Note - this unofficial independent Subaru research site is designed to help you learn about Subarus. It is not sponsored, authorized, supported or approved by Subaru or any dealer and is not connected to or affiliated with, any dealer. Always contact your local dealer. Inspect any vehicle prior to purchasing. Information subject to change, correction, updating.
Where is it located: Left front corner of dashboard, driver's door jam, various body panels and engine components, on your registration and title
A code's specific meaning
may be different on a yearly basis but the position remains the same.
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line | body | engine | model/trim |
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check digit | year |
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Positions 1-2-3 Manufacturer
ID code.
1: country code. J is Japan,
1 or 4 is USA, (2 is Canada, 3 Mexico, K Korea, S England, W Germany, Z
Italy etc)
2. manufacturer. F is Fuji
Heavy Industries (A is Audi, B BMW, C Chrysler, F Ord, G GM, H Honda, S
Subaru, V VW etc)
3. Vehicle type or manufacturing
division
JF2 is FHI Fuji Heavy
Industry passenger vehicle, made in Japan
4S3 is a SIA Subaru-Indiana
factory passenger vehicle (Legacy)
4S4 is a SIA Subaru-Indiana
factory MPV/SUV multi purpose vehicle- Outback and Tribeca
Position 4 model ie
line or model type, ie. what product line.
B is Legacy and Outback,
G is Impreza, S is Forester, W is Tribeca
Position 5- body
what kind of body
E- Impreza 4 door sedan,
L- Legacy sedan, P- Legacy wagon (Canada), R- Impreza 5 dr wagon,
X- SUV
This code can change yearly.
Position 6 - Engine
types, varies by year. This can change yearly
6- 2.5L, 7- 2.5L WRX turbo,
8- 3.0L 6 cyl and 2.5L STI high power turbo, 9- 3.6L
Position 7 - model type and trim. First, you have to know the model, then you can decipher the correct trim.
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Position 8 is the
restraint system based on GVWR.
6- manual seat belts with
dual front and dual side airbags, front/rear curtain airbags (except Outback).
C: Class C (4001-5000lbs)
MPV manual seat belts with dual front and dual side airbags, front/rear
curtain airbags (Outback)
D: Class D (GVWR 5001-6000lbs)
manual seat belts with dual front and dual side airbags, front/rear curtain
airbags
Position 9: check digit. A mathamatical formula that takes all the other characters in the VIN and comes up with a value of 0-9 or X, thus ensuring accuracy. I have no idea how this works. It's a mystery.
Position 10: Model year: 9 - 2009, A- 2010, B 2011, C 2012...
(J is 1988, K is 1989, L
1990, M 1991, N 1992, P 1993, R 1994, S 1995, T 1996, V 1997, W 1998, X
1999, Y 2000, 1 2001, 2 2002, 3 2003,
4 2004, 5 2005, 6 2006,
7 2007, 8 2008, 9 2009)
Position 11- Manufacturing
plant and Transmission: can vary by year
SIA (US Built)-
3: 6spd manual trans 4: 5 spd automatic 6: 5 spd manual 7: 4spd automatic |
FHI (Japan built)
G: 5 spd manual, H: 4 spd automatic L: 6spd manual |
Position 12-17- sequential production numbers. Changes yearly, based on the model
210001 and up- Legacy
sedan;
310001 and up - Outback wagon |
400001 and up- Tribeca
500001 and up- Impreza 4 door sedan |
700001 and up- Forester
800001 and up- Impreza 5door wagon |
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9AA | 2.5i | 5 spd manual | 4S3BL606X | 96210001 |
9AB | 2.5i | 4 spd auto | 4S3BL606X | 97210001 |
9AC | 2.5i SE | 5 spd manual | 4S3BL616X | 96210001 |
9AD | 2.5i SE | 4 spd auto | 4S3BL616X | 97210001 |
9AE | 2.5i Limited | 4 spd auto | 4S3BL626X | 97210001 |
9AJ | 2.5GT Limited | 5 spd manual | 4S3BL676X | 96210001 |
9AK | 2.5GT Limited | 5 spd auto | 4S3BL676X | 94210001 |
9AL | 2.5GT Limitedf Navigation | 5 spd auto | 4S3BL676X | 94210001 |
9AS | 2.5GT specB | 6 spd manual | 4S3BL696X | 93210001 |
