Vehicle Identification

Number (VIN)

DOMESTIC VEHICLE ENGINE IDENTIFICATION

Originally, Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) were For each type of vehicle (passenger cars, multi-
designated to identify a vehicle, but there was no passenger vehicles (MPVs), trucks, buses, trailers,
standardization. Beginning in 1981, vehicles were assigned motorcycles, incomplete vehicles other than trailers)
an international VIN code consisting of 17 characters (which different information is required.
cannot include the letter I, O or Q) unique to each vehicle. For cars, MPVs and light-duty trucks:
The VIN serves a variety of purposes. As well as providing 4th - 5th positions are alphabetic
identification in licensing and insuring the vehicle, the
history of the vehicle can be tracked. VIN codes provide 6th - 7th positions are numeric
complete vehicle information including: 8th position can be either alphabetic or numeric
■ is the vehicle defective (lemon car)
■ 9th Character (or Check Digit)
■ has the vehicle been totaled Is determined by a complicated formula.
or had major accident damage
Each character is assigned a numerical value and
■ has the vehicle had flood damage then multiplied by the value assigned to its position.
■ has the vehicle had odometer fraud
These values are added and then divided by 11. The
remainder is the Check Digit. This character can be
■ has the vehicle been stolen numeric or the letter X.
To help decode the VIN, the following information has been ■ 10th Character
provided: Identifies the vehicle model year.
■ 1st - 3rd Characters ■ 11th Character
Identify the manufacturer (country), make and Identifies the plant of manufacture.
type of vehicle.
■ 12th - 17th Characters
■ 4th - 8th Characters Consists of a sequential production number for
Identify the different aspects of the vehicle. manufacturers producing more than 500 vehicles per year.

VIN NUMBER ORIGIN AND YEAR

1ST CHARACTER - COUNTRY OF ORIGIN 10TH CHARACTER - YEAR
1 U.S.A. L China or Y Sweden or A 1980 K 1989 W 1998 7 2007
2 Canada Taiwan Finland B 1981 L 1990 X 1999 8 2008
3 Mexico M Thailand Z Italy C 1982 M 1991 Y 2000 9 2009
4 U.S.A. S Great Britain D 1983 N 1992 1 2001 A 2010
5 U.S.A. V France or E 1984 P 1993 2 2002 B 2011
J Japan Yugoslavia F 1985 R 1994 3 2003 C 2012
K Korea W Germany G 1986 S 1995 4 2004 D 2013
H 1987 T 1996 5 2005 E 2014
J 1988 V 1997 6 2006
VIN plates are read through the windshield on the driver’s side of most vehicles. A manufacturer may use a variation of
the same size engine in one model. To insure that you are using the correct filters for the application, it is necessary to
identify the proper engine code. The following examples illustrate the location of the engine code in most manufacturer’s
VIN codes.

DOMESTIC VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (VIN)

AM GENERAL/HUMMER AMC/EAGLE (EXCEPT JEEP)
1995-2010 1972-1980 1981-1988
ENGINE CODE ENGINE CODE ENGINE CODE
(Fourth Character) (Seventh Character) (Fourth Character)

137 X E82H*TE013212 A3M798Z 700001 2CCBN387*GB529063

1989-98
ENGINE CODE
(Eighth Character)

2E3BB66 U *LH038364

* See VIN Decoding Information on 9th Character (Check Digit).

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 Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN)

DOMESTIC VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (VIN) (Cont’d.)

CHEVROLET/GMC TRUCK JEEP
1970-1980 1981-on 1971-1974 1975-1980
(up to SN #100000) (from SN #100000)
ENGINE CODE ENGINE CODE
(Third Character) (Eighth Character) ENGINE CODE ENGINE CODE
(Eighth Character) (Seventh Character)
CC D 13AF100007 1GTDC14 N *GF100001
J4A154C N 00001 J5A15E N 100011
CHRYSLER, FORD, GMC
1981-1988 1989-on
1972-1980 1981-on
ENGINE CODE ENGINE CODE
ENGINE CODE ENGINE CODE (Fourth Character) (Eighth Character)
(Fifth Character) (Eighth Character)
1JTH E811*HT309520 1J4ET37 L *LT438789
1H35 L 7R100001 1G3AL69N*CM100001

