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The vehicle identification number (VIN) is like a Social Security number for cars. All VINs for cars manufactured since 1981 have 17 digits and they are usually found etched into a metal plate on the engine block, the firewall or the inside of the door frame. If your VIN plate has been destroyed, you can apply to have a new one created for the vehicle as long as you have proof of need for the replacement. If for some reason your VIN on the vehicle and the VIN on your title do not match, you will need to get a new title, not a new VIN.

Instructions

1

Locate and record your vehicles VIN. Consult the owners manual for your vehicle if you do not know where it is located. Record the make, model, year, color, and license plate number of your vehicle.

2

Locate the vehicles title which lists the VIN of the car. If you are financing the vehicle, the finance company will have the title. Contact the company that issued your car loan to get a copy of the title.

3

Contact your local State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office for specific instructions on what is required to replace the VIN (see Resources). You will likely be required to have an inspection of the vehicle by a police officer or DMV official to verify that the VIN plate was destroyed. Take all the recorded information with you when you go to the DMV.

Every manufactured vehicle has a vehicle identification number (VIN), which provides the owner with information regarding the vehicles origins and source engine components. In the mid-1950s, as mass auto production escalated with demand, Detroit auto manufacturers began stamping their vehicles to identify them. Early identification numbers varied by manufacturer, but in 1977 an ISO (International Organization of Standardization) for the VIN came into effect, which the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration adopted in the early 1980s as a requirement for all licensed vehicles. For the car-repair enthusiast, interpreting the VIN properly will ensure the right parts for the vehicle.

Instructions

Looking up parts by VIN

1

Locate your vehicle identification number. The most common location for the VIN is on the door frame or post of the front driver-side door, or on the dashboard close to the windshield. The VIN can be in other places though, such as the machine pad on the engine, or stamped on the steering wheel or column. The VIN is also listed on vehicle documents such as the title certificate, registration, warranty or maintenance books.

2

Decipher your VIN. The first character in a VIN denotes the country of origin, the second character is the manufacturer and the third character identifies the vehicle type (or division). The fourth through eighth characters are very important from a parts perspective as they identify model attributes such as body style, engine type and model series. The ninth digit is the check digit (mathematically determined to verify VIN accuracy), and the 10th and 11th characters identify the model year and manufacturing plant. The last six digits are the unique identifiers for each vehicle.

3

Apply the VIN information to a part source. This process has benefited greatly from the digital age, and many parts retailers and manufacturers list their supply catalogs online. On their websites you will also have the ability to search their databases by VIN. If sourcing through the computer doesnt sound appealing, both dealership service centers and retail parts outlets have the ability to find the parts you need through your VIN.