Access the full suite of CarsXE vehicle data APIs directly from OpenClaw — decode VINs, look up license plates, get market values, check history, recalls, liens, OBD codes, and more.
OpenClaw is an AI agent platform that extends a conversational AI into a capable assistant through a skill system. The CarsXE skill gives your OpenClaw agent comprehensive automotive data capabilities — decode VINs, look up license plates, get market values, check vehicle history, recalls, lien and theft records, OBD codes, and more, all without leaving your agent environment.
Skills are installed from Clawhub, OpenClaw's official skill marketplace. The CarsXE skill is listed at CarsXE.
Install the CarsXE skill from Clawhub with a single command:
openclaw skills install carsxeAfter installation, configure the skill with your CarsXE API key:
openclaw config set skills.entries.carsxe.env.CARSXE_KEY "cxe_live_YOUR_KEY"Then restart the OpenClaw gateway for the change to take effect.
Don't have an API key yet? Get one from the CarsXE developer dashboard.
The skill reads your key from the CARSXE_KEY environment variable. If it is missing or empty, OpenClaw will display an error. Re-run the config command above with your actual key and restart the gateway.
The skill is auto-invoked based on context — just describe what you need naturally. OpenClaw selects the right endpoint and chains requests when required.
The skill automatically chains multiple API calls when a query requires it. For example:
"Is this plate stolen and does it have open recalls?"
GET /v2/platedecoder — resolve the plate to a VINGET /v1/lien-theft + GET /v1/recalls — run both checks in parallel against the VINOpenClaw handles the chaining transparently and presents a combined result.
| HTTP Status | Meaning | What Happens |
|---|---|---|
401 / invalid key | Bad or missing API key | OpenClaw prompts you to set the key via openclaw config set |
404 / no results | VIN or plate not found | You are informed and asked to double-check the input |
429 | Rate limit exceeded | The skill waits and retries automatically |
5xx | Server error | Retried once; error is reported if it persists |
The skill also checks the
errorfield in JSON responses — CarsXE can return HTTP 200 with an error body, and these are caught and surfaced to you.
openclaw skills update carsxe{
"skills": {
"carsxe": {
"enabled": false
}
}
}Authentication error / invalid key
openclaw config set skills.entries.carsxe.env.CARSXE_KEY "cxe_live_YOUR_KEY" with your actual keySkill not found after install
openclaw skills listcarsxe is listed as enabled: true in your openclaw.jsonTool not being auto-invoked
openclaw.jsonReady to power your OpenClaw agent with comprehensive vehicle data from CarsXE!