Free 1986 Honda Prelude VIN Decoder

How to decode a 1986 Honda Prelude VIN

Characters 1-3 of a 1986 Honda Prelude VIN

A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is a unique code assigned to every vehicle manufacturer by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). It forms the first three characters of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which provides specific information about the vehicle, including its place of manufacture, the manufacturer itself, and the type of vehicle. For the 1986 Honda Prelude, the WMI “JHM” signifies that the car was manufactured by Honda Motor Co., Ltd. in Tokyo, Musashi, Japan, and indicates that the vehicle is a passenger car. This specific WMI is a key component in identifying vehicles globally and providing essential information about their origin and classification.

List of WMI Codes for a 1986 Honda Prelude

WMI: JHM

• Model Years Covered: 1981-1982, 1985-2001
• Example VIN: JHMAB7221GC020206
• Manufacturer Name: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
• Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
• City: Tokyo
• State or Province: Musashi
• Country: Japan

Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a 1986 Honda Prelude 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 1986 Honda Prelude:

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 1986 Honda Prelude 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 1986 Honda Prelude VIN — Year Code

11th Character in the 1986 Honda Prelude VIN — Plant Code(s)

Known 1986 Honda Prelude Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)

VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 1986 Honda Prelude

The final 6 characters in a 1986 Honda Prelude’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.

What info can a 1986 Honda Prelude VIN reveal?

• Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicles model year being the year 1986, providing insights into the age and potential market value of the vehicle.
• Vehicle Specifications: The VIN may contain basic vehicle information, such as the make and model (e.g., Prelude), along with the engine model (ET2) and power output starting from 100 horsepower.
• Body Class and Doors: Details about the body class, such as Coupe, and the number of doors, typically 2, can be inferred from the VIN, offering insights into the vehicle’s design and structure.
• Manufacturing Location: The VIN can provide insights into where the vehicle was manufactured, indicating a plant in Saitama/Sayama, Japan.
• Safety Features: The VIN might suggest the type of seat belt equipped in the vehicle, for instance, manual seat belts, offering some insights into the safety features of the vehicle.
• Transmission Details: It can give details about the vehicle’s transmission, including the style (Automatic) and the number of speeds (4), offering information about the vehicle’s driving characteristics.
• Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR): The VIN can classify the vehicle’s maximum weight, identifying it within Class 1, which is 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less), offering insights into the vehicle’s load-bearing capabilities.

Sample VIN Decode Report for a 1986 Honda Prelude

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