Free 1981 Chevrolet Malibu VIN Decoder

How to decode a 1981 Chevrolet Malibu VIN

Characters 1-3 of a 1981 Chevrolet Malibu VIN

A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is the initial three characters of a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which uniquely identify the manufacturer of a vehicle. For the 1981 Chevrolet Malibu, the WMI “1G1” denotes vehicles made by General Motors LLC in Warren, Michigan, United States, specifically identifying them as passenger cars. Additionally, a related but different WMI, “2G1,” was also used for Chevrolet Malibu models in 1981, indicating the same manufacturer and vehicle type but may represent variations in manufacturing locations or specifications. These WMIs provide valuable information about the car’s origin, manufacturer, and vehicle type, crucial for registration, insurance, and historical research purposes.

List of WMI Codes for a 1981 Chevrolet Malibu

WMI: 1G1

• Model Years Covered: 1981-1983, 1997-2024
• Example VIN: 1G1AW27K0BD484410
• Manufacturer Name: General Motors LLC
• Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
• City: Warren
• State or Province: Michigan
• Country: United States

WMI: 2G1

• Model Years Covered: 1981
• Example VIN: 2G1AW27J5B1444472
• 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 1981 Chevrolet Malibu 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 1981 Chevrolet Malibu:

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 1981 Chevrolet Malibu 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 1981 Chevrolet Malibu VIN — Year Code

11th Character in the 1981 Chevrolet Malibu VIN — Plant Code(s)

Known 1981 Chevrolet Malibu Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)

VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 1981 Chevrolet Malibu

The final 6 characters in a 1981 Chevrolet Malibu’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.

Check your Chevrolet Malibu’s VIN below:

What info can a 1981 Chevrolet Malibu VIN reveal?

• Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicles model year being the year 1981, possibly providing insights into the age and potential market value of the vehicle.
• Vehicle Specifications: The dataset provides detailed specifications for a Chevrolet Malibu model, including engine details such as a 3.8-liter displacement with a V-Shaped engine configuration and it possibly being manufactured by Chevrolet.
• Body Class and Size: The VIN reveals the body class as a Sedan/Saloon with 4 doors, outlining the general shape and size of the vehicle.
• Engine and Performance: It possibly specifies a 6-cylinder engine with a displacement of 3800 CC (or 231.89 CI), which may describe the engine’s capacity and its configuration to be V-Shaped.
• Fuel Type: The primary fuel type for this vehicle is Gasoline, possibly indicating the type of fuel needed for its operation.
• Plant Information: Manufacturing details such as the plant city being Oshawa, the plant company name as Oshawa Plant #2, and the country as Canada, possibly providing insight into where the vehicle was assembled.
• Safety Features: Mention of a manual seat belt type possibly indicates the kind of safety feature equipped in the vehicle during that model year.

Sample VIN Decode Report for a 1981 Chevrolet Malibu

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