Tips to understanding your vehicles serial (VIN) number
They are as follows:
1st character- Identifies the country in which the vehicle was
manufactured.
For example:
U.S.A.(1or4), Canada(2), Mexico(3), Japan(J), Korea(K),
England(S), Germany(W), Italy(Z)
2nd character- Identifies the manufacturer.
For example;
Audi(A), BMW(B), Buick(4), Cadillac(6), Chevrolet(1), Chrysler(C),
Dodge(B),Honda(H)
Ford(F), GM Canada(7), General Motors(G), Honda(H), Jaquar(A), Lincoln(L), Mercedes Benz(D), Mercury(M), Nissan(N), Oldsmobile(3), Pontiac(2or5), Plymouth(P), Saturn(
, Toyota(T), VW(V), Volvo(V).
3rd character- Identifies vehicle type or manufacturing division.
(could a 2 mean 2 wheeled?)
4th to 8th characters- Identifies vehicle features such as body style,
engine type, model, series, etc. (RC310)
9th character- Identifies VIN accuracy as check digit. (5?)
10th character- Identifies the model year. For example: 1988(J),
1989(K), 1990(L), 1991(M), ( Does this coincide with everyone elses digit?)
1992(N), 1993(P), 1994(R), 1995(S), 1996(T),
1997(V), 1998(W), 1999(X), 2000(Y)------2001(1), 2002(2), 2003(3)
11th character- Identifies the assembly plant for the vehicle. (mine
has an M)
12th to 17th characters- Identifies the sequence of the vehicle for
production as it rolled of the manufacturers assembly line.
OR.
Construction of VIN from Honda Parts Catalog 14MN8JM
example: JH2RC3104JM002558
first 3 characters *
JH2 - Honda Motorcycle Japan
1HF - Honda Motorcycle U.S.A.
Characters 4,5,6,7,8
RC310 - Vehicle description code
9th character
4 - check digit
10th character
J - model year J-88, K-89, L-90, M-91
11th character
M - Plant M is Hamamatsu, Japan
12th to 17th characters- Sequential Production number
12th character is always 0 for 88, 1 for 89, 2 for 90, 3 for 91
They are as follows:
1st character- Identifies the country in which the vehicle was
manufactured.
For example:
U.S.A.(1or4), Canada(2), Mexico(3), Japan(J), Korea(K),
England(S), Germany(W), Italy(Z)
2nd character- Identifies the manufacturer.
For example;
Audi(A), BMW(B), Buick(4), Cadillac(6), Chevrolet(1), Chrysler(C),
Dodge(B),Honda(H)
Ford(F), GM Canada(7), General Motors(G), Honda(H), Jaquar(A), Lincoln(L), Mercedes Benz(D), Mercury(M), Nissan(N), Oldsmobile(3), Pontiac(2or5), Plymouth(P), Saturn(
, Toyota(T), VW(V), Volvo(V).3rd character- Identifies vehicle type or manufacturing division.
(could a 2 mean 2 wheeled?)
4th to 8th characters- Identifies vehicle features such as body style,
engine type, model, series, etc. (RC310)
9th character- Identifies VIN accuracy as check digit. (5?)
10th character- Identifies the model year. For example: 1988(J),
1989(K), 1990(L), 1991(M), ( Does this coincide with everyone elses digit?)
1992(N), 1993(P), 1994(R), 1995(S), 1996(T),
1997(V), 1998(W), 1999(X), 2000(Y)------2001(1), 2002(2), 2003(3)
11th character- Identifies the assembly plant for the vehicle. (mine
has an M)
12th to 17th characters- Identifies the sequence of the vehicle for
production as it rolled of the manufacturers assembly line.
OR.
Construction of VIN from Honda Parts Catalog 14MN8JM
example: JH2RC3104JM002558
first 3 characters *
JH2 - Honda Motorcycle Japan
1HF - Honda Motorcycle U.S.A.
Characters 4,5,6,7,8
RC310 - Vehicle description code
9th character
4 - check digit
10th character
J - model year J-88, K-89, L-90, M-91
11th character
M - Plant M is Hamamatsu, Japan
12th to 17th characters- Sequential Production number
12th character is always 0 for 88, 1 for 89, 2 for 90, 3 for 91
After I stumbled upon this nice VIN example from a Honda RC40, I tried to figure out more about my own Hawk VIN.
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