HI:
I HAVE A 1992 PONTIAC TRANS AM CONVERTIBLE, MAROON WITH GREY INTERIOR. I WAS TRYING TO DECIPHER MY VIN NO. AND GOT STUCK ON THE CHECK DIGIT. WHY DOES THIS NUMBER HAVE TO BE CHECKED AND WHAT DOES IT STAND FOR?

MY VIN NO. IS 1G2FW33F9NL220273. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

REGARDS,
DALE

 

What’s a check digit ? Btw your caps is on

 

Hi:
Sorry for the caps. It is just easier for me to see. The check digit has a calculation of some kind and I don't
understand it. The position no. 9 in your example states "check digit".

Regards,
Dale

 

https://en.m.wikibooks.org/wiki/Vehi...s)/Check_digit

 

The check digit is basically just a confirmation that the VIN number is correct and authentic. It's basically a form of error prevention that is calculated by the rest of the characters in the VIN.

Say Bobby Ray Bob scribbles down the number and mixes up a few letters and numbers, when someone punches his chicken scratches into a computer, it calculates what the check digit should be based on the other letters and numbers. When Bobby Ray's messed up numbers don't match the check digit he gave, the computer will know it's not a valid VIN number.