VIN is an abbreviation for Vehicle Identification Number. This number is assigned to the vehicle by an automaker and it contains information about the vehicle such as the country of origin, model year, place of assembling and serial number. VIN is a great place to start in case you are interested in buying used cars from CarSwitch or wish to learn about the history of a car. Let us dig deeper at what the characters of VIN stand for, where you can spot the VIN and when it can be useful to you.
The meaning of VIN
VIN is the key to reveal the history of any vehicle. It is composed of 17 characters and is stamped on the car. Although it might look like a confusing mix of letters and numbers, VIN holds a great amount of secrets regarding the vehicle’s present and past.
All the VIN are distinct just like a human fingerprint. All the vehicles in the US having the model year of 1981 or after are needed to have a VIN in the same standard form.
However, it’s format and length differs from automaker to automaker. Even if the series of numbers and letters look random, it is actually a code. Each character unveils separate information regarding the car.
What do the characters in VIN signify?
- Characters 1 to 3: Signify the vehicle’s automaker.
- Characters 4 to 8: Signify the model, engine type, body style and more.
- Character 9: It is a code completed by the automaker to finalize the precision of the VIN number.
- Character 10: Signifies the model year of the car.
- Character 11: Signifies the plant where the vehicle was assembled.
- Character 12 to 17: This is the serial number of the vehicle only for high volume automakers.
If you want to know what your vehicle VIN number means, you can refer to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration VIN decoder. You simply have to enter the vehicle’s VIN and model year. Their VIN decoder tool will offer the interpretation of VIN for you.
Where can you find the VIN?
On the vehicle
The most likely location is where the dashboard meets the windshield at the driver’s side of the car. In order to see it properly, stand outside the vehicle. Another place to observe is the driver’s side door jamb. It is near where the door latch is located.
According to the Federal Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard, cars having the model year of 1987 or after which are labeled high theft also display the VIN on a few important parts. For instance, the transmission, engine, fenders and doors. This can allow police to trace and discover parts from stolen vehicles.
Give attention to the VIN of the vehicle you are interested in purchasing. If the VIN shows in a few places but the series of letters and numbers is not identical in all locations, the vehicle might have been rebuilt with stolen parts.
On specific documents
If you are away from the vehicle, you will also be able to get the VIN on the registration card or the vehicle’s title, service records or the insurance policy.
Circumstances in which a VIN is important
In case you want to do know if the vehicle has any recalls
Are you wondering if your vehicle’s automaker has designated any safety recalls or if a vehicle you want to purchase has any important recalls? Share the VIN in the recall tool of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in order to stay updated on recalls particular to the vehicle within the last 15 years.
When you want to get a used car
While purchasing a used car, gaining details on the vehicle’s history is essential. The car buying platforms and dealerships might give vehicle history reports. However, in case you are purchasing from a person, you may need a report yourself.
In order to do this, you will usually need the vehicle’s VIN. The vehicle history reports can be easily seen on many websites with the help of VIN.
You may also use the VINCheck tool of the National Insurance Crime Bureau to discover if a specific vehicle has been stolen or has a salvage title.
If your vehicle gets stolen
Law enforcement uses the VIN in databases to recognize and search a stolen vehicle or parts.
