Year, make and model get a parts search into the right neighborhood. The vehicle identification number gets it to the right door. Every vehicle sold in the United States since the 1981 model year carries a 17-character VIN in the same format.
Position by position
| Position | Name | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | World manufacturer identifier | Who built the vehicle, and the region that maker’s code is registered in. A first character of 1, 4 or 5 points to the United States, as does 7 on some newer vehicles. 2 is Canada, 3 Mexico, J Japan, K South Korea, W Germany. That is usually where the vehicle was assembled, but not always. |
| 4–8 | Vehicle description | The maker’s own code for model line, body style, restraint system and engine. |
| 9 | Check digit | Arithmetic on the other sixteen characters. It catches a mistyped VIN. |
| 10 | Model year | One letter or number. T is 2026, S is 2025, R is 2024. |
| 11 | Assembly plant | The factory that built the vehicle. |
| 12–17 | Serial number | The maker’s serial number for that vehicle. |
A VIN never contains the letters I, O or Q, because they are too easy to confuse with 1 and 0. If you think you see one, it is a digit.
How we use it
The model year in position 10 is the one that counts for parts. It can differ from the calendar year the car was sold or first registered.
Positions 4 through 8 carry the engine and often the trim, which decide a surprising number of parts: the headlamp type, the grille, the radiator, the mirror options. And the full VIN is the key to the manufacturer’s build record, which lists what that one car left the factory with. That is what we check an original part number against before we quote a replacement.
What the VIN cannot tell you
- The build month. Mid-year changes are split by production date, such as “from 03/2019.” The month and year are printed on the label in the driver’s door jamb.
- The paint color. The paint code is on a label on the car, usually in the door jamb, glove box or trunk.
- What has been changed since. If a previous owner installed different lamps or a different bumper, the VIN still describes the original. Tell us what is on the car now.
Where to find it
- At the base of the windshield on the driver’s side, read from outside
- On the label in the driver’s door jamb
- On your registration, title and insurance card
Is it safe to share?
A VIN is not a secret. Anyone walking past the car can read it through the windshield. On its own it identifies the vehicle, not the owner, and giving it to a parts seller is routine.
Check yours
The VIN check on our fitment page confirms the check digit, reads the model year and looks the vehicle up in the federal database. Then request a part with it and we take it from there.