How Can I Find Out the Location Where a Vehicle Was Manufactured Using the VIN?

What is the VehicleIdentification Number?

The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a 17-character alphanumeric code used to identify a specific motor vehicle. It is a unique code assigned to each car at the time of its manufacture and is made up of numbers and letters. Each section of the VIN provides information about the vehicle, like its year, country, and factory of manufacture; make and model; and serial number. A VIN decoder or table can be used to easily find out more information about any vehicle, such as recalls, registrations, and its history. It can also be used to find out the vehicle manufacturer, the manufacturing date, model year, and more.

What Information Does the VIN Contain?

1. Make

What information is contained in a Make section VIN? [Expanded list]: The Make section VIN contains information such as the vehicle model, year, engine type, series, style, and body type. It can also include details about the trim level, color, transmission type, and other features.

2. Model

A vehicle’s VIN (vehicle identification number) is a unique 17-digit code that identifies each individual car. It contains information about the vehicle including the manufacturer, model year, plant of manufacture, and information about the car itself, such as its body type, restraint types, engine, and transmission. Digits 4 through 8 are used to identify the vehicle descriptor section, which can help to identify the model type, body style, and engine type. The 10th digit reveals the model year, and can be used to determine which year the car was made. Finally, the 17th digit can be used to verify the VIN code.

3. Year of Manufacture

Using the 10th digit of a vehicle’s VIN, the exact year of manufacture can be determined. Depending on the age of the vehicle, the 10th digit can be represented by either a letter or a number. A chart is available which contains the code for each digit and the corresponding year of manufacture. For example, if the 10th digit is ‘D’, then the car is a 2013 model. The 11th digit shows at which manufacturer plant the car was made.

4. Trim

The trim of a vehicle can include information such as the vehicle type (sedan, coupe, hatchback, SUV, MUV, 4×4, luxury, or motorbike), body style (convertible, saloon, or hatchback), engine size (represented by a letter), and model-specific features and safety information. It can also include the car’s series (represented by a letter). This information is helpful when looking for spare parts, as it ensures a perfect match with the engine type.

5. Engine Type

The engine type information contained in a VIN is the eighth digit, which is usually represented by a letter. This digit indicates the engine size and is used to identify the car’s exact model, series, body style, and safety features. This information is useful when purchasing spare parts, as it ensures that the part is the exact match for the engine type.

6. Serial Number

The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a unique 17-character code assigned to every motor vehicle when it’s manufactured. This code contains important information about the vehicle, including the country of manufacture, the make and model, body style, engine size, and safety features. The first three digits indicate the country of manufacture. The fourth to eighth digits are the vehicle descriptor section and provide details about the car’s model-specific features, its series, its body style, and its engine size. The ninth digit is a check digit, an authenticity code generated by the manufacturer. Finally, the last eight digits are the unique serial number for the vehicle, which typically indicates the sequence in which it came off the assembly line.

7. Vehicle Descriptor Section

The Vehicle Descriptor Section of the VIN contains information such as the vehicle brand, model, body style, engine type, transmission, and more. It is used based on local regulations to determine the vehicle type, model type, and the vehicle’s body style. Every manufacturer has a specific system for using this field, with the 8th digit often indicating the engine type.

8. Assembly Plant

The assembly plant VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) contains information that can help identify the origin of a vehicle’s components. It is composed of 17 characters, the 11th character of which identifies the specific manufacturing plant where the vehicle was assembled. This 11th character may come from any of the manufacturer’s plants, located in either the United States or abroad, and will provide a clue as to the country of origin of the car’s components. Additionally, the AALA (American Automobile Labeling Act) can be used to further identify the origin of the vehicle’s components.

9. Country of Origin

The country of origin field of a vehicle’s VIN contains the codes that represent the country or region where the vehicle was manufactured. For vehicles made in North America, the codes are 1, 4, 5 (United States), 2 (Canada), 3A-3W (Mexico), 38-39 (Cayman Islands), and 3X-37 (Costa Rica). For those made in South America, the codes are 8A-8E (Argentina), 8F-8K (Chile), 8L-8R (Ecuador), 8S-8W (Peru), 8X-82 (Venezuela), 9A-9E (Brazil), 9F-9K (Colombia), 9L-9R (Paraguay), 9S-9W (Uruguay), and 9X-92 (Trinidad & Tobago). For those made in Australia, the code is 6, and for those made in New Zealand the code is 7. The first digit or letter of the VIN code represents the country of origin. By looking up the VIN number country code, you can easily identify where the car was manufactured.

