Nissan VIN Decoder

The Japanese manufacturer Nissan Motor Co., Ltd started back in 1914 under the name of Datsun. The Nissan name was first used in the 1930s and is widely known today. The company offers budget, mid-class, and luxury vehicles under the names Datsun, Nissan, and Infiniti, respectively.

In 2018, Nissan sold over 5.6 million vehicles globally and was the world’s biggest manufacturer of electric vehicles (EVs). Also, it was the biggest car manufacturer in North America in 2014. Like other Japanese car manufacturers, Nissan also sets high safety, reliability, and value standards.

What is a Nissan VIN?

The Nissan VIN is a 17-character combination that’s unique to every car. While you have your personal ID (or social security) number, vehicles have a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Car manufacturers began using primitive VIN numbers back in the 1950s, with the current standard being issued only in the 1980s.

Due to all the information a Nissan VIN can provide, it’s highly recommended to do a VIN lookup when buying a used car, getting spare Nissan car parts, registering for maintenance, etc. Buyers of cars from popular brands like Nissan are especially common victims of various scams, mileage rollbacks, and other issues.

What does a Nissan VIN contain?

Every Nissan VIN number contains information about the vehicle specifications and manufacturing details. Only a small part of the code is generated randomly to avoid identical Nissan vehicles using the same VIN.

All Nissan vehicle identification numbers can be divided into 3 main groups:

The World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) consists of three characters and tells you which manufacturer built the car. For example, a Nissan VIN number can start with either JN1 (produced in Japan, for the European market) or 5N1 (produced in The United States).

The Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) consists of five characters and describes a vehicle’s equipment and specifications. This includes the engine type, body type, transmission, color, and more. Each option and trim has specific characters representing them. You can use our Nissan VIN decoder to learn what kind of Nissan vehicle is hiding behind the VIN number.

And lastly, there’s a Vehicle Identifier Section (VIS), which includes the model year, a check digit, and a serial number.

Where to find the Nissan VIN?

Car manufacturers place the VIN number in multiple locations. This idea helps to avoid mismatching parts and various scams. While there are a few common areas to stamp VIN numbers on, each brand chooses its favorite. Here’s where you’ll find the VIN number on your Nissan car:

• On the dashboard, behind the windshield (look from outside the car)
• Driver’s door pillar
• The firewall of the engine bay
• Registration documents

If you’re buying a used Nissan car, make sure to find all these spots, check if the VIN matches. Mismatching VINs or missing VIN plates is definitely a red flag. The car may have had a major accident, it may be stolen, and documents may be fake. You should avoid issues and even inform the Police about this Nissan vehicle.

Enter the VIN into our Nissan VIN decoder to learn more about the car.

What Nissan models work with our VIN decoder?

The Nissan VIN decoder works with almost any Nissan car on the market. It can reveal some interesting information about your car, including specs and history. Decoders use specific formulas and databases to determine the meaning behind each character of your Nissan VIN number. 

Unfortunately, some Nissan models date back to the middle of the 20th century – before the 17-digit VIN became standard. Our Nissan VIN decoder only recognizes modern VIN numbers, which became widespread in the 1980s. Therefore, all Nissan models with standard VINs are eligible for a VIN lookup in our decoder, including:

• The supermini Nissan Micra
• Saloon models like Versa, Sentra, Altima, Maxima
• Crossovers and SUVs like Quashquai, Juke, X-Trail, Kicks, Rogue, Murano, Pathfinder, Armada
• Pickup trucks – Frontier, Titan
• Electric Nissan vehicles – Ariya, Leaf
• Light commercial vehicles like Townstar
• Sporty Nissan cars – 350Z, 370Z, GT-R, and more

Nissan history check: what can you learn with the Nissan VIN?

You can learn lots of valuable information after getting a full vehicle history report. There’s a bunch of sources of essential data, including police databases, insurance companies, auction sites, and more. Just by entering your Nissan VIN number you can find out about:

• Past accidents – major accidents hurt the chassis rigidity, meaning the car may be unsafe to drive.
• Historical photos – see how the car looked like a few months or even years ago.
• Fake mileage – odometer tampering is one of the most common used car scams, which is illegal in most countries.
• Recent maintenance – you can find out when the last check-up was performed.
• Thefts – the platform checks dozens of countries for theft records.
• Past titles – ex-police, taxi, rental cars should be way cheaper due to excessive wear.
• Original equipment – see which options were included by the manufacturer and which were retrofitted at some point.

Usually, a car is the second most expensive purchase in people’s lives, so messing this purchase up shouldn’t be an option. Always take the vehicle for an inspection before buying it, or at least take a car guy together with you when checking a used Nissan car. However, despite obvious mechanical issues, there are many other potential problems, which can be revealed via a vehicle history check.