not whether the system cools.
The repair is shop work. The EPA requires anyone who services a vehicle A/C system for pay to be trained and certified through an EPA-approved program. Get the diagnosis, then set the estimate beside the as-is figure. Tell a buyer whether it blows warm or not at all, whether the fan runs, and when it last worked.
Source: EPA: Motor vehicle air conditioner servicing; Oklahoma Statutes, Title 47, § 12-410.
Electrical problems
Dead power windows, locks, a radio or a dash screen are comfort problems; the car still drives. Lights are a legal problem. Oklahoma makes it a misdemeanor to drive a vehicle without its required lamps in proper condition, and your lights must be on from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise. With dead headlights, brake lights or turn signals, have it towed rather than driven.
A burning smell is the other warning. The FTC says a burned-toast smell often signals a short and burning insulation: "To be safe, try not to drive the vehicle until the problem is diagnosed." Faults that come and go are hard to trace, and many shops charge for diagnostic time. Tell a buyer everything that does not work, whether it comes and goes, and any added wiring such as a stereo or remote start.
Source: FTC: Auto Repair Basics, smells like trouble; Oklahoma Statutes, Title 47, §§ 12-101 and 12-201.
Selling it as it is in Tulsa
We buy some cars ourselves and pay by check. We cover all of Tulsa and will look at a car with no title or no keys, though not every car we look at is one we buy. Call the Tulsa line, or use the sell-it-to-us form and a person calls you back.
The other route is our partner Peddle's free, no-obligation instant offer online. Peddle arranges and covers pickup and pays by check at pickup; have the title, registration and your driver's license or ID ready. This site is paid a referral fee when a sale through that route completes. Beyond small problems? See engine problems, junk cars and cars in any condition.
Source: Peddle: Sell my car.
Asked by Tulsa owners with a car that needs a small fix
Can I sell a car with a dead battery that won't take a jump?
Yes. A car that won't start can still be sold as it is; say so when you call or fill in the form. On the partner route, Peddle arranges and covers the pickup. Before you write the battery off, have the terminals checked. A loose or corroded connection can make a good battery look dead.
Can I sell my car with a flat tire in Tulsa, or do I have to fix it first?
You can sell it flat. If the tire holds air after filling, the car is easier to load. Don't leave it sitting on flats for long: the City of Tulsa treats flat tires as a sign of an inoperable vehicle, and a car may not stay parked on the street for more than 24 hours.
Can I drive a car with a cracked windshield to a buyer in Oklahoma?
It depends where the damage is. Glass cracked through in the windshield, or in the window on either side of the driver, rules it out. So does a star break of 3 inches or more, or hairline cracks totaling 12 inches or more, inside the driver's wiper sweep. A small chip outside that zone usually does not.
Can I sell my car with the check engine light on?
Yes. An Oklahoma title transfer asks for paperwork, not an inspection. Tell the buyer which light is on and share any codes you already have, so what they find matches what you said.
Should I fix the AC before selling, or sell the car with the AC not working?
Get it diagnosed first, then compare the estimate with the as-is figure. Shops that service A/C for pay must use EPA-certified technicians. If the repair would cost more than it adds to the price, sell it as it is and say the A/C doesn't work.
Can I sell a car with electrical problems?
Yes. List what doesn't work and whether it comes and goes. If the lights are out or you smell burning, have it towed rather than driven. Check the VIN for an open recall too: a recall fix is free unless the car's first owner bought it more than 15 calendar years before the recall notice.
Tell us what's wrong with it
Call the Tulsa line, (539) 271-2021, and say which of these problems the car has, or use the sell-it-to-us form. If it is not a car we buy, the partner's instant offer is the other route.
More on selling a car in Tulsa
- PaperworkWhat you sign, who notarizes it, the two-day deadline, and which counter in Tulsa takes it.
- Cash for carsMoney for a running, dead or junk car anywhere in Tulsa: our offer or the partner route, paid by check.
- Bill of saleWhen Oklahoma needs a bill of sale, whether it is notarized, and what goes on it.
- Repair or sellCompare repair costs with the extra sale proceeds, then check Oklahoma's salvage and rebuilt title rules.
- After you sellPlate off, the two-day filing, insurance, PikePass, and what to do if a ticket arrives for a car you sold.
- Title problemsLost the title, a lien still on record, the owner has died, or the title is from another state.