Neewbie, hello all...need 97 vin # help

[Jay Herbert]

You are sort of out of luck.... as one of those first 14 digits is a check digit that does change. Only 10 of the the first 11 stay the same, digit 7 changes depending on if the car is an RT/10 or a GTS, digit 9 is the check digit, and 12-17 are sequential (but do NOT indicate anything to do with the build sequence).

for a '97

1 = 1 - United States
2 = B - Dodge
3 = 3 - Passenger Car
4 = E - active driver and passenger air bags
(B for pre-airbag-92-96 manual belt RT/10s)
5 = R - Car line (Viper, RT/10 or GTS)
6 = 6 - Performance/image
(service manual mis-states this as a "7", go figure)
7 = 9 - (9 if specialty coupe (GTS)..... 5 if open body(RT/10))
8 = E - 8.0 Liter V-10
9 = _ - Check Digit
10 = V - model year 1997
11 = V - Conner Ave Assembly Plant
12-17 six digit number assigned by plant.

Jay

 

[slaughterj]

Hey, I just got a VIN # from someone on a viper I'm looking at, and the # began with 1B3ER65...i.e., it had a 6 instead of a 7 for the sixth digit, what's up with that?

 

[C O D Y]

65 is correct for a RT and 69 for the GTS.

 

[Jay Herbert]

oops, I was late for work. a 6 is correct..... every Viper manual Dodge prints this as a "7", I was copying rather than thinking, not sure why they don't fix that misprint

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As for your check digit, can't tell,ya what to put

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. Can you call your dealer?

 

[GR8_ASP]

The check digit is just that. It is a regulated calculation based on the other VIN information to provide validity for the VIN. I do not think you will find easy access to the methodology to determine it. My suggestion is to either contact the dealership where you purchased it and get the VIN from their records, from your own purchase documents, from any service or warranty paperwork, from your extended warranty card or other source.

The reason that the check digit exists is to prevent unauthorized creation of VINs. If you email your last 8 digits I may be able to determine your complete VIN and email it back.

Ron