Acura VIN Decoder — Free Character-by-Character Breakdown for Any Acura.
Every Acura — every MDX, RDX, TLX, TL, ILX, Integra, RSX, and NSX — leaves the factory with a 17-character VIN split into three blocks: WMI (world manufacturer identifier), VDS (vehicle descriptor section), and VIS (vehicle identifier section). An Acura VIN decoder walks each character and translates it. As Honda's luxury division, Acura's WMIs span several plants: 19U and 19V for US-built TL/TLX sedans, JH4 for Japan-built NSX, RSX, and Integra, 5J8 for US-built MDX and RDX from Ohio, and 2HN for Canadian-built models. Positions 4-8 encode the engine — the J-series V6, the K-series four-cylinder — plus VTEC and SH-AWD (Super Handling All-Wheel Drive), an Acura signature analogous to Subaru's Symmetrical AWD. Enter any Acura VIN below.
Free Acura VIN Decoder — Character-by-Character Breakdown
Enter an Acura VIN and we'll walk each of the 17 characters — WMI, VDS with engine/SH-AWD codes and check digit, VIS with model year and plant — instantly.
Free · No sign-up · Instant breakdown
Quick Answer
- How do I decode an Acura VIN?
- Find the 17-character VIN on the lower driver-side windshield, door jamb sticker, title, or insurance card and enter it in CarCheckerVIN's free Acura VIN decoder. It splits the string into WMI (positions 1-3), VDS (4-9 with the check digit at 9), and VIS (10-17, with model year at 10 and plant at 11) — and it identifies the J-series V6 or K-series engine and SH-AWD.
- What does each character of an Acura VIN mean?
- Position 1 encodes country (1/5 = US-built, J = Japan, 2 = Canada). Positions 2-3 identify the manufacturer (19U = US-built TL/TLX sedan, JH4 = Japan-built NSX/RSX/Integra, 5J8 = US-built MDX/RDX from Ohio). Positions 4-8 describe the engine, VTEC, and SH-AWD attributes; 9 is check, 10 year, 11 plant, 12-17 serial.
- Is Acura VIN decoding free?
- Yes. CarCheckerVIN's Acura VIN decoder is free with no credit card. Every 17-character breakdown returns WMI, VDS, and VIS split plus decoded year, J-series V6 or K-series engine, SH-AWD configuration, trim, and factory (Ohio, Japan, or Canada).
What an Acura VIN Decodes
The 17 characters of an Acura VIN encode six distinct pieces of data — from the country of build to the sequential production serial — plus Acura-specific J-series/K-series engine and SH-AWD detail. Every Acura decoder returns each of these data points from the VIN alone.
Country of origin (position 1)
The first character encodes country of manufacture. Acura VINs starting with 1, 5, or 2 were built in North America — 1 and 5 in the United States (Marysville and East Liberty, Ohio), 2 in Canada (Alliston, Ontario). VINs starting with J were built in Japan (Suzuka, Sayama). Because Acura is Honda's luxury division, this US/Japan/Canada split maps to the same plant network Honda uses.
Manufacturer (positions 2-3)
The second and third characters encode Acura's division and body class. 19U = US-built Acura sedan (TL, TLX). 19V = US-built Acura utility. JH4 = Japan-built Acura passenger car (NSX, RSX, Integra). 5J8 = US-built Acura MDX/RDX from Ohio. 2HN = Canada-built Acura. Together with position 1 these form the WMI.
Engine & SH-AWD (positions 4-8)
This is an Acura-specific signature. Positions 4-8 encode the engine — the J-series V6 (MDX, TLX V6, TL), the K-series four-cylinder (ILX, RDX, Integra), often with VTEC variable valve timing — plus whether the vehicle carries SH-AWD (Super Handling All-Wheel Drive) or is front-wheel drive. The decoder maps the VDS to the specific engine family and drivetrain.
Model year (position 10)
The tenth character is the model year. Acura uses the same universal year code as every other manufacturer: L = 2020, M = 2021, N = 2022, P = 2023, R = 2024, S = 2025, T = 2026. The decoder converts the letter into the actual model year.
Assembly plant (position 11)
The eleventh character is the specific assembly plant. Acura's key plants: Marysville and East Liberty, Ohio (MDX, RDX, TLX, ILX); Suzuka and Sayama, Japan (NSX, Integra, RSX); and Alliston, Ontario in Canada. The plant code combined with the WMI tells you exactly where the vehicle was built.
Unique serial (positions 12-17)
The last six characters form the unique production serial — sequential within a plant, within a model year. On the second-generation NSX, Integra Type S, and Type R collector cars, the serial has enthusiast value — buyers track early-build production numbers.
Full Acura VIN Character-by-Character Table
Every 17-character Acura VIN follows the same universal structure: three-character WMI, six-character VDS ending in a check digit, and eight-character VIS starting with model year. The table below walks every position with an Acura-specific example. The sample VIN we decode is 5J8YD4H35LL123456 — a 2020 Acura MDX with the J-series V6, built at Honda's East Liberty, Ohio plant.
