Free Honda CR-V VIN Decoder — CR-V VIN Lookup

What you'll get from Honda CR-V VIN check?
Honda CR-V Vehicle History Risk Factors
Characters 1-3 of a Honda CR-V VIN
List of WMI Codes for a Honda CR-V
Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a Honda CR-V VIN
Character 9 is the "check digit" in a Honda CR-V VIN.
10th Character in the Honda CR-V VIN — Year Code
11th Character in the Honda CR-V VIN — Plant Code(s)
Known Honda CR-V Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)
VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a Honda CR-V
How to find a Honda CR-V's VIN?
Sample VIN Decode Report for a Honda CR-V

What you’ll get from Honda CR-V VIN check?

Model Year: The VIN can reveal the model year for the Honda CR-V, potentially indicating that it is a 2024 model.
Manufacturing Location: The VIN indicates that the Honda CR-V was manufactured in Alliston, Ontario, Canada, offering insights into its production origin.
Vehicle Type: Using the VIN, it can be determined that the Honda CR-V is classified as a multipurpose passenger vehicle (MPV), providing information about its intended use.
Transmission Type: The VIN can reveal the type of transmission, potentially indicating that the Honda CR-V is equipped with a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), offering insights into its driving characteristics.
Engine Details: The VIN provides information about the engine, including the number of cylinders, displacement, stroke cycles, and fuel type, allowing for a detailed understanding of the vehicle’s powertrain.

Honda CR-V Vehicle History Risk Factors

Honda has one of the strongest reliability reputations in the used car market, but that reputation can mask specific model-year problems that show up disproportionately in vehicle history reports. A Bumper VIN check on a used Honda is particularly valuable for catching three recurring patterns.

Transmission issues on 2015–2017 CR-Vs and 2016–2017 HR-Vs. Honda’s CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) in these years generated an elevated number of NHTSA complaints and TSBs related to shuddering, hesitation, and premature failure. Look specifically for service records that reference transmission flushes or replacements — a clean-looking CR-V can have a transmission already on borrowed time.

Airbag recall compliance. Honda vehicles were among the most affected by the Takata airbag inflator recall — one of the largest automotive recalls in U.S. history. While most inflators have been replaced, a Bumper report will show you exactly which recalls are open on the specific VIN you’re checking, and whether the prior owner ever had the work done.

Flood and water damage on Civics and Accords. Honda sedans, particularly Civics from 2012–2015, appear frequently in flood damage reports from hurricane-affected regions. Water intrusion causes long-term electrical issues that don’t always show up immediately. If a VIN shows a registration history in Florida, Louisiana, Texas, or New Jersey, a flood damage check is worth running.

Odometer rollback on high-demand models. Honda Accords and CR-Vs rank consistently among the most stolen and most resold used vehicles in the U.S., which also makes them disproportionately common in odometer fraud cases. Verify reported mileage against service record intervals.

A Bumper VIN check shows accident history, title brands, flood damage, and odometer records for this specific vehicle.

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How to decode a Honda CR-V VIN

Characters 1-3 of a Honda CR-V VIN

The World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is the first three characters of a vehicle identification number (VIN), uniquely identifying the manufacturer of the vehicle. For the Honda CR-V, various WMIs indicate the specific plant and country where the vehicle was produced. For example, WMIs such as 2HK and 5J6 correspond to Honda vehicles made in Canada and the United States, respectively, while a WMI starting with JHL signifies a CR-V manufactured in Japan. These characters are crucial in tracing the origin of the vehicle and provide an initial layer of identification that can be used to verify authenticity and gather specific information about the vehicle’s production.

