How to Read a Chevy Truck VIN

Chevrolet began production in 1911.

William C. Durant and Louis Chevrolet founded Chevrolet Motor Car Company in 1911 after Durant was ousted from General Motors. They started manufacturing with a five-passenger sedan. In 1918, Chevrolet joined the General Motors family and has remained a profitable division to this day. Chevy produces a line of trucks in addition to its other offerings. A sample vehicle identification number (VIN) for a Chevy truck is 1GCEC19T3YZ123456.

Instructions

1. Look at the first three characters in the 17-character VIN. This group of characters is called the World Manufacture Identification code. The first digit indicates the country where the vehicle is manufactured, the second will be a G for General Motors and the third will be a number one to indicate a Chevy. All Chevy trucks are manufactured in the United States (1 or 4), Canada (2) or Mexico (3).

2. Find the fourth character in the string. This indicates the gross vehicle weight range, or how much the truck can support when fully loaded. The following table lists the weights with the appropriate codes:

   B -- 3,001 to 4,000 pounds

   C -- 4,001 to 5,000 pounds

   G -- 8,001 to 9,000 pounds

   H -- 9,001 to 10,000 pounds

   J -- 1,001 to 14,000 pounds

   K -- 14,001 to 16,000 pounds

   L -- 16,001 to 19,500 pounds

   M -- 19,501 to 26,000 pounds

3. Find the fifth and sixth characters in the VIN. These indicate the line chassis or series of the truck. Find the character in the seventh position in the VIN. This number indicates the truck body type. Find the eighth character. This code identifies the engine type. A detailed listing is available at the GM service website for these characters.

4. Find the ninth and 10th digits. The ninth character is called a check digit and indicates the authenticity of the VIN. The 10th character indicates the model year the vehicle was made. The series begins in 1980 with A and goes through the alphabet until 2001 with the letter Z. The letters I, O and Q are not used to reduce confusion when reading the vehicle identification number. The 10th character begins with 1 in 2002 and will go to 9 when letters will once again be used.

5. Find the 11th digit. This character indicates the plant where the vehicle was manufactured. GM has plants throughout the United States and a specific list can be located online at the GM service website. Find the numbers in the 12th through 17th position of the VIN. These are sequential numbers assigned at each individual assembly plant to create the final VIN. This last string creates a VIN that can be used to identify any vehicle manufactured after 1980.

Tips & Warnings

• Online sites are available that will decode your specific VIN. Chevy trucks manufactured prior to 1980 do not have the 17 digit standardized VIN. Contact a local dealer to decode these numbers.

References

• Edmunds: Chevrolet Overview
• General Motors Service: VIN Card
• Mithcel Support: VIN