How to Find Your VIN

Every car has a VIN or vehicle identification number. It is a string of characters that tells you about your specific car. It acts like the finger print of your vehicle, each one is unique. This number has a lot of information. By finding our your VIN you can see if there are any recalls, see the different registrations, any warranty claims, if it is or has been stolen, and your insurance information.

This number is usually 17 characters long, but in certain cases where the vehicle was  made before 1981 it might not have the full 17 characters. If your car was made before 1981, it might have anywhere from 11-17 characters. For this, it might be a little harder to access all of the information.

Knowing the VIN number is very important when you are looking at a used car. If you get the VIN you could find out if it is a stolen vehicle or not, so look up the VIN before making a final decision with your used vehicle. It's best to check that before you end up with a stolen car on your hands and money lost!

Where Can I Find my VIN?

Your VIN could be in two different spots. To see the first one, get out of your car and stand by the windshield on the drivers side. If you look at where the windshield meets the dashboard, the number should be right there.

If you still don't see it, don't worry! There is still one more spot it could be. Get out of your car and open the drivers side door. If you look at the spot where the door closes, the number should be there.

Another place you can find it, if you are still having trouble, is certain paperwork for your car. For example, you can find your VIN on your insurance card or in the vehicle title and registration.

Each character in your VIN means something different, so you have to know what you are looking for. You can upload your number on special websites online to get all the information immediately.

What do The Characters in my VIN Mean?

• 1st Character
  The 1st character in your VIN tells you where your vehicle was built.
• 2nd and 3rd Characters
  These characters tell you who the manufacturer was.
• 4th and 8th Characters
  These characters tell you the brand of your car as well as you engine size and type.
• 9th Character
  This character gives you the security code of your car.
• 10th Character
  This character tells you the model's year.
• 11th Character
  This character tells you what the assembly plant was.
• Last 6 Characters
  Finally, the last six characters are the same as the serial number on your vehicle.

Next time you book a service with one of our skilled mobile mechanics, simply ask them to help you locate your VIN if you find yourself still struggling to locate it. They will be able to help you find it so you can learn everything about your vehicle's history.