List of WMI Codes for a Honda CR-V

WMI: JHL

Model Years Covered: 1997-2012, 2019
Example VIN: JHLRD1850VC005497
Manufacturer Name: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
Vehicle Type: Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV)
City: Tokyo
State or Province: Musashi
Country: Japan

WMI: SHS

Model Years Covered: 2002-2006
Example VIN: SHSRD77442U010959
Manufacturer Name: Honda of the U.K. Mfg., Ltd.
Vehicle Type: Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV)
City: Swindon
State or Province: Wiltshire
Country: United Kingdom

WMI: 5J6

Model Years Covered: 2007-2024
Example VIN: 5J6RE48307L001179
Manufacturer Name: American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Vehicle Type: Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV)
City: Torrance
State or Province: California
Country: United States

WMI: 3CZ

Model Years Covered: 2008-2016
Example VIN: 3CZRE48508G700005
Manufacturer Name: Honda de Mexico
Vehicle Type: Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV)
City: El Salto
State or Province: Jalisco
Country: Mexico

WMI: 2HK

Model Years Covered: 2012-2024
Example VIN: 2HKRM4H30CH106652
Manufacturer Name: Honda of Canada Mfg., Inc.
Vehicle Type: Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV)
City: Alliston
State or Province: Ontario
Country: Canada

WMI: 7FA

Model Years Covered: 2017-2024
Example VIN: 7FARW1H50HE000822
Manufacturer Name: American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Vehicle Type: Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV)
City: Torrance
State or Province: California
Country: United States

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

These characters correspond to components like:

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

Honda’s Vehicle Descriptor Section encodes trim level, engine type, body style, and restraint system in a way that’s relatively consistent across model years but uses alphanumeric combinations that aren’t intuitive without a reference. For the CR-V, for example, codes beginning with “RE” indicate the third-generation platform, while “RM” and “RW” codes correspond to later generations with different powertrain configurations. The engine character within the VDS will distinguish between Honda’s 1.5L turbocharged four-cylinder, the 2.0L naturally aspirated, and hybrid variants — all of which affect insurance costs, parts availability, and maintenance schedules differently. If you’re comparing two Honda VINs that appear identical by year and trim, the VDS characters are where meaningful differences often hide.

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 Honda CR-V 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 Honda CR-V VIN — Year Code

Year Code	Year
R	2024 Honda CR-V
P	2023 Honda CR-V
N	2022 Honda CR-V
M	2021 Honda CR-V
L	2020 Honda CR-V
K	2019 Honda CR-V
J	2018 Honda CR-V
H	2017 Honda CR-V
G	2016 Honda CR-V
F	2015 Honda CR-V
E	2014 Honda CR-V
D	2013 Honda CR-V
C	2012 Honda CR-V
B	2011 Honda CR-V
A	2010 Honda CR-V
9	2009 Honda CR-V
8	2008 Honda CR-V
7	2007 Honda CR-V
6	2006 Honda CR-V
5	2005 Honda CR-V
4	2004 Honda CR-V
3	2003 Honda CR-V
2	2002 Honda CR-V
1	2001 Honda CR-V
Y	2000 Honda CR-V
X	1999 Honda CR-V
W	1998 Honda CR-V
V	1997 Honda CR-V

11th Character in the Honda CR-V VIN — Plant Code(s)

Known Honda CR-V Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)

Plant Code	Plant City	Plant State	Plant Country	Example VIN
A	Marysville	Ohio	United States	5J6RW2H50JA000118
C	Sayama	Saitama	Japan	JHLRD1850VC005497
E	Greensburg	Indiana	United States	7FARW1H50HE000822
G	El Salto	Jalisco	Mexico	3CZRE48508G700005
H	Alliston	Ontario	Canada	2HKRM4H30CH106652
L	East Liberty	Ohio	United States	JHLRD2848WL003303
S	Suzuka	Mie	Japan	JHLRD1764YS000243
T	Takanezawa	Tochigi	Japan	2HKRW2H50LT168565
U	Swindon	Wiltshire	United Kingdom	SHSRD77442U010959
X	Yorii	Saitama	Japan	JHLRW2H80KX000704

VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a Honda CR-V

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

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How to find a Honda CR-V’s VIN?

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

Look at the dashboard on the driver’s side of your Honda CR-V, just beneath the windshield; this is a common place where the VIN is displayed and can be seen from outside the vehicle.
Open the driver’s side door and check the door jamb area; the Honda CR-V often has a VIN sticker located where the door latches.
Examine the frame of the vehicle; the Honda CR-V may have its VIN etched on the car frame, often in the engine bay or under the vehicle.
Peek under the hood; you might find the VIN engraved on a plate attached to parts of the engine bay in the Honda CR-V.
Check your Honda CR-V’s insurance card/insurance policy or title/registration documents, which will list the VIN along with other details.
In some cases, the VIN might also be found in the rear wheel well; try looking above the tire in the Honda CR-V.
Peek inside the glove box or the middle console; some Honda CR-V models may have a VIN sticker located inside these compartments.