9AT | 3.0R | 5 spd auto | 4S3BL846X | 94210001 |
9AU | 3.0R Limited | 5 spd auto | 4S3BL856X | 94210001 |
9AV | 3.0R Limited navigation | 5 spd auto | 4S3BL856X | 94210001 |
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9DA | 2.5i | 5 spd manual | 4S4BP60CX | 96310001 |
9DB | 2.5i | 4 spd auto | 4S4BP60CX | 97310001 |
9DC | 2.5i SE | 5 spd manual | 4S4BP61CX | 96310001 |
9DD | 2.5i SE | 4 spd auto | 4S4BP61CX | 97310001 |
9DG | 2.5i Limited | 4 spd auto | 4S4BP66CX | 97310001 |
9DH | 2.5i Limited navigation | 4 spd auto | 4S4BP66CX | 97310001 |
9DJ | 2.5XT Limited | 5 spd manual | 4S4BP63CX | 96310001 |
9DK | 2.5XT Limited | 5 spd auto | 4S4BP63CX | 94310001 |
9DL | 2.5XT Limited navigation | 5 spd auto | 4S4BP63CX | 94310001 |
9DU | 3.0R Limited | 5 spd auto | 4S4BP85CX | 94310001 |
9DV | 3.0R Limited navigation | 5 spd auto | 4S4BP85CX | 94310001 |
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9FA | 2.5X | 5 spd manual | JF2SH616X | 9G700001 |
9FB | 2.5X | 4 spd AT | JF2SH616X | 9H700001 |
9FC | 2.5X Premium | 5 spd manual | JF2SH636X | 9G700001 |
9FG | 2.5X Premium AWP | 5 spd manual | JF2SH636X | 9H700001 |
9FD | 2.5X Premium | 4spd AT | JF2SH636X | 9G700001 |
9FH | 2.5X Premium AWP | 4spd AT | JF2SH636X | 9H700001 |
9FI | 2.5X Limited (LL Bean) | 4 spd AT | JF2SH646X | 9H700001 |
AFJ | 2.5X Limited (LL Bean) navigation | 4spd AT | JF2SH646X | 9H700001 |
9FM | 2.5 XT | 4spd AT | JF2SH656X | 9H700001 |
9FN | 2.5 XT Limited | 4spd AT | JF2SH666X | 9H700001 |
9FN | 2.5 XT Limited navigation | 4spd AT | JF2SH666X | 9H700001 |
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9TA | 5 pass | 5spd AT | 4S4WX91DX | 94400001 |
9TD | 5 pass SE | 5spd AT | 4S4WX92DX | 94400001 |
9TB | 5 pass Limited | 5spd AT | 4S4WX92DX | 94400001 |
9TC | 5 pass Limited, navigation | 5spd AT | 4S4WX93DX | 94400001 |
9TH | 7 pass | 5spd AT | 4S4WX96DX | 94400001 |
9TL | 7 pass SE | 5spd AT | 4S4WX97DX | 94400001 |
9TI | 7 pass Limited | 5spd AT | 4S4WX97DX | 94400001 |
9TJ | 7 pass Limited, navigation | 5spd AT | 4S4WX98DX | 94400001 |
9TK | 7 pass Limited, navigation, rear seat dvd | 5spd AT | 4S4WX90DX | 94400001 |
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9JA | 2.5i 4dr | 5spd manual | JF1GE616X | 9G500001 |
9JB | 2.5i 4dr | 4spd AT | JF1GE616X | 9H500001 |
9JC | 2.5i 4dr Premium | 5spd manual | JF1GE606X | 9G500001 |
9JD | 2.5i 4dr Premium | 4spd AT | JF1GE606X | 9H500001 |
9JF | 2.5i 4dr premium, navigation, satellite radio | 5spd manual | JF1GE606X | 9H500001 |
9JM | GT 4dr Prermium | 4spd AT | JF1GE746X | 9H500001 |
9JO | WRX 4dr | 5spd manual | JF1GE766X | 9G500001 |
9JP | WRX 4dr Premium | 5spd manual | JF1GE766X | 9G500001 |
9JQ | WRX 4dr Premium, navigation, satellite radio | 5spd manual | JF1GE766X | 9G500001 |
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9LA | 2.5i 5dr | 5spd manual | JF1GH616X | 9G800001 |
9LB | 2.5i 5dr | 4spd AT | JF1GH616X | 9H800001 |
9LC | 2.5i 5dr Premium | 5spd manual | JF1GH606X | 9G800001 |
9LD | 2.5i 5dr Premium | 4spd AT | JF1GH6B6X | 9H800001 |
9LF | 2.5i 5dr Premium navigation, satellite radio | 5spd AT | JF1GH606X | 9H80001 |
9LJ | Outback Sport | 5spd manual | JF1GH636X | 9G800001 |
9LK | Outback Sport | 4spd AT | JF1GE636X | 9H800001 |
9LM | GT 5dr Premium | 4spd AT | JF1GH746X | 9H800001 |
9LO | WRX 5dr | 5spd manual | JF1GH766X | 9G800001 |
9LP | WRX 5dr Premium | 5spd manual | JF1GH766X | 9G800001 |
9LQ | WRX 5dr Premium navigation, satellite radio | 5spd manual | JF1GH766X | 9G800001 |
9LV | STI | 5spd manual | JF1GR896X | 9L800001 |
9LW | STI, silver BBS alloys | 5spd manual | JF1GR896X | 9L800001 |
9LX | STI, gold BBS alloys | 5spd manual | JF1GR896X | 9L800001 |
ALY | STI, silver BBS alloys, navigation | 5spd manual | JF1GR896X | 9L800001 |
9LZ | STI, gold BBS allopys, navigation | 5spd manual | JF1GR896X | 9L800001 |