How to decode a 2012 Nissan Maxima VIN

Characters 1-3 of a 2012 Nissan Maxima VIN

World Manufacturer Identifiers (WMIs) are unique codes used to identify the manufacturer of a vehicle and provide specific information about it, such as the country of manufacture, vehicle type, and the manufacturing company. For instance, Nissan Maxima vehicles produced between the years 2004-2014 and 2016-2023, including the 2012 model, are designated with the WMI code “1N4.” This indicates that they are passenger cars manufactured by Nissan North America, Inc., located in Franklin, Tennessee, United States. WMIs are an integral part of the vehicle identification number (VIN), playing a crucial role in vehicle tracking, registration, and recall operations.

List of WMI Codes for a 2012 Nissan Maxima

WMI: 1N4

Model Years Covered: 2004-2014, 2016-2023
Example VIN: 1N4AA5AP0CC800056
Manufacturer Name: Nissan North America, Inc.
Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
City: Franklin
State or Province: Tennessee
Country: United States

Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a 2012 Nissan Maxima 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 Nissan Maxima:

Known VDS for a 2012 Nissan Maxima
AA5AP

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 Nissan Maxima 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 Nissan Maxima VIN — Year Code

Year Code	Year
C	2012

11th Character in the 2012 Nissan Maxima VIN — Plant Code(s)

Known 2012 Nissan Maxima Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)

Plant Code	Plant City	Plant State	Plant Country	Plant Company Name	Example VIN
C	Smyrna	Tennessee	United States	Smyrna Plant	1N4AA5AP0CC800056

VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 2012 Nissan Maxima

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

Check your Nissan Maxima’s VIN below:

How to find a 2012 Nissan Maxima’s VIN?

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

Examine the dashboard on the driver’s side of your 2012 Nissan Maxima. You should be able to see the VIN through the windshield by looking at the corner where it meets the dash.
Look at the door jamb on the driver’s side of your Nissan Maxima. The VIN can usually be found on a label or sticker where the door latches.
Check the engine block of your Maxima, as the VIN is sometimes stamped onto the engine itself.
Inspect the front frame or radiator support area under the hood for a VIN plate on your 2012 Nissan Maxima.
If your Nissan Maxima has a rear wheel well, peek above the tire; sometimes the VIN is located just above the tire area.
Review your Nissan Maxima’s vehicle registration documents, insurance papers, or service records, as the VIN is typically listed in those documents.

What info can a 2012 Nissan Maxima VIN reveal?

Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicles model year being the year 2012, providing insights into the age and potential market value of the vehicle.
Vehicle Type and Body Class: The VIN may disclose the type of vehicle as a Passenger Car and specify the body class, potentially indicating it as a Sedan/Saloon.
Engine Specifications: Details about the engine, including its displacement of 3.5 L (3500 CC or 213.58 CI), the number of cylinders (6), and fuel type, which could be gasoline, are examples of information that can be obtained.
Safety Features: Information on safety features may be detailed, including locations of airbags such as Curtain Air Bags in the 1st and 2nd Rows, Front Air Bags in the 1st Row for Driver and Passenger, and Side Air Bag Locations for 1st Row Driver and Passenger.
Drive Type and Doors: The VIN can reveal the drive type, such as 4x2, and the number of doors on the vehicle, potentially indicating it as a 4-door vehicle.
Manufacturing Information: It might include specifics about the manufacturing location, such as the plant city (Smyrna), plant country (United States), and even the plant state (Tennessee).
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Type: The type of TPMS can also be determined, in this instance possibly being a Direct system, which adds an extra layer of detail about the vehicle’s features and specifications.

Don’t have your 2012 Nissan Maxima’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!

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Sample VIN Decode Report for a 2012 Nissan Maxima

Vehicle Spec	Value
Body Class	Sedan/Saloon
Curtain Air Bag Locations	1st and 2nd Rows
Displacement (CC)	3500.0
Displacement (CI)	213.58310433156
Displacement (L)	3.5
Doors	4
Drive Type	4x2
Engine Number of Cylinders	6
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	Maxima
Model Year	2012
Other Restraint System Info	2nd row outboard and 3-pt manual belts, 2nd row center 3-point manual belts
Plant City	Smyrna
Plant Company Name	Smyrna plant
Plant Country	United States
Plant State	Tennessee
Seat Belt Type	Manual
Side Air Bag Locations	1st Row (Driver and Passenger)
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Type	Direct
Vehicle Descriptor	1N4AA5AP*CC
Vehicle Type	Passenger Car
Sample_VIN	1N4AA5AP0CC800056