A VIN, or vehicle identification number, is a set of 17 characters that uniquely identifies a vehicle. All vehicles sold or manufactured since about 1980 or 1981 have a unique 17 character VIN. The VIN on the Prius is stamped on a plate at the bottom, drivers-side edge of the windshield. Well, technically the plate is mounted on the dash, but is viewed through the windshield. It's also located on a sticker on the driver's door jamb.
Please note that the Prius' VIN does not tell you what "package" your vehicle is equipped with. That is, what options the car has.
The VIN decoding information below is verified for 2004-2008 models. This may also apply to the first generation model (except the year digit, of course).
Sample VIN: JTDKB20UX60999999
| VIN Position | Description | Decoding Information | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 - 3 | World manufacturer identifier | J T D |
Japan Toyota Passenger Vehicle |
| 4 | Body / drive type | K | 5-door sedan, 2-wheel-drive, hatchback |
| 5 | Engine family | B | 1NZ-FXE +3CM |
| 6 | Series | 2 | NHW20 (Prius) |
| 7 | Restraint system | 0 2 6 7 8 |
Manual belts, 2 airbags, side airbags, side curtain shield airbags Manual belts, 2 airbags Manual belts, 2 airbags, side airbags, side curtain shield airbags and knee airbags (driver seat) Manual belts, 2 airbags and knee airbags (driver seat) Manual belts, 2 airbags and side airbags |
| 8 | Car line | U | Prius |
| 9 | Check digit | 0 - 9 or X | Calculated by NHTSA |
| 10 | Model year | 4 5 6 7 8 |
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 |
| 11 | Assembly plant | 0 - 9, K, J | Toyota Motor Corporation |
| 12 - 17 | Serial Number | 999999 | Serial number |
Other Toyota Prius content on CarTruckSite.com:
See also DecodeThis.com for VIN decoding Toyota and other makes of vehicles.