Guides
Guides
Short, sourced explanations of what a VIN encodes and how U.S. safety recalls work. Every guide links the regulation or NHTSA publication it relies on.
Reading a VIN
- What is a VIN?A VIN is the 17-character code that identifies one vehicle. Learn what it encodes, why I, O and Q are never used, and what a VIN cannot tell you.
- How to read a VIN, position by positionBreak a 17-character VIN into its sections: WMI, vehicle descriptor, check digit, model year, plant and serial number — with a worked example.
- How the VIN check digit is calculatedStep-by-step VIN check digit calculation from 49 CFR 565: letter values, position weights, the remainder of 11 and when the digit is X. Worked example included.
- VIN model year codes (position 10)Chart of the 10th-digit VIN model year codes from 1981 to 2039, why the codes repeat every 30 years, and how to tell 1990 from 2020.
- World manufacturer identifier (WMI) codesWhat the first three VIN characters mean, who assigns them, and a list of 413 WMI codes for major car, SUV and truck manufacturers from NHTSA vPIC.
- Where to find your VINThe VIN is on the driver-side dashboard behind the windshield, on the door-jamb label and on your title, registration and insurance card. How to read it correctly.
Recalls and your rights
- How vehicle safety recalls workHow a U.S. vehicle recall starts, the Part 573 report, NHTSA investigations, owner notification within 60 days and the remedy — explained with official sources.
- Are recall repairs free?Recall remedies are free by law, with limits for vehicles bought new over 15 years before notice and tires over 5 years old. Plus reimbursement rules.
- What to do about an open recallYour car has a recall — now what? Confirm it with your VIN, read the risk, book the free repair, ask about loaners and keep records. Steps based on NHTSA guidance.
- How to check recalls by VINHow NHTSA's VIN and license plate recall search works, what “0 unrepaired recalls” means and which recalls the search does not show.
- Do-not-drive and park-outside recall advisoriesWhat NHTSA's do-not-drive and park-outside recall advisories mean, what to do, and the campaigns for popular models that carry them.