Kostenlos starten

VIN

Workshop glossary › Workshop operations · Updated

The 17-character identifier assigned to every vehicle since 1981. Structure is defined by ISO 3779 and decodes into manufacturer, model details, and a unique serial.

The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is the 17-character serial number every road-going vehicle has carried since 1981 (ISO 3779). It is stamped on the chassis, printed on the registration document, etched on the windscreen on some markets, and broadcast by the ECU in response to OBD-II mode 09.

The structure is fixed:

  • Positions 1–3 — World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI). YV1 = Volvo Cars passenger vehicles, WBA = BMW, 1HG = Honda US.
  • Positions 4–8 — Vehicle Descriptor Section. Model, body, engine, restraint system. Decoded against the manufacturer's own table.
  • Position 9 — Check digit (a weighted-sum digit, mandatory in North America, optional in Europe but usually present).
  • Position 10 — Model year. Letters from B (2011) onward, skipping I, O, Q, U, Z, and 0.
  • Position 11 — Assembly plant.
  • Positions 12–17 — Production serial.

For workshop intake the VIN is the single most useful piece of data you can ask for: it decodes to the exact model variant, drivetrain, and factory build options before the customer even finishes describing the problem.