How to integrate CarsXE MCP with Claude Code

Manage your CarsXE directly from Claude Code with zero worries about OAuth hassles, API-breaking issues, or reliability and security concerns. You can do this in two different ways: Via Composio Connect - Direct and easiest approach Via Composio SDK - Programmatic approach with more control

CarsXE logoCarsXE
Api Key

CarsXE is a vehicle data API platform for VIN specs, recalls, license plate decoding, market values, history, images, and automotive lookups. Use it to turn raw vehicle identifiers into clear, useful car data fast.

12 Tools

Introduction

Manage your CarsXE directly from Claude Code with zero worries about OAuth hassles, API-breaking issues, or reliability and security concerns.

You can do this in two different ways:

  1. Via Composio Connect - Direct and easiest approach
  2. Via Composio SDK - Programmatic approach with more control

Also integrate CarsXE with

Why use Composio?

  • Only one MCP URL to connect multiple apps with Claude Code with zero auth hassles.
  • Programmatic tool calling allows LLMs to write its code in a remote workbench to handle complex tool chaining. Reduces to-and-fro with LLMs for frequent tool calling.
  • Handling Large tool responses out of LLM context to minimize context rot.
  • Dynamic just-in-time access to 20,000 tools across 1000+ other Apps for cross-app workflows. It loads the tools you need, so LLMs aren't overwhelmed by tools you don't need.

Connecting CarsXE to Claude Code using Composio

1. Add the Composio MCP to Claude

Terminal

2. Start Claude Code

bash
claude

3. Open your MCP list

bash
/mcp

4. Select Composio and click on Authenticate

Select Composio and click Authenticate

5. This will redirect you to the Composio OAuth page. Complete the flow by authorizing Composio and you're all set.

Composio OAuth authorization page
Composio authorization complete
Ask Claude to connect to your account and authenticate via the link

What is the CarsXE MCP server, and what's possible with it?

The CarsXE MCP server is an implementation of the Model Context Protocol that connects your AI agent and assistants like Claude, Cursor, etc directly to your CarsXE account. It provides structured and secure access to vehicle specifications, records, valuations, images, and diagnostic data, so your agent can decode vehicles, check recalls and history, estimate market values, diagnose OBD codes, and recognize license plates on your behalf.

  • Vehicle identification and specifications: Have your agent decode a VIN or license plate, or look up detailed vehicle and trim information by year, make, and model.
  • Recall and safety checks: Instruct your agent to find safety recalls for a VIN or vehicle model, or submit and review recall checks for many VINs.
  • History, lien, and theft research: Let the agent retrieve title, salvage, insurance, lien, theft, VIN change, and historical title records for a vehicle.
  • Market values and diagnostics: Direct your agent to estimate wholesale, retail, and trade-in values or translate an OBD-II trouble code into a readable diagnosis.
  • Vehicle images and plate recognition: Have your agent find vehicle photos by make and model or analyze a public image for license plate candidates and detected vehicle details.

Connecting CarsXE via Composio SDK

Composio SDK is the underlying tech that powers Rube. It's a universal gateway that does everything Rube does but with much more programmatic control. You can programmatically generate an MCP URL with the app you need (here CarsXE) for even more tool search precision. It's secure and reliable.

How the Composio SDK works

The Composio SDK follows a three-phase workflow:

  1. Discovery: Searches for tools matching your task and returns relevant toolkits with their details.
  2. Authentication: Checks for active connections. If missing, creates an auth config and returns a connection URL via Auth Link.
  3. Execution: Executes the action using the authenticated connection.