10. Check Digit

The purpose of checking the check digit for a VIN is to detect any invalid VINs based on a mathematical formula developed by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The check digit is used to validate the authenticity of the car’s VIN code and ensure that there are no mistakes or issues. The check digit helps to ensure that all of the other digits in the VIN are correct.

How to find the Country of Manufacture Using the VIN

Step 1: Check your insurance card

Checking your insurance card can be very helpful in trying to identify the country of manufacture of a vehicle using the VIN. Your insurance card should list the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) of the vehicle you are insured for, which can then be used to look up the country of manufacture. The VIN is a unique number that is assigned to each vehicle and it is the main way a company knows which vehicle is being covered, or to check up on a vehicle that is being bought. Knowing the VIN helps you access information about the vehicle, such as its country of manufacture, which can be very useful when researching a vehicle’s history.

Step 2: On the dashboard

The first digit of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) stands for the country of manufacture. This information can be found on the dashboard of the vehicle, specifically near the area where the dashboard and windshield meet on the driver’s side. Looking through the windshield from outside the car should allow you to view the VIN number. The VIN number can also be found on the driver’s side door pillar, the steering neck on motorcycles, or on the front part of the semitrailer on the left side. Additionally, the VIN number can be found on the vehicle’s title or liability insurance documents. Knowing the country of manufacture helps to identify the vehicle in the event of theft or severe accidents.

Step 3: On the driver’s side door jamb

Where is the factory location stamped on a car? The factory location is typically stamped on the vehicle’s title, registration, and on other inconspicuous or sometimes hidden parts of the body of the vehicle, such as under the car’s hood next to the latch, on the front end of the frame and on the driver’s side door pillar.

Step 4: Digit 1 – World Manufacturer IdentifIER (WMI)

Step 1: Locate the VIN number on the vehicle. The VIN is typically found on the dashboard of the vehicle, near the windshield.

Step 2: Identify the first three characters of the VIN. This is referred to as the WMI (World Manufacturer Identifier).

Step 3: Determine the country of manufacture by looking up the first character of the WMI. The first character of the WMI will indicate the country of origin, with letters A-H representing Africa, letters J-R representing Asia, letters S-Z representing Europe, numbers 1-5 representing North America and Central America, numbers 6-7 representing the Oceanic nations, and numbers 8 and 9 representing South American countries.

Step 4: Use the identification number to find the manufacturer. The second character of the WMI identifies the manufacturer, and the third digit combined with the first two may identify the type of vehicle.

Step 5: Use the manufacturer’s website to find more detailed information about the vehicle. You may be able to find more specific information about the country of origin, type of vehicle, and other details of the vehicle by looking up the VIN on the manufacturer’s website.

Step 5: Digit 2 – Vehicle DescriptorDigit 3 – Make and Model

Step 1: Locate the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) printed on the dashboard of your car.

Step 2: Identify the first three characters of the VIN, as these are the World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI), which represents the country of origin or final processing plant.

Step 3: Refer to the list of WMI codes to determine the country of manufacture. The first digit represents the country, the second digit describes the manufacturer, and the third digit, together with the first two, portrays the vehicle type.

Step 4: Locate characters 4 through 8 of the VIN, which are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS). They identify the make and model, body style, engine type, transmission, and more.

Step 5: Use the VDS as a guide to identify the make and model of your vehicle, as well as other details such as the body style and engine type. This information will help you confirm the country of manufacture.

Step 6: Compare the make, model, and other details of your vehicle with the list of WMI codes to identify the country of manufacture.

Step 6: Subtract the 10th digit from the VIN

The 10th digit of the VIN is used to identify the model year of the vehicle. To find the country of manufacture, you will first need to locate the country of origin code, which is indicated by a two-letter code. Once you have located the two-letter code, subtract the 10th digit of the VIN from the two-letter code to find the country of origin.

