What does a VIN number tell you?

VIN refers to the Vehicle Identification Number. You can find the complete history of a vehicle with the help of this number. The VIN number check report contains information related to maintenance records, vehicle’s lien, title and other records related to its history.

If you are buying a new or second-hand vehicle then a VIN number is really essential. A second-hand vehicle comes with a variety of features and functions that you should need to check before making a final call for purchase.

 

Social Security Number

In any case of robbery, you can use a VIN number while filing a report to the police and that will help the police in finding the vehicle. It is a security number for your vehicle. The alphanumeric identifiers are unique for each vehicle. You can track everything related to a vehicle using this number. The recalls for your vehicle, require the VIN number.

 

When Do You Need It?

The number is required while you make warranty claims for your vehicle, during manufacturing recalls and while insuring the vehicle. We have already mentioned in the starting that you should ask for the VIN number while buying a second-hand vehicle.

 

1. Information For Buyer

The information that is crucial for you as a buyer include:

  • Accident Records
  • Maintenance History
  • Airbag Deployment
  • Robbery Records
  • Product recalls
  • Past owner history
  • Lemon status
  • Current liens and a lot of other specifications.

 

2. Information for Seller

If you are planning to sell your vehicle then it is again important for you to go through the VIN check where you will get a complete knowledge of the problems that are likely to arise with the buyers. This way you can inform them about these things in advance to maintain transparency. The buyer might raise certain questions that you should be prepared to answer beforehand.

VinCheck.Info offers vehicle history report for free and that can be really helpful for you if you are planning to buy a new vehicle. You can use the VIN decoder tool for free and it will provide you with all the important information related to your vehicle. So, always make a vehicle purchase after going through its VIN check.

 

How to find your VIN number

A VIN number contains 17 letters and digits. These digits are visible through the wind shades from the driver’s side and are provided on a small tag on the dashboard. The vehicles that were manufactured before 1981 used to contain 11-17 digits. The other locations in your vehicle where you can find the VIN number are:

  • On the rear side of the door frame on the inner side of the driver’s door
  • Usually on the front side of the engine block
  • Under the extra tire

Where else can you find the VIN number are :

  • Registration card
  • Insurance Documents
  • Vehicle’s Titles

The number that is mentioned on your vehicle is found to be most reliable. The campers, utility trailers, boats have their VIN numbers as well. The number is present on RV’s at the same place as it is mentioned in the cars. In the trailers, the VIN number is however found on the cabinet.

 

Decoding VIN

A VIN is a composition of letters and digits. Each letter and digit or a group of them contains some information related to the vehicle’s design and manufacturer. Let’s see how:

The 1st digit on the left tells about the location of the manufacturer

The 2nd and 3rd digit contains the name of a manufacturing company

The digits from 4 to 8 tells contains information about the size and type of engine

The 9th digit contains the manufacturer’s security code.

The 10th digit contains the model year

The 11th digit contains the manufacturing plant

The digits from 12 to 17 contain the serial number of the vehicle

 

Generally, every vehicle manufacturer issues a VIN decoder. This helps in decoding the VIN and the checker learns what each digit represents in the specific VIN. This helps the manufacturer in learning what each single-digit represents in its model and makes. You can attain this piece of knowledge by searching for the manufacturer’s name or by accessing the VIN Number Decoder.

You can learn in detail about every particular specification of a vehicle using sources that provide the VIN check at free of cost.