While your vehicle identification number (VIN) isn't a magical key to unlock all sorts of hidden data, it can still provide you with important details about your car. Specifically, it can reveal the year, make, model, trim package, engine size, and transmission type. If you're curious about decoding your VIN, here's a simple guide to help you get started.
To begin, you'll need your VIN. For a Toyota, this is a 17-digit number that's typically found in several places:
- On a sticker or metal tag on the driver’s side of the dashboard, visible through the windshield.
- Inside the driver’s door jamb.
- On a sticker under the hood, usually attached to the underside of the hood.
You may also find it etched on the window glass, located under the spare tire, printed on the engine block, or stamped into the metal near the rear wheel on the driver’s side. Additionally, your insurance card or vehicle registration will list your VIN as well.
How To Decode A Toyota VIN Number
The first three digits of the VIN represent the manufacturer, brand, and vehicle type. The fourth digit usually relates to safety features. Digits five through eight indicate the trim level, engine type, and sometimes the transmission.
The ninth digit is a "check digit," used to verify the VIN’s validity through a mathematical formula. The tenth digit tells you the model year, while the eleventh digit indicates the factory where the vehicle was assembled. The final six digits are unique identifiers used internally by the manufacturer and may not always reflect the production sequence.
For the 10th digit, here’s what each character represents in terms of model years:
A – 1980 OR 2010
B – 1981 OR 2011
C – 1982 OR 2012
D – 1983 OR 2013
E – 1984 OR 2014
F – 1985 OR 2015
G – 1986
H – 1987
I – Doesn’t exist. You’re looking at number one.
J – 1988
K – 1989
L – 1990
M – 1991
N – 1992
O – Doesn’t exist. Neither zero nor the letter “O†are used as the 10th digit.
P – 1993
Q – Doesn’t exist.
R – 1994
S – 1995
T – 1996
U – Doesn’t exist as it’s too easy to confuse with the letter “Vâ€
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