Land Rover VIN decoder

What is a Land Rover VIN?

The Land Rover VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is a unique 17-character code assigned to each of these British SUVs during manufacturing. It serves as a digital signature and is crucial in identifying Land Rover vehicles and tracing their history.

Different sections of the Land Rover VIN hold general information about a vehicle’s origin and specifications, including manufacturer, model, body type, engine specifications, and model year. Moreover, since the VIN is used to document various events throughout the vehicle's life, such as servicing, ownership changes, accidents, and technical inspections, you can use a Land Rover VIN decoder to learn more about a particular car’s condition and past.

Land Rover, a distinguished British automaker, is renowned for producing vehicles with iconic off-road capabilities, often combined with practical or luxurious designs. The brand offers a diverse lineup of cars, ranging from rugged 4x4s to high-performance SUVs.

Where to search for the VIN?

A vehicle’s VIN number is located in multiple places and can depend on the brand. However, there are specific common locations where the VIN is usually found in most vehicles.

Here’s where you can find the Land Rover VIN:

• Dashboard. Look through the windshield on the driver’s side of the vehicle – you should spot the VIN on the dashboard.
• Driver’s side door pillar. Open the driver's side door and inspect the inner edge of the door frame. Look for a small metal plate or sticker containing the VIN.
• Title and registration. The vehicle’s VIN should be listed in Land Rover’s registration and title documents.
• Service history book. If a car is at least five years old, it should have an original service book where you can find regular maintenance records and, of course, the VIN number.

Older Land Rovers, typically those manufactured before the 1980s, had the VIN stamped onto the front right-hand chassis leg or in the engine bay, on top of the brake master cylinder and pedal box.

What is Land Rover VIN decoder?

Finding a used Land Rover in good condition is challenging, primarily due to the nature of these vehicles, high repair costs, and owners' inclination to use them off-road. Therefore, it is crucial to use our VIN decoder to conduct a background check, VIN lookup on a specific Land Rover before buying it.

These checks can provide valuable insights into the vehicle's specifications and history, providing detailed information about accidents, mileage records, thefts (if any), ownership changes, and more.

How accurate is the information provided by the Land Rover VIN decoder?

Data provided in the vehicle history is collected from reliable sources, including law enforcement databases, insurance companies, state registries, and more. Therefore, a vehicle history report offers up-to-date information, serving as a valuable tool for background checks and assessing the value when searching for a new vehicle.

How to decode a VIN number - Land Rover VIN breakdown

Every car manufacturer uses a 17-digit VIN, which consists of four sections: World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI), Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS), Security Check Digit, and Vehicle Identifier Section (VIS).

Each part of the VIN number provides general information about a vehicle, including make, model, engine type, and manufacturing plant.

Let's break down each section of the Land Rover VIN to better understand the meaning of the most important characters.

World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI)

The first 3 characters of the VIN disclose the region, country, and manufacturer of the vehicle. As evident in the following example, “S” denotes Europe (region), “A” signifies the United Kingdom (country), and “L” represents the manufacturer.

Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS)

The second segment of the VIN number provides information about specific characteristics of the Land Rover vehicle, including the model, engine, and body type. The following table will explain how to identify the Land Rover or Range Rover model.

The 6th digit in the Land Rover VIN specifies the vehicle’s chassis type. Given that Land Rover predominantly manufactures 4x4 and SUV models, it may seem that there's limited variation in this digit. However, the following example reveals there are more than enough:

The 7th digit in the Land Rover VIN corresponds to another distinctive feature – the vehicle's body type. However, this rule applies exclusively to vehicles sold outside the North American market. In this market, the 7th digit represents the engine type.

The 8th character also has a distinct meaning for Land Rovers destined for the US compared to those intended for other markets. In Europe, the 8th character refers to the vehicle’s engine type, while in the US market, it specifies the type of transmission.

Furthermore, due to differences in VIN characteristics between US and European market vehicles, the steering wheel and transmission for European models are encoded in the 9th digit of VIN.

Security Check Digit

The 9th character of the VIN represents (for the North American market) the Security Check Digit, acting like a unique fingerprint for the identification number. This single-digit number is a safety feature that helps detect and prevent potential errors in the VIN.

The Check Digit is calculated using a dedicated algorithm known as the VIN formula. This formula uses the 16 remaining characters of the VIN, assigning distinct weights to each character. The Check Digit is derived based on the sum of these weighted values.

Vehicle Identifier Section (VIS)

The VIN's final segment (10th-17th characters) holds such details as the model year, assembly plant, and a unique serial number. This makes it the specific ID for the Land Rover.

For instance, from 1980 to 1987, Land Rover assigned letters A to D to specific models. The letter A was used for Series II and Defenders, while the letter B was designated for facelifted Defenders and Range Rovers.

The next character (11th in the overall sequence) is particularly significant as it indicates the vehicle's assembly plant. For example, numbers 1 and 2 specifically indicate the manufacturing facilities where Jaguar produces models like the I-Pace, E-Pace, and the brand new Defender.

Is a Land Rover VIN decoder available for a free VIN check?

Yes, you can use the Land Rover VIN decoder for free if you’re looking to confirm the vehicle’s model or body type. If you wish to explore the car’s history, you’ll have to buy a full vehicle history report.

The trade-off is access to the vehicle's mileage log, accident history, and financial and legal status – data, which are gathered from reputable sources, such as government registries or insurance companies.

List of Land Rover models

• Land Rover Defender
• Land Rover Discovery
• Land Rover Discovery Sport
• Land Rover Freelander
• Range Rover
• Range Rover Evoque
• Range Rover Sport
• Range Rover Velar
• Land Rover Series I
• Land Rover Series II

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