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Old Jan 15, 2011 | 11:43 AM
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Default VIN Decoder-How to Decipher What Your VIN Means

I wanted to start a new thread due to the fact that it's such an interesting topic that spawned from the Special Edition Thread and I thought I would comment and tee off the new thread.

This is a great link!!!

http://www.vehicleidentificationnumb...lexus-car.html

You all have a VIN sticker inside your driver's side door. It has the 17 digit VIN then a three digit number that shows what # car it is in the series. Mine is 499 out of 600 Pebble Beach Made. The last six digits are telling you what number the car was on the production line in Japan.

Some very helpful information here.

The J means made in Japan
The T means Lexus/Toyota
H means passenger vehicle
The F is convertible
The N is engine code for 3UZ-FE 4.3L V8
The 4 is the series/grade: SC430
The 8 is for the restraint system, dual front, side air bags
The Y is for the SC400, SC430
The "6" that I have is called a "check digit" more on these right here:

http://www.vsource.org/VFR-RVF_files/BVINcalc.htm

The next number is the number of your car year...I have a "5" for 2005, if you have a 2002, then yours will be a "2"

We all should have a "0" next which means the Japan Plant for Toyota, I guess there are some Toyos made elsewhere like Canada, San Antonio Texas (I think Tundras and trucks are made there) and other places.

Then you have your 12-17 digits which represent the # your car was on the assembly line. They are your car's individual serial #.

061334 means it was the 61,334 vehicle off the assembly line that year

On your VIN sticker on your door, the three digits after the VIN that are off center to the bottom right are SUPPOSED mean the number your car was in the production of it's particular series, but I am in the process of confirming that. I am checking with some sources to verify.
Paint Codes:

Mine is 211. Black Diamond Metallic

http://www.toyotareference.com/lexussc#

Here's where to find:

http://www.lexuspartsnow.com/repair/...olor-code.html
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Old Jan 15, 2011 | 11:48 AM
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As usual, you are the man! I have downloaded and printed all of these (including your post) and will debug my VIN.

Thanks again.
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Old Jan 15, 2011 | 12:02 PM
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Thx...interesting about the last three digits UNDER the VIN. Trying to figure out what those mean exactly.

Do non-Pebble Beach cars have this? Does anyone have more than three numbers? Or less than three?

Under your VIN there is an off center number to the bottom right on the door sticker.

Mine is 399. Could be 399/600 PB's for 2005. Could mean nothing.

Huy has 965 but that doesn't make sense because there were neither 965 SC's produced in 2009 nor were there 965 Pebble Beaches! LOL

could be just the # of the SC vehicle in the total run of them...which MIGHT make sense because if Huy's was an "early build" in late 2008 there were certainly more than 965 build that year, but not in 2009.

Anyone who knows this please chime in.
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Old Jan 15, 2011 | 12:11 PM
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I don't think the 3 numbers after the VIN could have anything to do with what number PB it is, as my number is 638 and only 400 '07 PB's were built.
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Old Jan 15, 2011 | 12:32 PM
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Ok...then solved. Thanks TooCool, I needed another source to confirm what Huy and I already kind of discussed.

I am still confirming, but based on the links, info and research I have done...

The three digist under your VIN is the SC430 series # in the Kanto Jidosha Plant. The 12-17 numbers in your vin was the Toyota/Lexus production #, not the SC430 number.

Here are the production #'s again for each year:
Total Production Numbers:

2001 n/a
2002 25,427
2003 10,755
2004 9,848
2005 8,948
2006 8,051
2007 5,673
2008 2,756
2009 333
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Old Jan 15, 2011 | 12:54 PM
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gentouru also has a 2009 PB and he says those 3 digits of his are 158. His build number is 020748 and mine is 020469.

There's a difference of 279. According to the Lexus Drivers site, my car was made ready on 10/9/08 so that's why I thought it's an "early build".

Now if we can only figure out if they build the PB in one large batch or if they build them spread out.
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Old Jan 15, 2011 | 01:04 PM
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I post at the old thread.. So i"ll repost here.

I think i am close in decoding this.. I gather these vins from yahoo So looks like all PBs are made before the custom ones. So all we need to figure out is now they number this. In 2006 the transmission changed to speed and lexus decided to restarted the serial number. In 2007 we added the extra knee air bags.

