How to Read a Dodge Van Vin Number

All road vehicles sold in the United States, including vans made by Dodge, are required to have a 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). This is mandated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Insurance companies, the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Transportation use VINs to keep track of vehicles. A VIN is also used for tracking theft and warranty claims and recalls, and it contains such information as the make, model and year a vehicle was made. You can easily read a Dodge van VIN.

Instructions

1

Locate the VIN, stamped on a metal plate attached to the driver's side of the dashboard, on a sticker inside the door frame, or in the car's title and insurance paperwork.

2

Notice the first digit, which indicates the country in which the van was built. A "1" indicates the United States," a "2" means Canada, and "3" means Mexico.

3

Notice a letter in the second position, which denotes the make, such as "D" for Dodge. In the third position is a number indicating the body type, such as a "4" for a multipurpose passenger vehicle. The character in the fourth position tells the vehicle's gross weight: "A" indicates 4,001 to 5,000 pounds. "B" indicates 5,001 to 6,000 pounds. "C" indicates 6,001 to 7,000 pounds. "D" indicates 7,001 to 8,000 pounds. "E" indicates 8,001 to 9,000 pounds. And "F" indicates 9,001 to 10,000 pounds.

4

Note the letter in position 5, which identifies the vehicle line, such as "B" for a Ram Van. The number in position 6 indicates the price class, such a "3" for medium. The number in position 7 shows the body style, such as "1" for cargo van. The letter in position 8 denotes the engine type, such as "Z" for an 8.4-liter engine.

5

Take a look at the number in position 9. It is a check digit, used to make sure the rest of the VIN has been recorded accurately. The character in position 10 indicates the year the van was manufactured, such as "A" for 2010. The 11th character tells what assembly plant the van was built in, and the last six digits comprise a unique serial number issued at the plant.

6

Access the links in the reference section below for a more detailed explanation of what each number in your van's VIN represents.