How to read VIN #

TyPope

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While waiting on my wife's Model Y, searching your order page's source code for "5YJY" is the thing to do. You (apparently) can actually have a VIN assigned before the Tesla rep calls to set up delivery. I suppose it's just a way to get pre-excited for your delivery. Anyway, there's a bit of code that puts the Tesla T in your browser and it turns RED when you are on a Tesla.com site and if you select the "Manage" button next to your car, you can then hit the Tesla T from the little program and it'll search the page source code for that ever elusive "5YJY". Why those letters? Well, I looked it up and made a little thing:

We’ll decode Model Y VIN 5YJYGDEF2LFR00876 here as an example.

1-3 - (5JY) is the manufacturer code. All Tesla VINs begin with 5YJ.
4 – (Y) Model Type. Y for Model Y. (C for Cybertruck?) (S) was Model S, (3) for Model 3, etc
5 – (G) or Body Type and Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, is “G,” a new entry for Tesla. Tesla Model 3s used (E) for “Sedan, Left Hand Drive” and (F) for “Sedan, Right Hand Drive.” If they use G and H for the Model Y, will they use I and J for the Cybertruck?
6 – (D) is the restraint system, listed as “Type 2 manual seatbelts (FR, SR*3), PODS.” Driver and Passenger have front, knee, and side airbags.
7 – (E) The seventh digit indicates fuel type, “E” for electric
8 - (F) for motor/drive unit, also appears to be new for the Model Y. In this instance, it means a Model Y Dual Motor — Performance.
9 - (2) is a “check digit” function that NHTSA uses to prevent fraudulent VINs.
10 - (L) is the model year and is standardized by NHSTA. All vehicles made in 2020 will have an “L” here, an “M” for 2021, and so on.
11 - (F) is the plant of manufacture. In this case, it's Fremont.
12-17 - (R00876) is the sequence number. This VIN has an (R) at the beginning which Tesla uses for a “release candidate.”

So, the first Cybertruck off the line that isn’t a release candidate may have a VIN like: 5JYCIDEG1MT000001

I used the following formula:
1-3 - (5YJ) because Tesla is the manufacturer
4 - (C) for Cybertruck
5 - (I) because it’s the model after the left-drive and right-drive model Y. The Cybertruck should also have the letter J for the right-drive version
6 – (D) for the restraint system same as the Model Y
7 – (E) for Electric
8 – (G) is the drivetrain. I'm guessing 3 motor, 200KwH battery (actually, for this one, I’m not sure but it'll be whatever the drivetrain designation is for the first CT
9 – (1) becase this check digit should be a 1 as it matches the last number of the VIN which should be a “1”… you know, for the FIRST one!
10 – (M) because it will be manufactured in 2021. I don’t want the first ones to be in 2022… N would be the letter in that case.
11 – (A) for Austin (or maybe a T for Tulsa???)
12-17 – This will be 000001. That will be “serial number one”. Whereas mine will probably be more like 245999 or something like that.

Anyway, I hope this was interesting for you and perhaps a little helpful in some small, small way.
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ajdelange

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The VIN is assigned to the vehicle before production starts. Thus finding a VIN number is generally interpreted as meaning that your car is actually in production. People have reported cases where a VIN number has been assigned but upon checking later they find it has been changed.

Just a quick comment on the checksum digit: as it is easy enough to find the algorithm and thus the proper checksum digit for any arbitrary VIN you make up the purpose of it isn't so much to deter fraud as it is to detect if someone has, for example, transposed two digits in copying a VIN,
 
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TyPope

TyPope

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And, the very day after making that, we have a VIN assigned! This was on June 1st around 10 pm. We ordered on April 20th and were expecting the process to take a few months. I noticed that there were others who also got their VIN around the same time. They ordered the same options we did. So, Tesla is definitely producing in batches and why wouldn't they? Anyway, now I get to spend the next year or so envious of my wife as she tools around in her Model Y! Good problem to have, I suppose.

Anyway, just wanted to share that.
 

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Tesla Cybertruck How to read VIN # 1667059041074
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