VIN Check by Brand
Select your vehicle manufacturer to decode a VIN and learn what each position means for that brand.
The 17-character VIN format is standardized, but what the characters mean is not. Positions 4–8 (the Vehicle Descriptor Section) are defined by each manufacturer, so the digit that encodes an engine on a Ford means something entirely different on a BMW or a Yamaha. That's why we maintain a dedicated page for each of the 47 manufacturers below, built from that brand's own encoding rules rather than a one-size-fits-all table.
Each brand page explains how that manufacturer structures its VINs — which World Manufacturer Identifiers (WMI) it uses, how it encodes model, engine, body style, and assembly plant, and any quirks such as skipped check digits on European-market vehicles or mid-decade format changes. You can decode a VIN directly on the brand page and get results using that manufacturer's specific rules.
Don't see your brand?
You can still decode the VIN. The main decoder identifies any manufacturer from the WMI database (positions 1–3), validates the check digit, and decodes the model year, plant, and serial number — those positions follow the ISO 3779 standard regardless of brand. You'll get a full report; it just won't include the brand-specific engine and trim detail that the dedicated pages add.
Not sure how to read the results? The VIN guides explain the format position by position, including how the WMI identifies the manufacturer and how model year codes work.