diff --git a/selfdrive/car/tests/test_models.py b/selfdrive/car/tests/test_models.py
index cce5979899..a66bd180b4 100755
--- a/selfdrive/car/tests/test_models.py
+++ b/selfdrive/car/tests/test_models.py
@@ -21,9 +21,10 @@ from openpilot.selfdrive.car.car_helpers import FRAME_FINGERPRINT, interfaces
 from openpilot.selfdrive.car.honda.values import CAR as HONDA, HONDA_BOSCH
 from openpilot.selfdrive.car.tests.routes import non_tested_cars, routes, CarTestRoute
 from openpilot.selfdrive.controls.controlsd import Controls
-from openpilot.selfdrive.test.helpers import read_segment_list, sanitize
+from openpilot.selfdrive.test.helpers import read_segment_list
 from openpilot.tools.lib.openpilotci import get_url
 from openpilot.tools.lib.logreader import LogReader
+from openpilot.tools.lib.sanitizer import sanitize
 from openpilot.tools.lib.route import Route, SegmentName, RouteName
 
 from panda.tests.libpanda import libpanda_py
diff --git a/selfdrive/test/helpers.py b/selfdrive/test/helpers.py
index af6390d749..a8b7ca0c4d 100644
--- a/selfdrive/test/helpers.py
+++ b/selfdrive/test/helpers.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ from openpilot.common.params import Params
 from openpilot.selfdrive.manager.process_config import managed_processes
 from openpilot.system.hardware import PC
 from openpilot.system.version import training_version, terms_version
-from openpilot.tools.lib.logreader import LogIterable
 
 
 def set_params_enabled():
@@ -78,11 +77,3 @@ def read_segment_list(segment_list_path):
     seg_list = f.read().splitlines()
 
   return [(platform[2:], segment) for platform, segment in zip(seg_list[::2], seg_list[1::2], strict=True)]
-
-
-# Utilities for sanitizing routes of only essential data for testing car ports and doing validation.
-
-PRESERVE_SERVICES = ["can", "carParams", "pandaStates", "pandaStateDEPRECATED"]
-
-def sanitize(lr: LogIterable) -> LogIterable:
-  return filter(lambda msg: msg.which() in PRESERVE_SERVICES, lr)
diff --git a/tools/lib/logreader.py b/tools/lib/logreader.py
index 36d099de50..c7f9f9fae0 100755
--- a/tools/lib/logreader.py
+++ b/tools/lib/logreader.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import sys
 import urllib.parse
 import warnings
 
-from typing import Iterable, Iterator, List
+from typing import Iterable, Iterator, List, Type
 from urllib.parse import parse_qs, urlparse
 
 from cereal import log as capnp_log
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ from openpilot.tools.lib.filereader import FileReader, file_exists
 from openpilot.tools.lib.helpers import RE
 from openpilot.tools.lib.route import Route, SegmentRange
 
-LogIterable = Iterable[capnp._DynamicStructReader]
+LogMessage = Type[capnp._DynamicStructReader]
+LogIterable = Iterable[LogMessage]
 
 
 class _LogFileReader:
diff --git a/tools/lib/sanitizer.py b/tools/lib/sanitizer.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b4a97a3792
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/lib/sanitizer.py
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+# Utilities for sanitizing routes of only essential data for testing car ports and doing validation.
+
+from openpilot.tools.lib.logreader import LogIterable, LogMessage
+
+
+def sanitize_vin(vin: str):
+  # (last 6 digits of vin are serial number https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_identification_number)
+  VIN_SENSITIVE = 6
+  return vin[:-VIN_SENSITIVE] + "X" * VIN_SENSITIVE
+
+
+def sanitize_msg(msg: LogMessage) -> LogMessage:
+  if msg.which() == "carParams":
+    msg = msg.as_builder()
+    msg.carParams.carVin = sanitize_vin(msg.carParams.carVin)
+    msg = msg.as_reader()
+  return msg
+
+
+PRESERVE_SERVICES = ["can", "carParams", "pandaStates", "pandaStateDEPRECATED"]
+
+
+def sanitize(lr: LogIterable) -> LogIterable:
+  filtered = filter(lambda msg: msg.which() in PRESERVE_SERVICES, lr)
+  sanitized = map(sanitize_msg, filtered)
+  return sanitized