Makes
Volkswagen VIN decoder
Decode any Volkswagen VIN for manufacturer specifications and NHTSA safety recall campaigns, and see which World Manufacturer Identifiers NHTSA has on record for Volkswagen.
Enter all 17 characters. The decoder reads the make, model and year from the whole VIN, not just the first three characters.
Volkswagen WMI codes
The first three characters of a VIN are the World Manufacturer Identifier. NHTSA lists 11 of them for Volkswagen. They were issued across 3 countries: Germany, Mexico and United States (USA). They span 4 vehicle types, listed separately below.
The country shown is where the identifier was issued, which usually but not always matches where a given vehicle was assembled. The eleventh character identifies the specific plant. A single WMI can cover more than one vehicle type, so some codes appear in more than one table.
Passenger Car 4 codes
| WMI | Registered entity | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1VW | VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA, INC. | United States (USA) |
| 3VW | VOLKSWAGEN DE MEXICO SA DE CV | Mexico |
| 9BW | VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA, INC. | Mexico |
| WVW | VOLKSWAGEN AG | Germany |
Truck 2 codes
| WMI | Registered entity | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1V1 | VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA, INC. | United States (USA) |
| WV1 | VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA, INC. | Germany |
Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) 4 codes
| WMI | Registered entity | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1V2 | VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA, INC. | United States (USA) |
| 3VV | VOLKSWAGEN DE MEXICO SA DE CV | Mexico |
| WV2 | VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA, INC. | Germany |
| WVG | VOLKSWAGEN AG | Germany |
Incomplete Vehicle 1 code
| WMI | Registered entity | Country |
|---|---|---|
| WV3 | VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA, INC. | Germany |
Common Volkswagen models
Some of the Volkswagen models you are most likely to be decoding, as NHTSA spells them. Recall searches by year, make and model need that exact spelling.
- Jetta
- Jetta GLI
- Golf GTI — NHTSA recall records generally list this model as GTI.
- Golf R
- Taos
- Tiguan — Some NHTSA recall summaries refer to the 2018-2021 long-wheelbase version as Tiguan LWB.
- Atlas
- Atlas Cross Sport
- ID.4
- ID. Buzz
- Arteon
Notable Volkswagen recalls since 2018
A few of the largest or most serious recent safety recalls covering Volkswagen vehicles. They are examples, not a complete list: a single model year can have a dozen campaigns. A recall on the model does not mean it is still open on a particular car, so check the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup, or see every campaign for a year and model with our recall lookup.
Air bags: front passenger occupant detection
Vehicles: Certain 2021-2024 Volkswagen Atlas and 2020-2024 Atlas Cross Sport vehicles.
A wiring fault in the passenger occupant detection system can switch off the front passenger air bag even when the seat is occupied. A deactivated air bag increases the risk of injury in a crash.
Dealers replace the occupant detection sensor mat and wiring harness at no charge.
Fuel system: suction jet pump (fuel leak)
Vehicles: Certain front-wheel-drive 2015-2020 Volkswagen Golf and GTI, 2015-2019 Golf SportWagen and 2019-2020 Jetta GLI vehicles; the campaign also covers Audi A3 Sedan and Cabriolet vehicles. This campaign expands and replaces recall 16V-647.
A faulty seal on the suction jet pump inside the fuel tank can let fuel flow into the evaporative emissions system and leak out of the charcoal canister. Leaking fuel near an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Dealers replace the suction jet pump at no charge; vehicles repaired under 16V-647 need the new remedy.
Steering: steering rack mounting bolt
Vehicles: Certain 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan and 2018-2019 Atlas vehicles; the campaign also covers 2019-2021 Audi Q3 vehicles.
A bolt that attaches the steering rack to the subframe can corrode and break, which can then crack the steering rack housing. A broken housing can cause a loss of steering control and raise the risk of a crash.
Dealers replace the right-side steering rack mounting bolt at no charge; NHTSA's record says owner letters were expected to be mailed in November 2026.
Body: exterior door handles
Vehicles: Certain 2021-2024 Volkswagen ID.4 vehicles. This campaign expands recalls 23V-312 and 23V-213.
Water can get into the circuit board of the door handles, which can make a door open unexpectedly. A door that opens while driving increases the risk of injury.
Dealers inspect and replace the door handles as needed and update the vehicle software at no charge; vehicles repaired under 23V-312 or 23V-213 need the new remedy.
Electrical system: ignition switch
Vehicles: Certain 2019 Volkswagen Golf, Golf Alltrack and Golf SportWagen, and 2019-2020 GTI and Jetta vehicles with a conventional (key) ignition switch.
The ignition switch can fail, especially in high temperatures. A failure can shut down the electrical system and stall the engine while driving, raising the risk of a crash.
Dealers replace the ignition switch at no charge.
Reading the rest of a Volkswagen VIN
Characters 4 to 8 describe the vehicle — model, body style, engine, restraint system. Volkswagen assigns that scheme itself and files it with NHTSA, which is why decoding requires a lookup rather than arithmetic. Character 9 is the check digit, character 10 is the model year, and character 11 is the assembly plant.
See how to read a VIN for the full breakdown, or model year codes for the position 10 table.
Where the VIN is on a Volkswagen
On the driver's side dashboard, readable through the windshield, and on a sticker in the driver's door jamb. The door jamb sticker usually carries a scannable barcode, which is more reliable than transcribing 17 characters by eye — the decoder can read it with your camera.
More detail in where to find the VIN.