- Characters 1-3 of a Buick Century VIN
- List of WMI Codes for a Buick Century
- Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a Buick Century VIN
- Character 9 is the "check digit" in a Buick Century VIN.
- 10th Character in the Buick Century VIN — Year Code
- 11th Character in the Buick Century VIN — Plant Code(s)
- Known Buick Century Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)
- VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a Buick Century
- How to find a Buick Century's VIN?
- What info can a Buick Century VIN reveal?
- Sample VIN Decode Report for a Buick Century
How to decode a Buick Century VIN
Characters 1-3 of a Buick Century VIN
A WMI, or World Manufacturer Identifier, is a unique three-character code assigned to a vehicle manufacturer by the international body authorized to regulate VIN standards. This code identifies the manufacturer of the vehicle and can even indicate some attributes like the country of origin and the type of the vehicle. For the Buick Century, the WMI can start with 1G4, indicating that the vehicle was produced by General Motors LLC in the United States, with 2G4 denoting models manufactured slightly later, or with 3G4 for vehicles from specific years in the early 90s. These codes are critical for accurately pinpointing the make of the vehicle and for obtaining specific information about the car when performing a VIN lookup.
List of WMI Codes for a Buick Century
WMI: 1G4
- Model Years Covered: 1984, 1986-1996
- Example VIN: 1G4AL19E8E6495127
- Manufacturer Name: General Motors LLC
- Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
- City: Warren
- State or Province: Michigan
- Country: United States
WMI: 3G4
- Model Years Covered: 1990-1991, 1993-1994
- Example VIN: 3G4AL54N0LS600458
- Manufacturer Name: General Motors LLC
- Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
- City: Warren
- State or Province: Michigan
- Country: United States
WMI: 2G4
- Model Years Covered: 1997-2005
- Example VIN: 2G4WY52M1V1405274
- Manufacturer Name: General Motors LLC
- Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
- City: Warren
- State or Province: Michigan
- Country: United States
Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a Buick Century 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 Buick Century:
Known VDS for a Buick Century | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AL19E | AH273 | AH51R | AL51W | AL51R | AL513 | AH51N | AL51N | AH54N | AL54N |
AH54R | AG54N | AG55N | AH55N | AH85N | AL55N | AG55M | AG554 | AG85M | AH55M |
WY52M | WS52M | WS52J | WY55J | WS55J | AH84N |
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 Buick Century 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 Buick Century VIN — Year Code
11th Character in the Buick Century VIN — Plant Code(s)
Known Buick Century Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)
Plant Code | Plant City | Plant State | Plant Country | Plant Company Name | Example VIN |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Oshawa #2 | Ontario | Canada | 2G4WY52M1V1405274 | |
2 | Ste. Therese | Quebec | Canada | Na-Gm Corp | 3G4AG55M5R2601432 |
6 | Oklahoma City | Oklahoma | United States | 1G4AL19E8E6495127 | |
D | Doraville | Georgia | United States | Na-Mcd | 1G4AH2731GD479956 |
S | Ramos Arizpe | Mexico | 3G4AL54N0LS600458 | ||
T | Sleepy Hollow | New York | United States | Tarrytown Assembly | 1G4AH51R2HT435888 |
VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a Buick Century
The final 6 characters in a Buick Century’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.
Want to unlock even more detailed info about your vehicle?
How to find a Buick Century’s VIN?
Locating the VIN number on your Buick Century is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:
- Examine the dashboard on the driver’s side of your Buick Century. Look through the windshield to find the VIN displayed on a small, metallic plate.
- Open the driver’s side door and inspect the door jamb area. The VIN can often be found on a label or sticker where the door latches.
- Look at the engine bay of your Buick Century. The VIN might be engraved on the engine block or stamped on a plate attached to the engine.
- Review your Buick Century’s vehicle registration documents or insurance papers, where the VIN is always printed.
- Check the rear wheel well. Peer through the wheel spokes to view the area where the VIN might be stamped.
- Inspect the trunk area of your Buick Century. The VIN can sometimes be found under the spare tire or on the trunk lid.
- If your Buick Century still has its original documentation or service records, the VIN will be printed on those documents.
What info can a Buick Century VIN reveal?
- Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicle’s model year, possibly indicating the year 1996, providing insights into the age and potential historical value of the vehicle.
- Manufacturer Name: The VIN provides the manufacturer name, which might be General Motors LLC, offering details about the company responsible for the vehicle’s production.
- Plant City: The VIN discloses the city where the vehicle was manufactured, which may be Oklahoma City, giving insight into the vehicle’s production location.
- Vehicle Type: The VIN indicates the vehicle type, possibly a passenger car, offering insights into the primary use of the vehicle.
Don’t have your Buick Century’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!
Sample VIN Decode Report for a Buick Century
Vehicle Spec | Value |
---|---|
Body Class | Sedan/Saloon |
Displacement (CC) | 3100.0 |
Displacement (CI) | 189.17360669367 |
Displacement (L) | 3.1 |
Doors | 4 |
Engine Configuration | V-Shaped |
Engine Model | LG8 |
Engine Number of Cylinders | 6 |
Front Air Bag Locations | 1st Row (Driver and Passenger) |
Fuel Delivery / Fuel Injection Type | Sequential Fuel Injection (SFI) |
Fuel Type - Primary | Gasoline |
Model | Century |
Model Year | 2004 |
Other Engine Info | Name Plate: Buick |
Plant City | Oshawa #2 |
Plant Company Name | |
Plant Country | Canada |
Plant State | Ontario |
Seat Belt Type | Manual |
Series | Custom |
Side Air Bag Locations | Driver Seat Only |
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Type | Indirect |
Vehicle Descriptor | 2G4WS55J*41 |
Vehicle Type | Passenger Car |
Windows | 4 |
Sample_VIN | 2G4WS55J041176605 |
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