What Engine Does My Car Have By VIN?
Introduction
Your car’s VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is a unique 17-character code that can tell you a lot about your car, including what engine it has. The VIN is located in several places on your car, including the driver’s side door jamb, the firewall, and the vehicle registration card.
How to Find Your VIN
If you don’t know where to find your VIN, you can use the following steps:
- Look for a small metal plate on the driver’s side door jamb. The VIN will be stamped into the plate.
- Look for a small metal plate on the firewall. The VIN will be stamped into the plate.
- Check your vehicle registration card. The VIN will be listed on the card.
How to Decode Your VIN
Once you have your VIN, you can use it to decode the engine information. The VIN is divided into several sections, each of which contains a specific type of information. The following table shows the different sections of the VIN and the information they contain:
| Section | Information |
|---|---|
| 1-3 | World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) |
| 4-8 | Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) |
| 9 | Check Digit |
| 10 | Model Year |
| 11 | Plant Code |
| 12-17 | Serial Number |
The engine information is contained in the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS). The VDS is a 5-character code that contains the following information:
- Character 1: Vehicle type
- Character 2: Body style
- Character 3: Engine type
- Character 4: Brake system
- Character 5: Restraint system
Example
Let’s say you have the following VIN: 1G1JC52F43Z123456
The Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) is the 5-character code in the middle of the VIN: 1JC52
Character 3 of the VDS is F, which indicates that the engine type is a 3.6L V6 engine.
Conclusion
Your car’s VIN is a valuable tool that can tell you a lot about your car, including what engine it has. By following the steps in this article, you can easily find and decode your VIN to get the engine information you need.
