How to Read a Car's VIN

7/23/2019 How to Read a Car's VIN

1/12

How To Read A Car's VIN

Matt Hardigree

Filed to: FLASHBACK FRIDAY 3/19/10 3:30pm

If you know how to read it, your car's Vehicle Information Number will

tell you more than you ever wanted to know about your ride. What

secrets do those 17 letters and numbers hold?

We're re-running this story as part of Flashback Friday, when we republish

classic stories from the Jalopnik archives. Think of it as Jalopnik's 'Best Of' series.

We decided to run this particular story because this week, when we needed tofigure out a VIN, we found this post to be particularly invaluable in helping us

decode it. Ed.

The Vehicle Identification Number program was initiated by the

International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 1980 as a way to

standardize car serial numbers. Cars built before 1981 don't follow a

universal standard and thus require manufacturer-specific informationto decode. Why was this worth the ISO's time? Simple: The whole thing

was created to ensure that no one car make, model, production run,

etc. was ever passed off as another.

Decoding a VIN is an easy way to make sure that you don't get ripped

off in a purchase either by buying a vehicle pretending to be

something it isn't, like a stock Mustang dressed up to be a special

edition Cobra, or by purchasing a car with a salvage or rebuilt title. Howdo you do it? The folks at DriverSide.comhelped out by giving us some

details which we've expounded upon below.
http://jalopnik.com/http://jalopnik.com/http://www.driverside.com/auto-library/the_vin_number-60http://jalopnik.com/tag/flashback-friday/http://jalopnik.com/5165656/how-to-read-a-cars-vinhttp://jalopnik.com/tag/flashback-fridayhttp://kinja.com/matthardigreehttp://kinja.com/matthardigreehttp://jalopnik.com/5165656/how-to-read-a-cars-vinhttp://jalopnik.com/


2/12

Step One: Find It

The vast majority of new cars have their VINs located under the front of

the windshield and typically visible through a small, clear square within

the tinted area. Depending on the year and price of the car you're

looking at, what's there will vary: It could be a nicely stamped piece of

aluminum, or it could be a cheap plastic tag. Both are usually riveted

onto the dash in order to make replacement difficult. Limited-editionmodels or expensive sports cars may also have a special VIN plate

located in the door sill or on the dash.

Once you find the VIN the fun begins!

Step Two: Break It Down

As you can see in the graphic above, the VIN is composed of six parts:

Make/Model: (Digits 1-3)This breaks out the vehicle's make, model,

and manufacturer.


3/12

Vehicle Features: (Digits 4-8)These digits identify the various features

of the specific model trim specifications, driveline options, etc.

Verifying #: (Digit 9)Determined through a complex mathematical

formula that relates to the other numbers in the VIN; used to verify that

the VIN itself is not fake.

Model Year: (Digit 10)Represents the vehicle's model year, which is not

to be confused with the year it was sold or delivered.

Assembly Plant: (Digit 11)An internal digit that shows where the car

was built.

Sequence Of Model Production: (Digit 12-17)These digits indicate the

order in which the vehicle left the assembly line. This is effectively the

serial number.

Note: A VIN will never include the letters I, O, or Q because of their similarity to

the numbers "1" and "0." BUt seriously, though: Who confuses a Q with a 0?

Step 3: Decoding The Make

We're going to use the VIN 1ZVHT82H485113456 from the photo above

as the sample to work from. We won't tell you what this vehicle is, but

you should know more about it by the time we reach the end of the

number.

Our first decoding challenge is to figure out who made this vehicle. This

is found in the digits 1ZV.

The first digit in the make code will always be the country of

manufacture. There are numerous country codes, but the most common

ones are:

USA: 1, 4 or 5

Canada: 2

Mexico: 3

Japan: J

Korea: K

England: SGermany: W


4/12

Italy: Z

Sweden: Y

Australia: 6

France: V

Brazil: 9

Looking at our code, it's clear we're dealing with an American car or a

foreign car built in America.

