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Subaru VIN decoder

Enter a Subaru VIN to decode it. Subaru’s VINs hold two details most brands don’t spell out: the trim level has its own position, and the plant code also tells you the transmission.

By Tayron Bram

Updated October 2026 · 3 min read

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

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On this page
  1. What the decoder shows for a Subaru
  2. Subaru manufacturer codes (WMI)
  3. How Subaru uses positions 4 to 8 and 11
  4. Subaru-specific checks
  5. Before you buy a used Subaru

What the decoder shows for a Subaru

When you’ve typed all 17 characters, the decoder reads Subaru’s data from NHTSA’s free vPIC service: model year, model, trim, body, engine, transmission, plant and airbags. It also lists the recalls NHTSA has for that year and model. A decode stops at the factory gate. Title brands, insurance losses, accidents and odometer readings are in a history report. Use the VIN decoder for other makes, or see pricing.

Subaru manufacturer codes (WMI)

Source: NHTSA vPIC, WMIs registered to Subaru, checked October 25, 2026.
WMIManufacturer as registeredVehicle type
JF1SUBARU CORPORATIONPassenger car
JF2SUBARU CORPORATIONMultipurpose passenger vehicle
4S3SUBARU OF AMERICA, INCPassenger car
4S4SUBARU OF AMERICA, INCMultipurpose passenger vehicle

J means built in Japan and 4 built in the United States. Subaru’s filings describe 4S4 as made by Subaru Corporation and assembled by SIA, its Lafayette, Indiana plant. The 2027 Forester can carry either code: 4S4 when built at SIA, JF2 when built at the Yajima plant in Japan.

How Subaru uses positions 4 to 8 and 11

Subaru’s VIN schemes, filed with NHTSA, set out the VIN in sections. Position 4 is make, line and series (S for Forester, W for Ascent, G for both Crosstrek and Impreza); on the Outback and BRZ, positions 4 and 5 form a two-letter code. 5 is body type, 6 engine type, 7 trim level and options, and 8 restraint system and GVWR class. On the 2027 Forester, position 7 separates Base Plus, Premium, Wilderness and Limited.

Position 11 is labelled “plant of manufacture and transmission type”, and on manual cars the letter changes with the gearbox. Examples:

Source: Subaru Corporation, 2027 VIN schemes filed with NHTSA.
Position 11PlantTransmissionModel in the filing
3SIA, Lafayette, IndianaAWD, CVT2027 Forester, Ascent
HYajima plant, Ota, JapanAWD, CVT2027 Forester
YYajima plant, Ota, JapanAWD, CVT2027 Outback
8Main plant, Ota, Japan6-speed automatic2027 BRZ
9Main plant, Ota, Japan6-speed manual2027 BRZ

Subaru-specific checks

  • Shared models with Toyota. The Toyota GR86 is in Subaru’s own filing, under JF1, built at the main plant like the BRZ. The 2027 Subaru Solterra goes the other way: Toyota files it, under Toyota’s JTM code. A Solterra VIN that doesn’t start with JF is expected.
  • Manual or automatic. On a BRZ, 8 in position 11 means the automatic and 9 the manual. If the seller says manual, check that character.
  • Subaru’s recall search works by VIN; Subaru says recalls issued before February 1998 aren’t included. For this car’s unrepaired recalls you can also use NHTSA.
  • Position 10 is the model year (V for 2027, T for 2026). See VIN year codes.
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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 Subaru

  • Match the VIN on the dash, the door label and the title.
  • Compare the trim in position 7 and the transmission in position 11 with the car you drive.
  • Run a history report for title brands, total losses and mileage. See salvage title check, odometer rollback check and what a VIN is.
  • Search the VIN for open recalls before you pay.

An AutoCheck report on a Subaru is $7.99 with us.

Questions

Can a Subaru VIN tell me if the car is a manual?

Often, yes. Subaru’s position 11 is the plant and transmission type: on the 2027 BRZ, 8 is the 6-speed automatic and 9 the 6-speed manual.

Why does one 2027 Forester start with 4S4 and another with JF2?

Subaru’s 2027 filing lists the Forester from two plants: SIA in Indiana (4S4, plant 3) and Yajima in Japan (JF2, plant H).

Which position shows the trim on a Subaru?

Position 7. Subaru’s VIN schemes list trim levels and some option packages there, such as navigation or a Harman/Kardon system.

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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.

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