Knowing the history of any Audi vehicle you want to buy, especially if it's used, will save you from buying a low-quality Audi at a too-high price. The best way to find your vehicle's history is to run a check on Audi's Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
If you're buying a used Audi, you'll want to know whether there are any serious problems with the car and how well the car has been cared for. You also want to know if the car was stolen, involved in an accident, passed over by many owners, and other important details.
The Audi VIN is a special 17-symbol code assigned to Audi cars at production. Decoding the Audi VIN grants you access to a wealth of information about your Audi, including manufacturer details, sales records, major accidents, total loss, and other critical information. This information can tell you whether your new Audi will be reliable or a source of headaches.
What Is Audi VIN Decoder?
The Audi VIN decoder is a user-friendly tool that helps you decipher the VIN code of any Audi vehicle. By using the Audi VIN decoder, you can find important information about your Audi in just a few minutes.
This includes the make, model, year of production, and where it was built. The vehicle report also includes other important details like past recalls, prior thefts, and safety information.
Why Should You Use an Audi VIN Decoder?
Save time
When you're looking to buy a used Audi, you could waste a lot of time researching its specifications without an easy-to-use VIN decoder.
An online Audi VIN decoder gives you quick access to basic information about the car, like its model, size, year of manufacture, and other equipment. Otherwise, you may have to visit several websites to find that information.
Another free and fast way to get information about vehicles is using the VIN look-up tool on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website.
Save money
A search on your vehicle's VIN is completely free and will return all information associated with the sales records, like the last selling price and auction record of the used Audi you want to buy.
With this information, you can decide how much the vehicle is worth. That way, you avoid buying an Audi at a premium price and get a savings discount instead.
Accident history
By using the Audi VIN decoder, you can get a history report covering all the major and minor accidents your chosen vehicle has had in the past.
Our report will help you be able to pinpoint where, when, and how any accidents happened. Because an Audi with potential risks from past accidents would not be a good choice.
Recalls and defects
Over the past several years, Audi has been involved in safety recalls due to some defects. If you didn't know what they were, it's possible that you could end up buying a faulty Audi with a history of recalls. Or buying an Audi that still has some pending recalls.
To avoid becoming a victim of those recall actions, an Audi VIN look-up will also reveal your Audi's reliability by showing any inclusions in a recall database as well as the necessary information about those defects.
You can find additional information on the Audi official website in the USA.
Where Can I Find an Audi VIN?
You can usually find the Audi VIN on the bottom corner of the windshield on the passenger side. But because Audi has different models of cars, you can also find it in other places:
- On the front strut tower
- Under the seats
- In the doorjamb
- Under the rubber strip
If you can’t find the VIN number in these positions, check your registration documents or ask your local Audi dealer.
How to Decode an Audi VIN
Here's a guide to decoding the VIN on any Audi vehicle.
In the VIN, there are 17 characters grouped under various sections.
World Manufacturer Index (WMI)
The first group is the World Manufacturer Index (WMI) which covers the first three VIN symbols.
The first letter or number in the WMI shows the country of origin of an Audi, i.e., where it was built. The second WMI character indicates the vehicle manufacturer (Audi). Finally, the last character reveals what automotive category the car belongs to.
Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS)
The second group is known as the Vehicle Descriptor Section. This section includes all VIN characters in the 4th to 8th positions. The Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) provides information about several aspects of an Audi vehicle. Some of the info you can get from the VDS include the following:
- The transmission used
- The engine displacement
- The safety equipment used
- The vehicle model
Vehicle Identifier Section (VIS)
The third group in the VIN contains characters placed between the 10th and 17th positions. You may know this arrangement as the Vehicle Identifier Section.
The first VIS character (10th in the VIN) shows the vehicle's model year. The second VIS symbol (11th) denotes the exact factory that produced your Audi. The last six digits (12th to 17th) form the vehicle's serial number received on the assembly line.
Special digit
The 9th VIN character is a standalone number that's devoid of any grouping. Called the “Security Code”, this number is the mark of validity of any VIN.
You can see a sample of an Audi VIN decoder report below.
How to Run an Audi VIN Decoder
It is easy to run an Audi VIN decoder with these three steps:
- Find out the correct Audi VIN number on the vehicle
- Type the Audi VIN number on the website
- Press “ Start Search”
We have also gathered other options for a free and quick VIN lookup.
If you can’t find the correct Audi VIN number, you can also use the vehicle's license plate to search for the vehicle history.
Audi VIN Decoder by Models
There are some Audi VIN Decoder by Models below:
View All Audi Models
What Can I Get From an Audi VIN Check?
This information can be found in an Audi VIN Check:
- Vehicle engine specifications
- Recall history
- Last selling price
- Accident history
- Sales records
- Auctions
- Judgements & liens
Audi Sample VIN Numbers
- VIN: WA1LFAFP7CA129707
- Model: Audi Q5 2.0 Quattro Premium
- Year of release: 2012
- Engine displacement: 2.0-liter L4 DOHC 16V
- Vehicle category: 4-door Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)
- VIN: WAUHGBFC5FN041440
- Model: Audi A6 3.0T Prestige Quattro
- Year of release: 2015
- Engine displacement: 3.0-liter V6 DOHC 24V Turbo
- Vehicle category: 4-door sedan
- VIN: WAUMF78P76A039520
- Model: Audi A3 2.0T DSG
- Year of release: 2006 Engine displacement: 2.0-liter L4 DOHC 16V Turbo
- Vehicle category: 4-door hatchback
Audi VIN Lookup Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do I have to pay for an Audi VIN lookup?
At VinPit, we don't charge anything for using our Audi VIN decoder. However, other sites that provide deeper vehicle information from a VIN check (e.g., ownership history) may charge a fee.
What is required for an Audi VIN lookup?
The only thing our VIN decoder needs to run a search is the VIN number of your chosen Audi. Of course, you'll need to have a smartphone or computer with internet connectivity to access the VinPit.com site itself.
Will a VIN check show if an Audi is stolen?
Running a VIN check will reveal if your car has been stolen in the past. But thieves are known to alter the VINs of stolen cars to disguise the theft. So you must ensure that the VIN is not cloned or fake before you run the VIN lookup.
How do I use the Audi VIN decoder?
The VinPit.com Audi VIN decoder is incredibly easy to use. Just type in your Audi VIN and get your free VIN report in seconds.
Conclusion
Getting a VIN check is a surefire way to know if the information provided by a seller about a vehicle is accurate and true. Using our Audi VIN decoder is absolutely free, but it will safeguard you from paying thousands of dollars in repairs in the future.
Armed with a VIN report from VinPit.com, you can get the true status of any Audi before parting with your hard-earned cash. If you want even more info on that Audi, you can also get a vehicle history report or a license plate look-up from our site.