When we add the next two digits to the equation, we discover themanufacturer. The full three-digit code is called the "World

Manufacturer Identifier." There's more to this than simply handing an

"F" to Ford or a "G" to GM. For instance, "1GC" represents Chevrolet

trucks, and "1G1" is for Chevy passenger cars. You can cross reference

the WMI with this list of common WMIs.

It turns out that "1ZV" is the code for AutoAlliance International, acompany building cars for both Mazda and Ford. This means our car is

either a Ford or a Mazda product.

Step 4: Figuring Out the Features

More than just telling you what model of car you have, this section

often describes the type of engine and platform the car uses. How this

is used is based on the country and company in question, but most

companies selling cars in North America have similar formats. Since we

know our car is a Ford or a Mazda, it's fairly easy to decode what

HT82Hmeans.

The first digit, H, is a safety code and indicates that the car has front

and side airbags. Other digits include "B" for the use of active belts but

no airbags. The letters "L" and "F" or "K" indicate different

generations of airbags.

Digits five through seven, in this case T82, tell us what kind of vehicle

this is. Using this handy guide to Ford VINs we know that Ford uses

"T8_" for the Mustang coupe. Even more exciting, it's a either a

Mustang Bullitt, Coupe GT or Coupe Shelby GT. If someone is trying tosell you a Mustang and claims it's a "GT" hardtop but its VIN says

"T80," they're lying to you.
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Vehicle_Identification_Numbers_(VIN_codes)/Ford/VIN_Codes#Ford_WMIshttp://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Vehicle_Identification_Numbers_(VIN_codes)/World_Manufacturer_Identifier_(WMI)


5/12

The most important digit, if you're trying to determine what engine the

car has, is the eighth one. In this case, the digit Hindicates that we

have a car with Ford's 4.6-liter modular V-8. If the digit was an "N," it

would indicate a V-6 and we'd know something was fishy. If the code

was an "S," we'd know we had a Coupe Shelby GT on our hands.

Step 5: Using the Check Digit

Most companies use the ninth digit, always a number, as a check digit.

Using a complex mathematical equation, they can determine if the

product of multiplying all of the numbers and letters in the VIN besides

the 9th digit, when divided by 11, has a remainder equal to the check

digit. If it does, the VIN is real.

If you're a total math nerd, you can follow these instructions. If you're

a little lazier, you can use this calculator to determine if your check

digit is correct. Ours is correct, so we know either the VIN plate is legit

or, at least, its creator is really good at math.

Step 6: Determining the Model Year

Since 1980, different countries have used slight variations of model

years. Still, there's a generally accepted format that mostcompanies use

for the 10th digit. If the car was built between 2001 and 2009, the digits

0-8 will appear here. Our vehicle's 8tells us that it's a 2008 model-

year car.
http://www.alton-moore.net/vin_calculation.htmlhttp://people.virginia.edu/~sns5r/resint/empiostf/checkdigit.htm


6/12

If the car in question was built between 1980 and 2000, the code will be

"A-Y," sequentially excluding the three letters not found in any VIN.

For example, a car built in 1994 would have the code "R," and a car

from 2000 would use "Y." Starting in 2010, most manufacturers and

vehicles reset to the letter "A."

Step 7: Decoding Where it Was Built

The 11th digit is for identifying where the vehicle was made. There's no

set standard for this, so you need to consult a list of the company's

manufacturing facilities and VIN codes. These are almost all up on

Wikipedia. For instance, here's a page with a list of Ford factories. This

tells us that the 5in our VIN matches up to the AutoAlliance plant in

Flat Rock, Michigan.

Step 8: The Sequence of Model Production

The final six digits indicate how far along into a given production run

that the vehicle was built but, because some companies make a lot of acertain model, this isn't necessarily a number. In the case of our

Mustang, the digit is a number: 113456.

For most car owners, this number isn't very significant. For special

models, such as limited edition Corvettes or end-of-production

vehicles, this can be the best way to determine if the vehicle is what it

purports to be. Most Mustangs are produced on the same assembly line

so, in this case, we can't determine anything special about our car.

