VIN NUMBERS
A Vehicle Identification Number, commonly abbreviated to VIN, is a unique serial number used by the automotive industry to identify individual motor vehicles. Prior to 1980, there was not an accepted standard for these numbers, so different manufacturers used different formats. Modern day VINs consist of 17 characters which do not include the letters I, O or Q.
Modern-day Vehicle Identification Number systems are based on two related standards, originally issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 1979 and 1980; ISO 3779 and ISO 3780, respectively. Compatible but somewhat different implementations of these ISO standards have been adopted by the European Union and the United States of America.
Locations of VIN Numbers are listed below
Make |
Model |
Stamped Chassis / VIN Position |
Alfa Romeo |
Alfa Sud 1.3, 1.5. 1.5 Sprint | Front of forward bulkhead just to offside of centre |
| Arna, GTV6 2L and 2.5L, Giulietta 1.6, 1.8. Alfa 6, Alfetta 2000 and GTVSE | Offside bulkhead | |
| 33 | Middle bulkhead | |
| 75, 90 | Offside boot floor pan, close to boot edge | |
Aston Martin |
All models | Offside chassis under wheel arch |
Audi |
All models | Centre bulkhead |
Austin |
Mini, Metro, | Drain channel engine compartment |
| Maestro, | Beside
offside suspension top Centre engine comp drain channel Tailgate drain channel |
|
| Montego, | Next to suspension top | |
| Ital, | Offside inner wing | |
| Ambassador, | Offside bulkhead stamped through a piece of plastic tape | |
BMW |
Series 3 and 333, | Engine bay bulkhead |
| Series 5, | Front offside inner wing | |
| Series 7 and 635 | Offside or centre bulkhead | |
Bristol |
All models | Nearside chassis leg |
Caterham / Lotus |
- | Offside space frame engine support strut by clutch cable |
Citroen |
Z CV | Stamped on floor drivers side |
| Visa VA, VB, AX, EX, | Offside inner wing or gutter | |
| CX Series, GS Series | Engine Comp offside wheel arch - bonnet/water drain channel | |
Dacia |
All Models | Offside suspension leg |
Daihatsu |
Dominol, Charade Charmant | Centre or offside bulkhead |
| Four Track | Nearside chassis behind front tyre | |
Daimier |
All Models | Bonnet catch channel |
Detomaso |
All Models | Bulkhead or nearside inner wing |
Ferrari |
328 Mondial, Testarossa, 412 | On lug on top of steering columnOn lug offside engine bay strut |
| 512 BB (V12) | Engine comp above silencerTop of steering column, seen through windscreen | |
| 400GT and Auto | Front of engine. Also stamped into top of steering column, can be seen through windscreen | |
Fiat |
126 | Front offside of luggage compartment |
| Regata, Argenta, Chroma, Panda, Uno, Strada | Offside suspension top | |
| 127, 131 Mirafiori | Offside inner wing | |
| X19 | Offside bulkhead | |
Ford Transit |
- | Bonnet locking platform offside corner strut or offside doorstep riser |
Ford |
All Models | On floor by drivers seats |
FSO |
Polenez 1300, 1500 Estate and Pick Up | Offside bulkhead |
| Polenez 1.5 Hatchback | Rear of front offside inner wing | |
Honda |
Civic, Accord, Integra, Prelude, Quintett | Bulkhead offside centre |
| Ballade, Legend 2.7l | Bulkhead centre | |
Hyundia |
Pony, Stellar | Bulkhead offside |
Isuzu |
Piazza | Offside bulkhead |
| Trooper | Offside rear chassis lug | |
Jaguar / Daimier |
XJ6 Series 111 | Bulkhead centre Top of offside inner wing |
| XJ6 (New Model) | Offside front wheel arch | |
| XJS | Bulkhead centre | |
Jensen |
Intercepter | Cross member front of vehicle |
Lada |
Riva | Nearside bulkhead |
| Niva | Offside bulkhead behind the wiper motor | |
Lamborghini |
Jalpa | Top of rear offside suspension turret |
| Countach, Sillouette, Urraco, | Bar in engine compartment. which runs parallel to screen | |
Lancia |
Y10 | Offside engine comp bulkhead |
| HPE Estate | Back of forward bulkhead offside | |
| Prisma, Delta | On top of offside MacPherson strut | |
| Gamma, Thema | Offside inner wing | |
Land Rover |
