If you're like most people, you probably think a vehicle identification number (VIN) is just a series of random characters. Actually, each character in this highly structured code has its own meaning. In fact, deciphering these codes is a hobby for some car enthusiasts, including collectors who want to own one of the first or last cars to come off an assembly line. When you're considering purchasing a pre-owned vehicle, it's always a good idea to obtain a or VIN check.
Knowing how to read the VIN could help you make an informed decision before you buy. Decoding a Sample VINThe infographic below provides a simplified look at a sample VIN. Keep in mind that vehicles manufactured before 1981 might have fewer characters than today's standard VIN of 17 characters Model Year & Country Codes Model Year Character Codes As shown above, the 10th character of the VIN indicates its model year. A: 1980 or 2010. B: 1981 or 2011. C: 1982 or 2012. D: 1983 or 2013.
E: 1984 or 2014. F: 1985 or 2015. G: 1986 or 2016. H: 1987 or 2017. J: 1988. K: 1989. L: 1990.
M: 1991. N: 1992. P: 1993. R: 1994.
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S: 1995. T: 1996.
V: 1997. W: 1998. X: 1999. Y: 2000. 1: 2001. 2: 2002.
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3: 2003. 4: 2004. 5: 2005. 6: 2006. 7: 2007. 8: 2008. 9: 2009 Country of Origin Character Codes The 1st character in a car's vehicle identification number indicates the country in which it was manufactured.
Some of the country codes include:. 1, 4, 5: United States.
2: Canada. 3A-37: Mexico. J: Japan.
VF-VR: France. 9: Brazil. WA-W0: West Germany. S: Great Britain If you are not sure where to look for your vehicle's VIN, visit our section on.