Volkswagen VIN decoder
Volkswagen VIN decoder
Volkswagen builds the Atlas and ID.4 in Chattanooga, Tennessee (1V2 and 1VW), the Jetta, Taos and Tiguan in Mexico (3VW and 3VV), and the Golf GTI and Golf R in Germany or Mexico depending on the year.
Volkswagen WMI codes
The first three VIN characters. Verified against the NHTSA vPIC database.
| WMI | Manufacturer | Vehicle type | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1V2 | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. | SUVs, vans & crossovers | United States |
| 1VW | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. | Cars | United States |
| 3VV | Volkswagen De Mexico Sa De Cv | SUVs, vans & crossovers | Mexico |
| 3VW | Volkswagen De Mexico Sa De Cv | Cars | Mexico |
| WVG | Volkswagen AG | SUVs, vans & crossovers | Germany |
| WVW | Volkswagen AG | Cars | Germany |
What to know about Volkswagen VINs
- A VW VIN starting with 1V was built in Tennessee, 3V in Mexico and WV in Germany.
- Diesel (TDI) Volkswagens from 2009–2015 were part of a large buyback; check title and buyback records on any used TDI.
- GTIs and Golf Rs are often modified; check accident and theft records.
Volkswagen models you can decode
- Jetta
- Golf GTI
- Golf R
- Tiguan
- Taos
- Atlas
- Atlas Cross Sport
- ID.4
- Passat
- Arteon
Any 17-character Volkswagen VIN from the 1981 model year onwards can be decoded. Check open recalls for free on NHTSA.
How a Volkswagen 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 Volkswagen
- 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 Volkswagen, 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
Does the VIN show if a VW is a TDI diesel?
The engine is coded in the descriptor section. Decode the VIN to see the fuel type and engine recorded for it.
Where is the VIN on a Volkswagen Jetta?
At the lower driver’s side of the windshield and on the driver’s door jamb, as well as on the title and registration.
Is the Volkswagen VIN decoder free?
Yes. Decoding a Volkswagen VIN is free. A full VinCode report with title brands, accidents, odometer readings and owners costs $5.99.
Does a Volkswagen 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.