How to decode a Buick Park Avenue VIN

Characters 1-3 of a Buick Park Avenue VIN

The World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is a unique three-letter or three-number code assigned to every vehicle manufacturer to identify the make of a vehicle. This code forms the first three characters of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which is the automotive equivalent of a fingerprint, unique to each vehicle. For the Buick Park Avenue, a luxury sedan produced by General Motors from 1991 to 2005, the WMI is 1G4. This sequence indicates that the vehicle was manufactured by General Motors (denoted by the 1G), and it is specifically a Buick model (signified by the 4). Each Buick Park Avenue VIN starts with this WMI, pointing to its identity as part of the Buick family and providing a link to its manufacturing origins.

List of WMI Codes for a Buick Park Avenue

WMI: 1G4

Model Years Covered: 1991-2005
Example VIN: 1G4CW53L1M1627655
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 Buick Park Avenue 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 Buick Park Avenue:

Known VDS for a Buick Park Avenue
CW53L	CU531	CW52L	CU521	CW52K	CU541	CW54K

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 Buick Park Avenue 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 Buick Park Avenue VIN — Year Code

Year Code	Year
5	2005 Buick Park Avenue
4	2004 Buick Park Avenue
3	2003 Buick Park Avenue
2	2002 Buick Park Avenue
1	2001 Buick Park Avenue
Y	2000 Buick Park Avenue
X	1999 Buick Park Avenue
W	1998 Buick Park Avenue
V	1997 Buick Park Avenue
T	1996 Buick Park Avenue
S	1995 Buick Park Avenue
R	1994 Buick Park Avenue
P	1993 Buick Park Avenue
N	1992 Buick Park Avenue
M	1991 Buick Park Avenue

11th Character in the Buick Park Avenue VIN — Plant Code(s)

Known Buick Park Avenue Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)

Plant Code	Plant City	Plant State	Plant Country	Plant Company Name	Example VIN
1	Wentzville	Missouri	United States	Wentzville Assembly	1G4CW53L1M1627655
4	Orion	Michigan	United States	Na-Gm Corp	1G4CW52K0V4600598
H	Flint	Michigan	United States	Na- Clcd	1G4CW52L0RH616758
U	Hamtramck	Michigan	United States	Na-Gm Corp	1G4CW52K4WU400129

VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a Buick Park Avenue

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

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How to find a Buick Park Avenue’s VIN?

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

Look at the dashboard on the driver’s side of your Buick Park Avenue, near where the windshield meets the dash.
Open the driver’s side door and check the door jamb area for a sticker that will typically have the VIN displayed.
Inspect the engine block, where the VIN may be stamped directly onto the engine of your Buick Park Avenue.
Review the vehicle registration or insurance documents, which will have the VIN listed for your Buick Park Avenue.
Check underneath the spare tire in the trunk, where you might find a sticker or plate with the VIN.
Examine the frame of the car, near the front, for a stamped plate or sticker displaying the VIN.
Look at the bottom corner of the front windshield on the passenger’s side, as some vehicles also display the VIN in this location.

What info can a Buick Park Avenue VIN reveal?

Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicle’s model year, indicating the year 2005, offering insights into the age and potential historical value of the vehicle.
Body Class and Doors: A VIN can specify the body class, indicating that the Buick Park Avenue may be a sedan with a certain number of doors, providing detailed insights into the vehicle’s design and structure.
Drive Type: The drive type can also be identified from the VIN, offering clues about the vehicle’s handling characteristics and drive configuration.
Engine Type: The VIN can reveal the engine configuration of the vehicle, providing insights into the power and performance of the vehicle.

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

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Sample VIN Decode Report for a Buick Park Avenue

Vehicle Spec	Value
Body Class	Sedan/Saloon
Displacement (CC)	3800.0
Displacement (CI)	231.89022755998
Displacement (L)	3.8
Doors	4
Engine Configuration	V-Shaped
Engine Manufacturer	GMPTG Flint
Engine Model	L36
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	Park Avenue
Model Year	2004
Other Engine Info	Name Plate: Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick
Plant City	Orion
Plant Company Name	NA-GM Corp
Plant Country	United States
Plant State	Michigan
Seat Belt Type	Manual
Side Air Bag Locations	1st Row (Driver and Passenger)
Valve Train Design	Overhead Valve (OHV)
Vehicle Descriptor	1G4CW54K*44
Vehicle Type	Passenger Car
Windows	4
Sample_VIN	1G4CW54K044126972