Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN codes)/GM/VIN Codes

It is the tenth digit that gives you the model year for GM. I've been working at a Chevy dealer for years running codes/vins. For example (my examples only apply to 2001-2015 gm vehicles) Remember 10th digit from the beginning, (left to right). 2001... 1 2002...2 2003...3 .etc . . 2009...9 After 09 the tenth digit was given a letter 2010... A 2011...B 2012...C 2013...D 2014...E 2015...F Etc... We have another 20 years worth of letters Thanks for reading. You can always check your model year by looking in your drivers side door jamb and it will give you model year. If it was assembled in July or later it's probably a model year later than listed.

American VIN format 1981-1984 Passenger Car
GM's VIN format is as follows:

American restraint types 1981-1984
The restraint type is specified as character four of the American GM VIN for passenger cars.

Car Line & Series Code 1981-1984
The Car Line & Series Code is specified as character five of the American GM VIN for passenger cars.

American VIN format 1985-1986 Passenger Car
GM has traditionally encoded the platform as the fourth character of the VIN. Other content includes an engine code and manufacturing plant. GM's VIN format is as follows:

Body style codes 1981-1986
The Body type is specified as characters six and seven of the American GM VIN for passenger cars from 1981-1986.

American VIN format 1987- Passenger Car
GM has traditionally encoded the platform as the fourth character of the VIN. Other content includes an engine code and manufacturing plant. GM's VIN format is as follows:

American VIN format 1981-2009 Light Duty Truck & Multi-Purpose Passenger Vehicle
GM's VIN format is as follows:

GVWR/Brake System 1981-2009 Light Duty Truck & Multi-Purpose Passenger Vehicle
The GVWR/Brake System is specified as character four of the American GM VIN for light trucks.

Line & Chassis Type 1981-1999 Light Duty Truck & Multi-Purpose Passenger Vehicle
The Line & Chassis Type is specified as character five of the American GM VIN for light trucks.

Series 1981-1999 Light Duty Truck & Multi-Purpose Passenger Vehicle
The Series is specified as character six of the American GM VIN for light trucks.

Body style codes 1981-2009 Light Duty Truck & Multi-Purpose Passenger Vehicle
The Body type is specified as character seven of the American GM VIN for light trucks.

American VIN format 2010- Light Duty Truck & Multi-Purpose Passenger Vehicle
GM's VIN format is as follows:

Platform & Series Codes 1985- Passenger Car
GM used a lettered system of automobile platform codes for three decades. These letters were used as the fourth position of the VIN. Though today's GM platforms use Greek characters, they are still encoded with Latin characters in the fourth position. Position five encodes the specific model and trim level of the vehicle.

Body style codes 1987- Passenger Car
The Body type is specified as character six of the American GM VIN for passenger cars.

American restraint types 1987-
The restraint type is specified as character seven of the American GM VIN for passenger cars.

American engine codes 1981-
GM encodes the engine type in character 8 of the VIN. The following table outlines the various engines encoded there:

Engine codes for passenger cars
Warning: Issues with decoding are related to year/model combinations. Each year has a different breakdown for each code along with plants and some model/trim breakdowns over years.

Entry: 1985-1988 Pontiac Fiero has a 9 engine code for the 2.8L L44 V6. Entry: 1986-1990 Cadillac Brougham, Oldsmobile 307 CUI vin code Y.

H.O.=High Output, CNG=Compressed Natural Gas, VVT=Variable Valve Timing, VVL=Variable Valve Lift

Engine codes for light trucks
GM encodes the engine type in character 8 of the VIN. The following table outlines the various engines encoded there:

H.O.=High Output, VVT=Variable Valve Timing, VVL=Variable Valve Lift, GVWR=Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, CNG=Compressed Natural Gas, LPG=Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Propane Autogas)

Engine codes for Nissan-built vans
Nissan encodes the engine type in character 4 of the VIN.

Engine codes for Navistar-built medium-duty trucks
Navistar encodes the engine type in character 6 & 7 of the VIN.

North American GM factories
List of GM Factories