VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)

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Description - VIN

A vehicle identification number, commonly abbreviated to VIN, is a unique code including a serial number, used by the automotive industry to identify individual motor vehicles, towed vehicles, motorcycles, scooters and mopeds as defined in ISO 3833.

The VIN can be used to look up vehicle specific Data Card information which describes the vehicle as supplied by the manufacturer.

Typical information found on the Data Card includes:

• Vehicle Type
• Model Name
• Engine Number
• Transmission Number
• Front Axle Number
• Order Number
• Interior Colour
• Paint Code
• Delivery Date and
• SA Codes (The equipment on the vehicle when delivered).

Examples - VIN

VIN found on the vehicle Data or Certification Plate: WDB 220175 2A 387365 6

VIN as used in M-B's Workshop Information System (WIS) which requires 17 digits: WDB2201752A387356

Decoding - VIN

The 17 digit VIN consists of the following elements:

• The first three characters (1, 2 and 3) of the VIN (WDB2200671A419444) designate the World Manufacturer Code ie the Country of manufacture, where:

3MB Mexico
4JG M-Class except Europe
5DH Mexico Bus
8AB Argentina
8AC Argentina
9BM Brazil
ADB South Africa
KPA South Korea vans
KPD South Korea
KPG South Korea
LE4 Chinese production
MHL Indonesia
NMB Turkey
RLM Mercedes-Benz Vietnam
TAW NAW Switzerland
TCC smart
VAG Steyr cross country vehicles
VF9 EVOBUS France
VS9 EVOBUS Spain
VSA Spain
WD1 Sprinter
WD2 NAFTA Sprinter
WD3 Sprinter
WD4 Sprinter
WD5 NAFTA Sprinter
WD6 Unimog NAFTA
WD7 Unimog NAFTA incomplete
WD9 Sprinter
WDB Germany
WDC M-Class Europe/203
WDD Daimler Germany
WDF Rest of world (ROW)
WEB EVOBUS Mercedes-Benz
WKK EVOBUS Setra
WME smart

• The next three characters (4, 5 and 6) of the VIN identify what series/type the car is. For example a VIN WDB2200671A419444 denotes a W220 series vehicle.

• Characters 7, 8 and 9 of the VIN (WDB2200671A419444) identify the model, where:

026 S320 CDI
028 S400 CDI
063 S280
065 S320
067 S350
070 S430
073 S55 AMG
074 S55 AMG supercharged
075 S500
083 S430 4Matic
084 S500 4Matic
087 S350 4Matic
126 S320 CDI long
128 S400 CDI long
163 S280 long
165 S320 long
167 S350 long
170 S430 long
173 S55 AMG long
175 S500 long
175 S55 AMG long supercharged
176 S600 long twin-turbocharged
178 S600 long
179 S65 AMG twin-turbocharged
183 S430 4Matic long 
184 S500 4Matic long
187 S450 4Matic long

or alternatively by model, where;

063 is the S280
163 is the S280 long
065 is the S320
165 is the S320 long
067 is the S350
087 is the S350 4Matic
167 is the S350 long
187 is the S450 4Matic long
070 is the S430
083 is the S430 4Matic
170 is the S430 long
183 is the S430 4Matic long 
075 is the S500
084 is the S500 4Matic
175 is the S500 long
184 is the S500 4Matic long
178 is the S600 long
176 is the S600 long twin-turbocharged
073 is the S55 AMG
173 is the S55 AMG long
074 is the S55 AMG supercharged
175 is the S55 AMG long supercharged
179 is the S65 AMG twin-turbocharged
026 is the S320 CDI
126 is the S320 CDI long
028 is the S400 CDI
128 is the S400 CDI long

• Character 10 of the VIN (WDB2200671A419444) identifies LH or RH Drive, where:

1 - left-hand drive (LHD)
2 - right-hand drive (RHD)

• Character 11 of the VIN (WDB2200671A419444) identifies (?)

• Characters 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 of the VIN are sequential, with each model having a separate number, starting at 000001 and ending with the end of production

How to find VIN

There are several places where you can find the VIN of your vehicle.

Certification label below driver's door latch

If in the U.S. there will be a sticker in the driver's door frame that gives the month and year of manufacture. In the photo below, 10/04 at the upper right of the sticker indicates my car was manufactured in October, 2004. It was sold in the U.S. as an '05 model, and went into service in November, '04.

Engraved below right rear passenger seat

The VIN is engraved next to fuse box under right side rear seat. Since the VIN is engraved and therefore secure, this place is used by authorities to identify a vehicle without any doubts.

Instrument cluster hidden menu

VIN can be displayed by accessing instrument cluster hidden menu.

Visible through windshield

In US it is a federal requirement that the VIN number be visible through the windshield. It can be viewed through the nearside base of the front windshield in bold white lettering.

Vehicle Technical Passport

A vehicle technical passport issued by the US Government should have the VIN printed on it.

VIN Decode Sites

Mercedes-Benz parts catalog at http://mbfans.info/EN/mercedes/vin.

Online Catalogue of Auto Parts at 17vin.com.

Option or SA Codes - Vehicle Data Card

Option or SA Codes observed on W220 data cards refer to the equipment on the vehicle when delivered.