Category: Cars

Motorists who bought a car in the USA or another country usually encounter the VIN number and its correct decoding. This is necessary for ordering spare parts for the car, checking it when buying or for future sale. 

What is a VIN number?

VIN is an individual identification number that is assigned to each car during production at the enterprise. It includes numbers and letters of the Latin alphabet - a total of 17 symbols. By decoding the VIN code, you can get complete information about the car - from the year of its production, brand and model to the presence or absence of certain equipment in the factory version of the car. But these are only the main parameters that are encrypted in symbols and numbers. There may be other indicators of the car.

It is important to do VIN" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.vindecoderz.com">VIN check when ordering a car from abroad and when signing a purchase and sale agreement in Ukraine. Correct decoding of the individual identification code of the vehicle helps not only in buying new spare parts, but also when checking the car during its purchase and conclusion of the agreement. Such data allows you to find out about accidents, crimes, replacement of important parts and much more - this can serve as one of the reasons for refusing to purchase. 

VIN code: what does it consist of 

The VIN code consists of three parts that need to be decoded sequentially. Each of them contains important information about the car, which, if read correctly, helps to learn about the history of the car, its features and distinctive qualities. 

First part of VIN

The first part of the VIN number is called the World Manufacturer Identifier, or WMI. It contains information about the origin of the car. This coding is assigned to the car by the Society of Automotive Engineers, which is located in Pennsylvania (USA). Almost all cars go through the assignment of a personal number by this organization. 

The first symbol indicates the geographical area, the second sign in the number indicates the country of manufacture of the car, and the third indicates the plant. Deciphering this part of the code is quite easy:

• numbers 1–5 – VIN of American cars;
• letters S–Z – European cars;
• encodings X3–X9, X0, Z7–Z0 – Russian auto industry. 

But some car manufacturers that started their work during the Soviet era did not change the designations and use the original code. Thus, the VIN code of cars manufactured by the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant (UAZ) is XTT, Izhevsk Automobile Plant - HTK, and AvtoVAZ - HTA.

The second part of the VIN

This part of the VIN code serves a descriptive purpose and is designated by the abbreviation VDS. It indicates the model of the car and consists of six digits (from the fourth to the ninth). 

Each symbol has its own meaning:

• the fourth digit indicates the type of car body;
• fifth - by the type of engine;
• the sixth – for the car model and its modification;
• the seventh and eighth “tell” about brakes, maximum permitted weight, series and much more; 
• The ninth acts as a check and is used to protect against number re-punching, making it possible to correctly determine the identification number of the vehicle.

Please note! If five digits are used, the last, ninth, digit will be a dash or zero.

The ninth digit can also be used to determine whether the code has been damaged or illegally modified.

The third part of VIN

The third part is called VIS, it is used as a distinguishing feature. It contains 8 numbers or letters. Its decoding should start from the tenth symbol of the VIN code:

• the first character indicates the year of manufacture of the car;
• the second is an assembly plant;
• from the third to the eighth – the serial number of the car. 

It is advisable to immediately pay attention to the third part of the VIN code. This is especially important when buying any car manufactured abroad. Some sellers may indicate a different, more inflated year of manufacture in order to sell the car more expensively. 

The VIN code can be found on the front door pillar or under the hood. In rare cases, it is placed in other places: on the steering wheel or column, inside the left wheel arch, on the heat-insulating partition or on the shield - next to the windshield.

When checking the VIN, it is necessary to look not only at the presence of the identification code of the car itself, but also at its condition. If there are signs of damage, any intervention, or the number is not readable, it is better to refuse to buy such a car. Any defects in the code may indicate a serious accident or criminal history of the car. This will also complicate the registration of the vehicle.

If the motorist does not know or does not remember the VIN code decoding, then it is possible to use different services to decode the individual number. Thanks to this, it is possible to buy a car that has not been in any criminal case, or to order the correct parts. 

Sometimes cars of the same brand and model, which differ in the year of manufacture, have different configurations and non-interchangeable spare parts. It is impossible to determine this by eye, so the selection of parts is done using the VIN code. 

An individual vehicle number also helps during legal proceedings when it is necessary to prove the innocence of the vehicle owner or his/her right of ownership. 

Be sure to check the vehicle and its VIN code! If you cannot do this yourself, then contact specialists who will help you choose a car and decipher its identification number.