Honda VIN Decoder
Honda is known for making reliable cars, but a recent engine problem has led to over a million Honda vehicles being probed by NHTSA. If you’re considering a new or used Honda, unleash the power of the Honda VIN number using our Honda VIN decoder to confirm the car’s full specs and make sure it’s not part of the recall. It’s also smart to do a VIN lookup to uncover the car’s history and verify any accidents or issues. Get all the details you need right away.
What is a Honda VIN Number?
A Honda VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is a unique code that identifies each Honda vehicle, including cars, motorcycles, and ATVs. It usually has 17 characters, but older models may have 5 to 14 digits.
Here’s an example of a Honda VIN: 1HGCM82633A123456
Each digit contains details about the engine type, assembly plant, model year, trim, and unique serial number.
Over the years, Honda has expanded from reliable cars to powerful motorcycles and versatile ATVs for work and recreation. Decoding a Honda VIN helps you verify the vehicle’s features, check for recalls, review its vehicle history, and ensure accurate parts matching.
Honda VIN Number Breakdown: How to Read a Honda VIN Number
Note that the letters I, O, and Q are not included in a VIN to avoid confusion with the numbers 1 (One), 0 (Zero) and 9 (Nine).
Now, let’s break down what all those characters in a Honda’s VIN mean. A VIN is made up of 17 characters (except in classic vehicles), and each one gives you a clue about your Honda’s specific details. These characters are also grouped into three sections to make decoding easier, they are:
- World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI): This includes the first three characters (characters 1 – 3) and signifies the vehicle’s country of origin and manufacturer.
- Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS): This section includes the 4th to 8th characters (characters 4 – 8) and contains information about the vehicle’s make, engine specs, model, and more.
- Vehicle Identifier Section: Here, you will find the 9th to 17th characters (characters 9 – 17), which encode details like the model year, manufacturing plant code, and a serial number unique to each vehicle.
What Does Each Character of the VIN Mean?
In this section, we will explain what each character of the Honda 17-digit VIN number means. For the full breakdown, consult the Honda VIN codes book.
1st Character (Country of Origin):
The first character indicates the Honda country of origin – where it was manufactured. This helps identify the country of production. Vehicles built in the US have the first character represented by 1, 4, and 5, while the ones manufactured in Canada will have 2. “3” and “J” represent the Honda vehicles from Mexico and Japan, respectively.
2nd Character:
They represent the vehicle brand. For instance, “H” represents Honda.
3rd Character:
They represent the vehicle type or division. It’s represented by “G” for passenger cars, “M” for Motorcycles, and “C” for commercial vehicles.
4th Character:
This provides information about the body type or engine type. Some of the characters include:
- A: Sedan/Coupe (various engines)
- B: Hatchback (various engines)
- C: Convertible (various engines)
5th Character:
This represents the model of the vehicle. Some of the characters include:
- D: Accord
- F: Civic
- H: CR-V
6th character:
This represents the vehicle’s restraint or security features. A few of the characters include:
- 1: Manual Belts
- 2: Automatic Belts
- 3: Airbags
7th Character:
This represents the specific body type. For the 1983 – 1986 model year Hondas, this section only represents the body type. For other years, it represents the body type and transmission. Common characters include:
- 4: 4-Door Sedan
- 5: 5-Door Hatchback
- 6: 2-Door Coupe
8th Character:
This provides details about the engine. Some of the characters include:
- A: 1.5L I4
- B: 2.0L I4
- C: 1.8L I4
- D: 2.4L I4
9th Character:
This is the check digit that verifies that the VIN is authentic and not a fake string of random characters. It is calculated using a specific algorithm developed by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
10th Character:
The tenth character indicates the model year and alternates between numbers and letters.
