How to decode a 2013 Volkswagen Golf R VIN

Characters 1-3 of a 2013 Volkswagen Golf R VIN

A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is a unique code used to identify the manufacturer of a vehicle globally. In the case of the 2013 Volkswagen Golf-R, the WMI “WVW” signifies that Volkswagen AG, located in Wolfsburg, Germany, is the manufacturer. This code is integral to the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) system, serving as the first three characters of the VIN, which helps in distinguishing the vehicle’s make, model, and the location of its manufacturing. Specifically, for the Volkswagen Golf-R of the model year 2013, this WMI indicates it’s a passenger car produced by Volkswagen in Germany, offering a way to track the vehicle’s origins and specifications.

List of WMI Codes for a 2013 Volkswagen Golf R

WMI: WVW

Model Years Covered: 2013, 2016-2019, 2022-2024
Example VIN: WVWPF7AJ0DW008499
Manufacturer Name: Volkswagen AG
Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
City: Wolfsburg
State or Province:
Country: Germany

Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a 2013 Volkswagen Golf R 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 2013 Volkswagen Golf R:

Known VDS for a 2013 Volkswagen Golf R
PF7AJ	RF7AJ

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 2013 Volkswagen Golf R 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 2013 Volkswagen Golf R VIN — Year Code

Year Code	Year
D	2013

11th Character in the 2013 Volkswagen Golf R VIN — Plant Code(s)

Known 2013 Volkswagen Golf R Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)

Plant Code	Plant City	Plant State	Plant Country	Plant Company Name	Example VIN
W	Wolfsburg		Germany		WVWPF7AJ0DW008499

VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 2013 Volkswagen Golf R

The final 6 characters in a 2013 Volkswagen Golf R’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.

Check your Volkswagen Golf R’s VIN below:

How to find a 2013 Volkswagen Golf R’s VIN?

Locating the VIN number on your 2013 Volkswagen Golf R is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:

Look at the dashboard on the driver’s side where it meets the windshield of your Volkswagen Golf-R. The VIN is typically visible from the outside.
Open the driver’s door and inspect the door jamb area. Your 2013 Volkswagen Golf-R often has a sticker with the VIN where the door latches.
Check the front of the car frame, near the container that holds windshield washer fluid. A VIN plaque can often be found in this area on a Volkswagen Golf-R.
Examine the area around the engine bay. There’s usually a VIN plate located on the firewall of the vehicle.
Review your Volkswagen Golf-R’s vehicle registration documents, insurance cards, or title (if available), which should display the VIN.
Look into the spare tire wheel well. Some vehicles, including Golfs, may have the VIN stamped in this area.

What info can a 2013 Volkswagen Golf R VIN reveal?

Model Year and Make: The VIN can reveal the vehicle’s model year, such as the year 2013, and the make as Volkswagen, providing insights into the age and brand of the vehicle.
Body Class and Number of Doors: It may specify the body type as a Hatchback/Liftback/Notchback with 4 doors, offering insights into the vehicle’s design and functionality.
Engine Specifications: Engine details such as being manufactured by Volkswagen, having a displacement of 1.984L (1984 CC or 121.071108283 CI), and being a 4-cylinder engine with 256 hp, are typically encoded within the VIN.
Fuel Type: The VIN can specify the primary fuel type, such as Gasoline, which is crucial for understanding the vehicle’s environmental impact and fuel efficiency.
Safety Features: Information on safety features, including the presence of curtain airbags in all rows, front airbags in the 1st row for both driver and passenger, and side airbags in the 1st row, can often be inferred from the VIN, indicating the vehicle’s commitment to passenger safety.
Transmission and TPMS Type: The VIN might reveal the transmission style, like Manual/Standard, and the type of Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), such as Indirect, which plays a significant role in vehicle handling and safety.
Manufacturing Information: The VIN provides manufacturing details, including the plant city Wolfsburg and the country Germany, offering a glimpse into the vehicle’s production origin and possibly its build quality.

Don’t have your 2013 Volkswagen Golf R’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!

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Sample VIN Decode Report for a 2013 Volkswagen Golf R

Vehicle Spec	Value
Body Class	Hatchback/Liftback/Notchback
Curtain Air Bag Locations	All Rows
Displacement (CC)	1984
Displacement (CI)	121.071108283
Displacement (L)	1.984000
Doors	2
Engine Brake (hp) From	256.00
Engine Manufacturer	Volkswagen
Engine Number of Cylinders	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	Golf R
Model Year	2013
Other Engine Info	BIN 5 emission. Emissions Certification Test Group: DADXJ02.03UA
Plant City	Wolfsburg
Plant Company Name
Plant Country	Germany
Seat Belt Type	Manual
Side Air Bag Locations	1st Row (Driver and Passenger)
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Type	Indirect
Transmission Style	Manual/Standard
Vehicle Descriptor	WVWRF7AJ*DW
Vehicle Type	Passenger Car
Sample_VIN	WVWRF7AJ0DW020578