For example, if the 10th digit of the VIN is an “A”, and the two-letter code is “US”, then the country of manufacture is the United States. To get the two-letter code, you can look up the most common manufacturer’s code online or find it on the car manufacturer’s website. You can also ask an auto service shop for their decoding charts, as they use these to direct the repairs and adjustments they make.

Step 7: Add the 11th digit

Step 1: Use an online VIN calculator to quickly confirm the VIN is real. Enter your full VIN (with capital letters) into the calculator to complete this step. You can also compare the VIN in the door to the VIN on the dash or other body components to see if major components have been replaced with used parts or mismatched parts, which would indicate a history of damage.

Step 2: Understand the purpose of the 9th character. The 9th character is a check digit and is used to detect invalid VINs based on a mathematical formula that was developed by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Step 3: Determine the manufacturer’s plant code from the 11th character. The 11th character identifies the manufacturing plant where the vehicle was assembled. Each manufacturer has its own plant codes.

Step 4: Use a VIN to Year Chart to determine the exact year of manufacture of the vehicle. The 10th digit shows the exact year the car was made, represented by a letter or number depending on its age.

Step 5: Use the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh characters to determine the car’s series, body style, engine size and model-specific features, respectively.

Step 6: Use the 8th character to determine the country of manufacture. The 8th character of the VIN indicates the country of origin where the vehicle was manufactured.

Step 8: Try different combinations of digits 4-17

Step 1: Refer to the fourth to eighth digits in the VIN. These digits represent the vehicle descriptor section, which outlines the model type, restraint types, body type, engine, and transmission. Every manufacturer has a specific system for using this field, so make sure you know the specific system your car’s manufacturer utilizes.

Step 2: Refer to the ninth digit in the VIN. This is a check digit, which is like a security code. The manufacturer generates this code number or letter in order to verify the authenticity of the whole number.

Step 3: Refer to the twelfth through seventeenth digits in the VIN. These numbers are usually sequential and represent the vehicle’s production line. The very first of that vehicle might end in 000001, for example.

Step 4: Refer to the letters not used in a VIN. The letters I, O and Q are not used in a VIN.

Step 5: Utilize an online VIN calculator to quickly confirm the VIN is real. Using a search engine, find one and enter your full VIN, using capital letters.

Step 6: Understand the purpose of the 9th character. This character is a check character, used in a mathematical calculation to determine whether the VIN is fake.

Step 7: Use the information from steps 1-6 to try different combinations of digits 4-17 to find out where a car was manufactured. Comparing the VIN in the door to the VIN on the dash or other body components can also help determine if major components have been replaced with used parts or mismatched parts, which would indicate wrecks or rebuilds.

Step 9: Check used minivans for each model year

Step 1: Check the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of the used minivan. You can find the VIN on the dashboard, driver’s side doorjamb, or (in some cases) the glove box.

Step 2: Use a VIN to year chart to identify the model year of the minivan. The 10th digit of the VIN is the model year—for example, if the 10th digit is a ‘D’, the vehicle is a 2013 model.

Step 3: Get a CARFAX Report. CARFAX has VIN lookup tools that provide quick, free VIN checks for common safety issues, such as open recalls, flood damage, odometer fraud, airbag issues, and more. This will help you make sure that the used minivan you’re considering is safe and in good condition.

Step 10: Use online tools to identify possible vehicle matches

Bonus Step 11 : Use VinPointer to determine if the correct vehicle has been located.

VinPointer is a powerful tool that can help you determine if the VIN you are looking at actually belongs to the vehicle you are examining. To use this tool, you will need to know the vehicle’s year, make and model, as well as the 17-digit VIN.

Step 1: Visit the VinPointer website and enter the vehicle’s year, make and model.

Step 2: Enter the 17-digit VIN into the search box and click “Search”.

Step 3: A list of vehicles matching the VIN will be displayed. If the correct vehicle has been located, select that vehicle from the list.

Step 4: You will then be taken to a page with detailed information about the vehicle including its options, trim level, and any recalls that the vehicle may have. You can also use this page to find out whether the vehicle has been reported as stolen or involved in a major accident.

Step 5: Once you have verified that the VIN belongs to the correct vehicle, you can proceed with the purchase.