Here’s a table that can help you quickly identify any car’s model year:
| Code/Year | Code/Year | Code/Year | Code/Year | Code/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 7 2007 8 2008 9 2009 | A 2010 B 2011 C 2012 D 2013 E 2014 F 2015 G 2016 H 2017 J 2018 K 2019 | L 2020 M 2021 N 2022 P 2023 R 2024 S 2025 T 2026 V 2027 W 2028 X 2029 |
11th Character:
The eleventh character shows the manufacturing plant. The possible characters include:
- A: Marysville, OH
- B: Lincoln, AL
- C: Alliston, ON
- D: East Liberty, OH
12th to 17th Characters:
These characters make up the unique sequential number (serial number) of the Honda.
You can spend a lot of time trying to decode a VIN manually, and this is usually prone to errors. We recommend using our reliable Honda VIN decoder to get accurate information as quickly as possible.
Honda VIN Number Locations
Check the following VIN locations for your Honda vehicle:
- On the dashboard of the vehicle, near the windshield.
- On the driver’s side door jamb.
- On the engine block, check under the hood.
- Just below the steering wheel.
- Check a sticker typically located behind the door latch.
- On the car’s title, registration, maintenance book, or the auto insurance policy
Now that you’ve found the VIN, it’s time to retrieve all the information available from the VIN.
What Information Can I Get from Decoding a Honda VIN Number?
A Honda VIN number lookup tool can help you access everything about a new or used Honda, including vehicle specifications, features, build sheets, and past history records.
Here are some Honda specifications you can access when you use our Honda VIN decoder:
- Year
- Make
- Exterior dimensions
- Number of doors
- Ground clearance
- Standard seating
- Transmission style
- Fuel type
- Braking
- Range extender
- Engine Description
- Front airbag information
- Emissions
- Cargo dimensions
- Model
- Valve train design
- Interior dimensions
- Suspension
- Traction battery
- Engine Size and specs
- Drive Type
- Tank capacity
- Trailering
- Displacement
- Mileage
- Tire pressure and size
- Wheels
- Electrical powertrain
- Trim
- Country
- Delivery charges
- Steering
- Weight
- MSRP
- Body type
- Seating
- EPA Class
- Engine model
- Engine configuration
- Seat belt type
- Off-road attributes
- Electrical specifications
- Year
- Make
- Exterior dimensions
- Number of doors
- Ground clearance
- Standard seating
- Transmission style
- Fuel type
- Braking
- Range extender
- Engine Description
- Front airbag information
- Emissions
- Cargo dimensions
- Model
- Valve train design
- Interior dimensions
- Suspension
- Traction battery
- Engine Size and specs
- Drive Type
- Tank capacity
- Trailering
- Displacement
- Mileage
- Tire pressure and size
- Wheels
- Electrical powertrain
- Trim
- Country
- Delivery charges
- Steering
- Weight
- MSRP
- Body type
- Seating
- EPA Class
- Engine model
- Engine configuration
- Seat belt type
- Off-road attributes
- Electrical specifications
Buying a Used Honda? Look Beyond a Honda VIN Decoder
The VIN is like your car’s unique ID, showing where it was built and its key features. But it can tell you much more. If you’re thinking of buying a used Honda car, it’s a good idea to look deeper. With our trusted Honda VIN lookup tool, you can find important details like accident history, previous owners, and maintenance records. This gives you the information you need to make a smart and confident purchase.
By conducting a Honda VIN number lookup, you can track the vehicle history records from when the vehicle first left the factory. Below are the records you can uncover:
- Mileage
- Odometer Readings
- Sales History
- Auction History
- Accident History
- Title Brand
- Salvage Title
- Hail Damage
- Flood Damage
- Structural Damage
- Ownership History
- Usage History
- Ownership Duration
- Lien & Loans
- Maintenance Schedule
- Warranty Status
- Repair Cost
- Recalls History
- Mileage
- Odometer Readings
- Sales History
- Auction History
- Accident History
- Title Brand
- Salvage Title
- Hail Damage
- Flood Damage
- Structural Damage
- Ownership History
- Usage History
- Ownership Duration
- Lien & Loans
- Maintenance Schedule
- Warranty Status
- Repair Cost
- Recalls History
How to Decode a Honda VIN Number For Detailed Vehicle Information
A free VIN decoder gives you some basic information, but it doesn’t always tell the full story. For detailed facts about a Honda, like its features, options, original price (MSRP), fuel efficiency, safety ratings, warranty, and color, try our Honda window sticker lookup by VIN. You can also search using the US license plate or its year, make, and model.
