How to decode a 1998 Honda Civic VIN

Characters 1-3 of a 1998 Honda Civic VIN

A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is the initial three-character sequence in a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), revealing crucial details about the car’s manufacturer, including the name, location, and type of vehicle. For instance, 1998 Honda Civics have WMIs like “1HG,” indicating they were manufactured by American Honda Motor Co., Inc. in Torrance, California, United States, for passenger use. Another common WMI for this model is “2HG,” which points to Honda of Canada Mfg., Inc. in Alliston, Ontario, Canada. These identifiers help in tracking, regulation, and recall implementation for vehicles globally.

List of WMI Codes for a 1998 Honda Civic

WMI: 1HG

Model Years Covered: 1987-2009
Example VIN: 1HGEJ8540WL026586
Manufacturer Name: American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
City: Torrance
State or Province: California
Country: United States WMI: 2HG
Model Years Covered: 1988-2024
Example VIN: 2HGEJ8541WH539018
Manufacturer Name: Honda of Canada Mfg., Inc.
Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
City: Alliston
State or Province: Ontario
Country: Canada WMI: JHM
Model Years Covered: 1981-1983, 1985-2012, 2018-2019, 2022-2023
Example VIN: JHMEJ6670WS004359
Manufacturer Name: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
City: Tokyo
State or Province: Musashi
Country: Japan

Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a 1998 Honda Civic VIN

These characters correspond to components like:

Engine type
Transmission
Model or trim
Body style
Gross vehicle weight range

Below find the known vehicle descriptor codes for a 1998 Honda Civic:

Known VDS for a 1998 Honda Civic
EJ854	EJ644	EJ657	EJ612	EJ622	EJ722	EJ667	EJ814	EJ864	EJ652
EJ825	EJ642	EN164	EJ662	EJ712	EJ634	EJ824	EJ633

Auto manufacturers have some discretion to decide how they want to code this section, but its contents and decoded results are generally consistent.

Character 9 is the “check digit” in a 1998 Honda Civic VIN.

Based on a formula developed by the US Department of Transportation, it helps reduce fraud by ensuring the validity of the VIN.

10th Character in the 1998 Honda Civic VIN — Year Code

Year Code	Year
W	1998

11th Character in the 1998 Honda Civic VIN — Plant Code(s)

Known 1998 Honda Civic Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)

Plant Code	Plant City	Plant State	Plant Country	Example VIN
H	Alliston	Ontario	Canada	2HGEJ8541WH539018
L	East Liberty	Ohio	United States	1HGEJ8540WL026586
S	Suzuka	Mie	Japan	JHMEJ6670WS004359

VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 1998 Honda Civic

The final 6 characters in a 1998 Honda Civic’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.

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How to find a 1998 Honda Civic’s VIN?

Locating the VIN number on your 1998 Honda Civic is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:

Look at the dashboard on the driver’s side of your 1998 Honda Civic. The VIN is typically visible through the bottom corner of the windshield.
Open the driver’s side door and examine the door jamb. You can often find the VIN on a sticker or a plate where the door latches.
Inspect the firewall of the vehicle inside the engine compartment; the VIN may be stamped onto a plate in this area.
Check the frame near the windshield washer container under the hood; sometimes the VIN is located here on older Honda Civic models.

What info can a 1998 Honda Civic VIN reveal?

Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicles model year being the year 1998, providing insights into the age and potential market value of the vehicle.
Body Class and Doors: A VIN can specify the body class, such as Sedan/Saloon, and the number of doors; for a 1998 vehicle, this may indicate a 4-door design, offering detailed insights into the vehicle’s design and potential space for passengers.
Engine Type and Size: The VIN details provide engine characteristics, such as the D16Y7 model with an approximate displacement of 1.589 liters and 97 cubic inches, suggesting a focus on compact and efficient engine design.
Fuel Type: The VIN indicates that the vehicle runs on gasoline, which can offer insights into the type of engine and potential fuel efficiency users can expect from vehicles of this era and model.
Safety Features: The VIN notes the presence of front airbags for both driver and passenger in the first row, illustrating the safety measures equipped in the vehicle.
Transmission Details: The VIN specifies that this vehicle has a manual/standard transmission with 5 speeds, providing insights into the driving experience and vehicle control.
Plant Information: The vehicle manufacturing information reveals that it was manufactured in East Liberty, Ohio, United States, providing geographic origin insights for regional specifications or manufacturing standards.

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Sample VIN Decode Report for a 1998 Honda Civic

Vehicle Spec	Value
Body Class	Sedan/Saloon
Displacement (CC)	1589.545208
Displacement (CI)	97
Displacement (L)	1.589545208
Doors	4
Engine Brake (hp) From	106.00
Engine Configuration	In-Line
Engine Model	D16Y7
Engine Number of Cylinders	4
Front Air Bag Locations	1st Row (Driver and Passenger)
Fuel Type - Primary	Gasoline
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating From	Class 1B: 3,001 - 4,000 lb (1,360 - 1,814 kg)
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating To	Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)
Model	Civic
Model Year	1998
Plant City	East Liberty
Plant Company Name
Plant Country	United States
Plant State	Ohio
Seat Belt Type	Manual
Transmission Speeds	5
Transmission Style	Manual/Standard
Trim	LX
Valve Train Design	Single Overhead Cam (SOHC)
Vehicle Descriptor	1HGEJ657*WL
Vehicle Type	Passenger Car
Sample_VIN	1HGEJ6571WL002442