Can You Know the Specs of a Car With the Vin

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A Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a 17-digit unique code given to a vehicle upon its production. It tells you lot the manufacturer, identify of product, and the car'due south options. It is too useful information when talking to body shops and dealerships about the specifics of your vehicle, or when y'all're buying a used car and want to acquire more nearly its history. A VIN number is a great tool in checking the options on a car. With a fiddling piece of work, y'all'll be able to locate the VIN, use it to get information on the manufacturer's website, and get a vehicle history report from third party companies.

1. ane

   Find a website to give you lot details about the car. In that location are a diverseness of websites that offering VIN lookup services. These websites will ask you to enter a machine's VIN, and then will supply y'all with information about the car'south options.

   • Run an internet search for "free VIN lookup" or "free VIN decoder."
   • There are websites that provide free VIN lookup services. For example, endeavour: https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/vindecoder.php
   • While some complimentary VIN report services provide every item of a machine'due south options, others do not.
   • Some websites offer an advanced search for a fee.^[1]

2. 2

   Enter your VIN. Subsequently you've institute a website where you can look upwards your VIN, enter it in full. This is the about important step, and you need to follow the website's directions. If yous don't, your search might not work or it might return wrong data.

   • Follow the directions on the website and then printing "search."
   • Some websites may ask y'all to omit certain parts of the VIN number.^[2]

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3. three

   Review the VIN detail written report. After submitting the VIN number, yous'll become a written report back. The report will particular the specifications of the auto as it was produced by the manufacturer.

   • The VIN study should include options, such as the transmission, the trim, and emissions specifications.
   • The VIN written report should include anything that was inverse in the production process.
   • VIN detail reports may not include options added afterwards manufacturer, added at the dealership, or added past the consumer afterwards the initial sale.
   • Depending on the website, you lot may need to pay a fee for your VIN study.
   • Make certain the title on the car is articulate, pregnant it doesn't take whatsoever history or current status equally a salvaged vehicle, and there isn't whatever type of lien on the auto.^[3]

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1. one

   Visit the manufacturer's website. Once you've got the VIN number, log on to the internet and visit the manufacturer'southward website. The carmaker'south website will contain resources that will assist you decode the VIN and understand what each number means.

   • Find the VIN decoder or search section of the website. Almost all manufacturers take a VIN decoder or like tool on their website.
   • Search through the tabs or search bar for "VIN decoder" or "VIN search."
   • Click on the page or .pdf file that gives you lot information almost decoding the VIN. For instance, visit estore.honda.com/honda/parts/use-your-vehicle-vin.asp.^[four]

2. 2

   Look at the world manufacturer identifier. The world manufacturer identifiers are the first 3 letters or numbers at the commencement of the VIN. This will give you data near the type of vehicle and where it was produced.

   • The first number/letter tells the region the machine was manufactured in, for example, "North America."
   • The 2d number tells the country.
   • The third number tells the type of vehicle, for example "lite truck."
   • Many different vehicles will share their first 3 numbers/letters.^[v]

3. three

   Place the 2d sequence of numbers. The second sequence, numbers and letters 4 through eight, tell you more than information about manufacturer options. By decoding these numbers, you lot'll learn about the features the vehicle was manufactured with. These numbers will tell you info about the:

   • Engine
   • Model
   • Trunk style.^[6]

4. iv

   Skip the ninth digit. This is the digit used to verify that information technology is not a fraudulent VIN. Information technology cannot be used to detect data well-nigh the automobile. This digit is called a "bank check digit."

   • If you doubtable the vehicle has a fake VIN number, contact the manufacturer.
   • To decode this number, you may have to bring your car into a dealership.^[seven]

5. 5

   View the tenth digit. The 10th digit will tell you the model year of the vehicle. This is important to knowing the options on the vehicle, every bit different model years are equipped with unlike option group packages.

   • This does not bespeak what year the auto was built. For example, if the car was a 2010 Chevrolet Equinox, it might have been constructed in belatedly 2009
   • This information should likewise be available in the vehicle'south manual or on other paperwork associated with the car.^[8]

6. half dozen

   Find the concluding 7 digits. Forth with the second sequence of numbers, these concluding digits are maybe the most of import for finding the options of the vehicle. They will give y'all all the motorcar specific information you're looking for.

