Skip to content
Smart VIN Check

VIN decoder

Mercedes-Benz VIN decoder

Type a Mercedes-Benz VIN and the free decoder reads it once the last character is in. Then see how Mercedes groups its codes, and why newer cars start with W1 where older ones started with WD.

By Tayron Bram

Updated October 2026 · 3 min read

Share
0 of 17

Letters and numbers, no I, O or Q. It decodes as soon as all 17 are in.

Try it with

On this page
  1. What the decoder returns for a Mercedes
  2. Mercedes-Benz manufacturer codes (WMI)
  3. Positions 4 to 7: one code per model
  4. Mercedes-Benz checks
  5. Before you buy a used Mercedes-Benz

What the decoder returns for a Mercedes

The VIN goes to NHTSA’s vPIC database, and the decoder lays out what Mercedes-Benz reported: model year, model and series, body style, drive type (including 4MATIC where reported), engine size, cylinders, fuel and electrification level, plant, airbags and GVWR. It adds the recalls NHTSA records for that year and model. A decode can’t show what happened after the factory, such as a branded title, a crash or a rolled-back odometer. A history report does (pricing). Any other make works in the VIN decoder.

Mercedes-Benz manufacturer codes (WMI)

Source: NHTSA vPIC. Mercedes-Benz also registers truck, van, bus and incomplete-vehicle codes (Sprinter among them); not an exhaustive list.
WMIManufacturer as registeredVehicle type
W1KMercedes-Benz CarsPassenger car
W1NMercedes-Benz AGMultipurpose passenger vehicle (MPV)
4JGMercedes-Benz of North America, Inc.Multipurpose passenger vehicle (MPV)
WDDMercedes-Benz CarsPassenger car
WDBMercedes-Benz CarsPassenger car
WDCMercedes-Benz CarsMultipurpose passenger vehicle (MPV)
55SMercedes-Benz CarsPassenger car

W at the start means Germany and 4 or 5 the United States. vPIC shows W1K and W1N added in November 2019, and the 2027 filing uses only W1K, W1N and 4JG. A car on WDD, WDB or WDC is usually an older registration, so compare the decoded model year rather than reading age from the WMI. WDB is also listed for Maybach.

Positions 4 to 7: one code per model

Mercedes-Benz’s filing gives a single four-character code for positions 4 to 7, and that code stands for the model line, exact model, body and engine together. Some examples from the 2027 sheet, all behind W1K:

Source: Mercedes-Benz AG, 2027 model year VIN information filed with NHTSA.
Positions 4–7Model in the 2027 filing
LF4GE 350 sedan, 2.0-litre four-cylinder
LF4HE 350 4MATIC sedan
LF6BE 450 4MATIC sedan, 3.0-litre six-cylinder
6G7HS 580 4MATIC sedan, 4.0-litre V8
6X7HMercedes-Maybach S 580 4MATIC
FJ1DCLA 250+ sedan, electric

Two things stand out. 4MATIC changes the code (LF4G versus LF4H), and a Maybach S-Class differs from a Mercedes-Benz S-Class at position 5 (6G versus 6X). The 2027 sheet uses 4JG for the GLE, GLS, EQE SUV and EQS SUV and W1N for the GLC and G-Class. The filing doesn’t describe positions 8 and 11, so for those the decoder relies on what NHTSA holds for the VIN.

Mercedes-Benz checks

Position 10 is the model year; VIN year codes has the full table. For recalls on one specific car, enter the VIN on Mercedes-Benz USA’s recall page or at NHTSA; the decoder’s list covers the model.

0 of 17

Letters and numbers, no I, O or Q. It’s on the dashboard by the windshield, on the driver’s door frame, and on the title.

Before you buy a used Mercedes-Benz

  • Check the VIN on the dash, the door label and the title against each other.
  • If the listing says Maybach, AMG or 4MATIC, confirm it in the decoded model and drive fields.
  • Run a history report for salvage, rebuilt and flood brands (salvage title check) and for odometer readings (odometer rollback check).
  • Look for unrepaired recalls by VIN before you sign.

Here, a CARFAX report is $8.99 and an AutoCheck report is $7.99.

Questions

Why does one Mercedes VIN start with W1K and another with WDD?

Both are Mercedes-Benz passenger-car codes from Germany. vPIC shows W1K added in late 2019, and the 2027 filing uses W1K for its cars, so WDD usually points to an earlier registration.

Can the VIN show whether a Mercedes has 4MATIC?

Yes. In the 2027 filing, the four-character model code changes for 4MATIC, for example LF4G for an E 350 and LF4H for an E 350 4MATIC. The decoder shows the drive type NHTSA has on file.

Is a VIN starting with 4JG a Mercedes?

Yes. vPIC registers 4JG to Mercedes-Benz of North America, and the 2027 filing uses it for the GLE, GLS, EQE SUV and EQS SUV.

Was this helpful?

About the author

Tayron Bram

Data Validation Officer

Tayron Bram is the Data Validation Officer at Smart VIN Check, with 41 years of experience in used-car sales, auto auctions and vehicle data. Tayron has checked thousands of vehicle history reports and worked with dealers importing cars from the US. At Smart VIN Check, Tayron checks that every fact in our guides matches its source, from state title rules to NMVTIS and NHTSA records, and goes back to those sources when they change. Before a guide is published, Tayron reads it the way a buyer would, looking for anything unclear, out of date or not backed by a source. Tayron also keeps the prices we quote from other sellers current, so the comparisons on our pages stay accurate.

More from Tayron Bram

Related

Sources