FORD TRUCK
1970-1980 1981-on
ENGINE CODE ENGINE CODE
(Fourth Character) (Eighth Character)

F25 F LGA0000 1G3AL69N*CM100001

IMPORTED VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (VIN)

ASTON MARTIN DAIHATSU
1988-92
ENGINE CODE ENGINE CODE
(Eighth Character) (Eighth Character)

SCFFDCC D XAGE11806 JD1FG12 0 *J4200020

AUDI FERRARI
2008-09 2010-on
ENGINE CODE ENGINE CODE ENGINE CODE
(Fifth Character) (Sixth Character) (Fourth Character)

TRUS 1 AFK8A1006246 ZFF65 L JA70169519 ZFFEW58A490000001

BENTLEY (EXCEPT ARNAGE & AZURE) HYUNDAI

1986-on
ENGINE CODE ENGINE CODE
(Fifth Character) (Eighth Character)

SCBB R 9ZA5AC063211 KMHBF31 S *MU000001

BENTLEY (ARNAGE & AZURE) INFINITI

1990-on
ENGINE CODE ENGINE CODE
(Sixth Character) (Fourth Character)

SCDBD C 4BL8ACX13550 JNK N G01C*M1100001

* See VIN Decoding Information on 9th Character (Check Digit).

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Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN)

IMPORTED VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (VIN) (Cont’d.)

ISUZU (EXCEPT OASIS) MG
1981-2008 1970-79 1980
ENGINE CODE ENGINE CODE ENGINE CODE
(Eighth Character) (Second Character) (Fifth Character)

JABRT69 7 *FU015643 G N N5UH000001G GVAD J 1AG000001

JAGUAR MITSUBISHI
1979-1980 1981-99 1983-on
ENGINE CODE ENGINE CODE ENGINE CODE
(Fifth Character) (Seventh Character) (Eighth Character)

JAVL N 49C000001 SAJAV13 NGC000001 JA4MT41 P *WP123456

2000-04, 2008-on NISSAN (EXCEPT QUEST)

ENGINE CODE 1995-on
(Eighth Character)
ENGINE CODE
SAJDA24C3YLF11571 (Fourth Character)

JN1 P S245*GW000001
KIA
1994-on PEUGEOT
ENGINE CODE 1981-91
(Eighth Character)
ENGINE CODE
KNARA12 2 *T1234560 (Sixth Character)

VF3BA 5 16*FS368001
LAND ROVER (EXCEPT LR2)
1987-on PORSCHE
ENGINE CODE 2006-on
(Seventh Character)
ENGINE CODE
SALHV124MA12346 (Fifth Character)

WP0A C 2A7XAL090244
LAND ROVER (LR2)
2008-on SAAB
ENGINE CODE 1981-83 1984-on
(Eighth Character)
ENGINE CODE ENGINE CODE
SALHV124MA123456 (Seventh Character) (Eighth Character)

YS3BT55S*D3000001 YS3CT55N*F3000001
MAZDA TRUCKS
1994-on SUBARU
ENGINE CODE 1975-79, 1980 (Brat) 1980 (Except Brat)
(Eighth Character)
ENGINE CODE ENGINE CODE
4F2CY4K 3 4AKM00010 (Third Character) (Seventh Character)

A2 6 -000001 JF1AF42 1FAG000001

MERKUR
1985-90 1981-on
ENGINE CODE ENGINE CODE
(Eighth Character) (Sixth Character)

WF1BT81 V *H1000010 4S4WX 9 AD4A4400001

* See VIN Decoding Information on 9th Character (Check Digit).
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 Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN)

IMPORTED VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (VIN) (Cont’d.)

SUZUKI VOLVO
1986-on 1981-2009 2010-on
ENGINE CODE ENGINE CODE ENGINE CODE
(Sixth Character) (Sixth and Seventh Characters) (Fourth and Fifth Characters)

JS2RF 9 A87B6110001 YV1MS382492445470 YV1672MCXAJ092472

VOLKSWAGEN
2006-on
ENGINE CODE
(Fifth Characters)

4S4W X 9AD4400001

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