A Subaru VIN decoder allows you to look up options, models, years, engines, transmission, and specifications.
To check what engine, transmission, and options are installed on your vehicle, use the VIN Decoder Tool.
HOW TO DECODE SUBARU VIN
Position 1
Position one of the Subaru VIN identifies the country where the vehicle was assembled.
- 1, 4, 5 United States
- 2 Canada
- 3 Mexico
- J Japan
Position 2
The second position in the Subaru VIN is used to identify the manufacturer of the vehicle.
Position 3
Position three identifies the brand division of the manufacturer. This character pinpoints the exact brand division regardless of the number of divisions the manufacturer may have.
These first three Subaru VIN positions are collectively known as the World Make Identifiers (WMI). The WMI codes for Subaru are as follows:
| Make | WMI | Manufacturer | Brand Owner | Country Code | Country |
| SUBARU | 4S3 | Subaru-Isuzu of America (USA) | GM | 4S | USA |
| SUBARU | 4S4 | Subaru-Isuzu of America (USA) | GM | 4S | USA |
| SUBARU | JF1 | Fuji Heavy Industries (J) | GM | JF | Japan |
| SUBARU | JF2 | Fuji Heavy Industries (J) | GM | JF | Japan |
| SUBARU | JF3 | Fuji Heavy Industries (J) | GM | JF | Japan |
| SUBARU | JF4 | Fuji Heavy Industries (J) | GM | JF | Japan |
| SUBARU | JFB | Fuji Heavy Industries (J) | GM | JF | Japan |
Position 4
For Subaru vehicles released until the year 1998, this position identifies the model line of the vehicle.
- A – Alcyone / XT / XT6 (all with a coupe)
- B – Legacy / Baja
- C – SVX
- G – Impreza
For modern Subaru models released for the European market and those released for the North American market, position four identifies the vehicle’s model line.
- B – Legacy
- G – Impreza
- S – Forester
- W – (B9) Tribeca
Position 5
Position five represents the body type of Subaru.
E – Legacy sedan
G – Legacy Wagon
D – Impreza (sedan)
G – Impreza (touring)
F – Forester;
K – Legacy (station wagon);
L – Legacy (sedan);
P – Outback;
X-B9 Tribeca
Position 6
Position six of the Subaru VIN identifies the engine type and wheel formula of the vehicle.
For Subaru vehicles released until the year 1998
- 3 – 1.8 liters, 4×4
- 4 – 2.0 liters, 4×2
- 5 – 2.0 liters, 4×4
- 7 – 2.2 liters, 4×4
- 9 – 2.5 liters, 4×4
For modern Subaru models released for the European market
- 4 – 1.6 liters
- 5 – 1.6 liters
- 8 – 3.0 liters
- 9 – 2.0 liters
- G – 2.5 liters
- F – 2.5 liters
For modern Subaru models released for the North American market
- 2 – 1.8 liters 4×2
- 3 – 3.0 liters 4×2
- 4 – 2.2 liters of 4×4
- 6 – 2.5 liters 4×4
- 8 – 3.0 liters of 4×4
Position 7
This position identifies the steering wheel position of the vehicle.
- L – left
- R – right
Position 8
For Subaru vehicles released until the year 1998, and the modern ones released for the European market, position eight is held by a character that identifies the power supply system and the vehicle’s transmission type.
- J – SOHC, petrol, distributed injection, manual gearbox, 4×4
- R – SOHC, petrol, distributed injection, automatic gearbox
- G – SOHC, petrol, distributed injection, manual gearbox, 4×2
For modern Subaru models released for the North American market, position eight identifies the safety systems incorporated in the vehicle.
- 2 – automatic seat belts
- 5 – seat belts, two front airbags
- 6 – seat belts, two front airbags, side airbags
- C – seat belts, two front airbags, side airbags, side air curtains
Position 9
For Subaru vehicles released until the year 1998, and the modern ones released for the European market, position nine identifies the vehicle’s drive system.
3 – all-wheel drive, manual gearbox without a downshift
4 – all-wheel drive, manual gearbox with a reduction gear
5 – all-wheel drive, automatic gearbox
9 – front-wheel drive, manual
Position 10 “ Model Year
Position ten of the Subaru VIN represents the production year of the vehicle. This is as shown in the table below.
| Year of Issue | Designation | Year of Issue | Designation | Year of Issue | Designation |
| 1971 | 1 | 1991 | M | 2011 | B |
| 1972 | 2 | 1992 | N | 2012 | C |
| 1973 | 3 | 1993 | P | 2013 | D |
| 1974 | 4 | 1994 | R | 2014 | E |
| 1975 | 5 | 1995 | S | 2015 | F |
| 1976 | 6 | 1996 | T | 2016 | G |
| 1977 | 7 | 1997 | V | 2017 | H |
| 1978 | 8 | 1998 | W | 2018 | J |
| 1979 | 9 | 1999 | X | 2019 | K |
| 1980 | A | 2000 | Y | 2020 | L |
| 1981 | B | 2001 | 1 | 2021 | M |
| 1982 | C | 2002 | 2 | 2022 | N |
| 1983 | D | 2003 | 3 | 2023 | P |
| 1984 | E | 2004 | 4 | 2024 | R |
| 1985 | F | 2005 | 5 | 2025 | S |
| 1986 | G | 2006 | 6 | 2026 | T |
| 1987 | H | 2007 | 7 | 2027 | V |
| 1988 | J | 2008 | 8 | 2028 | W |
| 1989 | K | 2009 | 9 | 2029 | X |
| 1990 | L | 2010 | A | 2030 | Y |
Position 11
Position eleven of the Subaru VIN identifies the assembly plant of the vehicle.
