How to decode a 1996 Lexus ES VIN
Characters 1-3 of a 1996 Lexus ES VIN
A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is a unique code consisting of the first three characters of a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which identifies the manufacturer of the vehicle. This code signals significant details about the vehicle, including the maker’s name, vehicle type, and the location of manufacture. For the 1996 Lexus ES, this identifier points to Toyota Motor Corporation as the manufacturer, classifying the vehicle as a passenger car. It indicates that the car was produced in Toyota City, located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, covering various model years including 1991 to 2001 and also in 2004. The WMI is an essential tool for tracking, registration, and recall purposes for vehicles globally.
List of WMI Codes for a 1996 Lexus ES
WMI: JT8
- Model Years Covered: 1991-2001, 2004
- Example VIN: JT8BF12G0T0140799
- Manufacturer Name: Toyota Motor Corporation
- Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
- City: Toyota City
- State or Province: Aichi Prefecture
- Country: Japan
Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a 1996 Lexus ES 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 1996 Lexus ES:
| Known VDS for a 1996 Lexus ES |
|---|
| BF12G |
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 1996 Lexus ES 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 1996 Lexus ES VIN — Year Code
| Year Code | Year |
|---|---|
| T | 1996 |
11th Character in the 1996 Lexus ES VIN — Plant Code(s)
Known 1996 Lexus ES Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)
| Plant Code | Plant City | Plant State | Plant Country | Plant Company Name | Example VIN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Toyota City | Aichi | Japan | Toyota Motor Corporation-Tsutsumi Plant | JT8BF12G0T0140799 |
VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 1996 Lexus ES
The final 6 characters in a 1996 Lexus ES’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.
Check your Lexus ES’s VIN below:
How to find a 1996 Lexus ES’s VIN?
Locating the VIN number on your 1996 Lexus ES is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:
- Examine the dashboard on the driver’s side of your Lexus ES 1996. The VIN should be visible through the windshield on a small plate.
- Look at the door pillar on the driver’s side when you open the door of your Lexus ES. There is often a sticker or plate here with the VIN.
- Check under the hood of your Lexus ES 1996. It’s common to find the VIN on the engine block or on a metal plate attached to the chassis.
- Explore the trunk area of your Lexus ES. You might find the VIN near the spare tire well or on the trunk lid itself.
- Inspect the vehicle’s paperwork, such as the title, registration, or insurance documents, which will list the VIN of your Lexus ES 1996.
What info can a 1996 Lexus ES VIN reveal?
- Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicle’s model year, providing insights into the age and potential market value of the vehicle, possibly being the year 1996.
- Body Class and Doors: A VIN can specify the body class, potentially indicating a Sedan/Saloon with 4 doors for the Toyota ES, offering detailed insights into the vehicle’s design and capacity.
- Engine Type and Power: The VIN may encode details about the engine, such as a 3.0L V-shaped engine with a horsepower range from 188 to 217, offering insights into the vehicle’s performance.
- Engine Manufacturer and Model: The engine’s manufacturer and model, such as the Toyota 1MZ-FE, can be identified from the VIN, possibly providing insights into the vehicle’s reliability.
- Fuel Type: The VIN can reveal the type of fuel the vehicle uses, possibly Gasoline, which impacts its efficiency and environmental footprint.
- Safety Features: Standard safety features for the model, such as front airbag locations for the 1st row (Driver and Passenger), can be inferred from the VIN, potentially offering insights into the vehicle’s safety measures.
- Manufacturing Location: The VIN can provide information about the production site, including the plant city Toyota City, plant country Japan, and specific company name Toyota Motor Corporation - Tsutsumi Plant, which may provide clues about manufacturing standards and import status.
Don’t have your 1996 Lexus ES’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!
Sample VIN Decode Report for a 1996 Lexus ES
| Vehicle Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Body Class | Sedan/Saloon |
| Cooling Type | Water |
| Displacement (CC) | 3000.0 |
| Displacement (CI) | 183.07123228419 |
| Displacement (L) | 3.0 |
| Doors | 4 |
| Drive Type | 4x2 |
| Engine Brake (hp) From | 188 |
| Engine Brake (hp) To | 217 |
| Engine Configuration | V-Shaped |
| Engine Manufacturer | Toyota |
| Engine Model | 1MZ-FE |
| Engine Number of Cylinders | 6 |
| Engine Stroke Cycles | 4 |
| Front Air Bag Locations | 1st Row (Driver and Passenger) |
| 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 | ES |
| Model Year | 1996 |
| Plant City | Toyota City |
| Plant Company Name | Toyota Motor Corporation-Tsutsumi plant |
| Plant Country | Japan |
| Plant State | Aichi |
| Seat Belt Type | Manual |
| Series | MCV10L |
| Series2 | 300 |
| Vehicle Descriptor | JT8BF12G*T0 |
| Vehicle Type | Passenger Car |
| Sample_VIN | JT8BF12G0T0140799 |
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