A certified pre-owned label tells you that someone applied a program. It does not tell you what was examined. The useful document is the inspection sheet behind the label, and it is usually handed over only if you ask for it.
Ask for the signed sheet itself
Request the completed inspection form for the specific vehicle, not a brochure describing the program in general. Check that the vehicle identification number on the sheet matches the car in front of you, that the entry for when the check was done is filled in, and that the name or signature of the person who performed it appears. A sheet with blank lines, or with every box marked the same way, suggests the form was completed rather than the check being carried out.
Separate measured items from looked-at items
Inspection sheets often mix different kinds of checks. Some items are read from a gauge or meter, such as tread depth, battery condition, or fluid level. Others are only observed, such as a visual look at paint or seats. Some are tested by running the vehicle, and some are simply marked as acceptable. Ask which entries were measured and which were judged by eye, and write that down next to the sheet.
Look for what is not on the list
A blank line often matters more than a checked one. Compare the sheet against the items you care about for your own use: the brakes you will rely on in traffic, the charging or towing equipment if you plan to use it, the lights, the seat belts for every seat you will fill, and any electronic systems you use daily. If an item you need is not on the form, ask whether it was examined anyway and how that result is recorded.
Ask how open recalls were handled
Ask whether the seller or program checked the vehicle against open federal recall notices, and whether any open notice was repaired before the sale or is still waiting for a remedy. Ask for the answer in writing. An open recall is a separate matter from the inspection, and the federal notice itself, not the sheet, is the record of what the maker has announced. This site lists recall and complaint entries per model with their federal counts, so you can see what was published for the model line before you ask about the particular car.
Ask what the label promises, in writing
A certified program usually comes with its own written terms covering how long coverage lasts, what applies after the factory term ends, and how claims are routed. Those terms are separate from the inspection sheet. Ask for the written terms, read the parts on what is excluded, how a claim is started, and who performs repairs, and keep a copy with the sheet. Do not rely on a verbal summary of the program.
What to bring home
Before you sign, you should have the inspection sheet, the written program terms, the recall answer in writing, and a note of which items were measured. If any of those is missing, the label is a starting point for questions, not a finished record of the car's condition.