Don’t have your Honda CR-V’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!

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Sample VIN Decode Report for a Honda CR-V

Vehicle Spec	Value
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)	Standard
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)	Standard
Auto-Reverse System for Windows and Sunroofs	Standard
Axles	2
Backup Camera	Standard
Base Price ($)	33150
Blind Spot Warning (BSW)	Standard
Body Class	Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)/Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV)
Cooling Type	Water
Crash Imminent Braking (CIB)	Standard
Curtain Air Bag Locations	1st and 2nd Rows
Daytime Running Light (DRL)	Standard
Displacement (CC)	2000.0
Displacement (CI)	122.04748818946
Displacement (L)	2.0
Doors	5
Drive Type	4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4
Dynamic Brake Support (DBS)	Standard
Electrification Level	Strong HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle)
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)	Standard
Engine Brake (hp) From	143
Engine Brake (hp) To	181
Engine Configuration	In-Line
Engine Manufacturer	Honda
Engine Model	LFB2
Engine Number of Cylinders	4
Engine Stroke Cycles	4
Forward Collision Warning (FCW)	Standard
Front Air Bag Locations	1st Row (Driver and Passenger)
Fuel Delivery / Fuel Injection Type	Sequential Fuel Injection (SFI)
Fuel Type - Primary	Gasoline
Fuel Type - Secondary	Electric
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating From	Class 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg)
Headlamp Light Source	Halogen
Keyless Ignition	Standard
Lane Centering Assistance	Standard
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)	Standard
Lane Keeping Assistance (LKA)	Standard
Model	CR-V
Model Year	2021
Number of Seat Rows	2
Number of Seats	5
Number of Wheels	4
Other Engine Info	Sequential Multiport Fuel Injection / Engine: 143hp & Motor: 181hp
Other Restraint System Info	Front/Rear: Seat Belt / Rear: Side Curtain Air Bag (Outer positions) / Seat Belt (Center position)
Plant City	Greensburg
Plant Company Name
Plant Country	United States
Plant State	Indiana
Rear Cross Traffic Alert	Standard
Seat Belt Type	Manual
Side Air Bag Locations	1st Row (Driver and Passenger)
Steering Location	Left-Hand Drive (LHD)
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Type	Indirect
Traction Control	Standard
Transmission Style	Electronic Continuously Variable (e-CVT)
Trim	HYBRID EX-L
Valve Train Design	Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC)
Vehicle Descriptor	7FART6H8*ME
Vehicle Type	Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle
Wheel Base (inches) From	104.7
Wheel Size Front (inches)	18
Wheel Size Rear (inches)	18
Sample VIN	7FART6H80ME000247

Specs tell you what it was built with. A VIN check tells you what's happened since.

Check any Honda CR-V for accident history, flood damage, salvage title, and odometer fraud.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the VIN on a Honda CR-V?

On most Honda vehicles, the VIN is located on the driver’s side dashboard, visible through the windshield from outside the car. It’s also on a sticker inside the driver’s side door jamb, and on your insurance card, title, and registration documents.

How do I check a Honda CR-V's history for free?

Enter the Honda CR-V’s 17-digit VIN into Bumper’s free VIN check at bumper.com. The free check shows factory specs and open NHTSA recalls. For the full history including accident records, title brands, theft status, and ownership history, run a full Bumper report.

What do Honda CR-V VIN numbers start with?

Honda CR-V VIN's start with JHL for vehicles manufactured by Honda Motor Co., Ltd. in Japan, SHS for vehicles manufactured by Honda of the U.K. Mfg., Ltd. in United Kingdom, 5J6 and 7FA for vehicles manufactured by American Honda Motor Co., Inc. in United States, 3CZ for vehicles manufactured by Honda de Mexico in Mexico, 2HK for vehicles manufactured by Honda of Canada Mfg., Inc. in Canada. The first three characters of any VIN identify the manufacturer. The full WMI table on this page lists all known codes for the Honda CR-V.