The first thing we consider when searching for a car is the color, the design, the mileage, the engine capacity, and many other factors. As of right now, no one pays attention to a vehicle’s VIN. When it comes to finding hidden details about that vehicle, how will you do it? VINs play a key role in this process. You can think of this VIN as the DNA of your car. Identifying a car’s VIN might seem difficult. If you have any doubts regarding the VIN, this guide will clear them up.
You will find out how to use a VIN decoder to find online information at the end of this article.
What is the VIN?
This unique 17-digit code can be found embossed or bolted on a specific part of your car. Your car can only have one license plate number, which is unique to your vehicle. A VIN has been attached to every vehicle since 1981.
Vehicle numbers are not just random numbers assigned to vehicles. The VIN contains specific and important information about a particular vehicle. Vehicle identification numbers contain information such as the manufacturer’s location, the year and day of manufacture, engine type, and country.
VIN can be used in the following ways:
- Identifies your car and helps you track it
- By checking the vehicle database, you can confirm the authenticity of the vehicle
- Verify that the vehicle is original
Vehicle identification number (VIN) importance
A VIN is a recognized standard and globally acknowledged to classify different motor and commercial vehicles and also private vehicles like bikes, cars, and trucks. Here is an interesting point to note is that every vehicle identification number contains a sequence of letters and numbers where every character implies data and information regarding the vehicle.
The VIN is critical and is the safest and the finest way of tracking the identity of the vehicle. Usually, the vehicles manufacturers and the registration establishments have all the necessary records about the vehicle. Hence this empowers them to authenticate the identity of the vehicle accurately.
Importance of checking the VIN before selling or purchasing a vehicle
The VIN is an important piece of information to check before we buy or sell a vehicle. Just as we check the expiration date on food packets before using them, the VIN must be checked as well.
An automobile’s VIN number is more than just a series of characters that provides information about the vehicle. In addition, it is used as a form of evidence to determine whether your vehicle has an illegal or criminal record or a history of robbery. Authenticity of the vehicle is guaranteed by its history. The VIN history report starts from the first owner of the vehicle and ends with the last step. In just a few seconds, you get a detailed microscopic view of the vehicle. In case you are uncertain about selling your old vehicle, make sure all the statements in the VIN history report are accurate. Let’s proceed if yes.
Locating a vehicle’s VIN in different places
Vehicle identification numbers are usually found on the doors pillars, under hoods, and front of dashboards of motor or commercial vehicles.
Your vehicle’s VIN can also be found in the following places.
- Insurance policy document
- On front grille.
- Rear-wheel
- On the door
- Car dealership
Decoding of vehicle identification number (VIN)
Understanding VIN in detail is very interesting. It was initiated from ISO standard 3779 in 1977, which was later updated in 1983, and consists of 17 characters and prearranged numbers.
VINs are interpreted differently by different vehicle manufacturers based on the ISO standard. As a result, vehicle identification numbers in different places have different attributes, but they share common components.
It is divided into 3 sections.
1. World manufacturer identifier
A vehicle’s origin is represented by its first 3 characters, which are its country of origin and manufacturer. There are two letters after the first digit that indicate where the vehicle was built, and two more letters that indicate the company that manufactured it.
In this case, 1 indicates the vehicle was built in the United States, while HG indicates the vehicle is a Honda.
In order to understand who is a manufacturer of the vehicle and the country it originates from, the first three characters are called world manufacturer identifiers.
2, Vehicle description section
Further details about the vehicle can be found in the next 6 characters.
4th character- Identifies the vehicle class.
5th character- The movement of the engine is given by this character.
6th character– this indicates the type of engine
7th character– represents the sequence of the design.
8th character– indicates the version of the vehicle
9th character– Verification of VIN accuracy
10th character– vehicle manufacture year
11th character– this is the code of the factory that made the vehicle.
3. Vehicle serial number
It is usually a number and this is a serial number assigned to a particular vehicle.
Conclusion
Vehicle identification numbers and chassis numbers are vital numbers that provide a great deal of information about a vehicle. In addition to being confusing, the VIN can be irritating at times. While it may not be the most accurate way to find out a vehicle’s details, it does prove useful in the long run.
Therefore, everyone needs to understand how the VIN system works.