If you’re buying a used Honda for sale and want to check its history and condition, use our Honda VIN number check tool to uncover any hidden records and get a clearer picture before making a decision.
Follow these simple steps to get your Honda vehicle history reports within seconds:
- In the form above, enter the Honda VIN, email, and phone (optional) i. Our tool can decode standard VINs (17 characters) and classic VINs (5 – 14 characters).
- Click on ‘Search VIN’ to preview the vehicle specs and some records.
- Complete the payment process to generate and view your vehicle history report. You can download or print the report as a PDF for future reference.
- To get the window sticker, click “Get window sticker” in the form above to get redirected to the Honda window sticker lookup page. Follow the instructions that follow.
Common Uses of the Honda VIN Number
The VIN can serve different purposes depending on what you’re searching for – basic specs, detailed specs, and features, or the vehicle history. Some of the common uses of the Honda VIN are:
Vehicle Verification
The VIN can be decoded to reveal the vehicle profile like year, make, model, engine etc. This help ensures the vehicle matches its factory description and as advertised by the seller.
Vehicle Registration
Providing a unique VIN is the only way to register a vehicle. This is mandatory before you can legally drive the vehicle on the road. Documents like ownership papers, bills of sale, and titles usually have the VIN for proper identification.
Insurance Purposes
The VIN helps insurance firms to obtain accurate vehicle information for insurance and registration purposes.
Vehicle History Checks
This is one of the main reasons why the VIN is important. A VIN check tool can decode the Honda VIN to reveal any used Honda history and condition. You can uncover records, including ownership history, theft, sales records, lien accidents, salvage brands, rebuilt titles, warranty coverage, and more. This helps you avoid car scams like buying a stolen car or detecting a vehicle with an odometer rollback. The rule of thumb is never to purchase a used car without checking its history.
Safety Recalls
Since manufacturers have VINs in their database, they can easily identify specific vehicle models that get recalled and notify the owners to get them fixed as soon as possible. Before purchasing, car buyers can also run a recall check by VIN for pending recalls on any used car.
Police Checks
If a vehicle is reported stolen, the police can track it using its VIN. They can even place police markers on those VINs and receive alerts at checkpoints.
Popular Honda Models to Explore with our Honda VIN Decoder
You can easily decode any Honda VIN format – standard 17-digit or classic car VINs ( 5 – 14 digits long) using our Honda VIN number decoder. Here are some Honda models you may be interested in:
| Accord | Ridgeline | Passport |
| Civic | Insight | Crosstour |
| CR-V | Clarity | Integra |
| Pilot | S2000 | Beat |
| Odyssey | Prelude | Acty |
| Fit | CR-Z | NSX |
| HR-V | Element |
Other Available Honda VIN Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
How to read a Honda VIN number?
To read a Honda VIN number:
- Find the 17-digit characters on the car or document..
- Positions 1-3: Manufacturer info.
- Positions 4-8: Vehicle details (engine, body).
- Position 9: Check digit.
- Position 10: Model year.
- Position 11: Assembly plant.
- Positions 12-17: Unique serial number.
How to decode Honda VIN numbers?
Simply use our accurate Honda VIN decoder tool to assess basic information including the year, make, model, engine, transmission and more. For detailed information on specs, options, warranty, MSRP, fuel economy, get the Honda window sticker. Instantly uncover essential information to make an informed decision during car transactions.
What does a Honda VIN check provide?
By conducting a Honda VIN number check, you can uncover hidden truths about the history of any used Honda. These include the ownership history, mileage history, lien, recall information, maintenance history, theft records, and more. With this revelation, you can easily make an informed decision and buy with confidence.
Where is the VIN number on a Honda Pioneer 1000?
For the Pioneer 1000, the VIN number is stamped in the frame at the left rear, below the tilt-up bed/seat. You can also find the VIN by checking the vehicle documents like registration, title or insurance card.