Subaru VIN decoder
What each part of a Subaru VIN means, from real Subaru VINs on file with NHTSA.
Subaru VINs start with a World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) such as 4S4 (United States) and JF2 (Japan); these are the most common on 5,421 Subaru VINs in NHTSA complaint records for the models VinSnap tracks. Position 10 is the model year (N = 2022, P = 2023 and R = 2024), position 9 is a check digit, and positions 4–8 describe the model, body and engine. Enter a full VIN in the VinSnap decoder to see the exact model, trim and engine.
Last updated: · Source: NHTSA vPIC and complaint VIN records
Subaru WMI codes (VIN positions 1–3)
| WMI | Built in | Registered manufacturer | Vehicle type | VINs seen | Models seen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4S4 | United States | SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) | 3,081 | Outback, Ascent, Crosstrek, Forester |
JF2 | Japan | SUBARU CORPORATION | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) | 2,310 | Forester, Crosstrek |
WMIs counted from the first 11 VIN characters NHTSA publishes with owner complaints for the Subaru models VinSnap tracks (a WMI needs at least 3 VINs to be listed). Manufacturer and vehicle type from NHTSA vPIC. Country from the ISO 3779 region of the first character.
Model-year code (VIN position 10)
| Model year | Code |
|---|---|
| 2010 | A |
| 2011 | B |
| 2012 | C |
| 2013 | D |
| 2014 | E |
| 2015 | F |
| 2016 | G |
| 2017 | H |
| 2018 | J |
| 2019 | K |
| 2020 | L |
| 2021 | M |
| 2022 | N |
| 2023 | P |
| 2024 | R |
| 2025 | S |
| 2026 | T |
| 2027 | V |
| 2028 | W |
| 2029 | X |
| 2030 | Y |
Letters I, O, Q, U, Z and the digit 0 are never used for the year, so the codes repeat every 30 years (A = 1980 and 2010).
How often the code matches on real Subaru VINs in NHTSA complaint records:
| Model year | Expected code | VINs | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | F | 1,068 | 99% |
| 2016 | G | 1,157 | 99% |
| 2019 | K | 1,845 | 100% |
| 2020 | L | 388 | 100% |
| 2021 | M | 499 | 100% |
| 2022 | N | 84 | 100% |
| 2023 | P | 89 | 100% |
| 2024 | R | 291 | 100% |
How the check digit (position 9) works
Each character becomes a number (digits keep their value; letters use the fixed table A=1, B=2 … H=8, J=1 … R=9, S=2 … Z=9), is multiplied by its position weight (8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 10, 0, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2), and the products are added. The remainder after dividing by 11 is the check digit; a remainder of 10 is written as X. A VIN whose position 9 does not match was mistyped or altered.
Worked example with an illustrative VIN 4S4BSANC0RA123456 (a common Subaru prefix with a made-up serial — not a real vehicle): the products add up to 297; 297 ÷ 11 leaves 0, so the check digit is 0.
| Position | Character | Value | Weight | Product |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 32 |
| 2 | S | 2 | 7 | 14 |
| 3 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 24 |
| 4 | B | 2 | 5 | 10 |
| 5 | S | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| 6 | A | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| 7 | N | 5 | 2 | 10 |
| 8 | C | 3 | 10 | 30 |
| 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | R | 9 | 9 | 81 |
| 11 | A | 1 | 8 | 8 |
| 12 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7 |
| 13 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 12 |
| 14 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 15 |
| 15 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 16 |
| 16 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 15 |
| 17 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 12 |
Frequently asked questions
What does a Subaru VIN start with?
The first three characters are the World Manufacturer Identifier. On Subaru VINs in NHTSA complaint records the most common are 4S4 (3,081 VINs) and JF2 (2,310 VINs).
How do I tell the model year from a Subaru VIN?
Read position 10: F = 2015, G = 2016, K = 2019, L = 2020, M = 2021, N = 2022, P = 2023 and R = 2024. The same letters repeat every 30 years.
What is the VIN check digit?
Position 9 is computed from the other 16 characters with fixed values and weights, divided by 11; a remainder of 10 is written X. It catches most typing errors.