How to decode a 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais VIN
Characters 1-3 of a 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais VIN
A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is a unique code used to identify the manufacturer of a vehicle, as well as its country of origin, and in some cases, its vehicle type and manufacturing location. For instance, the WMI code for the 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass-Calais, a passenger car produced by General Motors LLC, starts with ‘1G3’. This indicates that the vehicle was made in the United States, specifically in Warren, Michigan. The ‘1G3’ prefix is a crucial piece of information for understanding the vehicle’s origin, manufacturer, and type, playing a key role in vehicle identification processes, including registration, insurance, and recall actions.
List of WMI Codes for a 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais
WMI: 1G3
- Model Years Covered: 1981, 1983-1985, 1987-1989, 1991
- Example VIN: 1G3NT11U4HM210111
- 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 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais 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 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais:
| Known VDS for a 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais |
|---|
| NT11U |
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 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais 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 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais VIN — Year Code
| Year Code | Year |
|---|---|
| H | 1987 |
11th Character in the 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais VIN — Plant Code(s)
Known 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)
| Plant Code | Plant City | Plant State | Plant Country | Plant Company Name | Example VIN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M | Lansing - North Plant | Michigan | United States | Na-Lad (Oldsmobile) | 1G3NT11U4HM210111 |
VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais
The final 6 characters in a 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.
Check your Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais’s VIN below:
How to find a 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais’s VIN?
Locating the VIN number on your 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:
- Look at the dashboard on the driver’s side of your Oldsmobile Cutlass-Calais, near where the dashboard meets the windshield. The VIN is typically visible through the windshield.
- Examine the driver’s side door post (where the door latches when it is closed). Often there is a sticker or plate on the door jamb with the VIN.
- Check the engine block, as the VIN might also be stamped onto the engine itself on the Oldsmobile Cutlass-Calais.
- Look at the vehicle’s registration documents, insurance papers, or the title, as the VIN will be recorded there.
- Inspect the rear wheel well directly above the tire; in some models, the VIN may be found in this location. 6. Review the owner’s manual or maintenance records, as the VIN is typically recorded and kept in these documents for reference.
What info can a 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais VIN reveal?
- Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicle’s model year, suggesting the vehicle is possibly from 1987, offering insights into the vehicle’s age and potential market value.
- Vehicle Type and Body Class: It possibly discloses the type of vehicle, such as a Passenger Car, along with specific body class information indicating it might be a Coupe, providing details on the vehicle’s design and structure.
- Engine Details: Specifics about the engine are possibly encoded, including a potential 2.5-liter displacement and an In-Line configuration with 4 cylinders, which might be crucial for understanding vehicle performance.
- Fuel Type and Efficiency: The VIN possibly discloses that the primary fuel type for the engine is Gasoline, coupled with a potential Throttle Body Fuel Injection (TBI) system, which can impact fuel economy and performance.
- Manufacturing Details: It shows potential insight into the vehicle’s manufacturing location, indicating it was possibly assembled in Lansing - North Plant, Michigan, United States, offering clues to its origin and assembly quality.
- Model and Trim: The VIN specifies the model as a Cutlass Calais with an SL trim, providing potential details on the vehicle’s specifications, luxury, and comfort levels.
- Safety Features: Through the VIN, it’s possible to learn about safety equipment such as the type of seat belt, which is possibly Manual in this case, giving an indication of the vehicle’s safety standards during its production year.
Don’t have your 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!
Sample VIN Decode Report for a 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais
| Vehicle Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Body Class | Coupe |
| Displacement (CC) | 2500.0 |
| Displacement (CI) | 152.55936023683 |
| Displacement (L) | 2.5 |
| Doors | 2 |
| Engine Configuration | In-Line |
| Engine Manufacturer | CPC |
| Engine Number of Cylinders | 4 |
| Fuel Delivery / Fuel Injection Type | Throttle Body Fuel Injection (TBI) |
| Fuel Type - Primary | Gasoline |
| Model | Cutlass Calais |
| Model Year | 1987 |
| Plant City | Lansing - North Plant |
| Plant Company Name | NA-LAD (oldsmobile) |
| Plant Country | United States |
| Plant State | Michigan |
| Seat Belt Type | Manual |
| Trim | SL |
| Vehicle Descriptor | 1G3NT11U*HM |
| Vehicle Type | Passenger Car |
| Sample_VIN | 1G3NT11U4HM210111 |
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