Where to Check the Vehicle Manufacturing Date?
2 Answers
The manufacturing date of a car can be checked in two places: the co-driver's side and the certificate of conformity. Details are as follows: 1. Below the B-pillar on the co-driver's side, which can be seen by opening the door. This nameplate only shows the year and month, and it also includes the vehicle's VIN. 2. The certificate of conformity that comes with the new car, located in the upper right corner of the certificate. The manufacturing date here can be precise to the year, month, and day. Note: This is not applicable to all models. When a new car arrives at the dealership, there will be a paper nameplate on the windshield in front of the driver's seat. This paper nameplate shows the VIN and the official fuel consumption data. If the bottom of the paper nameplate is precise to the year, month, and day, then the manufacturing date on this nameplate can be used as a reference. If the nameplate only shows the year and month, it cannot be used as the manufacturing date.
Recently, I helped inspect a used car, and checking the production date was crucial. You should know that the car's production date is usually marked in several places. The most convenient spot to check is the nameplate on the inner side of the driver's door pillar—just gently pull the door open, and you'll see it clearly marked with the manufacturing year and month. Another key location is the VIN code at the lower-left corner of the windshield. This 17-character code includes the year in its 10th digit—for example, the letter 'P' represents 2023. Under the hood, there might also be clear labels near the engine or on the battery box. Vehicle documents like the registration booklet or insurance card will also note the date. Knowing how to find it is incredibly useful—like avoiding purchasing an old stock car or refurbished accident parts when buying used, and even estimating maintenance cycles such as oil change intervals. I usually teach my friends to start here first; once it becomes a habit, choosing a car feels much more reassuring.
