How to read a 17-digit VIN, position by position

How to Read a 17-Digit VIN, Position by Position

Your car is basically fingerprinted. That’s why you’ll find it written in several places on your car: on the dashboard (look near the windshield). In the door jamb. And also on your title. Those 17 characters are going to tell you nearly everything about the vehicle as a whole. While many will simply scan it quickly, then continue on; when you understand how to decipher a VIN, that string of letters & numbers turns out to be an incredible amount of information regarding your vehicle.

Below we’ve explained each of the 17 VIN positions, so that next time you’re researching a pre-owned vehicle online, checking titles or verifying a VIN, you’ll be able to read the string of letters and numbers rather than seeing just a bunch of nonsense.

What does the VIN represent?

A vehicle identification number (VIN) is a standardized 17 character code assigned to all cars, trucks and motorcycles produced after 1981. Prior to this date, manufacturers utilized vins of various lengths and formats. Iso established the 17-digit global standard which provides consistency for each vehicle manufactured globally.

The bad news is vins consist of both letters and numbers. However, none of these letters are the letters i,o,q. Why? They resemble the digits 1 & 0 far too closely. Minor detail – however significant if you have to enter the VIN manually.

Understanding the VIN Structure:

There are three main areas that vins are divided into. Each area performs a separate function.

Positions 1-3: The WMI (world manufacturer identifier):

Positions 1 thru 3 provide details regarding the country of origin and/or the manufacture of your vehicle. Typically, the first character represents the country of origin: u.s.a. = 1, 4 or 5; Japan = j; Germany = w; etc. The last two characters will provide further specificity to your vehicle's manufacture i.e., manufacture, make, division within manufacture, or product line.

Therefore, if you see a VIN beginning with “1FA,” you can safely assume that your vehicle is a passenger automobile built by Ford motor company in the usa.

Positions 4-8: Vehicle description section:

These five positions provide detailed specifications of your vehicle i.e., body style, engine type, transmission type and often times your vehicle's trim level. As you may expect, each manufacturer develops their own vehicle description section based upon their vehicle designs. Therefore, you cannot develop a generic vehicle description decoder ring that would work for all vehicles. You will need to consult the manufacturer's VIN decoder sheet if you wish to determine the description for your particular vehicle.

Position 9: The check digit:

The sole purpose of this position is to verify the VIN. The check digit is developed utilizing a mathematical algorithm designed to calculate a digit from the other sixteen positions. Its primary use is to detect typographical errors or intentional misrepresentations (i.e., fraudulent activity).

You do not interpret anything from this single digit. The existence of this digit is what allows you to rely on VIN verification software.

Position 10: The model year:

one of the best ways to identify a possible red flag is the model year listed in position 10. Although you will have already identified potential problems such as incorrect mileage or age discrepancies by this point, the model year still provides some additional insight. the model year is represented using an alphabet/number cycle that repeats every thirty years. Thus L=2020, m=2021 n=2022 etc. And 1 through 9 refer to specific years during the thirty-year cycle prior to repeating again.

Because of this thirty-year cycle, you must confirm the correct decade in conjunction with position seven to avoid confusion between the model year of 1998 versus 2028. Although initially confusing, once you have verified a few vins, it is easy to recognize the pattern.

Position 11: The plant code:

The eleventh character indicates the assembly plant where your vehicle was assembled. Similar to the vehicle descriptor section, each manufacturer utilizes their own internal coding system for each assembly plant. Therefore, while P may indicate one specific assembly plant for Ford and another completely different plant for Honda; you must reference your manufacturer's internal coding list for plants.

Positions 12-17: The vds (vehicle id section)(serial number):

While positions twelve through seventeen contain six sequential digits; collectively they constitute the vehicle's individual serial number and therefore ensure that each vehicle's VIN in existence is singularly unique.

Why knowing your VIN makes sense

Although knowing how to read a VIN is interesting trivia for those interested in automobiles; it actually has some practical applications:

If purchasing a used car, it is recommended that you research the vehicle's VIN against its title, registration and insurance records to ensure that all documentation matches. Document mismatches can be indicative of title washing or rebuilt salvage vehicles being sold without full disclosure.

When performing a vehicle history report, services such as Carfax or AutoCheck utilize the VIN. Understanding the basic composition of a VIN will allow you to crosscheck their results.

When ordering parts? Some engine/transmission components require matching the exact specification indicated in positions four through eight of your VIN. By having your dealer retrieve your VIN prior to ordering parts, they can prevent the possibility of incorrectly ordered parts.

Identify fraud? Should any of the following occur; either the check digit fails to validate or the model year indicated in your VIN does not correspond with what your seller says it is; take notice and perform due diligence prior to handing over any money.

Quick practice guide

Get your car's VIN off your car - go to your dashboard (where you can view through your windshield) or sticker attached to your doorjamb - and attempt decoding it according to the Structure described above. You will probably need to obtain your manufacturer's specific vehicle descriptor codes and plant codes as well - but you should immediately be able to decode country of origin, model year and serial #.

After doing it for your own vehicle, identifying another person's listing begins to lose much mystery.