If you own a car there are some moments when you have to learn about something called a VIN Vehicle Identification Number. This is important when applying for insurance on your car, log book, or even when trading in your car. VIN is also for you to check the vehicle history of a car; if you are planning to purchase. But what is a VIN Number? How to read a VIN? Where is it situated in a car? And How many digits in a VIN? Okay, we will tell you more about it and bring out some more information.
VIN meaning Vehicle Identification Number. It is the unique alphabetic or numeric code that defines the uniqueness of a particular automobile just like a fingerprint does for an individual. VIN is completely different for each car, the same way in which each person has a different DNA. Every car has a distinct VIN for effective identification of vehicles as well as in tracking them.
It is worth mentioning that VIN is a combination of 17 characters: digits, and capital letters. This one is always used as a car identification number that contains essential details like the manufacturing company, year, brand, and model. It also shows the trim level of the car and other distinctions and characteristics of the vehicle. Also, historic data can be retrieved through VIN numbers including recalls, registration, warranties, thefts, and insurance. Most critically, for obtaining a vehicle history report.
So, in the earliest years, the actual serial number of the specific car was referred to as the chassis number and VIN number and was painted on a small, VIN plate attached to the bonnet. The VIN Vehicle Identification number were introduced in the United States in the year 1954. The U. S. government wanted automobile companies to develop a numbering of models that could be unique and easily identifiable. Before this, engine numbers were utilized in registration and labeling while in case of the motor replacement, it was an issue.
Before 1954, as well as in the years between 1982 and 1996, there was no specific pattern of these numbers, and each auto and motorcycle maker had its serial numbers. However, the NHTSA in the United States in 1981 provided the format and made it mandatory that all on-road vehicles had a 17-character VIN although the letters O, I, and Q were prohibited to prevent confusion with the numbers 0, 1, and 9 respectively. Vin digits of present vehicles comply with the standards that have been issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in the year 1979 and these standards were implemented in the United States and European Union.
VIN numbers can be located in several parts of your car. The most typical position is the right side of the dashboard, near the windshield, at the point where the windshield and the dashboard meet. If VIN number is not located in these places, then open the driver-side door and look at the door jamb where the door strikes when closed. The VIN number is perhaps shown in this place. Usually, VIN numbers of most gasoline-powered vehicles are also stamped on the front surface of the engine block. Your VIN number has also been specified on your car insurance card and in the title and registration documents of your car. In motorcycles, VIN numbers can be stamped on the frame neck; Engine numbers used in bikes before 1981 are local engine numbers fixed on the engine case.
Have you ever thought of each of the 17 digits of your VIN? Let’s delve into the car VIN number breakdown:
1. The first character denotes in which part of the world the vehicle was manufactured. It informs you of the country where the product was made.
2. The second character refers to the manufacture of the discussed product.
3. The third character will be able to inform you about the kind of car or the division of the car.
4. The fourth to the eighth characters also guide you on the car brand, body style, engine size, and type, model, and series.
5. The ninth digit is a check digit showing the manufacturer the car's VIN number is valid before manufacturing the car.
6. The tenth character of the sequence is the make and model of car.
7. The eleventh digit of the VIN number informs you of the plant in which your car was assembled.
8. The last six numbers are the general VIN number that is attributed to the actual serial number of the vehicles being built.
There is importance of knowing your car's VIN number is essential for many reasons ranging from the registration process to the purchase and sale of your car. Hence, when you fully understand the decoding of VIN, you are in a position to make right choices for the car’s history, features, and specifications.
Another benefit associated with its easy determination is that, through its use; tracking of recalls can be done easily. Recalls are initiated when manufacturers realize that a certain model has certain defects or posed some risk to the lives of the users. To obtain this information, one has to enter the car’s VIN and see if there are any outstanding recall issues with the vehicle.
Warranty claims and insurance require the authorization of a vehicle identification number, abbreviated as VIN number. It assists in validation of the vehicle, to ensure that the right coverage is given to the car and any warranty services are given to the vehicle.
It is unfortunate when such a situation happens when your car is stolen, the VIN number is useful for the police authorities. It aids in the tracking as well as the recovery of stolen vehicles mostly because when filling the VIN, it is registered in databases that are within the reach of the police.
Having the VIN number of your car can also be helpful especially when it comes to maintenance and repair of the car. In cases where you are ordering parts or when you want to schedule a repair, use the VIN to guarantee that get the right parts and services for your car.
The VIN is also found on the car windows can supply the other location of the used car’s identification. There may be a manufacture date located on the label of the seat belts, and this could be in the form of the day, month or year.
Hoods and trunks’ shock absorbers might also be branded, which in most cases will state the week and year of manufacture. These markings add on to the checks that can be made on your vehicle to ensure that it is the genuine one.
Sometimes, specialists can read VIN not only on the body of a car but also on the battery terminals and the muffler, which is also a great confirmation of the vehicle’s identification and manufacturing details.
A vehicle history is crucial while buying a used car; therefore, it is crucial to run a vehicle history check. VINs help to reveal accident history, service history, former owners, and title records of the car. The primary purpose of this report is to assist you in making decisions without getting you lost in possible misfortunes.
In case of applying for car insurance or when requesting for a car history report, one requires the VIN number of the car. There are virtually thousands of sites that provide free online vehicle information searches using the vehicle identification number. A vehicle history report will inform you about former owners, whether the car was involved in an accident, has been repaired or stolen, or has been subjected to manufacturers’ recall.
To perform a VIN check, you need to state the seventeen-digit VIN on a VIN check website or service. These platforms offer electronic records of the car’s history such as; accidents, repairs, changes of title, and much more.
To get your VIN checked or obtain your Vehicle History Report, stop by and see UPI Auto Parts for all your automotive needs. The specialists at automobiles will assist you with the fine print of your vehicle’s genetic makeup, to give you the very best. Our full-service inventory is intended to meet all your automotive needs professionally.
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