Some RVs can have two VIN numbers, sometimes with different model years Which Vehicle Details Can (and Cannot) Be Identified By The VIN Pattern (Infographic)ģ.4 Common Questions About VIN Decoding and Transmissions (Blog).Decoding Vehicles to a Single Trim/Style: VIN-to-Trim/Style Matching Explained (Blog).

Here are a few helpful resources on the topic: As for transmission, fortunately, it’s becoming easier to identify by default, as manual transmissions are less commonly used now. Several manufacturers do encode trim consistently, including Honda and Subaru, however, there are still many manufacturers that do not. As a result, there are some significant details, such as trim and/or transmission, that may be left out of the VIN pattern. Although the NHTSA has required certain information to be encoded in the VIN, there is leeway within the vehicle descriptor section (VDS), positions 4-8, given that each vehicle is unique. The information encoded in a VIN pattern may vary from one manufacturer to another. Trim and transmission aren't always encoded in the VIN pattern Some businesses, such as dealers and dealer service providers, utilize 17-digit VIN decoding to obtain the highest level of detail possible, including vehicle color and installed optional equipment and packages, to better represent the vehicles they are selling. For a more detailed and precise decode, a comprehensive VIN decoding service, such as DataOne’s VIN decoder API, will be needed. The VIN pattern is all that’s needed for identifying some basic vehicle details, such as year, make, model, engine type, and certain safety equipment. The check digit is used for VIN validation and the serial number is what makes each VIN unique. The remaining characters of the VIN are in position 9 (check digit) and positions 12-17 (serial number). Instead, most VIN decoders decode the VIN pattern made up of positions 1-8, 10, and 11. The majority of VIN decoders on the market do not actually decode all 17 digits of the VIN, as the build data required to do this is either unavailable or too expensive.

Most VIN decoders do not decode all 17 digits of a VIN Perhaps some of these facts will help clarify questions you’ve had while working with VINs. We’ve put together an article highlighting some interesting facts about VINs, VIN decoding, and vehicle data that often come as a surprise to many of our end users. There’s a lot more to VIN numbers, the 17-digit string of numeric and alphanumeric characters found on vehicles, and the vehicle data behind them than you may expect.

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