Step 9: Compare What The Number Shows To Your Vehicle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ford_factories


7/12

When we zoom out, it's clear that the car is a 2008 Ford Mustang

Bullitt. Compare this to what is shown in the VIN number, and it

appears that our car checks out.

For more information about VINs, check out DriverSide.com

[Supporting Info: Mustang Attitude, CarSpace, Wikipedia, MotiveMag]

Photo Credit: Serious Wheels, dwaycar

This story originally appeared on Jalopnik.com on March 6th, 2009 at 3:00 PM

EST.

All replies

Mad_Science Matt Hardigree

3/06/09 3:11pm

It's worth pointing out that many dealerships will make keys

based on a VIN that you give them.

Which means anyone can walk by your car, pull the VIN, and

get a key for your car for 100 bucks.

It's been recommended that you cover the windshield VIN.

Also: first person to say "VIN Number" has to drink a jar of

pickle juice.

Reply

engineerd - Jalopnik Poet Laureate Mad_Science

3/06/09 3:15pm

@Mad_Science: VIN Number...a product of the

Department of Redundancy Agency.

And, I did it.

Mmmmm...pickle juice.

Reply

c0de Mad_Science

3/06/09 3:17pm
http://kinja.com/c0dehttp://jalopnik.com/5165656/how-to-read-a-cars-vin?comment=11191861#commentshttp://kinja.com/c0dehttp://kinja.com/engineerd---jalopnik-poet-lau-oldhttp://jalopnik.com/5165656/how-to-read-a-cars-vin?comment=11191771#commentshttp://kinja.com/engineerd---jalopnik-poet-lau-oldhttp://kinja.com/mad_sciencehttp://jalopnik.com/5165656/how-to-read-a-cars-vin?comment=11191637#commentshttp://kinja.com/mad_sciencehttp://jalopnik.com/cars/2008-ford-mustang-bullitt/2008-ford-mustang-bullitt-revealed-officially-319778.phphttp://www.jalopnik.com/http://www.dwaycar.com/images/VIN%20Plate%20L.jpghttp://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-2008/def/2008-Ford-Mustang-Bullit-VIN-Plate-1920x1440.jpghttp://www.motivemag.com/pub/feature/tech/Motive_Tech_Understanding_Your_Vehicle_ID_nums.shtmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ford_factorieshttp://www.carspace.com/guides/How-to-Decode-VIN-Numbershttp://mustangattitude.com/mustang/2008vinmatrix.shtmlhttp://www.driverside.com/auto-library/the_vin_number-60http://jalopnik.com/cars/2008-ford-mustang-bullitt/2008-ford-mustang-bullitt-revealed-officially-319778.php


8/12

@Mad_Science: VIN NUMBER... VIN NUMBER... wait..

that wasn't a competition, was it !?.. dang it.

Reply

From a Buick 6 Mad_Science3/06/09 3:19pm

@Mad_Science: Note to self: Whatever you do, don't

say "VIN number."

Shit.

Reply

Jo Schmo engineerd - Jalopnik Poet Laureate

3/06/09 3:21pm

@engineerd thinks cannoli is deserving of a star:

Reply

Show more replies in this thread

TR3-A Matt Hardigree

3/06/09 3:17pm

"... AutoAlliance International, which is a company building

cars for both Mazda and Ford."

Wait, what? There is a third company which actually buildscars for two manufacturers? Is this AutoAlliance International

owned by Ford or is it owned by somebody else or is it an

independent company? This may be common knowledge to

you kids but us old timers still think of auto manufacturers as

being essentially self-contained.

Reply

MushyHeirloom TR3-A

3/06/09 3:27pm

@TR3-A: Remember DSM? NUMMI? I think it's the

same deal.

