VIN decoder for Canadian vehicles
Year, make, model, engine and assembly plant from the VIN, then the recalls Transport Canada lists for that model.
Enter a 17-character VIN to see its model year, make, model, trim, engine and the plant it was built in, decoded by NHTSA’s vPIC database, and then the recalls Transport Canada’s recall database lists for that model, with the units affected in Canada. Your own VIN’s open recalls are the manufacturer’s to confirm. Sources and manufacturer lookups checked .
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What a VIN tells you
Every vehicle made for sale in Canada or the United States since the 1981 model year carries a 17-character vehicle identification number. Its parts follow the same standard for every make:
- Characters 1–3: the manufacturer’s code, which also carries the country it is registered in (a 2 at the start is Canada; 1, 4 and 5 are the United States; 3 is mostly Mexico).
- Characters 4–8: the model, body, engine and restraint system, in the manufacturer’s own code.
- Character 9: the check digit, worked out from the other sixteen, which catches most typing mistakes.
- Character 10: the model year.
- Character 11: the assembly plant.
- Characters 12–17: the vehicle’s own serial number.
The decoder sends the VIN to NHTSA’s vPIC database, which reads those codes against the tables manufacturers file with it, then asks Transport Canada’s recall database for the recalls on that model and model year. For all the years of a model, use the recall check.
Check your own VIN for open recalls
A recall list is by model and year; whether your vehicle is covered, and whether the work has been done, is on the manufacturer’s records, by VIN. These are the Canadian lookups and recall lines for the makes most common here, checked . For any make, Transport Canada’s recall database search lists each recall with the manufacturer’s contact.
| Make | VIN lookup | Recall line |
|---|---|---|
| BMW | BMW Canada | – |
| Chevrolet | GM Canada | 1-800-263-3777 |
| Chrysler | By phone | 1-800-465-2001 |
| Dodge | By phone | 1-800-465-2001 |
| Ford | Ford Canada | 1-800-565-3673 |
| GMC | GM Canada | 1-800-263-3777 |
| Honda | Honda Canada | 1-888-946-6329 |
| Hyundai | Hyundai Canada | 1-888-216-2626 |
| Jeep | By phone | 1-800-465-2001 |
| Kia | Kia Canada | 1-877-542-2886 |
| Lexus | Toyota Canada | 1-888-869-6828 |
| Mazda | Mazda Canada | 1-800-263-4680 |
| Nissan | Nissan Canada | – |
| Ram | By phone | 1-800-465-2001 |
| Subaru | Subaru Canada | 1-800-894-4212 |
| Tesla | By phone | 1-877-798-3752 |
| Toyota | Toyota Canada | 1-888-869-6828 |
| Volkswagen | Volkswagen Canada | 1-800-822-8987 |
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find my VIN?
On a small plate at the base of the windshield on the driver’s side, readable from outside, and on the label on the driver’s door frame. It is also printed on your vehicle registration and your insurance card.
Does the decoder show the open recalls on my vehicle?
No. It shows the recalls Transport Canada lists for the model and model year. Not every vehicle of a model is covered by each recall, and a covered one may already have been repaired. Only the manufacturer can say whether your VIN has an open recall; the results link to each manufacturer’s lookup.
What does the check digit warning mean?
The ninth character of a North American VIN is a check digit worked out from the other sixteen. If it does not match, a character was most likely mistyped. Vehicles built for other markets, such as a Japanese import, may not use one, so the decoder still looks the VIN up and says so.
How can I tell if my vehicle was built in Canada?
The decoder shows the assembly plant NHTSA’s vPIC database records for the VIN, and says “Built in Canada” when that plant is in Canada. A VIN that starts with 2 also carries a manufacturer code registered to Canada.
Where does the data come from?
Decoding is done by NHTSA’s vPIC database, from the data manufacturers file with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; a vehicle sold only in Canada, or an import, may decode only in part. Recalls are read from Transport Canada’s Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database at each search.
Sources
- U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Vehicle Product Information Catalog (vPIC) VIN decoder. Checked 2026-09-29.
- Transport Canada, Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database. Read live at each search through its open API. Checked 2026-09-29.
- Transport Canada, Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database search. Checked 2026-09-29.
- Government of Canada, Open Government Licence – Canada. Checked 2026-09-29.
Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Vehicle data: NHTSA vPIC. Neither Transport Canada nor NHTSA endorses GarageMap.