VIN Vehicle Identification Number, how to figure out the WMI part?

Question

I am trying to figure out how to breakdown a vehicle vin number.
There is an explanation of how a VIN is build (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_Identification_Number#Components_of_the_VIN) but it fails to explain what to do with manufacturers that only have 2 digits assigned instead of 3 digits.

If I understand correct what is written there then every VIN number must be 17 characters long, and the first 3 characters are the WMI (World Manufaturer Identification).

Then there is a list of WMI on the same page, but some manufacturers only have 2 characters in that list, not 3.
How to read such a VIN number ? Will it be only 16 characters long or how do I regognize that a WMI is 2 or 3 characters ?

for example nissan has WMI = JN which is only 2 characters. 2 VIN numbers for Nissan that I know that are valid are :
JN1UC4E26F9001391 and JNKCP0106TT541680 How can I know that for these 2 VIn numbers only the first 2 digits are to be read and used for the WMI ?

Answer 1

Your wiki page seems pretty clear that it's either a 3-character WMI, or a 2-character WMI followed by a 9.

Answer 2

In you examples it is in fact 3 characters that Set the WMI information

JN1UC4E26F9001391

NISSAN MOTOR COMPANY, LTD. JN1,1N4 3995 RESEARCH PARK DRIVE ANN ARBOR MI 48104 PASSENGER CAR SEE MEMO 7/29/1986

JNKCP0106TT541680

NISSAN RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT JN1,JNK 750 17TH STREET, N.W. WASHINGTON DC 20006 PASSENGER CAR ALL 1/13/1992

1st character- Identifies the country in which the vehicle was manufactured. For example: U.S.A.(1or 4), Canada(2), Mexico(3), Japan(J), Korea(K), England(S), Germany(W), Italy(Z)

2nd character- Identifies the manufacturer. For example; Audi(A), BMW(B), Buick(4), Cadillac(6), Chevrolet(1), Chrysler(C), Dodge(B), Ford(F), GM Canada(7), General Motors(G), Honda(H), Jaquar(A), Lincoln(L), Mercedes Benz(D), Mercury(M), Nissan(N), Oldsmobile(3), Pontiac(2or5), Plymouth(P), Saturn(8), Toyota(T), VW(V), Volvo(V).

3rd character- Identifies vehicle type or manufacturing division.

Per VIN descriptor

This link contains the most current WMI information for all, this is were I got my data

WMI for all manufactures

In any Case it is not 3 or 2 for WMI it is

1 for country

2 for manufacturer

3 for type

this gets a little tricky because IF "2" = "N" that is not necessarily Nissan, for example 1N9 = NOMAD CUSTOM CYCLES INC.

Let me know if that helps or if you find a place to get VDS information

Answer 3

There are an abundance of libraries out there, on GitHub and elsewhere, which are designed to decode VINs. "Do not do a thing already done."