What is a car VIN code: concept, decoding, services for checking and evaluating car resources

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

Many people are interested in what the VIN code of a car is and how to find it out on your own. It stands for vehicle identification number: a string of characters that identifies a vehicle. Every passenger vehicle made for sale since 1981 has a standardized VIN, and the VIN on older vehicles can vary in length and type depending on the manufacturer.

What is the vehicle VIN?

VIN is a simple identifying number that is stamped on the body of any current car. It consists of 17 alphanumeric characters, which, if decrypted correctly, can provide the owner with enough necessary data. The cipher is used for identification in 24 countries of the world, including the Russian Federation.

So, how to set the year of manufacture of a car by body number? By deciphering the initial 3 numbers of the VIN code, you can find out at which plant the car was made. The next 4 numbers make it possible to set the type and brand of the vehicle. 9ththe sign, as a rule, remains empty, but the tenth and, in some cases, the eleventh positions just make it possible to determine the date of manufacture of the car.

In American factories, the mark corresponding to the year of manufacture is in the 11th place of the VIN code. For Renault, Volvo, Rover, Isuzu, Opel, Saab, VAZ, Porsche, Volkswagen and other popular cars, the 10th character regulates the date of manufacture. By the way, "Ford" of the European assembly can be confidently classified as "American", because there the VIN-code was created according to similar principles (the year is in the 11th position, and the month is in the 12th).

How many digits are in the VIN?

Each VIN consists of a standardized 17 digit code that includes a serial number. When checking a car by the VIN code, it is necessary to pay attention to the method of applying identification marks. In absolutely all papers for a vehicle, the identification state number must be written in the form of one continuous line, consisting of seventeen characters without spaces.

If the VIN is on the nameplate or on the machine, then it should also look like a single line. But the creators of the standard allow you to divide the VIN code of a car into 2 lines, however, there should not be spaces or other separations between the characters and components of the identification number (VDS, WMI, VIS).

VIN-code has an alphanumeric structure (except for the last 4 characters, which are always numeric). In the first 13 positions, it is permissible to use Arabic numbers and Latin characters, in addition to the letters O,Q, I, which is connected with their similarity to other signs.

Where is the VIN number on the car?

Once you know what the VIN code of a car is, you should know where to look for it. VINs can usually be found in several places these days. For example, on the dashboard and on the label on the driver's side door. Learn how to decipher and use the VIN and you will discover secrets that can be useful for the safety of the driver and his car.

VIN is essentially unique to a car, but it's not a random jumble of numbers and letters. In fact, you can even think of it as the DNA sequence of a car. Each number or letter in the code, except one, means something significant in relation to the car.

Using only numbers and letters (except I, O, Q, U and Z), each part of the line tells a different part of the story.

• Numbers 1-3: country or region where the vehicle was manufactured, manufacturer and manufacturer's division.
• Numbers 4-8: Manufacturers use these five numbers for different purposes: they can contain weight, horsepower, platform, model, trim specifics, and/or engine size.
• Numbers 9: check digit, a number calculated using other digits that make the VIN valid.
• Number 10: model year.
• Number 11: The factory where the car was made.
• Numbers 12-17: reserved for the serial number in the production line of the model (i.e. serial number).

How to checkVIN?

When planning to buy a used car, the VIN can be your best friend. An honest seller should be willing to share this number when asked, and you can enter it into research sites like Carfax or AutoCheck, which will show you for free if the car has been stolen. These sites will also give you the make, model, and year associated with the VIN, if they don't match the car you're looking at, then something is wrong with it. And remember: The VIN is located in several different places on the vehicle, so make sure the instrument panel VIN matches the number on the door label. You should check all spare parts according to the VIN code of the car in the traffic police when registering it. This will help avoid unpleasant surprises in the future.

How can VIN save money?

For a fee, these services will also provide a complete vehicle history, including registration, accidents (insurance companies and mechanics track the VIN), and odometer readings. Having this information will not only help you make an informed choice, but it will also ensure a fair price.

How can a VIN provide security?

For a car you already own, looking up the VIN can tell if there are any open reminders on the car. And if he's involved in an accident or other incident, you can report it to NHTSA using the VIN. They will investigate whether the car and others like it should be recalled.

How do criminals use the VIN against us?

Savvy criminals have developed a method to "clone" a VIN to make a stolen car appear legitimate. When they decide on a car they want to steal, they first find a car with the same make and model and copy the VIN on the dashboard. They make a new VIN plate and a fake title and then sell the car to an unsuspecting buyer who may not discover he has a "clone" until the accident occurs or the car is taken in for service.

How to use VIN to avoid fraud?

Vehicle cloning is difficult to detect. Mike Kelso, senior special agent at the non-profit National Crime Insurance Bureau, suggests that potential buyers take the extra step of paying online for a full VIN lookup and a thorough analysis of the results. If the car stayed for three years, say, in Rostov, suddenly appeared in St. Petersburg, but after a few months it was registered in Rostov again, pay attention to this resource. You will need to pick up some documents. Perhaps they will show that there are two cars in the world that share the same VIN.

How to use VIN to prevent theft?

Fortunately, vehicle ID cloning doesn't happen as often as some news reports make it out to. But if you are worried that the car maytarget thieves, can make it less attractive. Get your VIN out of the windshield and car window. Replacing all those windows is too expensive and annoying for car thieves; they are more likely to find another target.

How can a VIN help if a vehicle goes missing?

Take a picture of your VIN and keep it in your phone. If the car does disappear, at least you won't waste valuable time looking for it. The first step to filing a theft report is to contact the police and quickly provide them with information about the vehicle. This is critical, experts say.

As you can see, the owner needs to know what the vehicle's VIN is and use it correctly.