Lincoln VIN Decoder
A Lincoln VIN decoder gives you everything you need to know about a Lincoln’s specifications, features, production details, and even history records. The more you know about a vehicle, the better the driving experience and choices made in the car market.
Compare several vehicles with our Lincoln VIN decoder!
What is a Lincoln VIN Number?
A Lincoln VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is a distinct 17-character code assigned to every vehicle produced by Lincoln. This number provides access to detailed information about the vehicle, such as its make, model, year of manufacture, engine type, transmission, and more.
The primary advantage of the VIN is that it verifies the vehicle’s authenticity and can help to confirm the original specs and features. The VIN also helps track the vehicle’s history, including accident history, recalls, or theft records, enabling buyers to identify vehicles that may be damaged, stolen, or salvaged.
Lincoln VIN Number Breakdown – How to Read a Lincoln VIN Number
Before we start, note that the letters Q (q), I (i), and O (o) are omitted from a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to avoid confusion with the numbers 1, 0, and 9.
Now, let’s break down what all those characters in a Lincoln VIN mean. A VIN is made up of 17 characters (except in classic vehicles), and each one gives you a clue about your Lincoln’s specific details. These characters are also grouped into three segments to make decoding easier, they are:
- World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI): This includes the first three characters and signifies the vehicle’s country of origin and manufacturer.
- Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS): This section includes the 4th to 9th characters and contains information about the vehicle’s make, engine specs, model, and more.
- Vehicle Identifier Section: Here, you will find the 10th to 17th characters, which encode details like the model year, manufacturing plant code, and a serial number unique to each vehicle.
What does each character mean?
1st Character: Lincoln Country of Origin
With the first character, you can tell where the vehicle was manufactured. This helps identify the country of production.
- 1, 4, 5 = United States
- 2 = Canada
- 3 = Mexico
For example, a Lincoln with a VIN starting with “3” represents the Ford Motor Company, Mexico.
2nd Character: Manufacturer
The second character in the Lincoln VIN shows the vehicle’s manufacturer. In Lincoln VINs, you would see an “L” as the second character representing Lincoln.
3rd Character: Vehicle Type
This character indicates your Lincoln’s body style or type of vehicle. For example:
- T = Truck
- M = SUV
- N = Sedan
To be sure of your vehicle’s body style, it’s best to use a Lincoln VIN decoder.
4th Character: Restraint System
The fourth character identifies the safety systems installed in the passenger compartment of the vehicle at the factory. For example, cars with active safety belts and airbags in both positions are “L.”
5th to 7th Character: Vehicle Features
These characters indicate the vehicle line series, model, and equipment specific to the model. Use a decoder to find out the particular features of your Lincoln.
8th Character: Engine Specs
The eighth character on a VIN tells the engine’s specifications. This helps to know the engine’s size, configuration, and sometimes fuel type. For example, this character is “V” for the 4.6 liters EFI 4 valve per cylinder eight-cylinder engine that is found only in the Mark VIII.
9th Character: Check Digit
This digit simply verifies that the VIN is authentic and not a fake string of random characters. It is calculated using a specific algorithm developed by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
10th Character: Model Year
The tenth character indicates the model year and alternates between numbers and letters. Each letter represents a specific year; ‘W,’ for example, signifies a Lincoln from the 1998 model year.
Here’s a table that can help you easily identify any Lincoln’s model year:
| Code/Year | Code/Year | Code/Year | Code/Year | Code/Year |
| A 1980 B 1981 C 1982 D 1983 E 1984 F 1985 G 1986 H 1987 J 1988 K 1989 | L 1990 M 1991 N 1992 P 1993 R 1994 S 1995 T 1996 V 1997 W 1998 X 1999 | Y 2000 1 2001 2 2002 3 2003 4 2004 5 2005 6 2006 7 2007 8 2008 9 2009 | A 2010 B 2011 C 2012 D 2013 E 2014 F 2015 G 2016 H 2017 J 2018 K 2019 | L 2020 M 2021 N 2022 P 2023 R 2024 S 2025 T 2026 V 2027 W 2028 X 2029 |
11th Character: Assembly Plant
The eleventh character shows the vehicle’s assembly plant – the exact factory where the vehicle was built. Some of these plants are:
- Y = Wixom, Michigan
- R = Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
Other plants are:
- Chicago Assembly Plant, Illinois, USA.
