VIN Decoder & Look Up
If you’re a driver, you know how important it is to have reliable information about your vehicle. Knowing all the details related to your car, such as its make and model year, can help keep it running smoothly and safely.
Even if you don’t know every single component of your car, there’s still an easy way to get accurate information quickly: a VIN decoder & lookup! This invaluable tool can provide detailed information about any vehicle without spending hours researching or consulting an expert mechanic.
Understanding the Vehicle Identification Number?
Here, we break down the meaning of each digit in a VIN code and how it can help you gather more information about your car.
World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI)
The first three digits of a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) indicate the country of origin, manufacturer, and specific division within the manufacturer.
1st: This will tell you where the vehicle was manufactured.
- A-C: Africa
- J-R: Asia
- S-Z: Europe
- 1-5: North America
- 6-7: Australia and New Zealand
- 8-9: South America
2nd: The manufacturer who made the vehicle
You can check out the complete list of manufacturers on this website.
3rd: The division that manufactures the car.
Vehicle Descriptor (4 – 8 Digits)
The following five digits provide all the details about the car, like the engine size, safety features, and body style.
What is a VIN Number? and How Do I Find it?
Have you ever wondered what a VIN is? This unique sequence of 17 numbers and letters is like a fingerprint for your vehicle.
It serves as a permanent identifier, allowing you to trace the history of your car from its manufacturing to its current state. But where exactly can you find this vital piece of information?
Fear not, as there are a few ways to locate your VIN.
The most common location is on the dashboard, near the windshield on the driver’s side. It can also be found on the driver’s side door frame, under the hood, or on important documents such as the registration or insurance paperwork.
How to Do a VIN Check?
Enter your vehicle’s 17-character Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) in the field above and get an instant report on its manufacturer, brand, make and model, body style, engine size, assembly plant, and model year.
The information is provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) based on the data submitted by manufacturers.
Please note that the VIN Decoder lookup is meant for vehicles manufactured from 1981 onwards. If your car was made before 1981, the VIN will likely have 11 characters.
How to Decode a VIN Number?
A Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) comprises several groups representing different aspects of a vehicle, including country of origin, WMI, check digit, manufacturing plant, and vehicle descriptor.
World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI)
The WMI (World Manufacturer Identifier) is formed by combining the first three digits.
- Country of Origin: This is the first digit on the VIN, sometimes called the final processing plant. For example, 1 represents the United States, 2 represents Canada, and 3 represents Mexico.
- Manufacturer: The second digit indicates where the vehicle was manufactured and which region your vehicle was produced.
- Manufacturing Company: The third digit indicates your vehicle type or manufacturing division.
Vehicle Description Section (VDS)
The vehicle description section (VDS) indicates the model, body type, restraint systems, transmission type, and engine code of the vehicle.
- Vehicle Description: 4 through 8 make up the vehicle description such as model, body type, transmission type, restraint systems, and engine code.
- Check Digit: This was developed by the U.S. Department of Transportation to detect fraudulent VINs.
Vehicle Identification Section (VIS)
Digits 10 to 17 make up the Vehicle Identification Section.
- Year Vehicle was Built: The tenth digit indicates which year the vehicle was built.
- Plant Assemble: The eleventh digit indicates which plant the vehicle was assembled.
And Finally:
The twelfth through seventeenth digits are the unique serial number of your vehicle.