Step-by-step Guide

Step by step10 STEPS
1

Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure you have:
  • Claude Pro, Max, or API billing enabled Anthropic account
  • Composio API Key
  • A CarsXE account
  • Basic knowledge of Python or TypeScript
2

Install Claude Code

bash
# macOS, Linux, WSL
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

# Windows PowerShell
irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex

# Windows CMD
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd

To install Claude Code, use one of the following methods based on your operating system:

3

Set up Claude Code

bash
cd your-project-folder
claude

Open a terminal, go to your project folder, and start Claude Code:

  • Claude Code will open in your terminal
  • Follow the prompts to sign in with your Anthropic account
  • Complete the authentication flow
  • Once authenticated, you can start using Claude Code
Claude Code initial setup showing sign-in prompt
Claude Code terminal after successful login
4

Set up environment variables

bash
COMPOSIO_API_KEY=your_composio_api_key_here
USER_ID=your_user_id_here

Create a .env file in your project root with the following variables:

  • COMPOSIO_API_KEY authenticates with Composio (get it from Composio dashboard)
  • USER_ID identifies the user for session management (use any unique identifier)
5

Install Composio library

npm install @composio/core dotenv

Install the Composio TypeScript library to create MCP sessions.

  • @composio/core provides the core Composio functionality
  • dotenv loads environment variables from your .env file
6

Generate Composio MCP URL

import 'dotenv/config';
import { Composio } from '@composio/core';

const { COMPOSIO_API_KEY, USER_ID } = process.env;

if (!COMPOSIO_API_KEY || !USER_ID) {
  throw new Error('COMPOSIO_API_KEY and USER_ID required in .env');
}

const composioClient = new Composio({ apiKey: COMPOSIO_API_KEY });

const composioSession = await composioClient.create(USER_ID, {
  toolkits: ['carsxe'],
});

const composioMcpUrl = composioSession?.mcp.url;

console.log(`MCP URL: ${composioMcpUrl}`);
console.log(`\nUse this command to add to Claude Code:`);
console.log(`claude mcp add --transport http carsxe-composio "${composioMcpUrl}" --headers "X-API-Key:${COMPOSIO_API_KEY}"`);

Create a script to generate a Composio MCP URL for CarsXE. This URL will be used to connect Claude Code to CarsXE.

What's happening

  • We import the Composio client and load environment variables
  • Create a Composio instance with your API key
  • Call create() to create a Tool Router session for CarsXE
  • The returned mcp.url is the MCP server URL that Claude Code will use
  • The script prints this URL so you can copy it
7

Run the script and copy the MCP URL

node --loader ts-node/esm generate_mcp_url.ts
# or if using tsx
tsx generate_mcp_url.ts

Run your TypeScript script to generate the MCP URL.

  • The script connects to Composio and creates a Tool Router session
  • It prints the MCP URL and the exact command you need to run
  • Copy the entire claude mcp add command from the output
8

Add CarsXE MCP to Claude Code

bash
claude mcp add --transport http carsxe-composio "YOUR_MCP_URL_HERE" --headers "X-API-Key:YOUR_COMPOSIO_API_KEY"

# Then restart Claude Code
exit
claude

In your terminal, add the MCP server using the command from the previous step. The command format is:

  • claude mcp add registers a new MCP server with Claude Code
  • --transport http specifies that this is an HTTP-based MCP server
  • The server name (carsxe-composio) is how you'll reference it
  • The URL points to your Composio Tool Router session
  • --headers includes your Composio API key for authentication

After running the command, close the current Claude Code session and start a new one for the changes to take effect.

9

Verify the installation

bash
claude mcp list

Check that your CarsXE MCP server is properly configured.

  • This command lists all MCP servers registered with Claude Code
  • You should see your carsxe-composio entry in the list
  • This confirms that Claude Code can now access CarsXE tools

If everything is wired up, you should see your carsxe-composio entry listed:

Claude Code MCP list showing the toolkit MCP server
10

Authenticate CarsXE

The first time you try to use CarsXE tools, you'll be prompted to authenticate.

