How to read a GM VIN Number

Position 1 - Country of Origin: 

1 = U.S.A. 

2 = Canada 

3 = Mexico 

4 = U.S.A. 

J = Japan 

K = Korea

Position 2 - Company built by: 

G = General Motors/Suzuki 

8 = Isuzu 

Y = NUMMI 

L = Daewoo 

C = CAMI/GM of Canada

Position 3 - Make or division: 

1 = Chevrolet 

2 = Pontiac 

3 = Oldsmobile 

4 = Buick 

5 = Pontiac incomplete vehicle (PAS) 

6 = Cadillac 

7 = GM of Canada 

8 = Saturn 

A = Chevy Bus 

B = Chevy incomplete vehicle 

C = Chevy Truck 

D = GMC incomplete vehicle (PAS) 

E = Cadillac incomplete vehicle 

H = Oldsmobile Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) 

J = GMC Bus 

K = GMC Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) 

L = Buick incomplete vehicle 

M = Pontiac Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) 

N = Chevy Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) 

T = GMC Truck 

Y = Pontiac Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV)

Positions 4 & 5 - Carline/Series: ('91+ B-car only) 

1991: 

BL = Caprice Sedan/Wagon 

BN = Caprice Classic/Caprice Classic LTZ Sedan 

BR = Roadmaster Estate Wagon 

BP = Custom Cruiser Wagon 

BB = Coachbuilder (Limo/Hearse) Wagon 

1992: 

BL = Caprice Sedan/Wagon 

BN = Caprice Classic/Caprice LTZ Sedan 

BN = Roadmaster Sedan 

BT = Roadmaster Limited Sedan 

BR = Roadmaster Estate Wagon 

BP = Custom Cruiser Wagon 

BB = Coachbuilder (Limo/Hearse) Wagon 

1993: 

BL = Caprice Classic Sedan/Wagon 

BN = Caprice Classic LS/Caprice Classic LTZ Sedan 

BN = Roadmaster Sedan 

BT = Roadmaster Limited Sedan 

BR = Roadmaster Estate Wagon 

BB = Coachbuilder (Limo/Hearse) Wagon 

1994: 

BL = Caprice Classic Sedan/Wagon 

BN = Caprice Classic LS/Impala SS Sedan 

BN = Roadmaster Sedan 

BT = Roadmaster Limited Sedan 

BR = Roadmaster Estate Wagon 

BB = Coachbuilder (Limo/Hearse) Wagon 

1995-1996: 

BL = Caprice Classic Sedan/Wagon, Impala SS Sedan 

BN = Roadmaster Sedan 

BT = Roadmaster Limited Sedan 

BR = Roadmaster Estate Wagon 

BB = Coachbuilder (Limo/Hearse) Wagon

Position 6 - Body style: 

1 = 2-door coupe/sedan 

2 = 2-door hatchback/liftback 

3 = 2-door convertible 

4 = 2-door station wagon 

5 = 4-door sedan 

6 = 4-door hatchback/liftback 

7 = 4-door liftback 

8 = 4-door station wagon

Position 7 - Restraint codes: 

1 = Active (manual) belts 

2 = Active (manual) belts w/driver & passenger air bags 

3 = Active (manual) belts w/driver air bag 

4 = Passive (automatic) belts 

5 = Passive (automatic) belts w/driver air bag 

6 = Passive (automatic) belts w/driver & passenger air bags

Position 8 - Engine type: ('91+ B-car only) 

P = LT1 5.7L - 260 HP @ 5000, 330 lb-ft @ 3200 

W = L99 4.3L - 200 HP @ 5200, 245 lb-ft @ 2400 

7 = L05 5.7L - 205 HP @ 4400, 300 lb-ft @ 2800 (9C1 Police) 

7 = L05 5.7L - 180 HP @ 4200, 300 lb-ft @ 2800 

E = L03 5.0L - 170 HP @ 4000, 255 lb-ft @ 2400 

Position 9 - Check digit: 

This is a VIN checksum used to verify VIN legality.

Postion 10 - Model year: 

A = 1980 

B = 1981 

C = 1982 

D = 1983 

E = 1984 

F = 1985 

G = 1986 

H = 1987 

J = 1988 

K = 1989 

L = 1990 

M = 1991 

N = 1992 

P = 1993 

R = 1994 

S = 1995 

T = 1996 

V = 1997 

W = 1998 

X = 1999 

Y = 2000 

1 = 2001

2 = 2002

3 = 2003

4 = 2004

5 = 2005

6 = 2006

Position 11 - Plant: 

A = Lakewood, GA 

B = Lansing (Reatta), MI 

B = Baltimore (Truck & Bus), MD 

B = Pupyong, KOREA 

C = Lansing, MI 

D = Doraville, GA 

E = Linden, NJ 

E = Pontiac (Truck & Bus), MI 

F = Fairfax II, KS 

F = Flint (Truck & Bus), MI 

G = Framingham, MA 

H = Flint, MI 

J = Janesville (Truck & Bus), WI 

J = Janesville, WI 

K = Leeds, MO 

K = Kosai, JAPAN 

L = Van Nuys ('82-'92 F-car), CA 

M = Lansing, MI 

N = Norwood ('82-'87 F-car), OH 

R = Arlington (B-car), TX 

S = St. Louis (Truck & Bus), MO 

S = Ramos Arizpe, MEXICO 

T = Tarrytown (Truck & Bus), NY 

U = Hamtramck, MI 

V = Pontiac (Truck & Bus), MI 

W = Willow Run (B-car), MI 

W = Iwata, JAPAN 

X = Fairfax, KS 

Y = Wilmington, DE 

Z = Fremont, CA 

Z = Spring Hill (Saturn), TN 

Z = Fort Wayne (Truck & Bus), IN 

0 = Pontiac (Truck & Bus), MI 

1 = Wentzville, MO 

1 = Oshowa 2, ONTARIO 

2 = Moraine (Truck & Bus), OH 

2 = Ste. Therese ('93-'96+ F-car), QUEBEC 

3 = Detroit (Truck & Bus), MI 

3 = Kawasaki, JAPAN 

3 = St. Eustache, QUEBEC 

4 = Orion, MI 

4 = Scarborough, ONTARIO 

5 = Bowling Green ('84-'96+ Corvette), KY 

5 = London, ONTARIO 

6 = Oklahoma City, OK 

6 = Ingersoll, ONTARIO 

7 = Lordstown, OH 

7 = Lordstown (Truck & Bus), OH 

7 = Fujisawa, JAPAN 

8 = Shreveport (Truck & Bus), LA 

9 = Detroit, MI 

9 = Tillsonburg, ONTARIO 

9 = Oshawa 1, ONTARIO

Positions 12 thru 17 - Sequence Number: 

100001 = 1st vehicle 

200001 = 100001st vehicle, etc.

All the 200x years are easy - 2001 is 1, 2002 is 2, etc. 2010 is A, 2011 is B, and it repeats the sequence used 1980 (A) through 2000 (Y). 2031 (who cares ) is 1, 2032 is 2, thru 2039 = 9