Contents
In each VIN number, there will be one code representing the month of production and another code indicating the year of production. However, each car brand will locate the month code and year code in a different position.
VIN is the abbreviation for Vehicle Identification Number. Other terms and verbiage of VIN are: Vehicle ID Number. Car ID.
Every Chevrolet car has a unique identifier code called a VIN. This number contains vital information about the car, such as its manufacturer, year of production, the plant it was produced in, type of engine, model and more.
VIN Number Breakdown
There are 17 numbers and letters (17 positions) in a VIN and you can divide them into three groups: World Manufacturer Identifier, Vehicle Descriptor Section, and Vehicle Identifier Section.
The first three digits are called the World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI). Toyota VINs starting with “1”, “4”, or “5” represent vehicles assembled in the United States, VINs beginning with “2” indicate vehicles assembled in Canada, and vehicles with VINs beginning with “3” were assembled in Mexico.
10 | Year | |
---|---|---|
G | 1986 | 2016 |
H | 1987 | 2017 |
J | 1988 | 2018 |
K | 1989 | 2019 |
Subtract the year you have identified from the current year to give you the age of the vehicle; for example, 2010 – 1998 = 12. So the age of the vehicle is 12 years.
These set of numbers and characters reveal lots of things about the car. This includes the country of origin, airbag type, model year, engine size, trim level, as well as the plant name. In addition, the car’s VIN is also the key to safety.
Every VIN is 17 digits, which can be broken down into 3 sections: World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI), vehicle descriptor and vehicle identifier.
Go to a VIN decoder website, such as AutoCheck.com, DecodeThis.com or DMV.org. You can use any of these websites to decode your VIN and reveal the meaning of each character to find vehicle specs. Enter the VIN in the search box on any of these sites, then press “Enter.”
The VIN can tell you practically anything about the car, including color, year, make and model. The registered owner is also tied to the vehicle, so looking up the VIN can reveal the history of ownership, which includes the present owner.
Prior to 1981, motor vehicle manufacturers maintained separate, in-house records of vehicle identification numbers. Call, email or write motor companies to inquire about the Vehicle Identification Number or VIN for your vehicle.
Your VIN number is your vehicle identification number and you can find your engine size by VIN number. In the series of numbers and letters, the tenth from the left denotes the model year and the eighth is the engine codes. Just tell the store clerk those two characters and you’re in business.
The world manufacturer identifiers are the first 3 letters or numbers at the beginning of the VIN. This will give you information about the type of vehicle and where it was produced. The first number/letter tells the region the car was manufactured in, for example, “North America.”
Characters eight to four indicate the vehicle’s specs, such as if it’s a two-door or an SUV. The ninth digit is the “check digit”, which validates a VIN. The 10th character signifies the vehicle’s model year. The 11th digit refers to the specific facility or plant that assembled the vehicle.
Related Searches
vin number breakdown
how to decode a vin number
vin number check free
vehicle identification number lookup
check engine size by vin number
vin country of origin chart
vin number meaning
8 digit vin decoder