How to Identify a Car's Production Date?

[NolanLynn]

Here are the methods to identify a car's production date: 1. Below the B-pillar on the passenger side, open the car door to see the production date. This nameplate only specifies the year and month and includes the vehicle's VIN. 2. The car's production date is written on the certificate of conformity that comes with the new car, located in the upper right corner. The date here can be specified down to the year, month, and day. 3. When a new car arrives at the dealership, there will be a paper nameplate on the front windshield near the driver's seat. This nameplate includes the VIN and the MIIT fuel consumption data. If the bottom of the paper nameplate specifies the year, month, and day, the production date on it can be used as a reference. If it only specifies the year and month, it cannot be used as the production date.

[McCharles]

There are actually quite a few ways to find out a car's production date. Having owned several cars myself, from being a novice to now quite experienced, I can share some insights. The simplest method is to open the driver's side door and look for a label on the door frame's inner side—it usually clearly states the manufacturing month and year, like 'May 2020'. Alternatively, you can check the VIN code under the windshield—it's a 17-digit alphanumeric sequence where the 10th character indicates the year. For example, 'A' corresponds to 2010, 'L' to 2020, and you can easily find a reference table online to decode it. Additionally, the nameplate under the hood or inside the trunk often has a date mark; the production imprint in the corner of the windshield glass shows small dots—the left dots indicate the last digit of the year, and the right ones the month, making it straightforward to read. Tires also display a four-digit code like '2419', meaning the 24th week of 2019. I always cross-check these details when buying used cars because the vehicle's age affects its resale value and safety, and it helps address any recall notices promptly. In short, these little tricks have helped me avoid pitfalls, and developing a habit of checking them regularly is definitely worthwhile.