17 digits total
--------------
1 = Manufacturing Country (J = Japan)
2 = Manufacturer (T = Toyota)
3 = Type of Vehicle ( H = Passenger Vehicle)
4 = Body Type ( F = 2 Door Conv. 2WD)
5 = Engine Code (N = 3UZ-FE)
6 = Series/Grade (4 = UZZ40L (SC430))
7 = Restraint System (8 = Manual Belts w/2 Air Bags, Side Air Bags and Curtain for Front and Rear Seats)
8 = ?? Y = sc430?
9 = ?? varies = check digits?
10 = Model Year (2 = 2002)
11 = Transmission or Plant Code? (0 = 5 speed)
12-17 (serial number)


JTHFN48Y620005105 2002
JTHFN48Y620008392 2002
JTHFN48Y240050089 2004 PB
JTHFN48Y040050222 2004
JTHFN48Y540055691 2004
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx61937 2005 PB scdroptop #399
JTHFN48Y750062269 2005 PB
JTHFN48Y650062571 2005 PB
JTHFN48Y350062950 2005 PB
JTHFN48Y950064363 2005
JTHFN48Y750068234 2005
JTHFN48Y669001153 2006
JTHFN45Y979013268 2007
JTHFN45Y989017371 2008 PB
JTHFN45YX89017394 2008
JTHFN45Y489017830 2008
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx20469 2009 PB huy #965
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx20748 2009 PB mine #158
JTHFN45Y699020813 2009


Production Count from Wiki
----------------
2002-25,427
2003-10,755
2004-9,848
2005-8,941

Total 54971 but 2005 serial number is greater than that, so numbers must be skipping!

Last edited by gentouru; Jan 15, 2011 at 01:18 PM.
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Old Jan 15, 2011 | 01:06 PM
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My 02 does not have the extra three digits on the sticker affixed to the B-Pillar and the PDF below is from my tech manual for my 02
Attached Files
File Type: pdf
2002 VIN Decoder.pdf (7.7 KB, 1214 views)
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Old Jan 15, 2011 | 01:11 PM
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Ah......

Wait! I wonder if the extra 3 digits signifies the # of special editions in the series then?

If I'm 399...I'm curious to see what Mrblister is and other PB's.

But we know that the SC shares series codes with another car, because the serial # was in the 60,000's until 2006 when it started a new series all over again.

Huy and Gentouru have 2009 PB's separated by 700+ digits on their lower three, so could that be just the SC or the PB? There were only 300 PB's produced though.

Tricky! Tried to call the dealer twice today in service and no one answered!
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Old Jan 15, 2011 | 01:41 PM
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Finally got dealer today...

I gave them my VIN and they said that my car was mfg in August 2004, and they did confirm that most Pebble Beach cars were produced earlier in the year because they debuted at the Cours D' Elegance Pebble Beach Show. (which if you read my post sticky on special editions you would know that! LOL) So...I didn't really learn anything.

The service tech I spoke to couldn't really tell me anything about the three digits under the VIN on my sticker. Seems like so far only PB owners have that sticker?

So...perhaps my hunch is correct.

From 2002-2005, starting with the first Neiman Marcus as # 1, till the end of the 2005 Pebble Beach cars, which were after mine, since I'm 399 and I found another 336 and 593 for 2005's, which they made 600 of. 2002 NM=100, 2004 Pebble Beach=400, 2005 Pebble Beach=600. 2006=500, 2007=400, 2008=360, 2009=300

I found a 2004 that was # 439 that blows that!!! And found some 2005's with less numbers than that, unless they combined the 2002 NM and the 2004 PB together?? In that case, then that series goes up to 500, which would work.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2005-...2ce#vi-content

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/04-SC...item19c2417e3c
Attached Thumbnails VIN Decoder-How to Decipher What Your VIN Means-g8dp-q-me-kgrhqj-h-e0ftdt1ihbnjsz-fzz-_4.jpg  
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Old Jan 15, 2011 | 01:53 PM
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# 456 on this 2007 PB, and # 158 on this 2009 PB

My theory may be correct still...

They produced the SC Pebble Beach early each year on the line.

Therefore, the mfg date and number are lower on these cars and specifically listed under the VIN.
Attached Thumbnails VIN Decoder-How to Decipher What Your VIN Means-1211sc32.jpg   VIN Decoder-How to Decipher What Your VIN Means-sq_640.jpg  
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Old Jan 15, 2011 | 02:09 PM
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Well...RATS!!!

Most other SC's (non pebble beach) have the three digit number under the VIN and all are under 1,000 so the # of SC produced cannot be that.

There were thousands of SC's produced in the earlier years and I cannot find anything over 3-digits, so it can't be the actual SC production number, nor can it be the # of special edition car.

I will keep searching!
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Old Jan 16, 2011 | 07:15 PM
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There has to be some one at Corperate Headquarters would know the answer.
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Old Jan 16, 2011 | 08:21 PM
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I will e-mail. I'm sure they'll get right on it! Top priority right under developing the new SC600h and the floor mat accelerator issues! LOL
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Old Jan 16, 2011 | 08:27 PM
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Question submitted to corporate. We'll see how long it takes.

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