The VIN is a unique string of 17 characters that identify a variety of characteristics about a car including:
It's given to a car by its manufacturer and no two VINs are the same.
#DECODE VIN NUMBER HOW TO#
CARFAX searches its nationwide database and provides a detailed vehicle history report in a matter of seconds.Īlso, find out how to get access to billions of online records.A VIN or Vehicle Identification Number is like a social security number, serial number or UPC code for a car. At Carfax, you can order a Vehicle History Report, the first step to protecting yourself against buying used cars with costly hidden problems. Another great site to check out is Carfax. Their site provides easy access to VIN decoders and other helpful tools. If you’re interested in learning more, try Car Detective. VIN Number Check and VIN Number Lookup Websites It can also help to identify whether the vehicle was the first, the hundredth, or the last vehicle off the manufacturer’s assembly line The 12 th to 17 th characters are the actual serial number of the vehicle-these last 6 digits make the vehicle unique.A number or letter may represent the model year. The assembly plant for the vehicle (11 th character).The numbers identify the model year (10 th character).The vehicle identification section includes the last eight characters in the VIN number. It is determined by carrying out a mathematical computation developed by the Department of Transportation (DOT). The 9 th character is a VIN accuracy check digit that verifies the previous VIN numbers. The vehicle description section consists of five characters (the 4th to 8th characters) which identify everything from the body style, engine type, and braking system to model, series, restraint system, etc Vehicle Description Section (VDS) and Check Digit The third character represents the vehicle type or manufacturing division. For example Jaguar (A), Dodge (B), Chrysler (C), Jeep (J), Buick (4), Cadillac (6), or Saturn (8). The characters can be either letters or numbers. The second character in the WMI (of three) refers to the manufacturer. World Manufacturer’s Identification (WMI). World Manufacturer’s Identification (WMI)įirst Character in the WMI (of three) – The first character in the World Manufacturer’s Identification (WMI) sequence represents the country where the vehicle was manufactured. Countries such as the United States (1 or 4), Canada (2), and Mexico (3) are represented by numbers while other countries such as Germany (W), Italy (Z), and Japan (J) are represented by letters. The letters “I”, “O” and “Q” are typically omitted. The sequence for characters is first A to Z, then 1 to 9, and the last 0.
The country where the car or truck was originally manufactured.When decoded, the Vehicle Identification Number indicates the following information: How to Decode a Vehicle Identification Number In addition, they are also included in the title documents. All cars and light trucks built after 1981 have a unique 17-character VIN number that provides access to valuable information about that vehicle’s history. The letters I, O, and Q never appear in a VIN. VIN numbers can be found on dashboards and driver’s side door jamb stickers.