Vehicle VIN GeneratorRefresh

VIN	1G6S8N044TV770097
Make	Cadillac
Model Year	2026
World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI)	1G6
Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS)	S8N04
Check Digit	4
Plant Code	V
Serial Number	770097

VIN - Vehicle Identification Number

A VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is a unique 17-character alphanumeric code assigned to every motor vehicle for identification. It serves as a vehicle's "fingerprint" and encodes details like:

• Structure:
  • WMI (Positions 1-3): Identifies the manufacturer and region (e.g., 1HG = Honda USA).
  • VDS (Positions 4-9): Describes vehicle attributes (model, engine type) and includes the check digit (9th position) for error detection.
  • VIS (Positions 10-17): Includes the model year (10th), assembly plant (11th), and a unique serial number (12-17).
• Key Rules:
  • Excludes letters I, O, Q to avoid confusion with numbers.
  • Follows global standards (ISO 3779/ISO 4030) but varies slightly by region.
• Purpose:
  • Tracks registrations, recalls, thefts, and ownership history
  • Used in insurance, repairs, and resale verification.
• Example:
  • 1HGBH41JXMN109186 (Honda, 2021 model)
• VINs are mandatory worldwide and critical for vehicle lifecycle management.

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WMI - World Manufacturer Identifier

The first 3 characters of a VIN that identify the vehicle's manufacturer and country of origin

• Breakdown:
  • 1st character: Country/region code (e.g., 1/USA, J/Japan, W/Germany)
  • 2nd character: Manufacturer code (e.g., H/Honda, F/Ford)
  • 3rd character: Vehicle type or manufacturer division
• Examples:
  • 1HG: Honda (USA)
  • JHM: Honda (Japan)
  • 5YJ: Tesla (USA)
• Notes:
  • Assigned by SAE International (Society of Automotive Engineers)
  • Excludes letters I, O, Q
  • Some manufacturers have multiple WMI codes (e.g., Ford uses 1FT for trucks, 1FA for cars)

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VDS - Vehicle Descriptor Section

Positions 4-9 of the VIN, providing details about the vehicle's features

• Breakdown:
  • Positions 4-8: Vehicle attributes (model, body type, engine, restraint system)
  • Position 9: Check digit (for error detection)
• Examples:
  • BH41J in a Honda VIN: Sedan model, 2.4L engine, specific trim
  • P4J3L in a Ford truck: Truck class, 4x4 drivetrain, diesel engine
• Key Rules:
  • Check digit (position 9) uses a weighted formula to validate VIN authenticity
  • Excludes letters I, O, Q (except in check digit, where X represents 10)
  • Format standardized by ISO 3779, but manufacturers determine specific codes

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Check Digit

he 9th character in a VIN, used to validate the VIN's authenticity and detect errors

• Purpose:
  • Verifies the VIN is not forged or mistyped
  • Detects common errors like transposed characters
• Calculation:
  • Assign numeric values to all VIN characters (excluding the check digit)
  • Multiply each value by its position weight (8-7-6-5-4-3-2-10-0-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2)
  • Sum the results and divide by 11
  • Remainder becomes the check digit (0-9 or X for 10)
• Example:
  • For a partial VIN 1M8GDM9A_KP042788:
    • Sum = 227 → 227 ÷ 11 = 20 remainder 7 → Check digit = 7
• Notes:
  • Mandatory in North American VINs (positions 1-8 and 10-17 are weighted)
  • Letters I, O, Q are excluded from calculations
  • X is the only letter allowed in the check digit

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Plant Code

The 11th character in the VIN, indicating the manufacturing plant where the vehicle was assembled

• Purpose:
  • Identifies the specific factory or production facility
  • Helps track recalls, defects, or regional production variations
• Position:
  • Part of the VIS (Vehicle Identifier Section, positions 10-17)
• Examples:
  • F = Fremont, California (Tesla factory)
  • T = Toyota plant in Texas
  • K = Ford plant in Louisville, Kentucky
  • L = BMW plant in Leipzig, Germany
• Notes:
  • Assigned by the manufacturer (no universal standard)
  • Some codes are reused or shared between manufacturers
  • May use letters or numbers (e.g., 1 = Honda plant in Ohio)

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Serial Number

The last 6 characters (positions 12-17) of the VIN, providing a unique identifier for the vehicle

• Position:
  • Part of the VIS (Vehicle Identifier Section, positions 10-17)
• Purpose:
  • Ensures each vehicle has a distinct identifier
  • Used for tracking production sequence, registrations, and ownership
• Examples:
  • 109186 in VIN 1HGBH41JXMN109186
  • A123BC (letters/numbers may be mixed)
• Notes:
  • Assigned sequentially by the manufacturer
  • No universal format - varies by maker (e.g., Ford uses letters/numbers, BMW uses numbers only)
  • May encode production sequence or optional features in some cases