   • You'll only be able to decode this information on the automobile manufacturer's website.
   • These numbers should give you information like that listed on the original sticker of the machine.
   • The numbers will also tell you in what specific constitute the vehicle was built too as production-specific information.^[9]

7. seven

   Read about common options. While manufacturers use dissimilar codes to represent different options, the data encoded in the last seven digits of your VIN number will provide specifics virtually a number of options. These numbers, which are actually your automobile'southward series number, volition give you info about common options like:

   • Trim color
   • Power seats and windows
   • Entertainment organisation
   • Seat covering material
   • Sunroof
   • Equipment packages like off route or towing^[10]

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1. 1

   Submit your VIN to a 3rd-political party website. At that place are several companies that compile and sell vehicle history reports. A vehicle history study is a comprehensive history that includes data on a vehicle's manufacture, sales, and sometimes repair information. Try websites like:

   • Carfax
   • Autocheck^[eleven]

2. 2

   Pay a fee. After submitting your VIN, the tertiary-political party website may prompt you to pay a fee for a consummate vehicle history report. While you may non want to pay, information technology is standard for companies to charge for this service.

   • Experience gratuitous to shop effectually. Dissimilar websites or companies may offer different prices. In addition, some companies may run promos on vehicle history reports at different times.
   • Fees normally range from between $twenty to $twoscore to receive a total vehicle history written report.
   • Some websites may provide cheaper rates per written report if you want several vehicle history reports. For example, you may be able to get 5 reports for $59.99.^[12]

3. three

   Examine the report. Once yous become your written report dorsum, you'll need to take a practiced look at it so you can become a good thought of the automobile'south history, options, and other information. When reading the report:

   • Verify the report matches the VIN you lot submitted.
   • Read about the car's production and the vehicle's repair and registration history in the report.
   • Look to run across if the vehicle has been repaired or if the study shows whatsoever evidence of aftermarket upgrades.^[13]

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1. 1

   Find the VIN on the car, if you have access to it. Nearly vehicles have the VIN etched or in the class of a sticker on at least 2 parts of the car. Look for the VIN on:

   • The driver'southward side in the door jamb
   • The driver's side dashboard
   • Metal within the engine compartment
   • Parts of car that can't be removed^[fourteen]
   • When you lot find the VIN, it's a good idea to brand certain it matches the number on the championship for the vehicle.^[fifteen]

2. 2

   Await for the VIN on paperwork associated with the car. While yous should exist able to find the VIN on the actual car, it might be easier to discover it on the car's paperwork. This will come in handy if you don't physically accept the automobile, but have some paperwork associated with it. Wait on the:

   • Title
   • Registration
   • Repair records^[16]

3. 3

   Ask the seller for the VIN. If you don't own the car yet and tin can't access it, you can ask the seller of the auto for the VIN. The seller will exist able to observe the VIN just like yous could – through paperwork or by looking on the body of the car.

   • Brand sure the seller provides you with the unabridged 17-digit VIN number earlier you commit to buying the vehicle.
   • The seller should happily give you the number and so that you can do an contained vehicle history search. If they don't, they may be hiding something.
   • Go along in heed that between 1954-1981 in that location was no standard format for VINs. The best source for information on a vehicle would exist to contact the original manufacturer.^[17]

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Add New Question

• Question

  Why is my antique car's VIN too short?

  

  Bryan Hamby is the owner of Motorcar Broker Social club, a trusted auto brokerage in Los Angeles, California. He founded Auto Broker Club in 2014 out of a passion for cars and a unique talent for customizing the motorcar dealership process to be on the buyer's side. With 1,400+ deals closed, and a 90% customer retentivity rate, Bryan'southward focus is to simplify the auto buying experience through transparency, off-white pricing, and globe class customer service.

  

  Professional Machine Broker

  Proficient Answer

  Between 1954 and 1981, there was no standard format for VINs. Endeavour contacting the original manufacturer for information on the vehicle.

• Question

  How do I find out the options on a used 2013 RAV4 Limited?

  

  Phone call a Toyota dealer with the VIN, and they volition get you a Build Out Sail showing all the features and options.

• Question

  How do I decode a VIN for a 2015 Nissan Altima SV? 如何为2015款尼桑 Altima SV 解码车辆识别码？

  

  AutobestMing

  Customs Answer

  You lot can go to a site that offers the service like Nissanpartsdeal.com and click on the "Select Vehicle by VIN" tab.

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• If you live in the U.Due south., you can utilize your VIN number to find out if your car has been field of study to a call back through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website.^[18]

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Things Yous'll Need

• Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
• Manufacturer's website
• $twenty to $twoscore fee for a vehicle history report

About This Article

Article Summary X

To utilize a VIN number to check a car's options, become the manufacturer's website and observe the VIN decoder section. Then, use the last 7 digits of your VIN to learn nigh specific options like trim colour, seat covering material, and power seats and windows. Alternatively, enter in your VIN number on a VIN decoding site to find out about options such as the transmission, trim, and emission specifications. Still, be enlightened that these sites may charge a fee for an advanced search or a detailed VIN study. For more advice, including how to obtain a vehicle'due south sales and repair information, keep reading.

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