Of all the things to know about your car, the VIN number, or vehicle identification number, is one of the most important. Read on to learn how the VIN can help prevent fraud and keep you safe.
What is a VIN?
A VIN is a unique 17-character code of letters and numbers for a particular vehicle. Much like a fingerprint, a VIN is a unique identifier throughout the life of a vehicle: No two cars have the same VIN. However, vehicles manufactured before 1981 can have VINs that vary in length between 11 and 17 characters.
The VIN is also designed with a clever system to determine whether the code you’ve been given is legitimate: If you multiply all the numbers except the ninth together, then divide the result by 11, you should be left with the ninth digit.
Why Is It Important?
VINs are critical in the process of buying a used car. Using the VIN, you can look up any vehicle online and learn whether there is any outstanding money owed on the car, an important piece of information because a loan is typically applied to the car itself, even if it is re-registered and given new plates.
You can also learn whether the vehicle has been in a serious accident that might make it unsafe or whether the vehicle was previously reported as stolen and check the history of odometer readings to ensure that the odometer has not been tampered with.
Additionally, you can use the VIN to learn about the manufacturing history of any vehicle. The first character indicates where the vehicle was built: 1, 4, and 5 represent the United States, for example, while K means the car was manufactured in Korea, and J stands for Japan.
The VIN can also help you identify whether a car is subject to a manufacturer’s recall. In the event of a recall of a particular model or brand, the manufacturer will set up a website or similar system allowing you to enter the VIN to see whether a vehicle is affected.
Where Can You Find It?
The VIN can typically be found in two ways: on the vehicle’s documentation, such as the title, registration, and insurance documents, and on the vehicle itself. The VIN may be located in different places on the vehicle. It is most commonly located above the steering wheel in the lower-left corner of the dashboard, but may also be found in the rear wheel well, underneath the spare tire, inside the driver-side doorjamb, or in front of the engine block.
If you’re having trouble locating your vehicle’s VIN, consult the driver’s manual or do an internet search for your particular model. When you purchase a vehicle, whether new or used, write down or take a picture of your vehicle’s VIN and keep it in a safe place. If your car is ever stolen or goes missing, having the VIN handy will speed up the process of filing a police report and may help law enforcement to find and identify your car.
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