How to find out the Manufacturing Month and Year of a Car

This post is to create awareness to all who own a car and going to own a car. We often find dealers do sell old cars to unsuspecting customers without telling/passing the benefit of old cars. Lots of stories came up recently which compelled me to post here for the benefit of all. 

Here is an easy method from which you can find out the Manufacturing Month and Year of a Car by decoding the car's VIN. 

2010 Model Ford 

Typical FORD Car VIN has 17 Characters starting from MAJ in which 11th and 12th characters represents YEAR and MONTH respectively. 

If your 11th VIN Character is A then it represents Year 2010 
if your 12th VIN Character is M then it represents Month JULY 

Rest of the MONTH Codes are follows 
L= JAN 
Y= FEB 
S= MAR 
T= APR 
J= MAY 
U= JUNE 
M= JULY 
P= AUG 
B= SEP 
R= OCT 
A= NOV 
G= DEC 

2010 Model TATA Car 

Typical TATA Car VIN has 17 Characters starting from MAT in which 10th and 12th characters represents YEAR and MONTH respectively. 

If your 10th VIN Character is A then it represents Year 2010 
if your 12th VIN Character is G then it represents Month JULY 

Rest of the MONTH Codes are follows 

A= JAN 
B= FEB 
C= MAR 
D= APR 
E= MAY 
F= JUNE 
G= JULY 
H= AUG 
J= SEP 
K= OCT 
L= NOV 
M= DEC 

2010 Model CHEVROLET Car 

Typical CHEVROLET Car VIN has 17 Characters starting with MA6 in which 9th and 10th characters represents MONTH and YEAR respectively. 

if your 9th VIN Character is G then it represents Month JULY 
If your 10th VIN Character is A then it represents Year 2010 

Rest of the MONTH Codes are follows 

A= JAN 
B= FEB 
C= MAR 
D= APR 
E= MAY 
F= JUNE 
G= JULY 
H= AUG 
J= SEP 
K= OCT 
L= NOV 
M= DEC 

2010 Model HONDA Car 

Typical HONDA Car VIN has 17 Characters starting with MAK in which 9th and 10th characters represents MONTH and YEAR respectively. 

if your 9th VIN Character is G then it represents Month JULY 
If your 10th VIN Character is A then it represents Year 2010 

Rest of the MONTH Codes are follows 

A= JAN 
B= FEB 
C= MAR 
D= APR 
E= MAY 
F= JUNE 
G= JULY 
H= AUG 
J= SEP 
K= OCT 
L= NOV 
M= DEC 

2010 Model MAHINDRA (M&M) Car 

Typical MAHINDRA (M&M) Car VIN has 17 Characters starting with MAI in which 10th and 12th characters represents YEAR and MONTH respectively. 

if your 10th VIN Character is A then it represents Year 2010 
If your 12th VIN Character is G then it represents Month JULY 

Rest of the MONTH Codes are follows 

A= JAN 
B= FEB 
C= MAR 
D= APR 
E= MAY 
F= JUNE 
G= JULY 
H= AUG 
J= SEP 
K= OCT 
L= NOV 
M= DEC 

2010 Model MITSUBISHI Car 

Typical MITSUBISHI Car VIN has 17 Characters starting with MA7 in which 10th and 11th characters represents YEAR and MONTH respectively. 

If your 10th VIN Character is A then it represents Year 2010 
if your 11th VIN Character is G then it represents Month JULY 


Rest of the MONTH Codes are follows 

A= JAN 
B= FEB 
C= MAR 
D= APR 
E= MAY 
F= JUNE 
G= JULY 
H= AUG 
J= SEP 
K= OCT 
L= NOV 
M= DEC 

2010 Model HYUNDAI Car Chassis Number 

Typical HYUNDAI Car Chassis Number has 19 Characters starting with MAL in which 10th and 19th characters represents YEAR and MONTH respectively. 

