Free Acura VIN Decoder
Acura VIN Decoder & Lookup Tool
A Acura VIN decoder translates the 17-character VIN into the vehicle's factory identity — year, model, trim, engine, transmission, drivetrain, body style, and assembly plant — using the official NHTSA vPIC database. CarWhere's Acura decoder is free with no account, and pairs every decode with verified buyer transaction prices for the same Acura, so you see both what the vehicle is and what people actually paid for it.
Reviewed by the CarWhere Vehicle Data Team · Last updated 2026-06-11
Try a sample: 19UDE2F79JA123456Sample 2018 Acura ILX Premium built in Marysville, Ohio.
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The $9.99 Full VIN Report adds the original window sticker (where available), itemized factory options, open NHTSA recalls, a market price check from verified buyers, and a negotiation target. See a sample · Get the report
Acura window sticker: Acura does not publish original window stickers publicly. See your Acura sticker options →
About Acura
Acura is the luxury division of Honda, launched in the U.S. in 1986 as the first Japanese luxury brand. Acura's premium SUVs (MDX, RDX) are built alongside Honda models at East Liberty and Lincoln; the TLX and Integra are built at Marysville, Ohio. Acura VINs starting with 19U or 5J8 are U.S.-built; JH4 indicates Japan-imported models like the NSX and historic Legend coupes.
CarWhere has 7 verified Acura buyer transactions with an average selling price of $51,967 and average discount of 7% off MSRP. Use the VIN decoder above to identify the exact Acura configuration, then compare it against real transaction prices.
What a Acura VIN Tells You
Every Acura VIN encodes 13 distinct vehicle attributes. Our decoder surfaces the ones that matter most for identifying, valuing, and researching a specific Acura:
Year
Model year — encoded in character 10 of the VIN
Model & Trim
Specific Acura model line and trim level
Engine
Displacement, cylinder count, and fuel type
Transmission
Automatic, manual, CVT, or DCT — and gear count
Drive Type
AWD, FWD, RWD, or 4WD configuration
Body Style
Sedan, SUV, truck, hatchback, coupe, convertible
Plant
Where this specific Acura was assembled
Country
Country of origin — derived from the WMI prefix
How a Acura VIN Is Structured
All modern Acura VINs follow ISO 3779 — the international 17-character VIN standard adopted in 1981. The 17 characters break into four fixed sections:
World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI)
For Acura, the WMI is typically 19U, JH4, 5J8, 2HN. 19U identifies Acura passenger cars built in the U.S. (TLX, Integra). JH4 identifies Acura models imported from Japan. 5J8 identifies Acura SUVs (RDX, MDX) built at East Liberty or Lincoln. 2HN identifies Canada-built MDX through 2020.
Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS)
Encodes the Acura model line, body style, restraint system, and engine. Position 8 specifically identifies the engine — the most ambiguous character because the same digit can mean different engines on different Acura models.
Check Digit
A mathematical checksum derived from the other 16 characters. If a Acura VIN doesn't pass the check-digit test, it's either a typo or a forgery.
Model Year
A single character encoding the model year. Examples on a Acura: L = 2020, M = 2021, N = 2022, P = 2023, R = 2024, S = 2025, T = 2026.
Plant Code
Identifies the specific Acura assembly plant. Acura operates plants in Marysville, Ohio, East Liberty, Ohio, Lincoln, Alabama.
Sequential Production Number
The unique six-character serial number for that specific Acura unit. Two Acura vehicles with the same year, model, trim, and plant will differ only in this final segment.
Popular Acura Models
The most common Acura models by U.S. sales volume. Click any model to see verified buyer transactions and current pricing on CarWhere.
Where Acura Vehicles Are Built
The 11th character of a Acura VIN identifies the assembly plant. Acura operates the following facilities that supply U.S.-market vehicles:
- •Marysville, Ohio
- •East Liberty, Ohio
- •Lincoln, Alabama
- •Alliston, Ontario
How to Decode a Acura VIN
Find the VIN on your Acura
Locate the 17-character VIN on the lower driver's-side corner of the windshield, the driver's door jamb, your registration, or your insurance card.
