Volvo VIN Decoder
Decode any 17-character Volvo VIN (1981 and newer): year, model, trim, engine, plant and safety equipment from NHTSA's official decoder, plus recall campaigns and owner complaints for that model year.
Popular Volvo models
All Volvo models →Volvo VIN prefixes (WMI codes)
The first three characters of a VIN are the World Manufacturer Identifier. These are the codes NHTSA has on file for manufacturers matching “Volvo”, including related companies and plants abroad.
| WMI | Manufacturer | Vehicle type | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1WA | Volvo White Truck Corporation | Truck | United States (USA) |
| 1WU | Volvo White Truck Corporation | Truck | United States (USA) |
| 2PC | Volvo Group Canada, Inc | Bus | Canada |
| 3CE | Volvo Group Mexico, S.A. De C.V. | Bus | Mexico |
| 3V4 | Volvo Group Operations Mexico, S.A. De C.V. | Truck | Mexico |
| 3X1 | Volvo Group Operations Mexico, S.A. De C.V. | Truck | Mexico |
| 4V1 | Volvo Group North America, Llc | Truck | |
| 4V3 | Volvo Group North America, Llc | Truck | United States (USA) |
| 4V4 | Volvo Group North America, Llc | Truck | United States (USA) |
| 4V6 | Volvo Group North America, Llc | Truck | United States (USA) |
| 4VA | Volvo Group North America, Llc | Truck | |
| 4VD | Volvo Group North America, Llc | Truck | |
| 4VG | Volvo Group North America, Llc | Truck | |
| 4VJ | Volvo Group North America, Llc | Truck | United States (USA) |
| 7JD | Volvo Car Usa, Llc | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) | United States (USA) |
| 7JR | Volvo Car Usa, Llc | Passenger Car | United States (USA) |
| 9BV | Volvo Do Brasil Veiculos Ltda | Truck | Brazil |
| LVY | Daqing Volvo Car Manufacturing Co Ltd | Passenger Car | China |
| LYV | Daqing Volvo Car Manufacturing Co Ltd | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) | China |
| YV1 | Volvo Car Corporation | Passenger Car | Sweden |
| YV3 | Volvo Car Corporation | Bus | Sweden |
| YV4 | Volvo Car Corporation | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) | Sweden |
| YV6 | Volvo Car Corporation | Trailer | Sweden |
Source: NHTSA vPIC GetWMIsForManufacturer.
Volvo in NHTSA’s records
Where the codes point: NHTSA lists Volvo-related WMI codes for United States (8), (4), Sweden (4), Mexico (3), China (2), Canada (1) and Brazil (1). The first character of a VIN usually reflects the country where the vehicle was built, so two cars of the same Volvo model can start with different characters if they were built in different plants.
Latest Volvo recall campaigns
All Volvo recalls →Reading a Volvo VIN
A Volvo VIN follows the same federal 17-character format as every vehicle sold in the US since the 1981 model year. The first three characters are the World Manufacturer Identifier (1WA, 1WU, 2PC, 3CE, 3V4, 3X1 and others for Volvo), positions 4–8 are Volvo's own codes for the model line, body, engine and restraints, position 9 is the check digit, position 10 is the model year and position 11 is the assembly plant.
Because positions 4–8 are maker-specific, the decoder above asks NHTSA's vPIC catalog to translate them, then matches the year, make and model to Volvo's recall campaigns and owner complaints. For a position-by-position walkthrough see how to read a VIN; for the year letter, use the model-year code chart.
Volvo VIN decoder FAQ
Where is the VIN on a Volvo?
On a Volvo car, SUV or light truck, look through the windshield at the driver's-side corner of the dashboard, or read the label on the driver's door jamb. It is also on the title, registration and insurance card. Our guide shows where to find the VIN on each body type.
How do I find the model year from a Volvo VIN?
Look at the 10th character. For cars, SUVs and light trucks, a letter in position 7 means the 2010–2039 cycle and a number means 1980–2009, so the same letter can point to two years 30 years apart.
Does a Volvo VIN decoder show recalls?
It shows the recall campaigns NHTSA lists for that Volvo model year (134 campaigns across the Volvo models in our data). Whether your specific vehicle still needs a repair is only shown by NHTSA's VIN lookup or a Volvo dealer.
What do the first three characters of a Volvo VIN mean?
They are the World Manufacturer Identifier. NHTSA has 23 WMI codes on file for manufacturers matching Volvo, including 1WA, 1WU, 2PC, 3CE. The full list is in the table above.
Which Volvo models have the most complaints filed with NHTSA?
In our data: XC90 (1,526), S60 (1,265), S80 (954). Counts are owner reports across all model years, not failure rates; popular models draw more reports.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA vPIC VIN decoder (DecodeVinValues)
Queried live when you decode · public domain - NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Processing
- We send your VIN to NHTSA vPIC and show the fields it returns; empty fields are hidden by default.
- Recalls and complaints are matched by the decoded year, make and model, not by your VIN.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Reference text reviewed by the Vehicle Data Desk.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.