How to decode a 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera VIN
Characters 1-3 of a 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera VIN
WMIs, or World Manufacturer Identifiers, are unique codes that identify the manufacturer of a vehicle and provide specific details about where and by whom a vehicle was made. For the 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera, the WMI “2G3” is assigned, indicating that this vehicle was manufactured by General Motors LLC in Warren, Michigan, United States. This three-character code is a critical part of a vehicle’s VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), offering insights into the vehicle’s origin. Specifically, for the Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera, the WMI “2G3” highlights its production by a major American automaker during the years 1987-1989 and 1991, marking it as a passenger car designed for comfort and reliability. The inclusion of a WMI in a vehicle’s VIN ensures traceability and authentication, essential for ownership, registration, and recall purposes.
List of WMI Codes for a 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera
WMI: 2G3
- Model Years Covered: 1987-1989, 1991
- Example VIN: 2G3AJ51R1J9415847
- Manufacturer Name: General Motors LLC
- Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
- City: Warren
- State or Province: Michigan
- Country: United States WMI: 1G3
- Model Years Covered: 1983, 1985-1995
- Example VIN: 1G3AJ5134JG317506
- 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 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera 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 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera:
| Known VDS for a 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AJ51R | AM51R | AM51W | AJ11W | AJ513 | AJ813 | AM813 |
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 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera 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 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera VIN — Year Code
| Year Code | Year |
|---|---|
| J | 1988 |
11th Character in the 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera VIN — Plant Code(s)
Known 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)
| Plant Code | Plant City | Plant State | Plant Country | Plant Company Name | Example VIN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Ste. Therese | Quebec | Canada | Na-Gm Corp | 2G3AM51W5J2355335 |
| 9 | Oshawa #1 | Ontario | Canada | Gm Of Canada | 2G3AJ51R1J9415847 |
| G | Framingham | Massachusetts | United States | Framingham Assembly | 1G3AJ5134JG317506 |
VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera
The final 6 characters in a 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.
Check your Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera’s VIN below:
How to find a 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera’s VIN?
Locating the VIN number on your 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:
- Look at the dashboard on the driver’s side of your Oldsmobile Cutlass-Ciera, typically it’s visible through the windshield on a small plate or sticker.
- Inspect the door jamb on the driver’s side, the VIN can often be found on a label or sticker where the door latches when closed.
- Check under the hood for a metal plate that may have the VIN engraved, often found on the firewall of the Oldsmobile Cutlass-Ciera.
- Look at the rear wheel well, directly above the tire; sometimes the VIN is placed in this area on older vehicles like the 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass-Ciera.
- Examine the frame of the car, often around the driver’s door area; the VIN can be stamped onto the frame itself.
- Review your vehicle’s title or registration documents, as they should list the VIN for your Oldsmobile Cutlass-Ciera.
What info can a 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera VIN reveal?
- Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicle’s model year, with the year 1988 being a possibility, providing insights into the age and potential market value of the vehicle.
- Body Class and Doors: A VIN can decode the body type as a Coupe and specify that the vehicle has 2 doors, offering detailed insights into the vehicle’s design and structure.
- Engine Type: Information such as the engine being V-Shaped, having a displacement of 2.8 liters, and containing six cylinders are examples of details that can be ascertained, giving a better understanding of the vehicle’s power and performance capabilities.
- Fuel Efficiency and Type: The VIN can provide the fuel type as Gasoline, with a fuel delivery system listed as Multipoint Fuel Injection (MPFI), offering a glimpse into the vehicle’s fuel consumption and environmental impact.
- Manufacturing Information: The VIN can point towards where the vehicle was produced, showing this particular vehicle was possibly assembled in Ste. Therese, Quebec, Canada, providing insights into its manufacturing origins.
- Safety Features: The type of seat belt, in this case, manual, indicates what kind of basic safety feature could be installed in the vehicle, offering a potential understanding of its safety equipment.
- Vehicle Make and Model: The VIN provides specifics on the make and model of the car, illustrated here as possibly a Cutlass Ciera, facilitating identification and verification of the vehicle’s specifications.
Don’t have your 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!
Sample VIN Decode Report for a 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera
| Vehicle Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Body Class | Coupe |
| Displacement (CC) | 2800.0 |
| Displacement (CI) | 170.86648346525 |
| Displacement (L) | 2.8 |
| Doors | 2 |
| Engine Configuration | V-Shaped |
| Engine Manufacturer | CPC |
| Engine Number of Cylinders | 6 |
| Fuel Delivery / Fuel Injection Type | Multipoint Fuel Injection (MPFI) |
| Fuel Type - Primary | Gasoline |
| Model | Cutlass Ciera |
| Model Year | 1988 |
| Plant City | Ste. Therese |
| Plant Company Name | NA-GM Corp |
| Plant Country | Canada |
| Plant State | Quebec |
| Seat Belt Type | Manual |
| Series | Ciera S and Cruiser S Wagon |
| Vehicle Descriptor | 2G3AJ11W*J2 |
| Vehicle Type | Passenger Car |
| Sample_VIN | 2G3AJ11W7J2322807 |
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