Free 1990 BMW 525i VIN Decoder

How to decode a 1990 BMW 525i VIN

Characters 1-3 of a 1990 BMW 525i VIN

A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is a unique code of three letters or numbers that identifies the manufacturer of a vehicle, providing insights about where and by whom a vehicle was made. For the 1990 BMW 525i, the WMI “WBA” indicates that BMW AG manufactured this passenger car. This specific identifier points to a vehicle crafted in Munich, Germany, which is known for producing high-quality luxury vehicles. The use of the WMI not only helps in identifying the vehicle’s origin but also assures the buyer of the authenticity and standards upheld by BMW AG. Through this coding system, each vehicle can be traced back to its manufacturer, offering valuable information for registration, service, and history reports.

List of WMI Codes for a 1990 BMW 525i

WMI: WBA

• Model Years Covered: 1988-1991, 1993-1995, 2001-2007
• Example VIN: WBAHC2300LBE24580
• Manufacturer Name: BMW AG
• Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
• City: Munich
• State or Province:
• Country: Germany

Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a 1990 BMW 525i VIN

These characters correspond to components like:

• Engine type
• Transmission
• Model or trim
• Body style
• Gross vehicle weight range

Below find the known vehicle descriptor codes for a 1990 BMW 525i:

Auto manufacturers have some discretion to decide how they want to code this section, but its contents and decoded results are generally consistent.

Character 9 is the “check digit” in a 1990 BMW 525i VIN.

Based on a formula developed by the US Department of Transportation, it helps reduce fraud by ensuring the validity of the VIN.

10th Character in the 1990 BMW 525i VIN — Year Code

11th Character in the 1990 BMW 525i VIN — Plant Code(s)

Known 1990 BMW 525i Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)

VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 1990 BMW 525i

The final 6 characters in a 1990 BMW 525i’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.

Check your BMW 525i’s VIN below:

What info can a 1990 BMW 525i VIN reveal?

• Model Year: The VIN may indicate the vehicle’s model year as 1990, providing insights into the age and potential market value of the vehicle.
• Manufacturer: The VIN identifies BMW-AG as the engine manufacturer, adding information about the source of the vehicle’s engine.
• Vehicle Type and Body Class: The VIN can denote the type of vehicle as a Passenger Car, with a specific body class of Sedan/Saloon.
• Engine Specifications: Details about the engine, such as having 6 cylinders with a displacement of approximately 2.491 liters (152 cubic inches) and producing 168 horsepower, may be encoded within the VIN.
• Fuel Type: Information on the primary fuel type the vehicle uses, which, for this example, could be Gasoline, can be retrieved from the VIN.
• Transmission and Safety Features: The VIN can possibly reveal the transmission style, which is Automatic in this case, as well as the type of seat belt, which might be Manual.
• Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR): The VIN might illustrate the vehicle’s weight class, here possibly identified as Class 1, accommodating vehicles 6,000 lb or less.
• Manufacturing Details: Information about the manufacturing location, including both the city, Dingolfing, and country, Germany, is detailed in the VIN, offering insight into the vehicle’s production origin.

Sample VIN Decode Report for a 1990 BMW 525i