- Oakville Assembly Plant, Ontario, Canada.
- Wayne Assembly Plant, Michigan, USA
- St. Thomas Assembly Plant, Ontario, Canada
- Kentucky Truck Plant, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
- Chongqing Plant, China
- Hangzhou Plant, China
12th to 17th Characters: Serial Number
These characters make up the unique sequential number of the Lincoln. This distinguishes it uniquely from other Lincolns with the same model, trim, etc., manufactured in the same plant.
Where is the VIN Number on a Lincoln?
Locating the VIN on a Lincoln is easy, as it can be found in multiple places on the vehicle. All you need is to know where to look. Lincoln includes the VIN in several locations on the vehicle itself and in its documentation.
Here’s where you can find the VIN number on a Lincoln:
- On the dashboard of the vehicle, near the windshield
- On the driver’s side door jamb
- On the engine block
- On the vehicle’s firewall
- In the left-hand inner wheel arch
- On the steering wheel/steering column
- On the radiator support bracket
- On the car’s title, registration, maintenance book, or the auto insurance policy
With a simple look, you should find the VIN on your vehicle.
What Information Can I Get from a Lincoln VIN Lookup?
You can learn everything about a vehicle from when it was manufactured until the current date with a Lincoln VIN number lookup. This includes vehicle specifications, features, build sheets, options, packages, and even history records.
Here’s a glimpse of specifications you can access when you decode the VIN with a Lincoln VIN decoder:
- Year
- Make
- Exterior dimensions
- Number of doors
- Ground clearance
- Standard seating
- Transmission style
- Fuel type
- Braking
- Range extender
- Engine Description
- Front airbag information
- Emissions
- Cargo dimensions
- Model
- Valve train design
- Interior dimensions
- Suspension
- Traction battery
- Engine Size and specs
- Drive Type
- Tank capacity
- Trailering
- Displacement
- Mileage
- Tire pressure and size
- Wheels
- Electrical powertrain
- Trim
- Country
- Delivery charges
- Steering
- Weight
- MSRP
- Body type
- Seating
- EPA Class
- Engine model
- Engine configuration
- Seat belt type
- Off-road attributes
- Electrical specifications
- Year
- Make
- Exterior dimensions
- Number of doors
- Ground clearance
- Standard seating
- Transmission style
- Fuel type
- Braking
- Range extender
- Engine Description
- Front airbag information
- Emissions
- Cargo dimensions
- Model
- Valve train design
- Interior dimensions
- Suspension
- Traction battery
- Engine Size and specs
- Drive Type
- Tank capacity
- Trailering
- Displacement
- Mileage
- Tire pressure and size
- Wheels
- Electrical powertrain
- Trim
- Country
- Delivery charges
- Steering
- Weight
- MSRP
- Body type
- Seating
- EPA Class
- Engine model
- Engine configuration
- Seat belt type
- Off-road attributes
- Electrical specifications
Not just that, a Lincoln VIN lookup also tracks vehicle history records from when the vehicle first left the factory. Some records you can view include:
- Mileage
- Odometer Readings
- Sales History
- Auction History
- Accident History
- Title Brand
- Salvage Title
- Hail Damage
- Flood Damage
- Structural Damage
- Ownership History
- Usage History
- Ownership Duration
- Lien & Loans
- Maintenance Schedule
- Warranty Status
- Repair Cost
- Recalls History
- Mileage
- Odometer Readings
- Sales History
- Auction History
- Accident History
- Title Brand
- Salvage Title
- Hail Damage
- Flood Damage
- Structural Damage
- Ownership History
- Usage History
- Ownership Duration
- Lien & Loans
- Maintenance Schedule
- Warranty Status
- Repair Cost
- Recalls History
Before searching for other online tools, we would recommend you use ours. Not all providers can give you all details listed on this page. Use our window sticker lookup tool to get all the specifications on a window sticker.