Reply

UDMan TR3-A

3/06/09 3:29pm
http://kinja.com/UDMANhttp://jalopnik.com/5165656/how-to-read-a-cars-vin?comment=11192248#commentshttp://kinja.com/UDMANhttp://kinja.com/mushyheirloom-oldhttp://jalopnik.com/5165656/how-to-read-a-cars-vin?comment=11192195#commentshttp://kinja.com/mushyheirloom-oldhttp://kinja.com/tr3-a-oldhttp://jalopnik.com/5165656/how-to-read-a-cars-vin?comment=11191838#commentshttp://kinja.com/tr3-a-oldhttp://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/uncyclopedia/images/thumb/d/df/Dord.png/150px-Dord.pnghttp://kinja.com/jo-schmo-oldhttp://jalopnik.com/5165656/how-to-read-a-cars-vin?comment=11191975#commentshttp://kinja.com/jo-schmo-oldhttp://kinja.com/from-a-buick-6-oldhttp://jalopnik.com/5165656/how-to-read-a-cars-vin?comment=11191931#commentshttp://kinja.com/from-a-buick-6-old


9/12

@TR3-A: Oh good grief, there are all sorts of these

damn joint ventures in the states. Auto Alliance,

Diamond Star (That the Mitsubishi plant that makes

Eclipse, Galant, and used to make Sebring and Avenger

Coupes), NUMMI in California (Makes Toyota Matrix,

Pontiac Vibe, used to make Prizm and Corollas), andthere are others that I don't know the joint venture

name (like the old Subaru/Isuzu plant in Lafayatte,

now a Toyota/Subaru Plant)

Reply

JawzX2, Boost Addict. TR3-A

3/06/09 3:33pm

@TR3-A: Interestingly My 2000 Toyota Corolla was

assembled by a third party too, I don't remember who

it was but the insurance and auto parts people always

had a cow with the VIN because it was a US assembled

Toyota, NOT assembled by Toyota USA, and it's engine

was a Japan made 1ZZ-FD (NOT the 1-ZZFED!)

Apparently this was a transitional model and only a

couple hundred cars were assembled this way, too bad

it got totaled by a GandPrix, I might have had the

world's only collectible 2000 Corolla CE ;)

Reply

pech uses the air pedal when he wants to go fast TR3-A

3/06/09 3:49pm

@TR3-A: I'm not an expert, but I think it's more

common that you realize for a "manufacturer" to

subcontract out the actual building of the vehicles.

BMW subcontracted out the building of the x3 to

Magna Steyr.

Also Bertone was a contract manufacturer. As is

Pininfarina.

Reply


rb1971 GTSF1-S55-Z3M-E9-SuicideConti Matt Hardigree

3/19/10 4:00pm

WBSDE93401BZ98493
http://kinja.com/rb1971http://jalopnik.com/5165656/how-to-read-a-cars-vin?comment=20701295#commentshttp://kinja.com/rb1971http://kinja.com/jpech-uses-the-air-pedal-when-oldhttp://jalopnik.com/5165656/how-to-read-a-cars-vin?comment=11192964#commentshttp://kinja.com/jpech-uses-the-air-pedal-when-oldhttp://kinja.com/JawzX2http://jalopnik.com/5165656/how-to-read-a-cars-vin?comment=11192412#commentshttp://kinja.com/JawzX2


10/12

Reply

rb1971 GTSF1-S55-Z3M-E9-Suicid rb1971 GTSF1-S55-Z3M-E9-Suicid

3/19/10 4:07pm

@rb1971 - E39M5'er: Also, from a few years ago,

Chrysler ID # 8343193051.

Reply

Michael Menefee rb1971 GTSF1-S55-Z3M-E9-SuicideConti

3/19/10 5:20pm

@rb1971 - E39M5'er: Nice. I've got BZ99930.

Reply

rb1971 GTSF1-S55-Z3M-E9-SuicideConti Michael Menefee

3/19/10 6:11pm

@Mr. M: Cool! Don't know if you're at all interested in

upgrades, but just last week I got a 3.64 diff from

Turner Motorsports (who apparently construct thediffs for Dinan as well as - historically at least -

Letterman's race team), which has been pretty

awesome. Not the right upgrade if you do a ton of long

interstate driving but great for my driving mix.

