How to decode a 1998 Toyota Camry VIN

Characters 1-3 of a 1998 Toyota Camry VIN

A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is a unique sequence of characters assigned to every manufacturer by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) to precisely identify the make of a vehicle. For instance, the 1998 Toyota Camry produced in the United States by Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc., is represented by the WMI “4T1,” signifying it as a passenger car manufactured in Georgetown, Kentucky. On the other hand, a Toyota Camry produced in Japan by Toyota Motor Corporation bears the WMI “JT2,” denoting it as a passenger car manufactured in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture. These codes are crucial in the automotive industry for vehicle identification, regulation compliance, and ensuring the traceability of a vehicle’s origin. The WMIs facilitate a standardized system for identifying vehicle manufacturers globally, enhancing accuracy and reliability in automotive documentation and records.

List of WMI Codes for a 1998 Toyota Camry

WMI: 4T1

Model Years Covered: 1989-2024
Example VIN: 4T1BF28K9W4053401
Manufacturer Name: Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc.
Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
City: Georgetown
State or Province: Kentucky
Country: United States WMI: JT2
Model Years Covered: 1984-2001
Example VIN: JT2BG28K0W0159575
Manufacturer Name: Toyota Motor Corporation
Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
City: Toyota City
State or Province: Aichi Prefecture
Country: Japan

Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a 1998 Toyota Camry 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 Toyota Camry:

Known VDS for a 1998 Toyota Camry
BF28K	BG22K	BG28K	BF22K

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 Toyota Camry 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 Toyota Camry VIN — Year Code

Year Code	Year
W	1998

11th Character in the 1998 Toyota Camry VIN — Plant Code(s)

Known 1998 Toyota Camry Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)

Plant Code	Plant City	Plant State	Plant Country	Plant Company Name	Example VIN
0	Toyota City	Aichi	Japan	Toyota Motor Corporation-Tsutsumi Plant	JT2BG28K0W0159575
4		Kentucky	United States		4T1BF28K9W4053401
U		Kentucky	United States		4T1BG22K0WU207239

VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 1998 Toyota Camry

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

Check your Toyota Camry’s VIN below:

How to find a 1998 Toyota Camry’s VIN?

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

Look at the dashboard on the driver’s side of your 1998 Toyota Camry. It’s typically visible through the windshield on a small plate close to where the dashboard meets the glass.
Inspect the door pillar on the driver’s side when you open the door of your Camry. There should be a VIN plate or sticker in this area.
Check under the hood of your Toyota Camry; the VIN might also be located on the front of the engine block.
Examine the rear wheel well above the tire. Sometimes, the VIN can be found in this area in older models like the 1998 Camry.
Look underneath the spare tire in the trunk of your vehicle, as the VIN may sometimes be found in this location.

What info can a 1998 Toyota Camry VIN reveal?

Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicle’s model year, potentially indicating the year 1998, providing insights into the age and possibly the technological features or design of the vehicle.
Body Class and Doors: The VIN indicates that the vehicle is a Sedan/Saloon with 4 doors, offering information about its general shape and capacity.
Engine Type and Power: Specifics about the engine being a V-Shaped, 3.0L (3000 CC or 183.071 CI) with an output range from 200 to 217 horsepower showcase the vehicle’s powertrain capabilities.
Fuel Type: The VIN decodes that the vehicle uses Gasoline, which is a critical detail for understanding fuel efficiency and environmental impact.
Safety Features: The VIN indicates the presence of front airbags for both the driver and passenger, as well as side airbags for the 1st row, indicating the vehicle’s commitment to safety.
Manufacturing Details: The VIN provides insights into the vehicle’s origins, including being manufactured by Toyota Motor Corporation in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan, highlighting quality and design principles.
Drive Type: Decoding the VIN reveals that the vehicle is a 4x2, which can help predict its performance in various driving conditions and possibly its fuel efficiency.

Don’t have your 1998 Toyota Camry’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!

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Sample VIN Decode Report for a 1998 Toyota Camry

Vehicle Spec	Value
Body Class	Sedan/Saloon
Cooling Type	Water
Displacement (CC)	3000.0
Displacement (CI)	183.07123228419
Displacement (L)	3.0
Doors	4
Drive Type	4x2
Engine Brake (hp) From	200
Engine Brake (hp) To	217
Engine Configuration	V-Shaped
Engine Manufacturer	Toyota
Engine Model	1MZ-FE
Engine Number of Cylinders	6
Engine Stroke Cycles	4
Front Air Bag Locations	1st Row (Driver and Passenger)
Fuel Type - Primary	Gasoline
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating From	Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating To	Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)
Model	Camry
Model Year	1998
Plant City	Toyota City
Plant Company Name	Toyota Motor Corporation-Tsutsumi plant
Plant Country	Japan
Plant State	Aichi
Seat Belt Type	Manual
Series	MCV20L/SXV20L
Side Air Bag Locations	1st Row (Driver and Passenger)
Vehicle Descriptor	JT2BF28K*W0
Vehicle Type	Passenger Car
Sample_VIN	JT2BF28K0W0087277