Home Auto What is the VIN number and how to get it?

What is the VIN number and how to get it?

by Dolores Olsen

The VIN code (Vehicle Identification Number) is the identification number of the vehicle, be it a car, a trailer, a motorcycle, a moped. Commonly known as chassis number, it was introduced in the 1950s. However, only from 1981 was it standardized, and some requirements were established, such as the fact that it must be composed of 17 characters (letters and numbers) and that certain characters with the letter I, O, Q (which could easily be easily confused with the numbers 1 and 0).

 

How to read the chassis number

As mentioned, after its standardization, the VIN number has become an international standard. It is a sequence of 17 characters (numbers and letters), where each digit corresponds to certain information.

The 17 characters of the VIN code can be separated into 3 parts: WMI, VDS, VIS.

Since the Vehicle identification number is included in the vehicle registration documents, the management of VIN numbers has a real advantage in terms of traceability. For example, it can significantly reduce the number of vehicles recalled by the manufacturer in the event that defective components need to be replaced.

 

WMI (World Manufacturer Identifier)

It is the manufacturer code and is made up of the first three characters. It is used to identify the country of the manufacturer and the manufacturer.

The first digit identifies the country:

Z: Italy

W: Germany

V: France

J: Japan

Y: Sweden

T: Czech Republic

S: England

1: USA

2: Canada

3: Mexico

9: Brazil

Etc.

The second and third digits together identify the international code of the manufacturer.

Example:

AR: AlfaRomeo

BA: BMW

FA: Fiat

FO: Ford

LA: Lancia

OL: Opel

VW: Volkswagen

Etc.

Since car manufacturers have factories in various countries, by reading the first three digits of the VIN code, we can know where the car was produced.

VDS (Vehicle Descriptor Section)

It consists of 6 to 8 characters, from the fourth to the eleventh of the VIN code, and is used to identify the car model, the factory where it was produced, and any other characteristics. 

VIS (Vehicle Identifier Section)

A section dedicated to the progressive production number of the vehicle precisely identifies the individual vehicle (serial number). It consists of the last 6, 7, or 8 characters, of which the last 4 characters must necessarily be numbers.

The usefulness of the VIN

The check of the chassis number is often carried out by the police forces during checks on the roads to verify possible wrongdoing. 

Knowing how to correctly locate and read the codes shown in the card identification number is also important for private citizens when they have to buy a used car. This makes it possible to avoid possible problems with stolen and recycled cars. You can get your VIN detail from https://checkcar4free.com/