Reply

Michael Menefee rb1971 GTSF1-S55-Z3M-E9-SuicideConti

3/20/10 11:31am

@rb1971 - E39M5'er: Nice. Yeah, Turner is a good

builder. Good call on the upgrade. I have a custom 3.62

w/ variable lockup in my E36 M3 from diffsonline, and

I like it. The M5 is the DD/highway cruiser though, so

you're right, a 3.6x is probably a little much. Sounds

like fun though. Enjoy it!

Reply

Rusty Van Horn Matt Hardigree

3/19/10 6:43pm

1B3ER69E0XV502745

Yeah, suck it bitches

Reply
http://kinja.com/JCWhitlesshttp://jalopnik.com/5165656/how-to-read-a-cars-vin?comment=20708550#commentshttp://kinja.com/JCWhitlesshttp://kinja.com/ke5czkhttp://jalopnik.com/5165656/how-to-read-a-cars-vin?comment=20724956#commentshttp://kinja.com/ke5czkhttp://www.turnermotorsport.com/http://kinja.com/rb1971http://jalopnik.com/5165656/how-to-read-a-cars-vin?comment=20707426#commentshttp://kinja.com/rb1971http://kinja.com/ke5czkhttp://jalopnik.com/5165656/how-to-read-a-cars-vin?comment=20705427#commentshttp://kinja.com/ke5czkhttp://www.jonsteiger.com/www/CGI-BIN/62-65MoparVINDecoder.cgihttp://kinja.com/rb1971http://jalopnik.com/5165656/how-to-read-a-cars-vin?comment=20701643#commentshttp://kinja.com/rb1971


11/12

Poom Rusty Van Horn

3/19/10 7:17pm

@JC Whitless: Viper?

Reply

Phantom Rusty Van Horn

3/19/10 7:18pm

@JC Whitless: SCA1L68567UX23019

Look, I can do it too.

Reply

tsarcasm Rusty Van Horn

3/19/10 10:16pm

@JC Whitless:

A V10 eh' :)

Reply

porsche9146, 98 forever. Phantom

3/20/10 12:13am

@Phantom_of_the_Roller: so it's manufactured in

england, but what is it?

Reply


Spencer Williams Matt Hardigree

3/06/09 9:19pm

Can't lie, super super psyched you used a Mustang for the

sample VIN. But I must admit, I freaked out when I realized it

was possible my car wasn't built in Flat Rock.

Thanks Jalopnik for this post.

Reply

Spencer Williams Spencer Williams

3/21/10 3:11am

@eggwich mcfly: No, it wasn't possible your car wasn'tbuilt in Flat Rock. Auto Alliance has many different

plants, but the S197 is only built at the Flat Rock
http://kinja.com/Spencer_Williamshttp://jalopnik.com/5165656/how-to-read-a-cars-vin?comment=20744320#commentshttp://kinja.com/Spencer_Williamshttp://kinja.com/Spencer_Williamshttp://jalopnik.com/5165656/how-to-read-a-cars-vin?comment=11200382#commentshttp://kinja.com/Spencer_Williamshttp://kinja.com/porsche9146http://jalopnik.com/5165656/how-to-read-a-cars-vin?comment=20718694#commentshttp://kinja.com/porsche9146http://kinja.com/tsarcasm-oldhttp://jalopnik.com/5165656/how-to-read-a-cars-vin?comment=20715762#commentshttp://kinja.com/tsarcasm-oldhttp://kinja.com/phantom-oldhttp://jalopnik.com/5165656/how-to-read-a-cars-vin?comment=20709974#commentshttp://kinja.com/phantom-oldhttp://kinja.com/Poomhttp://jalopnik.com/5165656/how-to-read-a-cars-vin?comment=20709956#commentshttp://kinja.com/Poom


12/12

location. Dumbass noob go back to 4chan!

Reply

How to Read a Car's VIN

Documents

Transcript of How to Read a Car's VIN