How to Decode a Lincoln VIN Number?
If you have the Lincoln VIN handy, you can decode it with our Lincoln VIN decoder instantly with just a few steps:
- Enter the Lincoln VIN in the form above. Our tool can decode standard VINs (17 characters) and classic VINs (5 – 14 characters). You can also use the license plate number or the year, make, and model of the vehicle if you don’t have the VIN.
- Click on ‘Search’ to preview your vehicle’s specifications for free.
- Complete the payment process to get a detailed vehicle history report showing vehicle specifications and history records.
Using our Lincoln VIN decoder, you can also break down all the characters of a VIN to access the specifications and build data, whether for classic or modern vehicles.
Common Uses of the Lincoln VIN Number
The Lincoln VIN is primarily used for identifying a specific Lincoln and can also be used for various purposes, including:
Vehicle Registration
No vehicle can be driven on the streets legally without registration, and this process requires the VIN. At the State bureaus or departments of motor vehicles, the VIN is used for all vehicle paperwork for proper identification.
Insurance Purposes
The VIN is also required during insurance applications. Insurance companies usually check every vehicle before providing quotes. With the VIN, they can check the vehicle’s specifications, costs, and history records to create personalized quotes for BMW owners.
Window Stickers
The VIN is very useful in generating window stickers to check any vehicle’s specifications, such as make, model, engine type, MSRP, warranty, standard and optional features, and trim. This ensures that potential buyers can verify the exact features and details of the vehicle before making a purchase.
Vehicle History Checks
The VIN is very useful in checking any vehicle’s specifications and history records, such as theft records, sales records, damages, accidents, salvage brands, rebuilt titles, build data, warranty coverage, and more. With a simple BMW VIN number check, car buyers, sellers, and dealers can avoid damaged cars and negotiate accurately.
Police Checks
The police also need the VIN to track vehicles. For example, if a car gets reported as stolen, they can place police markers on the VIN and keep track of the vehicle easily. With this, they can even get alerts at checkpoints.
Safety Recalls
Hundreds of thousands of vehicles are recalled every year. With the VINs, BMW can identify specific vehicle models that get recalled and notify the owners to get them fixed as soon as possible. Car buyers can also check for pending recalls on any used car before purchasing using the VIN.
Top Lincoln Models You Can Lookup With a Lincoln VIN Decoder
Our Lincoln VIN decoder can break down the VIN of your favorite models to view specs, features, and history, including:
| Aviator | Continental | Town Car | Mark IV |
| Navigator | MKC | Mark VIII | Mark III |
| Corsair | MKX | Mark VII | Aviator Grand Touring |
| Nautilus | MKT | Mark VI | Corsair Grand Touring |
| MKZ | MKS | Mark V | Navigator L |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you read a Lincoln VIN number?
A Lincoln VIN is a 17-character code that identifies your vehicle. Here’s how to read to VIN number: 1st character is the country, 2nd is the manufacturer, 3rd is the vehicle type, 4th-8th are vehicle features, 9th is the security code, 10th is the model year, 11th is the assembly plant, and 12th-17th are the serial number.
Can I look up my vehicle specs by VIN number?
Yes, using a Lincoln VIN decoder, you can access detailed information about your vehicle’s specifications, features, engine, transmission, build sheet, and much more. Simply enter the VIN to get these details.
Can I get a build sheet from a VIN number?
Yes, you can obtain a build sheet from a VIN number. The build sheet contains information about the vehicle’s original specifications, features, and options and by filling out the form on this page, you can get a copy of your Lincoln’s original buildsheet.
Is there a free VIN decoder?
Yes, there are free VIN decoders available online, including ours. You can use it to decode a VIN and preview basic vehicle specifications. However, you may need to pay for a detailed history report.