How to decode a 1988 Cadillac Seville VIN
Characters 1-3 of a 1988 Cadillac Seville VIN
A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is a unique code designated to every vehicle manufacturer by the Society of Automotive Engineers. The WMI forms the first three characters of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) which provides specific information about the vehicle, including its manufacturing origin. For the 1988 Cadillac Seville, the WMI “1G6” represents a passenger car manufactured by General Motors LLC in Warren, Michigan, United States. This identifier not only confirms General Motors as the maker but also signifies its production in the recognized facility, underscoring its classification as a passenger vehicle. The WMI is a crucial element in the automotive industry for tracking, registration, and recall purposes.
List of WMI Codes for a 1988 Cadillac Seville
WMI: 1G6
- Model Years Covered: 1981-2004
- Example VIN: 1G6KS5150JU817539
- 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 1988 Cadillac Seville 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 1988 Cadillac Seville:
| Known VDS for a 1988 Cadillac Seville |
|---|
| KS515 |
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 1988 Cadillac Seville 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 1988 Cadillac Seville VIN — Year Code
| Year Code | Year |
|---|---|
| J | 1988 |
11th Character in the 1988 Cadillac Seville VIN — Plant Code(s)
Known 1988 Cadillac Seville Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)
| Plant Code | Plant City | Plant State | Plant Country | Plant Company Name | Example VIN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U | Hamtramck | Michigan | United States | Na-Clcd | 1G6KS5150JU817539 |
VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 1988 Cadillac Seville
The final 6 characters in a 1988 Cadillac Seville’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.
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How to find a 1988 Cadillac Seville’s VIN?
Locating the VIN number on your 1988 Cadillac Seville is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:
- Look at the dashboard on the driver’s side of your 1988 Cadillac Seville. The VIN can usually be seen through the windshield.
- Open the driver’s side door to inspect the door frame for a VIN sticker, as the Cadillac Seville often has this information where the door latches.
- Check beneath the hood; the VIN might be stamped on the engine block or on a plaque in the engine compartment of the Cadillac Seville.
- Review your vehicle’s title or registration documents, as those will always list your Cadillac Seville’s VIN.
- For older vehicles like your 1988 Cadillac Seville, sometimes the VIN can also be found on the frame near the windshield washer fluid container.
- Examine the rear wheel well; occasionally, the VIN might be stamped on the inner side, which is visible from above if you are looking down behind the tire.
What info can a 1988 Cadillac Seville VIN reveal?
- Model Year and Make: The VIN can reveal the vehicles model year being the year 1988, providing insights into the age and potential market value of the vehicle. It also identifies the make as Seville.
- Engine Specifications: The VIN can disclose specific engine details, such as a V-Shaped configuration with 8 cylinders and a displacement of 4.5 liters (4500.0 CC or 274.60684842629 CI), equipped with Multipoint Fuel Injection (MPFI) technology.
- Fuel Type: The primary fuel type for the vehicle, like Gasoline, can be identified through the VIN.
- Vehicle Type and Body Class: It can specify the vehicle type as a Passenger Car and detail its body class, such as Sedan/Saloon, including the number of doors, which could be 4 in this case.
- Manufacturing Location: The VIN often contains information about the manufacturing location, indicating not just the country, such as the United States, but also the state (Michigan) and city (Hamtramck) where the vehicle was assembled.
- Safety Features: Basic safety features, for example, the type of seat belt (Manual) installed in the vehicle, could be inferred from the VIN.
- Vehicle Identifier: Specific segments of the VIN, for instance, the Vehicle Descriptor ‘1G6KS515*JU’ and the Sample VIN ‘1G6KS5150JU817539’, uniquely identify the model, allowing for in-depth vehicle history and specifications tracking.
Don’t have your 1988 Cadillac Seville’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!
Sample VIN Decode Report for a 1988 Cadillac Seville
| Vehicle Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Body Class | Sedan/Saloon |
| Displacement (CC) | 4500.0 |
| Displacement (CI) | 274.60684842629 |
| Displacement (L) | 4.5 |
| Doors | 4 |
| Engine Configuration | V-Shaped |
| Engine Number of Cylinders | 8 |
| Fuel Delivery / Fuel Injection Type | Multipoint Fuel Injection (MPFI) |
| Fuel Type - Primary | Gasoline |
| Model | Seville |
| Model Year | 1988 |
| Plant City | Hamtramck |
| Plant Company Name | NA-CLCD |
| Plant Country | United States |
| Plant State | Michigan |
| Seat Belt Type | Manual |
| Vehicle Descriptor | 1G6KS515*JU |
| Vehicle Type | Passenger Car |
| Sample_VIN | 1G6KS5150JU817539 |
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