Mercedes-Benz VIN decoder
Mercedes-Benz VIN decoder
Mercedes-Benz builds its sedans in Germany and its GLE and GLS SUVs in Vance, Alabama. Newer German-built cars use the W1K and W1N prefixes, which replaced WDD and WDC; Alabama SUVs start with 4JG.
Mercedes-Benz WMI codes
The first three VIN characters. Verified against the NHTSA vPIC database.
| WMI | Manufacturer | Vehicle type | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4JG | Mercedes-Benz of North America, Inc. | SUVs, vans & crossovers | United States |
| 55S | Mercedes-Benz Cars | Cars | United States |
| W1K | Mercedes-Benz Cars | Cars | Germany |
| W1N | Mercedes-Benz, AG | SUVs, vans & crossovers | Germany |
| WDB | Mercedes-Benz Cars | Cars | Germany |
| WDC | Mercedes-Benz Cars | SUVs, vans & crossovers | Germany |
| WDD | Mercedes-Benz Cars | Cars | Germany |
What to know about Mercedes-Benz VINs
- A VIN starting with 4JG was built in Alabama; W1K, W1N, WDD and WDC VINs were built in Germany.
- Ex-lease Mercedes-Benz cars are common on the used market; the report shows lease and other commercial use where reported.
- Check the odometer history on high-mileage diesels and Sprinter vans used as fleet vehicles.
Mercedes-Benz models you can decode
- C-Class
- E-Class
- S-Class
- CLA
- GLA
- GLB
- GLC
- GLE
- GLS
- G-Class
- EQE
- Sprinter
Any 17-character Mercedes-Benz VIN from the 1981 model year onwards can be decoded. Check open recalls for free on NHTSA.
How a Mercedes-Benz VIN is built
All 17-character VINs for vehicles sold in the US follow the same structure.
Example: 5NPD74LF5LH611542
| Position | What it means | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Country / region | Where the manufacturer is registered: 1, 4, 5 and 7 = United States, 2 = Canada, 3 = Mexico, J = Japan, K = South Korea, W = Germany. |
| 2–3 | Manufacturer | Positions 1–3 together form the World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI), assigned to one maker and vehicle type. |
| 4–8 | Vehicle descriptor | Manufacturer-coded details such as model line, body style, restraint system, engine and gross weight rating. |
| 9 | Check digit | A 0–9 or X calculated from the other 16 characters. It catches typos and many fake VINs. |
| 10 | Model year | A letter or number for the model year. The codes repeat every 30 years (see the table below). |
| 11 | Assembly plant | The factory that built the vehicle. Plant codes are defined by each manufacturer. |
| 12–17 | Serial number | The production sequence number that makes the VIN unique. |
VIN model year chart (10th character)
Codes repeat every 30 years. On cars and light trucks, a letter in position 7 means the later year.
A
1980 · 2010
B
1981 · 2011
C
1982 · 2012
D
1983 · 2013
E
1984 · 2014
F
1985 · 2015
G
1986 · 2016
H
1987 · 2017
J
1988 · 2018
K
1989 · 2019
L
1990 · 2020
M
1991 · 2021
N
1992 · 2022
P
1993 · 2023
R
1994 · 2024
S
1995 · 2025
T
1996 · 2026
V
1997 · 2027
W
1998 · 2028
X
1999 · 2029
Y
2000 · 2030
1
2001 · 2031
2
2002 · 2032
3
2003 · 2033
4
2004 · 2034
5
2005 · 2035
6
2006 · 2036
7
2007 · 2037
8
2008 · 2038
9
2009 · 2039
The letters I, O, Q, U and Z and the number 0 are never used as year codes.
Where to find the VIN on a Mercedes-Benz
- Lower corner of the windshield on the driver’s side, readable from outside the car
- Sticker or plate on the driver’s door jamb (open the door)
- Title, registration card and insurance card
- Engine bay, often on the firewall or the front of the frame on trucks
- Seller’s listing or the dealer’s window sticker
The VIN on the car, the title and the listing must all match. If they do not, do not buy.
VinCode report · $5.99
Before you buy a used Mercedes-Benz, check its history
Title brands, accidents, total-loss events, odometer readings, owners and service records for the VIN, scored with the VinCode Score.
- Title brand check
- Accidents & damage
- Odometer chart
- Owners & usage
- Service records
- VinCode Score
What is the difference between WDD and W1K?
Both are Mercedes-Benz passenger car WMIs for vehicles built in Germany. W1K is the newer prefix used on recent model years.
Can I see a Mercedes build sheet from the VIN?
The free decoder shows the factory-coded basics such as model, engine and plant. Full option lists come from the manufacturer or the original window sticker.
Is the Mercedes-Benz VIN decoder free?
Yes. Decoding a Mercedes-Benz VIN is free. A full VinCode report with title brands, accidents, odometer readings and owners costs $5.99.
Does a Mercedes-Benz VIN show accident history?
No. The VIN only encodes how the vehicle was built. Accident, damage and title history come from records reported for the VIN, which is what the VinCode report shows.