How to Decode a VIN
Locate the VIN on your car to start the decoding process., Find detailed information quickly by entering the entire VIN online., Use a service to check whether your vehicle has a history of damage., Use the other methods to decode it yourself.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Locate the VIN on your car to start the decoding process.
You'll need to find a long serial number, usually 17 digits, marked somewhere on your car or truck.
It may be in one of several locations.
You can read the LifeGuide Hub article on how to Find Your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) or look in the common locations listed below.Look on the dash at the base of the windshield on the driver's side for a small plaque.
Look for a sticker on the driver's door.
A VIN may also be found in the front of the engine block, easily visible once you open the hood.
On most newer vehicles, some body parts such as fenders and hoods also have the VIN on them for identification and matching parts to the vehicle.
Open the driver-side door, and look at the where the side view mirror would be located if the door were shut.
Older cars may have VINs found elsewhere, such as on the steering column, radiator support bracket, or the left-side inner wheel arch. -
Step 2: Find detailed information quickly by entering the entire VIN online.
You can find websites that can decode the VIN of most manufacturers automatically.
Try VIN Decoder.net if you're looking for detailed, quickly accessible information.
You can try to find a VIN lookup on your car manufacturer's web site, but it's not guaranteed to have one.
If your vehicle was manufactured before 1980, it might have a nonstandard VIN.
If free lookup websites don't work, try a paid service such as CARFAX, AutoCheck, or VinAudit.
These should give you a little information for free, but a full VIN decoding will cost money. , Specialized VIN websites and VIN lookup services exist to see whether your vehicle was involved in an accident, fire, or other damaging situation.
You cannot decode this information from a VIN yourself, since the VIN for a vehicle never changes.
These services just take advantage of the fact that police and other organizations use the unique VIN to describe a car in accident reports.
First, try the free service at The National Insurance Crime Bureau website.
If you cannot get information for free online, you may need to pay for a Vehicle History Report.
This should be included in the VIN report services described earlier, such as VinAudit's. , Follow the methods below instead if you want to have fun decoding it yourself, or if your vehicle was made by an unusual manufacturer not decodable by a website.
Finding out where and when your car was made should be easy, while the other methods may take extra effort.
These codes are fully standardized in North America.
Elsewhere in the world, most major manufacturers follow the same standards, but they may use the 9th and 10th characters for different purposes.
In North America, the 9th must be used as "checking code" to confirm the VIN is real, and the 10th must be used to indicate the year the car was made. -
Step 3: Use a service to check whether your vehicle has a history of damage.
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Step 4: Use the other methods to decode it yourself.
Detailed Guide
You'll need to find a long serial number, usually 17 digits, marked somewhere on your car or truck.
It may be in one of several locations.
You can read the LifeGuide Hub article on how to Find Your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) or look in the common locations listed below.Look on the dash at the base of the windshield on the driver's side for a small plaque.
Look for a sticker on the driver's door.
A VIN may also be found in the front of the engine block, easily visible once you open the hood.
On most newer vehicles, some body parts such as fenders and hoods also have the VIN on them for identification and matching parts to the vehicle.
Open the driver-side door, and look at the where the side view mirror would be located if the door were shut.
Older cars may have VINs found elsewhere, such as on the steering column, radiator support bracket, or the left-side inner wheel arch.
You can find websites that can decode the VIN of most manufacturers automatically.
Try VIN Decoder.net if you're looking for detailed, quickly accessible information.
You can try to find a VIN lookup on your car manufacturer's web site, but it's not guaranteed to have one.
If your vehicle was manufactured before 1980, it might have a nonstandard VIN.
If free lookup websites don't work, try a paid service such as CARFAX, AutoCheck, or VinAudit.
These should give you a little information for free, but a full VIN decoding will cost money. , Specialized VIN websites and VIN lookup services exist to see whether your vehicle was involved in an accident, fire, or other damaging situation.
You cannot decode this information from a VIN yourself, since the VIN for a vehicle never changes.
These services just take advantage of the fact that police and other organizations use the unique VIN to describe a car in accident reports.
First, try the free service at The National Insurance Crime Bureau website.
If you cannot get information for free online, you may need to pay for a Vehicle History Report.
This should be included in the VIN report services described earlier, such as VinAudit's. , Follow the methods below instead if you want to have fun decoding it yourself, or if your vehicle was made by an unusual manufacturer not decodable by a website.
Finding out where and when your car was made should be easy, while the other methods may take extra effort.
These codes are fully standardized in North America.
Elsewhere in the world, most major manufacturers follow the same standards, but they may use the 9th and 10th characters for different purposes.
In North America, the 9th must be used as "checking code" to confirm the VIN is real, and the 10th must be used to indicate the year the car was made.
About the Author
Rebecca Alvarez
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow DIY projects tutorials.
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