Car VIN code: what it is, how it looks, why it is needed

Cars can also be checked just like a person can be «fingerprinted». A buyer or law enforcement representative can easily find out the car's past, starting with the production of the car at the factory. Has the car been in an accident? Was the car stolen? Taking the word of a former owner and a reseller is unreliable. Those, who want to sell the car, will hide the flaws and its disreputable history.

There is a system of international VIN codes to check cars, trucks and passenger vehicles. This is the official identifier of a vehicle. The VIN is unique and is assigned to each vehicle. As no two people have the same fingerprints, no two cars have the same code.

What is a VIN code

The VIN number consists of 17 symbols: letters of the Roman alphabet and digits. They are deciphered according to the tables of international standards, of which there are a lot in the Internet in free access. The VIN code can be used to determine:

• engine displacement;
• serial number;
• the actual manufacturer;
• The country of manufacture;
• engine information;
• steering wheel location;
• body color;
• type of transmission;
• year of manufacture;
• mileage, etc.

The VIN code is applied to the parts of the body that are not subject to frequent corrosion: the front left-hand pillar, the upper part of the front panel, the driver's side door, the plate affixed to the windscreen. The ID is written in the data sheet. The VIN number is very convenient to look for spare parts and components for repair of the vehicle.

The VIN code system is standardized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the U.S. in 1981. There are 4 standards:

• Society of Automotive Engineers international standard;
• rules for the U.S. and Canada;
• for Australia;
• Europe and most countries.

The manufacturer may reassign the VIN code to a new car, but not earlier than 30 years after the car was manufactured under this code, making sure it is no longer in use. This is to prevent confusion.

Car manufacturers change the rules for deciphering VIN codes about every 5 years. To find out what the symbols in a particular code mean, use the rules that were current at the date the car was manufactured.

In what cases do you check the VIN code

Vehicle identifier is used when it is necessary:

• To confirm or find out the ownership of the car.
• Check whether the car was not involved in an accident, whether it was used to commit a crime, whether it was pledged to a bank.
• Find the car that was stolen. The perpetrator can change the plates, but he won't be able to make changes to the VIN code. If there is no plate and duplicate inscriptions on the body or the data from the documents does not match those on the parts, it is grounds for suspicion that the vehicle is stolen.
• Find out if the vehicle has been repaired. Manufacturers often code headlight washers, parking sensors, and rain sensors. If the VIN number includes these parts, but they are not, it means the car was replaced with a body kit or body parts.
• Order parts for repairing the car.
• Determine if a used car is assembled from parts of several used cars.

You can check vehicles by VIN code online on special websites. It is important to find out about the reputation of the web resource beforehand, so as not to fall for fraudsters.