VIN decoder with MPG & fuel cost

Yes. VIN decoding, model recall campaigns and running-cost estimates are free with no sign-up, subject to a per-minute lookup limit. NHTSA provides the decode and recall data; fuel economy uses matching EPA configurations where available, with FuelWide model estimates labeled separately. A paid vehicle-history report is a separate product for records such as accidents, mileage, theft and title checks.

A VIN can identify details used to narrow EPA configurations, including model year, engine, transmission and drivetrain. It does not certify the consumption of an individual car. Confirm the matching version, then enter your annual mileage and local energy price. If there is no EPA match, use a clearly labeled model estimate or your measured consumption. Electric vehicles use kWh per 100 miles; plug-in hybrid estimates cover gasoline operation only and exclude charging.

Positions 1–3 identify the manufacturer and country, 4–8 describe the model, body and engine, 9 is a check digit, 10 is the model year, 11 the assembly plant and 12–17 the serial number. The manufacturer-specific middle section is why a decoder is needed: '1HGCM826' only means 'Honda Accord coupe, 3.0 V6' because Honda filed that meaning with NHTSA. Enter the VIN above and the decoder reads it for you.

On the driver's side of the dashboard, visible through the bottom of the windshield; on a sticker in the driver's door jamb; and on the title, registration card and insurance documents. Checking that the dashboard VIN, the door-jamb VIN and the paperwork all match is one of the simplest ways to spot a cloned or rebuilt car.

This check lists every recall NHTSA has issued for the model and year the VIN decodes to. Whether a particular car's recall has already been repaired is tracked per VIN by the manufacturer — enter the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or ask a franchised dealer, and any open recall is repaired free of charge.

Not a free decode — the VIN itself only encodes how the car was built. Accident, damage, mileage and theft records live in insurer, police and registry databases, which is what a paid vehicle history report searches. FuelWide readers get 20% off carVertical reports with the code fuel20.

The ninth character is calculated from the other sixteen, so a single mistyped character changes it. It is mandatory on cars built for North America: a mismatch there almost always means a typo — usually a 0 read as a D, a 5 as an S or an 8 as a B. European and many Asian manufacturers don't use the check digit, so on those VINs a mismatch is normal.

The tenth character gives the model year on US-standard VINs. Codes repeat every 30 years: A can mean 1980 or 2010. For US-standard passenger cars, and multipurpose passenger vehicles and trucks rated at 10,000 lb (4,536 kg) or less, a number in position 7 selects 1980–2009; a letter selects 2010–2039. This shortcut does not apply to every overseas-market vehicle, heavy truck or motorcycle. Model year can differ from the calendar year of manufacture. Our standalone VIN year chart covers 1980–2039.