If your 10th Character is A then it represents Year 2010 
if your 19th Character is G then it represents Month JULY 

You can find the Chassis number on the Floor under the Drivers seat 



Rest of the MONTH Codes are follows 

A= JAN 
B= FEB 
C= MAR 
D= APR 
E= MAY 
F= JUNE 
G= JULY 
H= AUG 
J= SEP 
K= OCT 
L= NOV 
M= DEC 

2010 Model FIAT Car 

Typical FIAT Car VIN has 20 Characters starting with MCA in which 18th character represents MONTH and 19th &20th as YEAR 

If your 18th VIN Character is G then it represents Month JULY 
if your 19th and 20th VIN Character is NZ then it represents Year 2010 


Rest of the MONTH Codes are follows 

A= JAN 
B= FEB 
C= MAR 
D= APR 
E= MAY 
F= JUNE 
G= JULY 
H= AUG 
J= SEP 
K= OCT 
L= NOV 
M= DEC 

2010 Maruti-Suzuki Car


Maruti Car VIN has 17 Characters which doesn't carry the Month and Year Code.

For getting the Month and Year code of Maruti car you have to Look Under the Bonnet near to the hinges there will be additional Letter/Number . if you found that for e.g GA then its July 2010 Manufactured Vehicle. 

other month are giving below 
A= JAN 
B= FEB 
C= MAR 
D= APR 
E= MAY 
F= JUNE 
G= JULY 
H= AUG 
J= SEP 
K= OCT 
L= NOV 
M= DEC

2010 Model SKODA Car 


Typical SKODA Car VIN has 17 Characters starting with TMB in which 6th and 10th characters represents MONTH and YEAR respectively. 

if your 6th VIN Character is G then it represents Month JULY 
If your 10th VIN Character is A then it represents Year 2010 

Rest of the MONTH Codes are follows 

A= JAN 
B= FEB 
C= MAR 
D= APR 
E= MAY 
F= JUNE 
G= JULY 
H= AUG 
J= SEP 
K= OCT 
L= NOV 
M= DEC


Note:- Please spread the word to all your friends/relatives/other forums/blogs to create the awareness. I will update things often here.

Or can we ask them to read out from forum 22???

Thanks Wildon,

This is really very useful information.

Wow!!! It had to be you Wildon. As soon as I saw the title, it reminded me of you.

Keep up the good work. Thanks.

@Balabala- Form 22 is a good alternative to VIN decoding but i believe in VIN decoding.

Very informative

Dear Wildon,

Thank u for this informative article. This is my first post in the auto forum.

Actually I am planning to buy a Maruti A star ZXI, infact yesterday i went to a dealer for booking. But dealer is not well known about the manufacturing month of the same vehicle. they are telling that the particular model has come to their stockyard about 3 months back. Also they are insisting me to buy white and red colored model.

now my questions are...

1. How is the performance of A Star ...? (as i am bit confused...why some maruti A Star has to stay about 3 months in the stockyard...?, also some of my friend are also suggested not to go for A Star...why...?). I had some talk with few A Star owner, but as per them the same is great car with about 18+ km with AC in Hyderabad (& highway 21+ with 80% AC) is it true...?

2. Should I go for this kind of vehicle...? (means which has been stockyarded for about 3 months)

3. dealer is going to give rev horn, flr matting, mud guard, teflon & anti rust coating, steering cover etc as free accessories...are those the standard accessories given by all dealer...?

Mr. Wildon, please reply this post soon as by this week i am going to book car...and if you find A star is not a good choice then suggest me a good hatch back (Bdzt 4.7L - 4.8L, mostly city drive, major concern is mileage, durability & vey decent looks)

Regards,

Dr. Avishek Nath (Hyd)

2010 Maruti-Suzuki Car


Maruti Car VIN has 17 Characters which doesn't carry the Month and Year Code.

For getting the Month and Year code of Maruti car you have to Look Under the Bonnet near to the hinges there will be additional Letter/Number . if you found that for e.g GA then its July 2010 Manufactured Vehicle. 

other month are giving below 
A= JAN 
B= FEB 
C= MAR 
D= APR 
E= MAY 
F= JUNE 
G= JULY 
H= AUG 
J= SEP 
K= OCT 
L= NOV 
M= DEC

1.Every dealer knows the month and year of manufacturing of the car. Form 22 carries the same information.

2. 3 months old is Maruti vehicle in a yard is little suspicious, Check with other Maruti dealers in your city about the availability of A-star Zxi model.

3. Average mileage reported is 13 (City) / 18 (Highway) 

4. A-star is a good car and few negatives are rear back seat which is cramped and the boot space.

I suggest you to open up a new thread for getting better replies as this  thread is for, as the title carries for a different purpose.

Great source of information..thanks wildon..

If I am to take delivery of my vehicle sometime in August, if the month reads June, is it a safe buy?

What I am trying to know is, how far back should the month of manufacture read?