Example Acura VIN
| Position | What it means universally | Acura example |
|---|---|---|
1 | Country of origin | 5 = USA (Ohio); J = Japan (Suzuka); 2 = Canada (Alliston) |
2-3 | Manufacturer (with pos 1 forms WMI) | J8 = Acura US utility (5J8 = MDX/RDX; JH4 = Japan NSX/Integra) |
3 | Vehicle class (rolled into WMI) | 8 in 5J8 = MDX/RDX SUV (9U in 19U = TL/TLX sedan) |
4-8 | Vehicle attributes (VDS): engine, VTEC, SH-AWD, trim | YD4H3 = MDX, J-series V6, VTEC, SH-AWD |
9 | Check digit — math-verified against positions 1-8, 10-17 | 5 in this VIN — verifies the whole string is valid |
10 | Model year | L = 2020 (M=2021, N=2022, P=2023, R=2024, S=2025, T=2026) |
11 | Assembly plant | L = East Liberty, Ohio (Suzuka/Alliston for other models) |
12-17 | Unique production serial | 123456 — sequential; collectors track early NSX/Integra serials |
Where to Find Your Acura VIN
Acura prints the VIN in at least five places on every modern vehicle. Any one of them is enough to run a free Acura VIN decode — and if any of them disagree with each other, that is a strong signal the car's identity has been tampered with.
The fastest place to find an Acura VIN is the lower corner of the windshield on the driver's side. The driver-side door jamb sticker is the second-easiest place; Acura includes it as required by federal law, and it also lists the tire pressure spec and the manufacture date. The title document and the insurance ID card both print the VIN.
On the NSX and older Integra/RSX imports you may also find the VIN stamped on the firewall and the underhood certification label. For the cleanest read, copy the VIN directly from the door jamb sticker.
Five places the Acura VIN lives
- Lower driver-side windshield (visible from outside)
- Driver-side door jamb sticker (also lists tire pressure)
- Acura title document
- Insurance ID card
- State registration document
Found it? Drop the 17-character Acura VIN into the form above and decode every position in seconds.
Decode Your Acura VIN Right Now
Got an Acura in mind — yours, or one you're about to buy? Break every one of the 17 characters into plain English — WMI, VDS with engine+SH-AWD codes, VIS — free, in seconds.
Common Acura Issues Revealed by VIN
Once the VIN is decoded, the same 17-character string can be queried against Acura recall data. Three problem categories appear more often than any others on used Acuras — the decoder gives you the year, engine variant, and plant to know whether your Acura is likely in scope.
Takata airbag inflators
The Takata airbag recall was enormous for Honda and Acura — it affected a broad range of TL, TSX, MDX, RDX, RL, and ZDX models across many model years. The decoded VIN's model year at position 10 tells you whether the recall window applies before you even query it — Acura performs the replacement at no charge, and some early inflators are under Do-Not-Drive advisories.
Fuel pump failures
A widespread Honda/Acura recall covered low-pressure fuel pumps that could fail and cause the engine to stall, affecting numerous MDX, RDX, TLX, and ILX models. Positions 4-8 (engine family) and position 10 (year) help narrow whether the affected fuel-pump build applies to your ${BRAND} before you query bulletin status.
9/10-speed transmission software
Acura's 9-speed (ZF) and 10-speed automatics saw software recalls and updates for harsh shifting, unintended movement, and rollaway concerns on the MDX and TLX. Position 10 (year) and the drivetrain codes in positions 4-8 narrow down whether the affected transmission build and software calibration apply.
Decoded a used Acura? Pair this decoder with a focused recall check and an accident history check for a complete picture before you put money down.
Acura VIN Decoder vs Manufacturer's Own Tool
Acura operates the MyAcura owner portal as its official account, and it includes a VIN-based service history lookup. But it is not a full VIN decoder in the industry sense. The manufacturer's tool is gated behind account creation, and it does not walk the 17 characters position-by-position. Compare that to CarCheckerVIN's Acura VIN decoder, which is public, requires no sign-up, breaks every position out in a labelled table (including the J-series/K-series engine and SH-AWD detail), and adds NMVTIS title-brand data on top.
The gap widens on title brands. The manufacturer's tool never surfaces salvage, flood, junk, or lemon-law buyback titles from any state — and Acura's sporty models (Integra, TLX Type S, RSX) are frequently modified or crash-repaired before resale, where title history matters most. That data lives in NMVTIS, which our free Acura VIN check queries alongside the decoder. For a complete picture, decode the VIN here and pair the output with a full VIN history report if the numbers give you any pause.
The right call: use the decoder for character-level truth (year, plant, engine, SH-AWD), and use the lookup for lived history (recalls, titles, salvage). Both are free on CarCheckerVIN.
