What year was the car manufactured if the VIN's 10th character is 'L'?
2 Answers
If the 10th character of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is 'L', it indicates that the car was manufactured in 2020. Every vehicle has a VIN, which serves as the car's unique identifier, similar to an ID number. Without a VIN, a car cannot be registered, and if unregistered, it cannot be legally driven on the road. Below is some relevant information about VINs: 1. VIN: The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a unique code that identifies a vehicle. It contains information about the manufacturer, model year, vehicle type, engine code, and more. Correctly interpreting the VIN is crucial for accurately identifying the vehicle model and ensuring proper diagnosis and maintenance. The VIN consists of 17 alphanumeric characters that encode various details about the vehicle. Due to its uniqueness, a VIN generally ensures no duplication for 30 years, earning it the nickname 'vehicle's ID card.' 2. Year Representation: Among the 17 alphanumeric characters in the VIN, the 10th character represents the manufacturing year (with characters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, R, S, T, V, W, X, Y covering a 30-year cycle). However, the VIN does not include a code for the manufacturing month. The specific production month can be found on the vehicle's nameplate located on the central pillar.
Honestly, having just an 'L' on the car emblem is too vague—it's like only giving a surname without a first name, making it hard to guess. Take Lexus as an example: models with an 'L' on the rear are mostly flagship vehicles, like the LS series, which has used the 'L' badge from its first generation in 1989 up to the 2024 model. But to pinpoint the exact manufacturing year, the most reliable method is checking the 10th digit of the VIN. For instance, when helping a friend check a used Lexus last year, the 10th digit was 'N,' indicating a 2022 model, while 'L' corresponds to 2020. The codes vary significantly across different years.
