Vehicle Identification Number

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The VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is a unique identifer for a vehicle. The VIN for vehicles produced after 1981 is 17-characters in length. The VIN can be decoded to provide such vehicle information as: where the vehicle was built, year, vehicle make, vehicle model number, engine, etc.

VIN Positions

• 1 - Identifies the country in which the vehicle was manufactured.
• 2 - Identifies the manufacturer.
• 3 - Identifies vehicle type or manufacturing division.
• 4-8 - Identifies vehicle features such as body style, engine type, model, series, etc.
• 9 - Identifies VIN accuracy as check digit.
• 10 - Identifies the model year.
• 11 - Identifies the assembly plant for the vehicle.
• 12-17 - Identifies the sequence of the vehicle for production as it rolled of the assembly line.

Decoding a Ford VIN

• Position 1 - Country the vehicle was made (1=USA 2=Canada 3=Mexico)
• Position 2 - Vehicle make (F=Ford L=Lincoln M=Mercury Z=Ford(new Mustang))
• Position 3 - Vehicle type (A=Car T=Truck M=SUV/Crossover V=Ford(new Mustang) B=Van)
• Position 4 - Restraint type
• Position 5-7 - Vehicle model number
• Position 8 - Engine
• Position 10 - Vehicle year
• Position 11 - Plant

External Links

• Official Ford VIN decoder
• VIN decoder at Motoverse.com