How to decode a 2012 Chevrolet Volt VIN

Characters 1-3 of a 2012 Chevrolet Volt VIN

A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is the first three characters of a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which uniquely identifies the manufacturer of the vehicle. For the 2012 Chevrolet Volt, the WMI is “1G1,” denoting General Motors LLC as the manufacturer. This specific identifier indicates that the vehicle is a Passenger Car made in the United States, specifically in Warren, Michigan. The WMI forms an essential part of the VIN, providing crucial information about the vehicle’s origins and manufacturer at a glance. Such identifiers are standardized globally, facilitating vehicle identification and information retrieval across the automotive industry.

List of WMI Codes for a 2012 Chevrolet Volt

WMI: 1G1

Model Years Covered: 2011-2019
Example VIN: 1G1RA6E40CU104576
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 Volt 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 Volt:

Known VDS for a 2012 Chevrolet Volt
RA6E4	RB6E4	RG6E4	RD6E4	RH6E4	RC6E4	RF6E4	RE6E4

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 Volt 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 Volt VIN — Year Code

Year Code	Year
C	2012

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

Known 2012 Chevrolet Volt Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)

Plant Code	Plant City	Plant State	Plant Country	Plant Company Name	Example VIN
4	Orion	Michigan	United States	Gmna	1G1RD6E4XC4110327
U	Detroit Hamtramck	Michigan	United States	Gmna	1G1RA6E40CU104576

VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 2012 Chevrolet Volt

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

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How to find a 2012 Chevrolet Volt’s VIN?

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

Look at the dashboard on the driver’s side of your Chevrolet Volt, near the corner where it meets the windshield. The VIN can typically be seen through the windshield.
Open the driver’s side door and check the door jamb. There is usually a sticker or plate with the VIN where the door latches.
Examine the front of the engine block. In the Chevrolet Volt models, the VIN may be stamped on the engine.
Inspect the rear wheel well above the tire. Sometimes, the VIN can be found in this somewhat hidden location on a Chevrolet Volt.
Look beneath the spare tire in the trunk or cargo area. The VIN might be printed on the body of the car in this spot.
View the frame of the vehicle. This may require a bit more effort, but the VIN can sometimes be found on the car frame, usually under the vehicle.

What info can a 2012 Chevrolet Volt VIN reveal?

Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicle’s model year, such as 2012 for the Volt model, potentially providing insights into the age and market value of the vehicle.
Electrification Level: The type of electrification, like PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), may indicate the vehicle’s propulsion system, suggesting it can operate on both electric power and gasoline.
Engine Details: Specifics about the engine, such as its model LUU - FFV, E-Flex, FAM, displacement measurements (1400.0 CC, 85.43 CI, 1.4 L), and the fact it has four cylinders, can offer insights into its performance capabilities.
Fuel Type: The VIN can identify both the primary and secondary fuel types the vehicle is designed to use, revealing that the vehicle can operate on electric power and also supports gasoline.
Safety Features: Information on airbag locations, including curtain airbags in all rows and front airbags in the 1st row (driver and passenger), may indicate the safety provisions made in the vehicle’s design.
Body Class and Doors: Details like the body class being Hatchback/Liftback/Notchback and the vehicle having 4 doors can give a clear idea of the vehicle’s size and style.
Manufacturing Location: The plant’s location, including city (Detroit Hamtramck), country (United States), and state (Michigan), encoded within the VIN, may reflect on the vehicle’s production origin.

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Sample VIN Decode Report for a 2012 Chevrolet Volt

Vehicle Spec	Value
Body Class	Hatchback/Liftback/Notchback
Curtain Air Bag Locations	All Rows
Displacement (CC)	1400.0
Displacement (CI)	85.43324173262
Displacement (L)	1.4
Doors	4
Electrification Level	PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle)
Engine Model	LUU - FFV, E-Flex, FAM
Engine Number of Cylinders	4
Front Air Bag Locations	1st Row (Driver and Passenger)
Fuel Delivery / Fuel Injection Type	Multipoint Fuel Injection (MPFI)
Fuel Type - Primary	Electric
Fuel Type - Secondary	Gasoline
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	Volt
Model Year	2012
Plant City	Detroit Hamtramck
Plant Company Name	GMNA
Plant Country	United States
Plant State	Michigan
Seat Belt Type	Manual
Side Air Bag Locations	1st Row (Driver and Passenger)
Trim	Standard w/Low Emissions Package
Valve Train Design	Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC)
Vehicle Descriptor	1G1RE6E4*CU
Vehicle Type	Passenger Car
Sample_VIN	1G1RE6E41CU122914