How to decode a 2003 Buick Century VIN

Characters 1-3 of a 2003 Buick Century VIN

A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is a unique three-character sequence that forms the first part of a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which identifies the manufacturer of a vehicle. The WMI serves as a global standard, allowing for clear identification of a vehicle’s make, country of origin, and other key attributes. For the 2003 Buick Century, the WMI “2G4” denotes that the car was manufactured by General Motors LLC in the United States, specifically in Warren, Michigan. This WMI reveals that the vehicle is a passenger car, providing a crucial piece of information for vehicle registration, identification, and tracking purposes. Through such identifiers, regulatory bodies, manufacturers, and owners can ensure the traceability and authenticity of vehicles on a global scale.

List of WMI Codes for a 2003 Buick Century

WMI: 2G4

Model Years Covered: 1997-2005
Example VIN: 2G4WS52J031100465
Manufacturer Name: General Motors LLC
Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
City: Warren
State or Province: Michigan
Country: United States

Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a 2003 Buick Century 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 2003 Buick Century:

Known VDS for a 2003 Buick Century
WS52J	WS55J

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 2003 Buick Century 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 2003 Buick Century VIN — Year Code

Year Code	Year
3	2003

11th Character in the 2003 Buick Century VIN — Plant Code(s)

Known 2003 Buick Century Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)

Plant Code	Plant City	Plant State	Plant Country	Plant Company Name	Example VIN
1	Oshawa #2	Ontario	Canada		2G4WS52J031100465

VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 2003 Buick Century

The final 6 characters in a 2003 Buick Century’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.

Check your Buick Century’s VIN below:

How to find a 2003 Buick Century’s VIN?

Locating the VIN number on your 2003 Buick Century is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:

Look at the dashboard on the driver’s side of your 2003 Buick Century, which is likely visible through the windshield.
Open the driver’s side door and inspect the door jamb for a sticker or plate that should have the VIN for your Buick Century.
Check under the hood; the VIN might be stamped onto the engine block or on a plaque located in the engine compartment.
Examine the trunk area, often the VIN can be found stamped on the chassis beneath the spare tire or on a sticker within the trunk lid. 5. Review your vehicle’s paperwork such as the title, registration, or insurance documents where the VIN of your Buick Century would certainly be listed.

What info can a 2003 Buick Century VIN reveal?

Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicle’s model year as 2003, offering insights into the age and potential market value of the vehicle.
Body Class and Doors: A VIN can specify the body class, indicating that the Buick Century Custom is a Sedan/Saloon, equipped with 4 doors, providing detailed insights into the vehicle’s design and structure.
Engine Type and Displacement: The VIN provides detailed specifications for the engine, revealing it to be an LG8 model with a displacement of 3.1 liters in a V-shaped configuration, which may impact its performance and power output.
Fuel Type and Efficiency: The VIN decodes the fuel type as gasoline, offering insights into fuel compatibility and consumption expectations, while the engine’s sequential fuel injection (SFI) delivery type can provide clues about its fuel efficiency.
Safety Features: It is indicated by the VIN that the vehicle comes with front airbags for both the driver and passenger in the 1st row, along with a side airbag for the driver seat only, demonstrating a commitment to safety.
Manufacturing Location: The VIN indicates that the vehicle was manufactured in Oshawa #2, Ontario, Canada, providing insights into its production location.
Drive Type: Hints about the vehicle’s drive type are possibly available through the VIN, which can help in understanding its handling characteristics and drive configuration.

Don’t have your 2003 Buick Century’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!

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Sample VIN Decode Report for a 2003 Buick Century

Vehicle Spec	Value
Body Class	Sedan/Saloon
Displacement (CC)	3100.0
Displacement (CI)	189.17360669367
Displacement (L)	3.1
Doors	4
Engine Configuration	V-Shaped
Engine Model	LG8
Engine Number of Cylinders	6
Front Air Bag Locations	1st Row (Driver and Passenger)
Fuel Delivery / Fuel Injection Type	Sequential Fuel Injection (SFI)
Fuel Type - Primary	Gasoline
Model	Century
Model Year	2003
Other Engine Info	Name Plate: Buick
Plant City	Oshawa #2
Plant Company Name
Plant Country	Canada
Plant State	Ontario
Seat Belt Type	Manual
Series	Custom
Side Air Bag Locations	Driver Seat Only
Vehicle Descriptor	2G4WS55J*31
Vehicle Type	Passenger Car
Windows	4
Sample_VIN	2G4WS55J031248238