All Models | Front offside chassis member viewed through front wheel arch |
Lotus |
Eclat | Offside chassis member in engine comp |
| Esprit | Engine comp (rear). centre rear chassis member. Under 6" rubber grommet | |
Maserati |
All Models | Both front inner wings |
Mazda |
323, 626, 929, RX7, | Bulkhead offside |
| B2000 | Front offside chassis leg | |
Mercedes Benz |
All Models | On bonnet catch panel towards offside. centre of bulkhead or on angle of bulkhead offside |
MG |
Metro | Drain channel at rear of engine comp |
| Maestro | Beside offside suspension topCentre of engine comp drain channelTailgate drain channel | |
| Montego | Next to suspension top | |
Mitsubishi |
Starion, Spacewagon, Lancer (1976 - 1983) Tredia, Cordia,Sapporo, Sigma | Centre of bulkhead |
| Lancer (May 1984 - ), Gallant | Bulkhead inside engine compartment | |
| Shogun | Chassis leg near rear offside shock absorber | |
Morgan |
All Models | Cross member under orjust to the rear of drivers seat |
Nissan |
All Models | Bulkhead centre or offside |
Opel |
All Models | Under carpet flap between drivers door and sill |
Panther |
Kalista | Front offside chassis side by reinforcement plate |
Peugeot |
205, 405, | Bulkhead offside |
| 305, 309, 506, 604, 505 | Offside inner wing | |
Porsche |
924, | Earlier models, top of front offside suspension housing. Later models: inner bulkhead on offside |
| 928, | Front offside inner wing guttering | |
| 944, | Offside of bulkhead | |
| 911 | Front boot compartment on floor behind spare wheel | |
Reliant |
SS1 | On chassis covered by tape just below alternator |
Renault |
5, 9, 11, 21, 25, GTA | Offside suspension top in the form of a series of dots |
| 18 GTS, TS, GTL, 20GTD | Offside innel wing suspension housing | |
| Espace | No stamped in number | |
Rolls Royce |
All Models | Front offside inner wing |
Rover |
200 | Early: right side of boot front drain channelLater: top of rear engine bulkhead |
| 2000, 2300, 2600, 3500, | Offside top of bulkhead may be stamped through dynotape | |
| 800 | Top centre of rear engine bulkhead | |
Saab |
90 | Offside of rear cross beam |
| 900 | Offside of rear cross beam (older models: under rear nearside seat) | |
| 9000 | On vertical plate edge inside the right rear light | |
Seat |
Ibiza - Malaga | Offside strut turret |
| Marbella - Terra Van | Offside suspension top of turret | |
Skoda |
All Models | Bulkhead in luggage compartment adjacent to chassis plate |
Subaru |
All Models | Offside of bulkhead |
Suzuki |
Swift | Centre of bulkhead |
| L180 Qf | Front of offside longitudinal chassis member forward of the front offside wheel | |
| ST80V (Van), ST080K (Pick-up) | In cab on offside wheelarch under the drivers seat | |
Talbot |
Alpine, Samba, Horizon | Offside inner wing near bulkhead or over wheelarch |
Toyota |
Starlet, Corrola, MR2, Camry, Tercel, Carina, Celica, Supra, | On bulkhead |
| Spacecruiser, Hilux Pick Up Landcruiser | Offside chassis in front wheelarch | |
Triumph |
Acclaim | Througl? plastic tape covering on.centretop-ofbulkhead |
TVR |
Tasmin | Offside radiator support strut |
| Tairman | Offside of engine compartment to front | |
| 280, 350i S (formerly Tasmin) | On metal plate to top of tubular chassis (below alternator) | |
Vauxhall |
All Models | Under carpet flap between drivers door and sill |
Volkswagen |
Polo, Passat, Santana | Centre of bulkhead |
| Golf MK 1 | Top of offside suspension housing | |
| Golf 2, Jetta2, Scirocco | Bulkhead offside | |
| Jetta 1 | Top of offside suspension housing | |
Volvo |
340, 360, 480ES, | Bulkhead |
| 244, 240, 264, 265 | Offside drivers door pillar (Estate: offside panel on inside of storage compartment) | |
| 740,760 | Offside drivers door pillar B post | |
Yugo |
511, 311, 45A, 55A | Offside suspension strut |
| Caribean 1100, 1300 | Centre offside inner wing |
Reproduced from the MOT Inspection Manual by kind permission of THE VEHICLE INSPECTORATE.