How to decode a 1988 Honda Prelude VIN
Characters 1-3 of a 1988 Honda Prelude VIN
A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is a unique code used to identify the manufacturer of a vehicle, comprising the first three characters of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). It reveals key information about the vehicle, including its manufacturing location and vehicle type. Taking the 1988 Honda Prelude as an example, its WMI indicates that it was produced by Honda Motor Co., Ltd. This particular vehicle was manufactured in Tokyo, Musashi, Japan, marking it as a passenger car. The intricacies of the WMI serve as a globally recognized standard for classifying vehicles by their production attributes.
List of WMI Codes for a 1988 Honda Prelude
WMI: JHM
- Model Years Covered: 1981-1982, 1985-2001
- Example VIN: JHMBA4127JC043133
- 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 1988 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 1988 Honda Prelude:
| Known VDS for a 1988 Honda Prelude | ||
|---|---|---|
| BA412 | BA414 | BA413 |
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 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 1988 Honda Prelude VIN — Year Code
| Year Code | Year |
|---|---|
| J | 1988 |
11th Character in the 1988 Honda Prelude VIN — Plant Code(s)
Known 1988 Honda Prelude Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)
| Plant Code | Plant City | Plant State | Plant Country | Plant Company Name | Example VIN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Saitama/Sayama | Japan | JHMBA4127JC043133 |
VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 1988 Honda Prelude
The final 6 characters in a 1988 Honda Prelude’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.
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How to find a 1988 Honda Prelude’s VIN?
Locating the VIN number on your 1988 Honda Prelude is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:
- Look at the dashboard on the driver’s side of your 1988 Honda Prelude where the VIN may be visible through the windshield.
- Inspect the door jamb on the driver’s side of your Honda Prelude where a sticker typically displays the VIN.
- Under the hood, check the front of the engine block where the VIN might be stamped onto the metal.
- Examine the rear wheel well on the driver’s side directly above the tire; the VIN can sometimes be found in this area on older vehicles like your 1988 Prelude.
- Look underneath the spare tire in the trunk area as the VIN may also be located in this spot on some Honda models.
What info can a 1988 Honda Prelude VIN reveal?
- Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicles model year, providing insights into the age and potential market value of the vehicle.
- Manufacturing Location: The VIN might reveal where the vehicle was manufactured, indicating cities and countries where the vehicle was produced.
- Vehicle Specifications: Basic vehicle information, along with engine details, could be discerned from the VIN, offering insights into the vehicle’s design and performance.
- Body Class and Doors: The VIN can divulge the body type and the number of doors, offering detailed insights into the vehicle’s design and structure.
- Engine Characteristics: Engine specifications, including displacement and the engine’s power range, may be specified within the VIN, giving information about the vehicle’s performance capabilities.
- Fuel Type: The primary fuel type is typically encoded within the VIN, providing insights into the vehicle’s fuel efficiency and environmental impact.
- Safety and Transmission Features: Information about safety measures and the transmission style could be inferred, offering a comprehensive overview of the vehicle’s operational and safety standards.
Don’t have your 1988 Honda Prelude’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!
Sample VIN Decode Report for a 1988 Honda Prelude
| Vehicle Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Body Class | Coupe |
| Displacement (CC) | 2000 |
| Displacement (CI) | 122.0474881894 |
| Displacement (L) | 2 |
| Doors | 2 |
| Engine Brake (hp) From | 104 |
| Engine Brake (hp) To | 135 |
| Engine Configuration | In-Line |
| Engine Model | B20A3 or B20A5 |
| Engine Number of Cylinders | 4 |
| Fuel Type - Primary | 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 | Prelude |
| Model Year | 1988 |
| Plant City | Saitama/Sayama |
| Plant Company Name | |
| Plant Country | Japan |
| Seat Belt Type | Automatic |
| Transmission Style | Manual/Standard |
| Trim | Si |
| Vehicle Descriptor | JHMBA413*JC |
| Vehicle Type | Passenger Car |
| Sample_VIN | JHMBA4136JC034478 |
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