Where can I find the vehicle production date?
2 Answers
Vehicle production date can be checked from two locations: the co-driver side and the vehicle certificate. Details are as follows: 1. Below the B-pillar on the co-driver side, visible when opening the door. This nameplate only shows year and month, and includes the vehicle's VIN. 2. The certificate that comes with new vehicles, located at the upper right corner of the certificate. The production date marked here can be precise down to year, month, and day. Note: This doesn't apply to all vehicle models. When new vehicles arrive at dealerships, there will be a paper nameplate on the windshield in front of the driver's seat. This paper nameplate displays the VIN and MIIT fuel consumption. If the bottom of the paper nameplate shows the date down to year, month, and day, then this production date can serve as a reference. If the nameplate only shows year and month, it cannot be considered as the production date.
Back when I was buying a car, I was curious about where to find the production date. Turns out, the vehicle identification plate is the go-to spot—usually attached to the driver’s side door frame or the inner B-pillar, clearly displaying the manufacturing month and year once you open the door. The VIN offers even more comprehensive details, located at the bottom of the windshield or on the dashboard. By entering the number into a decoding tool, you can extract the year—for instance, the 10th character indicates the model year (e.g., "J" for 2018). This info is crucial when buying used cars to avoid refurbished or accident vehicles—I learned the hard way after overlooking it once, leading to sky-high repair bills. Cross-checking documents like the registration log or insurance policy also helps verify the records. My advice? Glance at the plate regularly to stay informed about your car’s condition and dodge future headaches. Before purchasing, bring your phone to quickly lookup the VIN online—it’s just a few taps away.
