How to decode a 2002 Chevrolet Suburban VIN

Characters 1-3 of a 2002 Chevrolet Suburban VIN

A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is a unique code that identifies the manufacturer of a vehicle and provides details about its make and origin. The 2002 Chevrolet Suburban, for example, carries a WMI that denotes it was manufactured by General Motors LLC in Warren, Michigan, United States. This specific WMI reflects that the vehicle is classified as a Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV), indicating its versatile usage. The coverage for this classification spans years from 1987 to 2024, illustrating the longstanding production and evolution of vehicles within this category. This information not only ensures the vehicle’s compatibility with regulatory standards but also assists in tracking its history and specifications.

List of WMI Codes for a 2002 Chevrolet Suburban

WMI: 3GN

Model Years Covered: 1995-2009
Example VIN: 3GNFK16T02G140499
Manufacturer Name: General Motors LLC
Vehicle Type: Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV)
City: Warren
State or Province: Michigan
Country: United States WMI: 1GN
Model Years Covered: 1987-2024
Example VIN: 1GNEC16Z02J112519
Manufacturer Name: General Motors LLC
Vehicle Type: Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV)
City: Warren
State or Province: Michigan
Country: United States

Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a 2002 Chevrolet Suburban 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 2002 Chevrolet Suburban:

Known VDS for a 2002 Chevrolet Suburban
FK16T	EC16Z	GC26U	EC16T	GC26G	GK26G	GK26U	FK16Z

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 2002 Chevrolet Suburban 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 2002 Chevrolet Suburban VIN — Year Code

Year Code	Year
2	2002

11th Character in the 2002 Chevrolet Suburban VIN — Plant Code(s)

Known 2002 Chevrolet Suburban Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)

Plant Code	Plant City	Plant State	Plant Country	Plant Company Name	Example VIN
1	Wentzville	Missouri	United States	Gm Truck Corp	1GNFK16Z621294508
G	Silao	Guanajuato	Mexico		3GNFK16T02G140499
J	Janesville	Wisconsin	United States	Gm Truck Group	1GNEC16Z02J112519
R	Arlington	Texas	United States	Gm Truck Group	1GNGC26U02R256365

VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 2002 Chevrolet Suburban

The final 6 characters in a 2002 Chevrolet Suburban’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.

Check your Chevrolet Suburban’s VIN below:

How to find a 2002 Chevrolet Suburban’s VIN?

Locating the VIN number on your 2002 Chevrolet Suburban is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:

Look at the dashboard on the driver’s side of your Chevrolet Suburban. The VIN can generally be seen through the windshield on a metal or plastic plate just above the dashboard.
Open the driver’s side door and inspect the door jamb for a sticker or plate on the 2002 Chevrolet Suburban, as this is a common area to find the VIN.
Examine the frame of the Chevrolet Suburban where the driver’s side door attaches to the car body; sometimes the VIN is stamped here.
Look under the hood of your Chevrolet Suburban at the front of the engine block. This is another place where the VIN is often located.
Check the rear wheel well above the tire. On some vehicles, the VIN might be found in this area.
Inspect the area around the spare tire. Sometimes, the VIN is located where you access or store the spare tire in your Chevrolet Suburban.

What info can a 2002 Chevrolet Suburban VIN reveal?

Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicles model year being the year 2002, providing insights into the age and potential market value of the vehicle.
Vehicle Type and Body Class: The VIN indicates that it is a Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle with a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)/Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) body class, which provides information about the vehicle’s primary use and body structure.
Engine Specifications: Details about the engine, such as the GM L59 model, V-Shaped with a displacement of 5.3 liters or 5300 CC, and an 8-cylinder configuration, are encoded within the VIN.
Drive Type and Fuel Type: The VIN specifies the drive type as 4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4, and it is identified as a Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV), which indicates the vehicle’s ability to operate on more than one type of fuel.
Manufacturing Details: Information about the manufacturing, including the Plant City being Arlington, Plant State Texas, and the plant country as the United States, under the GM Truck Group, is embedded within the VIN.
Safety and Performance Features: The VIN provides insights into the brake system, which is identified as Hydraulic, and it uses a Multipoint Fuel Injection (MPFI) system for fuel delivery, offering details about the vehicle’s safety and performance features.
Vehicle Identification: In addition to the model year, make (Suburban), series (1500), and trim (1/2 Ton), the sample VIN provided offers a detailed identification that can be used to retrieve specific information about this vehicle.

Don’t have your 2002 Chevrolet Suburban’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!

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Sample VIN Decode Report for a 2002 Chevrolet Suburban

Vehicle Spec	Value
Body Class	Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)/Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV)
Brake System Type	Hydraulic
Displacement (CC)	5300.0
Displacement (CI)	323.42584370208
Displacement (L)	5.3
Drive Type	4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4
Engine Configuration	V-Shaped
Engine Manufacturer	GM
Engine Model	L59
Engine Number of Cylinders	8
Fuel Delivery / Fuel Injection Type	Multipoint Fuel Injection (MPFI)
Fuel Type - Primary	Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV)
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating From	Class 2F: 7,001 - 8,000 lb (3,175 - 3,629 kg)
Model	Suburban
Model Year	2002
Other Engine Info	Iron
Plant City	Janesville
Plant Company Name	GM Truck Group
Plant Country	United States
Plant State	Wisconsin
Series	1500
Trim	1/2 Ton
Vehicle Descriptor	1GNFK16Z*2J
Vehicle Type	Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle
Sample_VIN	1GNFK16Z02J102919