Where to find the VIN number on your Toyota

Feb 27, 2024

Have you ever heard the term VIN when talking about cars? This acronym stands for “Vehicle Identification Number”. It’s also commonly called a VIN number (redundant, but you get the point). But what is it, why do you need to know it, and how do you know where to find the VIN number? Toyota of Orlando’s expert sales team is here with your complete guide to this car ownership issue.

What is a VIN?

Let’s start by talking about exactly what a VIN is and why it’s important before we talk about where to find the VIN number. A VIN is a series of 17 numbers and letters that are assigned to a vehicle by the automotive manufacturer (i.e., Toyota). Fun fact: cars made before 1981 may actually have fewer than 17 characters in their VIN (so don’t panic if you see this).

This series of numbers and letters translates to who made the car and where, as well as other information about the vehicle. Here’s the breakdown of how to decode your VIN:

The first character indicates the continent where the car was built.
The second and third characters tell you the auto manufacturer.
Characters four – eight tell you the vehicle brand, engine size, and engine type.
The ninth character is a security code used by the manufacturer.
The tenth character tells you the model year of your Orlando Toyota.
The eleventh character tells you the assembly plant.
And finally, the last set of characters is a serial number that’s unique to your car.

No two cars have the same VIN, so your Toyota’s VIN is completely unique to it (think of it like DNA). Further, your car’s VIN will not change throughout your car’s lifetime. It’ll always be the same series of letters and numbers.

Why are VINs important?

Why is your VIN important and why is it critical that you at least know where to find it?

You need the VIN if your car gets stolen. It’ll help police identify your vehicle and hopefully, return it to you.
You also need your VIN to get car insurance. Insurance companies use your VIN to match your insurance policy to your specific car. If you give them the wrong VIN, your insurance may be rendered invalid.
You can pull a vehicle history report with a VIN. If you bought an Orlando used car and want to know its backstory, you can use the VIN to get a complete vehicle history report.

Do you know how to tell if a vehicle is AWD by VIN?

VINs can get you a lot of helpful information about your new or future car. One of the questions we hear at Toyota of Orlando is how to tell if a vehicle is AWD by VIN. Basically, all you have to do is to find this info is pull a vehicle history report (it’ll tell you if your car has AWD capabilities). You can also perform a search using online tools like the Department of Transportation’s VIN decoder. All you have to do is type in your VIN and you should be able to see vehicle specifications, like your drivetrain.

As you can see, it’s pretty helpful to know your VIN. But how do you know where to find the VIN number on your Orlando Toyota?