What is a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)?
2 Answers
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) refers to the unique 17-digit alphanumeric code assigned to every vehicle. The method to identify the production date from the VIN is: The 10th character of the VIN indicates the production year (though the specific production month cannot be determined). This character may be either a number or letter, following a 30-year cycle that excludes the letter 'O' and the number '10'. The meaning of the 17-digit VIN is as follows: 1. The first three characters represent the country of manufacture, manufacturer, and vehicle type; 2. Characters 4 through 8 indicate vehicle characteristics 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 identifies the assembly plant; 5. Characters 12 through 17 represent the production sequence number.
The VIN is like a car's ID number. Every time I help friends check used cars, I start by examining it. These 17 characters contain a wealth of information: the first three digits represent the manufacturer and model, for example, German cars often start with W; the 10th digit is the most crucial, indicating the production year, where A stands for 2010, B for 2011, and so on; the last six digits are the unique serial number from the production line. Last time, I found a rare sports car and confirmed its original engine model through the VIN. It's advisable to use a professional app to check the VIN before buying a car to avoid accident or flood-damaged vehicles. Even during maintenance, dealerships rely on it to match parts.
