How to decode a 1996 Oldsmobile LSS VIN
Characters 1-3 of a 1996 Oldsmobile LSS VIN
A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is a unique code consisting of the first three characters of a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which indicates the manufacturer, vehicle type, and the country of manufacture. For instance, a 1996 Oldsmobile LSS has a WMI of “1G3,” showing that General Motors LLC in the United States manufactured it. This particularly denotes a passenger car produced within the United States, specifically in Warren, Michigan. Such identifiers play a crucial role in vehicle identification, providing essential details about the vehicle’s origin, making, and type solely through the analysis of its VIN’s initial digits. Understanding a vehicle’s WMI can offer insight into its background and manufacturing data, valuable for various legal, service, and historical purposes.
List of WMI Codes for a 1996 Oldsmobile LSS
WMI: 1G3
- Model Years Covered: 1996-1998
- Example VIN: 1G3HY52K1T4842916
- 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 1996 Oldsmobile LSS 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 Oldsmobile LSS:
| Known VDS for a 1996 Oldsmobile LSS |
|---|
| HY52K |
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 Oldsmobile LSS 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 Oldsmobile LSS VIN — Year Code
| Year Code | Year |
|---|---|
| T | 1996 |
11th Character in the 1996 Oldsmobile LSS VIN — Plant Code(s)
Known 1996 Oldsmobile LSS Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)
| Plant Code | Plant City | Plant State | Plant Country | Plant Company Name | Example VIN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Orion | Michigan | United States | Na-Gm Corp | 1G3HY52K1T4842916 |
VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 1996 Oldsmobile LSS
The final 6 characters in a 1996 Oldsmobile LSS’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.
Check your Oldsmobile LSS’s VIN below:
How to find a 1996 Oldsmobile LSS’s VIN?
Locating the VIN number on your 1996 Oldsmobile LSS is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:
- Examine the lower corner of the dashboard on the driver’s side of your 1996 Oldsmobile LSS. The VIN can typically be seen through the windshield.
- Look inside the driver’s side door jamb. On many vehicles, including the Oldsmobile LSS, there is a sticker or plate with the VIN where the door latches when closed.
- Inspect the firewall of the vehicle. The VIN may be stamped directly on the firewall of your 1996 Oldsmobile LSS.
- Check your vehicle registration documents, as they will have the VIN listed for your Oldsmobile LSS.
- Look at your Oldsmobile LSS insurance card or policy, as insurance companies typically list the VIN on these documents.
- If you still have the owner’s manual packet, the VIN is often included on a decal on the packet or on maintenance records within.
What info can a 1996 Oldsmobile LSS VIN reveal?
- Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicles model year as the specific year 1996, providing insights into the age and potential market value of the vehicle.
- Vehicle Type and Body Class: It may provide details such as the vehicle being a Passenger Car with a body class specified as a Sedan/Saloon, offering insights into the vehicle’s design and function.
- Engine Specifications: Specific information such as a 3.8 Liter (3800 CC or 231.89 CI) engine with V-Shaped configuration, manufactured by FLT under the model L36, and featuring a 6-cylinder setup can be extracted from the VIN, offering detailed insights into the vehicle’s power and performance characteristics.
- Fuel System: The VIN can indicate the vehicle’s fuel delivery system, possibly having a Multipoint Fuel Injection (MPFI) type, providing insights into the vehicle’s fuel efficiency and combustion process.
- Safety Features: It can provide safety details, such as the possible presence of front air bags for both the driver and passenger in the 1st row, offering insights into the vehicle’s safety standards.
- Manufacturing Location: By decoding the VIN, one can possibly discover the manufacturing site details, including the plant city as Orion, state as Michigan, and country as the United States, offering insights into the vehicle’s production origin.
- Additional Engine Information: Additional engine details might include the engine being associated with names such as Chev, Pont, Olds, and Buick, potentially providing historical and technical context for the vehicle’s engine.
Don’t have your 1996 Oldsmobile LSS’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!
Sample VIN Decode Report for a 1996 Oldsmobile LSS
| Vehicle Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Body Class | Sedan/Saloon |
| Displacement (CC) | 3800.0 |
| Displacement (CI) | 231.89022755998 |
| Displacement (L) | 3.8 |
| Doors | 4 |
| Engine Configuration | V-Shaped |
| Engine Manufacturer | FLT |
| Engine Model | L36 |
| Engine Number of Cylinders | 6 |
| Front Air Bag Locations | 1st Row (Driver and Passenger) |
| Fuel Delivery / Fuel Injection Type | Multipoint Fuel Injection (MPFI) |
| Model | LSS |
| Model Year | 1996 |
| Other Engine Info | Name Plate: Chev, Pont, Olds, Buick |
| Plant City | Orion |
| Plant Company Name | NA-GM Corp |
| Plant Country | United States |
| Plant State | Michigan |
| Seat Belt Type | Manual |
| Vehicle Descriptor | 1G3HY52K*T4 |
| Vehicle Type | Passenger Car |
| Windows | 4 |
| Sample_VIN | 1G3HY52K1T4842916 |
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