How to decode a 2012 Chevrolet Impala VIN

Characters 1-3 of a 2012 Chevrolet Impala VIN

World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) codes are unique sequences assigned to every vehicle manufacturer globally to classify the make and model of vehicles. For the 2012 Chevrolet Impala, the WMI is “2G1”, indicating it is a vehicle produced by General Motors LLC in the United States. This particular WMI specifies the vehicle as a passenger car, produced in Warren, Michigan. The scope of years this WMI applies to includes 1982, 1984, and from 2000 to 2020, encompassing a broad range of models within this period. The WMI is crucial in decoding Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs), offering specific information about the vehicle’s manufacturing origins and characteristics.

List of WMI Codes for a 2012 Chevrolet Impala

WMI: 2G1

Model Years Covered: 1982, 1984, 2000-2020
Example VIN: 2G1WG5E30C1100090
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 2012 Chevrolet Impala 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 2012 Chevrolet Impala:

Known VDS for a 2012 Chevrolet Impala
WG5E3	WB5E3	WF5E3	WD5E3	WC5E3	WA5E3

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 2012 Chevrolet Impala 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 2012 Chevrolet Impala VIN — Year Code

Year Code	Year
C	2012

11th Character in the 2012 Chevrolet Impala VIN — Plant Code(s)

Known 2012 Chevrolet Impala Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)

Plant Code	Plant City	Plant State	Plant Country	Plant Company Name	Example VIN
1	Oshawa #2 (Ost)	Ontario	Canada	Gmna	2G1WG5E30C1100090

VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 2012 Chevrolet Impala

The final 6 characters in a 2012 Chevrolet Impala’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.

Check your Chevrolet Impala’s VIN below:

How to find a 2012 Chevrolet Impala’s VIN?

Locating the VIN number on your 2012 Chevrolet Impala is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:

Look at the dashboard on the driver’s side of your Chevrolet Impala, near where the windshield meets the dash. This is a common place where the VIN is displayed and can often be seen from outside the vehicle.
Open the driver’s side door and inspect the door jamb. On many Chevrolet Impala vehicles, there is a sticker or plate that may have the VIN printed on it.
Examine the engine block of your Chevrolet Impala for the VIN, as it is sometimes stamped onto the engine itself.
Check the vehicle’s title documents or insurance papers. The VIN for your Chevrolet Impala will be listed on any official documentation related to the vehicle.

What info can a 2012 Chevrolet Impala VIN reveal?

Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicles model year being the year 2012, providing insights into the age and potential market value of the vehicle.
Body Class and Doors: The VIN provides detailed specifications for a Chevrolet Impala LT (2FL) model, highlighting its body class as a Sedan/Saloon, possibly indicating a 4-door design, offering detailed insights into the vehicle’s design and structure.
Drive Type: The drive type information is not available.
Fuel Type: The VIN suggests that the primary fuel type for this vehicle is Gasoline, with a secondary capability to utilize Ethanol (E85), which may illustrate the vehicle’s flexibility in fuel use.
Safety Features: Insights into the vehicle’s safety features include airbag locations, which are specified as available in all rows, as well as in the 1st row for both the driver and passenger, indicating a possibly high level of passenger protection.
Engine Information: The VIN specifies an LFX engine model, indicating specific performance characteristics, such as its displacement in liters, cubic inches, and cubic centimeters, and additional engine info like compatibility with E85 Max and an aluminum construction.
Manufacturing Details: The VIN decodes to provide manufacturing details such as the vehicle’s assembly in Oshawa #2 (Ost), Ontario, Canada, by the plant company GMNA, possibly giving insight into the geographical origin of the vehicle.
Airbag and Safety Systems: The presence of curtain airbags covering all rows, front airbags for the first row occupants, and side airbags for front-row occupants underscores a comprehensive approach to occupant safety.

Don’t have your 2012 Chevrolet Impala’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!

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Sample VIN Decode Report for a 2012 Chevrolet Impala

Vehicle Spec	Value
Body Class	Sedan/Saloon
Curtain Air Bag Locations	All Rows
Displacement (CC)	3600.0
Displacement (CI)	219.68547874103
Displacement (L)	3.6
Doors	4
Engine Model	LFX
Engine Number of Cylinders	6
Front Air Bag Locations	1st Row (Driver and Passenger)
Fuel Delivery / Fuel Injection Type	Stoichiometric Gasoline Direct Injection (SGDI)
Fuel Type - Primary	Gasoline
Fuel Type - Secondary	Ethanol (E85)
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	Impala
Model Year	2012
Other Engine Info	Book Codes: 0G, BE, A. VVT, E85 Max, Aluminum.
Plant City	Oshawa #2 (Ost)
Plant Company Name	GMNA
Plant Country	Canada
Plant State	Ontario
Seat Belt Type	Manual
Series	LT (1LT)
Side Air Bag Locations	1st Row (Driver and Passenger)
Valve Train Design	Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC)
Vehicle Descriptor	2G1WB5E3*C1
Vehicle Type	Passenger Car
Sample_VIN	2G1WB5E30C1105305