Where is the VIN located on a smart car?
3 Answers
smart is a rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive vehicle with the engine placed inside the trunk. Therefore, owners need to lift the trunk insulation mat, where the VIN can be seen at the connecting corner between the insulation mat and the cover panel. Additional information: 1. The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN or chassis number) is a unique seventeen-character alphanumeric code used to identify a vehicle's manufacturer, engine, chassis serial number, and other specifications. To avoid confusion with the numbers 1 and 0, the letters 'I', 'O', 'Q', 'Z', and 'U' are not used. 2. On most vehicles, owners can find the VIN on the driver's side dashboard, visible from outside through the windshield. This marking is typically located on a sticker or nameplate inside the driver's side door or on the door frame. Sometimes, the VIN is printed inside the glove compartment. Additionally, it often appears on the vehicle's title and insurance documents.
My smart car has the VIN sticker at the bottom left corner of the windshield, and you can clearly see the 17-digit number by squatting down. There's also a nameplate on the B-pillar of the passenger door frame, which is visible when you open the door and look down. However, if you have dark window tint, it can be tricky—you might need a flashlight to find it. Additionally, the car key contains a chip with this number, which can be read with professional equipment. I remember last time when I was looking for the registration documents, I found the complete VIN printed on the second page of the vehicle license, which was much more convenient than crawling under the car. If you can't find it in any of these places, it might have been misplaced during production, and you'll need to check the original records at the 4S shop.
The VIN is typically found in these three most reliable locations: the black area at the bottom left corner of the windshield, which can be scanned without opening any doors; on the metal plate at the base of the B-pillar when the passenger door is opened; and if all else fails, check the first page of the vehicle conformity certificate provided at the time of purchase, where it's prominently printed. Some older Smart models also have the VIN stamped on the heat shield in the engine compartment, requiring the hood to be opened. This number serves as the vehicle's ID card, essential for annual inspections and ownership transfers, hence its placement is mandated by national regulations. It's advisable to take a photo of the VIN with your phone as a backup, in case the metal plate becomes corroded and illegible.
