Free Nissan Maxima VIN Decoder

How to decode a Nissan Maxima VIN

Characters 1-3 of a Nissan Maxima VIN

A WMI, or World Manufacturer Identifier, is a unique three-character code that forms the initial segment of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and provides essential information about the vehicle’s manufacturer. For Nissan Maxima models, the WMI typically is either ‘1N4’ indicating the vehicle was manufactured by Nissan North America, Inc. in the United States, or ‘JN1’ denoting that the vehicle was manufactured by Nissan Motor Company, Ltd. in Japan. This identifier helps in distinguishing where and by whom the vehicle was made, which can be useful for registration, warranty, and repair purposes. Different model years and manufacturing locations of the Nissan Maxima may have distinct WMIs, reflecting the global footprint of Nissan’s production facilities.

List of WMI Codes for a Nissan Maxima

WMI: JN1

• Model Years Covered: 1981, 1985-2003
• Example VIN: JN1HU01SXBT004519
• Manufacturer Name: Nissan Motor Company, Ltd.
• Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
• City: Chuo-Ku
• State or Province: Tokyo
• Country: Japan

WMI: 1N4

• Model Years Covered: 2004-2014, 2016-2023
• Example VIN: 1N4BA41E04C808494
• Manufacturer Name: Nissan North America, Inc.
• Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
• City: Franklin
• State or Province: Tennessee
• Country: United States

Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a Nissan Maxima 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 Nissan Maxima:

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 Nissan Maxima 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 Nissan Maxima VIN — Year Code

11th Character in the Nissan Maxima VIN — Plant Code(s)

Known Nissan Maxima Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)

VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a Nissan Maxima

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

What info can a Nissan Maxima VIN reveal?

• Plant City: The VIN can potentially reveal the city where the vehicle was manufactured, such as Smyrna, providing insights into the vehicle’s origin.
• Trim: The VIN might provide information about the trim level of the vehicle, such as SV, offering potential insights into the vehicle’s features and options.
• Transmission Style: The VIN can possibly indicate the transmission style of the vehicle, such as Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), which can provide an understanding of the vehicle’s driving performance.
• Fuel Type: The VIN may indicate the primary fuel type of the vehicle, such as gasoline, providing insights into the vehicle’s fuel efficiency and environmental impact.
• Safety Features: Standard safety features for the model can be inferred from the VIN, possibly including air bags, anti-lock braking system (ABS), electronic stability control (ESC), and more, offering potential insights into the vehicle’s safety capabilities.

Sample VIN Decode Report for a Nissan Maxima