G – factory in Ota city, pref. Gunma, Japan
For modern Subaru vehicles made for the North American market, position eleven identifies the vehicle’s assembly place and its type of transmission.
- 6 – Subaru of Indiana Automotive (USA), 4×4 manual
- 7 – Subaru of Indiana Automotive (USA), 4×4 automatic gearbox
- 8 – Subaru of Indiana Automotive (USA), 4×4 automatic gearbox
- C – plant in Ota city Gunma, Japan, 4×2 automatic gearbox
- G – factory in Ota city, Gunma, Japan, 4×4 manual
- H – factory in Ota city, Gunma, Japan, 4×4 automatic
Position 12 – 17 “ Serial Number
Position twelve through seventeen of the Subaru VIN is held by a set of digits representing the vehicle™s serial number. This set of numbers is used to pinpoint the exact vehicle being looked up. The numbers are not standardized, and their choice is solely dependent on the manufacturer of the vehicle.
SUBARU MODELS
Subaru models are as listed below:
- Subaru 360
- Subaru 450
- Subaru 1000
- Subaru 1500
- Subaru 1600
- Subaru Alcyone SVX
- Subaru Alcyone
- Subaru B9sc
- Subaru Baja
- Subaru Bighorn
- Subaru BRAT
- Subaru Brumby
- Subaru BRZ
- Subaru BRZ Concept STI
- Subaru Dex
- Subaru Elaion
- Subaru Exiga
- Subaru FF-1 Star
- Subaru Fiori
- Subaru Forester
- Subaru G
- Subaru G3X Justy
- Subaru Impreza
- Subaru Justy
- Subaru Legacy
- Subaru Legacy (first generation)
- Subaru Legacy (second generation)
- Subaru Legacy (third generation)
- Subaru Legacy (fourth generation)
- Subaru Legacy (fifth generation)
- Subaru Legacy (sixth generation)
- Subaru Leone
- Subaru Levorg
- Subaru Liberty
- Subaru Liberty Exiga
- Subaru Lucra
- Subaru Mini Jumbo
- Subaru Outback
- Subaru Outback Sport
- Subaru Pleo
- Prodrive P2
- Subaru R1
- Subaru R1e
- Subaru R2
- Subaru Rex
- Subaru Sambar
- Subaru Stella
- Subaru – Elten
- Subaru R-2
- Subaru Sumo
- Subaru Traviq
- Subaru Trezia
- Subaru Tribeca
- Subaru Vivio
- Subaru Vortex
- Subaru WRX
- Subaru XT
EXAMPLE DECODED SUBARU VIN
VIN: 4S4BRBAC4E3274483
2014 Subaru Outback
Manufacturer: Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc
Product Type: Multi-Purpose Vehicle
Make: Subaru
Model: Outback
Trim: Base (without AL wheel + Power seat or with AL wheel)
Body: Wagon
Drive: AWD/ All-wheel drive
Engine Displacement (ccm): 2500
Engine model: 2.5NA U5
Transmission: Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
Model Year: 2014
Plant Country: USA
Plant City: Lafayette
Plant State: Indiana
OPTIONS AND FEATURE CODES
- Exterior and Interior Auto-Dimming Mirrors
- Exterior and Interior Auto-Dimming Mirrors with Home link
- Rockford Fosgate Premium Audio Upgrade
- Side Sill Plate
- All-Weather Floor Mats
- Auto-Dimming Mirror with Compass
- Auto-Dimming Mirror with Compass and Home Link
- Cargo Tray – 4Dr
- Footwell Illumination Kit “ Blue
- Sun Shade
- Shift Knob – Leather 5MT
- STI Shift Knob 5M/T – Leather & Aluminum
- STI Black Duracon Shift Knob 5MT
- STI Short Throw Shifter
- Door Edge Guards – Crystal Black Silica
- Body Side Molding – Crystal Black close; Color-matched moldings that help to protect doors
- Body Side Molding – Carbide Gray
- Body Side Molding – Crystal White Pearl
- Body Side Molding – Ice Silver
- Body Side Molding – Island Blue
- Body Side Molding – Lapis Blue Pearl
- Body Side Molding – Venetian Red
- Bumper Applique Rear
- Door Edge Guards – Carbide Gray Metallic
- Door Edge Guards – Crystal White Pearl
- Door Edge Guards – Ice Silver Metallic
- Door Edge Guards – Island Blue Pearl
- Door Edge Guards – Lapis Blue Pearl
- Door Edge Guards – Venetian Red
- Exterior Auto-Dimming Mirror with Approach Light
- Fog Lamp Kit
- Splash Guards
- Sports Mesh Grille
- Wheel Locks – Steel Wheels
We hope you find the Subaru VIN Decoder guide helpful. Check these troubleshooting and repair guides for more help on your Subaru.