How to Identify the Year from a Car's VIN Code?
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By examining the 10th digit of the vehicle identification number (VIN), you can determine the production year of the vehicle. Below is a letter reference table for vehicle production dates. To avoid confusion with the numbers 0 and 1, the letters 'I', 'O', and 'Q' are never used. Composition of the VIN: The Vehicle Identification Number, sometimes referred to as the chassis number, is a unique 17-character alphanumeric code that identifies the manufacturer, engine, chassis number, and other specifications of the vehicle. To prevent confusion with the numbers 1 and 0, the letters 'I', 'O', and 'Q' are excluded. Each VIN is unique and non-repeating. Introduction to the VIN: The first three characters of the VIN are known as the WMI (World Manufacturer Identifier), which identifies the manufacturer and the country of origin. Manufacturers producing fewer than 500 vehicles annually use the digit '9' as the third character and utilize positions 12-14 as the second part of identification. Some manufacturers use the third character to classify the vehicle type, such as trucks or buses. For example, Volvo vehicles from Sweden use YV1 for cars, YV2 for trucks, and YV3 for buses and coaches.
The year in a car's VIN is primarily indicated by the 10th character, which is the standard position. The coding system was standardized starting from 1980: A represents 1980, B is 1981, and so on up to Y for 2000. After 2001, the number 1 was used for 2001, 9 for 2009, and then A was used again for 2010, continuing the sequence. The VIN consists of 17 characters and can be found clearly visible at the lower left corner of the windshield or recorded on the vehicle registration certificate. If you can't remember the specific codes, you can use a free mobile app to scan or input the VIN for automatic decoding, easily displaying the year and other information, such as the manufacturer code in positions 1-3. This method is extremely useful when buying a used car to verify the vehicle's actual age.