Acura decoder vs manufacturer tool
- Decodes all 17 charactersOurs: YesOEM: No
- Public, no sign-upOurs: YesOEM: No
- Shows open recallsOurs: YesOEM: Yes
- Shows title brandsOurs: YesOEM: No
- Shows NMVTIS salvageOurs: YesOEM: No
- Cross-brand supportOurs: YesOEM: No
Decode an Acura VIN here — no sign-up:
Related VIN Tools for Acura Owners
An Acura VIN decoder is the character-level view. These sibling tools add the lived history, dedicated recall data, and paint-code intent — all queried by the same VIN.
Always check the VIN before you buy
Our free report reveals accidents, title brands, odometer rollback, theft records, and open recalls in seconds.
Acura VIN Decoder — Frequently Asked Questions
The questions Acura owners and used-Acura buyers ask most when they want to decode an Acura VIN character by character.
How do I decode an Acura VIN?+
To decode an Acura VIN, find the 17-character VIN — typically on the lower driver-side corner of the windshield, the driver-side door jamb sticker, the title document, or the insurance card — and enter it into the free Acura VIN decoder form on this page. The tool validates the format and excludes I, O, and Q, then splits into WMI (positions 1-3), VDS (positions 4-9 with the check digit at 9), and VIS (positions 10-17). Every character is labelled, and Acura's engine code — J-series V6 or K-series four-cylinder — plus VTEC and SH-AWD configuration are extracted from the VDS. Decoded output rolls up to year, model, engine, drivetrain, trim, and factory (Ohio, Japan, or Canada).
What does the 10th character of an Acura VIN mean?+
The 10th character of an Acura VIN is the model year — universal across every automaker, not specific to Acura. The letters skip I, O, Q, U, Y and the digits 0 and Z to avoid ambiguity. The current cycle: J = 2018, K = 2019, L = 2020, M = 2021, N = 2022, P = 2023, R = 2024, S = 2025, T = 2026. So an Acura MDX VIN with L at position 10 is a 2020 model. This is the fastest single-character check to confirm the model year of any Acura.
What does the 11th character of an Acura VIN mean?+
The 11th character of an Acura VIN encodes the specific assembly plant. Acura's most common plant codes point to Marysville and East Liberty, Ohio (MDX, RDX, TLX, ILX — Acura's US plants), Suzuka and Sayama, Japan (NSX, Integra, RSX), and Alliston, Ontario in Canada. Two Acuras with the same year and trim can carry different plant codes — for example, the MDX is Ohio-built while the second-generation NSX and older Integra are Japan-built. The plant code combined with the WMI in positions 1-3 pins down exactly where the vehicle was assembled.
Where is the check digit in an Acura VIN?+
The check digit in an Acura VIN — like every 17-character VIN — is at position 9. It is a math-verified digit calculated from the other 16 characters using a weighted formula defined by NHTSA. The check digit is 0-9 or the letter X. If a VIN is transcribed with a typo, the check digit no longer matches — the decoder flags the mismatch as invalid. This is especially useful with JDM-market Integra Type R and NSX VINs, where VINs are often hand-copied from Japanese documents on grey-market imports.
Can I decode a pre-1981 Acura VIN?+
No — the 17-character VIN standard was introduced by the US government in 1981. Acura as a brand launched in 1986, so this rarely comes up — nearly every Acura ever sold has a full 17-character VIN. Honda vehicles from 1980 and earlier are shorter (typically 11-13 characters) and follow a different structure, but that predates the Acura marque entirely. Every Acura from the 1986 Legend and Integra forward has a full 17-character VIN and can be decoded here — including the MDX, RDX, TLX, ILX, Integra, and NSX.
What's the difference between decoding and looking up an Acura VIN?+
Decoding an Acura VIN reads the 17-character string itself — country, manufacturer, class, engine attribute, VTEC/SH-AWD status, check digit, model year, plant, and serial — using only the rules of the VIN standard. Looking up an Acura VIN queries external databases against that same VIN — NMVTIS for title brands (salvage, flood, junk, lemon-law buyback — common on modified or crash-repaired Integras and TLX Type S), NHTSA for open recalls including the huge Takata airbag and fuel-pump campaigns, and state DMVs for the title chain. Decoding tells you what the car is; looking up tells you what has happened to it.
Is the Acura VIN decoder free?+
Yes. The Acura VIN decoder on this page is free, with no sign-up, no credit card, and no hidden charges. You enter the 17-character Acura VIN and we return the full character-by-character breakdown — WMI at positions 1-3, VDS at positions 4-9 with the check digit at 9 (and the J-series/K-series engine plus SH-AWD attributes decoded from those characters), VIS at positions 10-17 with model year at 10 and plant code at 11 — plus the decoded year, trim, engine, and factory. The VIN standard is a public specification, which is why a decoder can be free.
Ready to Decode an Acura VIN?
Enter any 17-character Acura VIN to break every position into plain English — WMI, VDS with engine + SH-AWD codes and check digit, VIS with model year and plant — instantly.
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