VIN
A vehicle identification number - known as VIN for short - is an internationally standardised serial number by which a vehicle can be clearly identified. Before 1981, this number was still known as the chassis number. It consists of 17 alphanumeric characters and can be found both in the vehicle registration document and several times on the vehicle itself.
The VIN is located on the driver's side door frame and in the chassis itself. Especially for trucks, the VIN is set in the tachograph during production or in the workshop. In trucks, the vehicle identification number (VIN) data can therefore be checked via the tachograph: It can be found in the menu under vehicle information and is also on every printed report of the tachograph.
What is a VIN needed for?
Quite simply: to identify a vehicle. Since every vehicle on the road has its personal number, it can be assigned to the owner and thus prevent the resale of stolen vehicles, for example. In addition to the technical vehicle data, the VIN check can also record other historical information such as the number of previous owners, service actions, and information about accidents.
Combination of the FIN:
Each manufacturer has its own individual composition of the VIN. The identification number usually consists of the following blocks:
- Number 1 - 3: The first three numbers represent the world manufacturer code, from which can be read that the truck was built by MAN, for example.
- Number 4 - 9: The subsequent numbers four to nine are determined by the manufacturer and serve to describe the vehicle. Among other things, they form a code for vehicle model, series, engine type and equipment. Depending on the country of manufacture, number 9 is the check digit.
- Number 10 - 17: Number ten and eleven can indicate the model year and the manufacturer's works, depending on the manufacturer. The remaining digits are determined by the manufacturer and are therefore to be interpreted differently.
A detailed listing of the FIN can be found here.