Some characters are standardized across the industry, while the meanings of others change depending on the manufacturer and year. Makes BaseĮach digit in the vehicle identification number has a specific meaning. This makes it easy to check the factory information to verify the vehicle is genuine. While the seller may add some badges to make it look like the trim you want, it’s all but impossible to falsify the vehicle identification number. For example, let’s say you want to buy a high performance or special edition version of a particular car. It also helps uncover discrepancies in the listing.

This will tell you information in this number, including where the vehicle was built, when it was built, what body style and engine it came with, and what major equipment was included. To use this tool, all you need to do is type in the code into our website and click “Check VIN”.

This makes it easy to track outstanding liens.Ī VIN decoder translates the characters in the vehicle identification number into information you can use.

Financial institutions use the number to identify vehicles on paperwork.

Insurance companies issue policies based on this number.

It identifies vehicles in police records, including theft and accident reports.

Looking up this number lets you find out about recalls for the vehicle, and if the required repairs were made.

It’s used by manufacturers to track recalls.

Since VINs are unique to each vehicle, it’s also used to identify cars on official documents: This can tell you more information about a vehicle than you’ll usually get from a sales listing. It also contains information about safety equipment, trim levels and more.

This code identifies more than the serial number and model. The vehicle identification number includes information about where and when a vehicle was built, its configuration, and its serial number. This code does not use the letters “Q”, “I” or “O” to avoid confusion with the numbers “0” and “1”. In 1981, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) standardized the format of this code, using a 17 character format. These codes were first used in the early 1950s to help companies identify the vehicles that came off of the assembly lines. The Vehicle Identification Number is a unique code issued to every new vehicle. What is a VIN Number (Vehicle Identification Number)?

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