All You Need to Know About the VIN for Your New Mazda 6

Although many drivers have heard the term VIN and understand that each car is allocated one, you may not realise why this number is so important. The VIN or Vehicle Identification number defines a number of aspects. If you’ve been following recent car news, you’re likely to have heard about it because of the massive Takata global recall. So, here we will explore all you need to know about the VIN for your new Mazda 6 and why it’s so important.

The VIN Basics

This is an icon that is shaped like an engine and illuminates yellow. The check Essentially a VIN is a serial number like you would find on all your electrical devices, kitchen appliances and other mass produced items. The VIN is usually placed in the strongest part of the crash structure of the vehicle, and this 17 character number allows you to determine if your vehicle is subject to a recall. However, its primary purpose is as a theft deterrent.
Most car companies not only place the VIN on a panel in the engine bay but also stamp the VIN on body panels and etch it into the windows and windscreen. This makes it increasingly difficult for thieves to eradicate a car’s VIN. It remains as an identifying feature if the car is stolen or fire damaged. In this way, you can think of the VIN as your Mazda 6’s dental records in case of accident, theft or damage.

VIN Records

Car companies and registration authorities maintain records of all the VINs for each car sold and registered here in Australia. If there is a police query for a burnt out car, the registration database will immediately provide the details for the registered owner. This system only fails if the car has been sold on and the records have not been correctly updated with the proper notice of acquisition.
VIN records can also be used by car companies and dealers to track service history.

Why is the Number So Long?

If you’ve been examining the Mazda 6 2018 range in the dealership, you may have noticed this number on the corner of a vehicle window and wondered why it is so long. Throughout the world, all vehicles are labelled with VIN that consists of 17 alphanumeric characters. While this may appear random, it is possible to decode this number and understand why it is so long.

The first three letters are an indication of where the vehicle was built. Since Mazda’s head office is in Japan, this will begin with a J. The next 5 characters describe the vehicle using the manufacturer’s internal code key. The 10th and 11th can be either a year of manufacturer or an authenticity verification number. The last digits refer to specific characteristics of the vehicle.

This means that your VIN is not just telling you that you’re driving a Mazda 6, but a Mazda 6 built in 2018 with a sedan body shape, automatic transmission, and 2.5 litre engine.

If you would like to learn more about the new Mazda 6 for sale, Perth drivers should call in and see us. We have an impressive stock of vehicles including the Mazda 6 2018 range. The Mandurah Mazda sales staff is on hand to answer any queries about the Mazda 6, price deals and current offers.