  • Claude Code will detect that you need to authenticate with CarsXE
  • It will show you an authentication link
  • Open the link in your browser (or copy/paste it)
  • Complete the CarsXE authorization flow
  • Return to the terminal and start using CarsXE through Claude Code

Once authenticated, you can ask Claude Code to perform CarsXE operations in natural language. For example:

  • "Decode VIN and summarize vehicle specs"
  • "Check recalls for a used car"
  • "Estimate market value from license plate"

Complete Code

Here's the complete code to get you started with CarsXE and Claude Code:

import 'dotenv/config';
import { Composio } from '@composio/core';

const { COMPOSIO_API_KEY, USER_ID } = process.env;

if (!COMPOSIO_API_KEY || !USER_ID) {
  throw new Error('COMPOSIO_API_KEY and USER_ID required in .env');
}

const composioClient = new Composio({ apiKey: COMPOSIO_API_KEY });

const composioSession = await composioClient.create(USER_ID, {
  toolkits: ['carsxe'],
});

const composioMcpUrl = composioSession?.mcp.url;

console.log(`MCP URL: ${composioMcpUrl}`);
console.log(`\nUse this command to add to Claude Code:`);
console.log(`claude mcp add --transport http carsxe-composio "${composioMcpUrl}" --headers "X-API-Key:${COMPOSIO_API_KEY}"`);

Conclusion

You've successfully integrated CarsXE with Claude Code using Composio's MCP server. Now you can interact with CarsXE directly from your terminal using natural language commands.

Key features of this setup:

  • Terminal-native experience without switching contexts
  • Natural language commands for CarsXE operations
  • Secure authentication through Composio's managed MCP
  • Tool Router for dynamic tool discovery and execution

Next steps:

  • Try asking Claude Code to perform various CarsXE operations
  • Add more toolkits to your Tool Router session for multi-app workflows
  • Integrate this setup into your development workflow for increased productivity

You can extend this by adding more toolkits, implementing custom workflows, or building automation scripts that leverage Claude Code's capabilities.

TOOLS

Supported Tools

Every CarsXE action and event your agent gets out of the box.

Check Lien and Theft Records

Retrieve reportable US lien and theft events for a VIN.

Decode License Plate

Look up vehicle identity from a license plate using CarsXE's current global v2 decoder.

Decode OBD Code

Translate an OBD-II diagnostic trouble code into a readable diagnosis.

Get Vehicle Market Value

Estimate wholesale, retail, and trade-in values for a VIN using CarsXE's current v2 valuation, optionally adjusted for state, mileage, and condition.

Get Recall Batch

Make exactly one read request for a CarsXE recall batch.

Get Vehicle History

Retrieve title, brand, junk/salvage, insurance, VIN-change, and historical title records for a VIN.

Get Vehicle Images

Find up to 10 vehicle photos by make and model, with optional year, trim, angle, image type, size, color, quality, transparency, and license filters.

Get Vehicle Recalls

Find safety recall campaigns either for one VIN or for a year, make, and model.

Get Vehicle Specifications

Decode a 17-character VIN into vehicle identity, specifications, equipment, colors, and warranty data.

Get Year Make Model Data

Look up detailed vehicle and trim information by year, make, and model without a VIN.

Recognize License Plate

Analyze a publicly accessible vehicle image and return license-plate candidates, regions, confidence, bounding boxes, and detected vehicle details.

Submit Recall Batch

Create one asynchronous CarsXE recall-check batch for 1 to 10,000 VIN entries.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

With a standalone CarsXE MCP server, the agents and LLMs can only access a fixed set of CarsXE tools tied to that server. However, with the Composio Tool Router, agents can dynamically load tools from CarsXE and many other apps based on the task at hand, all through a single MCP endpoint.

Yes, you can. Claude Code fully supports MCP integration. You get structured tool calling, message history handling, and model orchestration while Tool Router takes care of discovering and serving the right CarsXE tools.

Yes, absolutely. You can configure which CarsXE scopes and actions are allowed when connecting your account to Composio. You can also bring your own OAuth credentials or API configuration so you keep full control over what the agent can do.

All sensitive data such as tokens, keys, and configuration is fully encrypted at rest and in transit. Composio is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant and follows strict security practices so your CarsXE data and credentials are handled as safely as possible.

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