Enter the VIN
Type or paste the 17-character VIN into the decoder above. We strip spaces and dashes automatically and convert lowercase letters to uppercase. The tool rejects VINs containing I, O, or Q.
Decode instantly
Click "Decode VIN." Our server queries the NHTSA vPIC database and returns the full vehicle specification in under a second.
See what buyers paid for the same Acura
If we have verified buyer transactions for the decoded year/make/model, we surface the average selling price, average discount off MSRP, and total verified deal count — and link you to the full Acura model page.
Acura VIN year chart (10th character)
The 10th character of every Acura VIN encodes the model year under the federal VIN standard. Letters I, O, Q, U, and Z are never used; the cycle repeats every 30 years (so "A" means 2010 on modern vehicles, 1980 on classics).
Sources and limitations
CarWhere's Acura VIN decoder uses NHTSA vPIC, the U.S. government VIN-decoding platform built from manufacturer-submitted vehicle data (model years 1981 and newer). Recall status for a specific VIN can be confirmed at the official NHTSA recall lookup. Decode results may be limited for non-US-market vehicles, gray-market imports, or VIN patterns with incomplete manufacturer submissions. A VIN decode does not show accident, title, lien, mileage, or theft history.
Official Acura source
Official per-VIN recall and warranty records; dealers can print the original window sticker from their internal system. Acura Owners site →
Acura VIN Decoder FAQ
What does a Acura VIN decoder tell you?
A Acura VIN decoder reveals the model year, model name, trim level, engine type and displacement, transmission, drive type, body style, and assembly plant of any Acura vehicle. It uses NHTSA vPIC, the public VIN-decoding platform built from manufacturer-submitted data (model year 1981-forward); decode fields vary by model year and manufacturer submission. It does not show accident or ownership history.
What does a Acura VIN start with?
Acura VINs typically start with 19U, JH4, 5J8, 2HN. 19U identifies Acura passenger cars built in the U.S. (TLX, Integra). JH4 identifies Acura models imported from Japan. 5J8 identifies Acura SUVs (RDX, MDX) built at East Liberty or Lincoln. 2HN identifies Canada-built MDX through 2020.
Where is the VIN on a Acura?
The easiest place to find the VIN on a Acura is the lower corner of the windshield on the driver's side dashboard, visible from outside the vehicle. It's also printed on the driver's door jamb sticker, the vehicle title, the registration card, and the insurance card. On older models the VIN may be stamped on the engine block or firewall.
How many characters is a Acura VIN?
Every Acura VIN is exactly 17 characters — a mix of letters and numbers. Like all modern VINs, Acura VINs never contain the letters I, O, or Q to avoid confusion with the digits 1, 0, and 9. A Acura VIN with fewer or more than 17 characters is either a partial reference or an error.
Is the Acura VIN decoder really free?
Yes. CarWhere's Acura VIN decoder is completely free with no signup, account, or credit card required. We use the NHTSA vPIC API — the official U.S. government VIN database that every U.S.-market Acura is filed against. We additionally cross-reference the decoded year, make, and model against verified buyer transactions in our deal database.
Where are Acura vehicles built?
Acura operates assembly plants in Marysville, Ohio, East Liberty, Ohio, Lincoln, Alabama, Alliston, Ontario. The 11th character of a Acura VIN identifies the specific plant of manufacture, while the first three characters (the World Manufacturer Identifier) identify the country.
Can I check Acura recalls by VIN?
Yes — once you decode a Acura VIN here, you can cross-reference open recalls at the official NHTSA recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Acura also operates an owner portal where logged-in owners can view recall status and schedule free repairs at any authorized Acura dealer.
Does a Acura VIN reveal accident history?
No. A VIN decode reveals factory specifications only — make, model, trim, engine, plant. To check accident history, salvage titles, or odometer rollback on a Acura, you need a vehicle history report from Carfax or AutoCheck, both of which use the VIN as the lookup key but pull from insurance and DMV records.
VIN Decoders for Other Makes
Decoded a Acura VIN? See what buyers paid.
CarWhere has verified buyer transactions for Acura vehicles nationwide — real prices from real deal sheets, not dealer ads or algorithm estimates.