Decoding a Vin, no matter the make and model is pretty simple. You just have to remember what each digit represents. You can find out any information about your car from just the VIN number. How cool is that?! It also helps manufacturers for tracking, finding specific parts, and in case of recalls.
Below is the breakdown of what each digit represents in the Vehicle Identification Number:
1 Country of Origin– The very first digit is the country of Origin. For Example, the numbers 1, 4, and 5 are the United States Country codes while 3 is Mexico’s.
2 Manufacturer– The second digit is the manufacturer’s code. This represents the particular brand of vehicle. For instance, T stands for Toyota and B stands for BMW
3 Vehicle Class– The third digit is the vehicle classification. This distinguishes between cars, trucks, and SUVs. For Example, C stands for Truck
4-8 Vehicle Descriptor numbers– This is where this really gets specific to your vehicle, digits 4-8 represent the information about the specific model, engine, transmission, safety, and body type.
9 Authenticity Digit– This digit’s only job is to authenticate that the rest of the in is correct and authentic. Not much to learn from this one.
10 Year– The tenth digit specifies the year of the vehicle. Even though it is most likely listed in other parts of the vehicle, this is a sure-fire way to check. Letters or numbers can be in this spot. For example, the number 2 represents 2002 while H is 1987
11 Plant Code– This specifies which of the manufacturer’s plants the vehicle was built at. This can help track vehicles on their way to you, or help distinguish which vehicles might have a defective part.
12-17 Serial Number– The final six numbers represent any information that is left. These numbers are specific to one vehicle and tell any additional information that needs to be known.