How to Identify the Year from a Vehicle's VIN?

[LeAutumn]

To determine the production year from a vehicle's VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), look at the 10th character of the VIN, which indicates the year of manufacture. Note that the specific production month cannot be identified from the VIN. The year may be represented by either a digit or a letter, following a 30-year cycle that excludes the letter 'O' and the number '10'. The VIN consists of 17 characters, each with specific meanings: 1. The first three characters denote the country of manufacture, the manufacturer, and the vehicle type. 2. Characters 4 through 8 represent vehicle features such as model, body type, engine type, and gross vehicle weight rating. 3. The 9th character is a check digit used to verify the VIN's accuracy. 4. The 11th character indicates the assembly plant location. 5. Characters 12 through 17 are the production sequence number.

[VanKinsley]

I've been repairing cars for over a decade and know vehicle identification numbers like the back of my hand. In that 17-character VIN, the 10th digit is the year identifier – its position is easy to remember. For example, if you find a 2015 model car, its 10th digit must be F; 2016 models use G, and subsequent years follow alphabetical order. But don't just memorize mechanically – there's a catch: the letters I, O, and Q are skipped because they look too similar to numbers 1 and 0. Another pattern is that 2001-2009 models use digits 1-9, then switch to starting with letter A. I've seen people mistake a 2010 model for a 1980 one because they didn't notice the codes repeat every 30 years. That's why it's crucial to cross-check the code with the vehicle's actual condition – this judgment call is particularly important.

[Don]

Last week, I helped a friend check out a used car and avoided a pitfall by using the vehicle identification number (VIN) to determine the year. The VIN is that string of characters at the bottom left of the windshield, and the 10th digit from the left is the key. For example, if you see the letter 'L,' you can look it up in the year chart to find out it's a 2020 model. But remember, the letter coding starts with 'A' for 2010 and follows the sequence A, B, C, D, skipping 'I' and 'O.' Before 2009, numbers were used directly. The most frustrating part is that this coding repeats every 30 years. I once encountered a classic car from 1987 and a new car from 2017 that both used the same code 'H.' In such cases, you have to check the engine model or the production date on the seatbelt to assist in determining the correct year, or you might really end up in trouble.

[DiAlexis]

Checking the vehicle model year by the VIN yourself is actually quite easy. The 10th character on the VIN is the year code. For 2024 new vehicles, it's R, while for 2023 models it was P. Just look up a year code chart on your phone, but note that the letters I, O, and Q are omitted as they can be confusing. If you see the number 3, it might indicate a 2003 or older vehicle, so you'll need to check the odometer for confirmation. The day before yesterday, I used this method to discover that a car listed as 2015 on a platform was actually a 1985 model, avoiding a major headache.