Vehicle Details That Can Be Extracted From The VIN Decoder

Every vehicle has a 17-digit name constructed of both alphabets and numbers that an automobile manufacturer assigns to an individual vehicle. This is known as the VIN or vehicle identification number. Having a VIN data number ensures the safety of the car. In each vehicle, the VIN is imprinted on a plate mounted on the dashboard near the windshield. Sometimes, it is also placed near the engine’s firewall or doorjamb at the driver’s side.

What is contained in the VIN?

The VIN is organized in groups. So, the vin data number is used to search a vehicle that tells a lot about the vehicle. For example, the world manufacturer identifier is contained in the first VIN number group consisting of three letters and numbers.

The details of the vin data number are as follows:

  1. The first letter or digit is a clear identification of the country where the vehicle originated.
  2. The details of the manufacturer are provided in the second element.
  3. In the third digit, both the first and the second are combined to show the manufacturing division of the vehicle or its type.

In the following six digits, the vehicle’s descriptor section is mentioned as:

  1. From numbers 4 to 8, it explains the model, body type, transmission type, restrain system, and engine code of the vehicle.
  2. The number 9 is the check digit that helps to detect VINs that have no validity.

Next appears the eight elements that can be said to be the identifier section of the vehicle. Each of the eight elements denotes the following:

  1. The year in which the vehicle model was manufactured is denoted in the 10th position. The years from 1981 to 2000 are represented by alphabets from B to Y. Again, from 2001 to 2009, the numbers from 1 to 9 are used.
  2. From 2010 onwards, the alphabet A started, and it will continue till 2030. The alphabets ‘I, O, U, Q, and Z’ are not used in the VIN data number.

What can be extracted from the VIN number?

A VIN decoder can extract the following information from a VIN number:

  1. Model year of the vehicle
  2. Country of the vehicle’s origin
  3. Manufacturer of the vehicle and the plant from where it is manufactured
  4. Brand under which the vehicle has been sold
  5. Type of vehicle
  6. The engine block, cylinders, number of valves, and displacement of the vehicle
  7. The different variants at which the wheels of the vehicle that can be driven
  8. Body type, cab type, and door combination of the vehicle
  9. All details of both the active and passive restrain systems
  10. GVW range category

Conclusion

After the emergence and rapid rise of technology, the VIN decoder these days can decode a lot more than it used to. As a result, more than one vehicle can be tied to the VIN pattern that shares common details in some instances. First, however, make sure that any vehicle’s VIN number is valid enough to be free from any legal issues.