What is structure of Vehicle Identification Number?
| Position 1 | 1 | Shows where the vehicle was built (1 - means United States) |
| 2-3 | FT | Designated the vehicle manufacturer (F - means Ford Inc.) |
| 4-8 | GHDLZ | Denotes the vehicle's brand, engine size, and type |
| 9 | B | Vehicle Security Code |
| 10 | G | Shows Vehicle Year |
| 11 | K | Indicates which plant assembled the vehicle |
| 12-17 | 456923 | Displays the serial number of the vehicle |
The scheme below depicts a reference vehicle ID structure. Please notice that vehicles manufactured before 1981 may have less symbols than today's ISO standard VIN consisting of 17 characters. VIN Decoder:
What is a VIN?
A Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is more than just a random series of 17 alphanumeric characters stamped onto a vehicle; it is essentially the DNA of a car. A VIN Decoder Service acts as the Rosetta Stone for vehicle identification, allowing individuals and businesses to unlock detailed information about a car's make, model, year, location of manufacture, and much more. But how exactly does a VIN decoder service work, and why is it important?
The Anatomy of a VIN
While seemingly cryptic, each character in a VIN has a specific meaning. For instance, the first character often signifies the country where the vehicle was manufactured, while other characters might indicate the car's type, engine size, and series. Given its complexity, decoding a VIN manually can be a tedious and error-prone process. This is where VIN decoder services come into play.
How Does a VIN Decoder Work?
A VIN Decoder takes the 17-character VIN and breaks it down into digestible pieces of information. These services access a rich database that cross-references the VIN with a plethora of details, which can include:
- Make and Model
- Year of Manufacture
- Engine Type
- Place of Origin
- Recalls or Service Bulletins
- Previous Accidents
- Ownership History
- And much more