How to Search a Vehicle VIN Number for Problems

Light cars and trucks, that are least a 1981 model, will have a string of 17 letters and numbers inscribed somewhere on their body called a vehicle identification number. The number serves as a unique identifier that when decoded provides important data about the vehicle to which it belongs. When purchasing a used car, you will want to search the vehicle's VIN number to obtain a vehicle history report that will detail things such as the number of owners, accident indicators, odometer readings and title status information. This information will help you make an informed decision when considering the purchase of a vehicle.

Instructions

1. Navigate to a vehicle history report service such as Carfax, AutoCheck or The Unofficial DMV Guide.

2. Enter the VIN number for the vehicle you want to search and submit your query.

3. Purchase a report that will detail the history of the vehicle.

Tips & Warnings

• You can search the VIN at a service such as Motoverse and receive confirmation that the number matches the vehicle. This is helpful because sometimes fake VIN numbers are applied to vehicles due to auto theft. A VIN search will provide free, basic information about the vehicle, such as year, make, model and country of manufacture.

References

• Carfax: About Us
• DMV: Why Run a Vehicle History Report?

Resources

• Carfax: Vehicle History Reports and VIN number check
• DMV: Vehicle History Reports
• AutoCheck: Vehicle History Reports
• Motoverse: VIN Decoder