To get a clear, factual-based picture of how an Acura was originally built and what it has been through since, start with the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). This 17-character code functions as the vehicle’s fingerprint, linking it to its original manufacturer specifications and factory-defined attributes — details that can be verified through independent data sources rather than relying on a seller’s claims or incomplete records.
With our free Acura VIN lookup, you can decode models like the MDX, RDX, TLX, or Integra and quickly access key information drawn from authoritative sources. You can confirm core specifications and standard features, review an estimate of current market value, and assess forward-looking factors such as expected depreciation and remaining lifespan. When both buyers and sellers are working from the same verified foundation, conversations around pricing, equipment, and condition tend to be more transparent and more productive.
For deeper due diligence, expanded reports can surface more consequential background details. These may include NMVTIS-based title checks that can identify salvage or other branded title history, access to original window sticker data to validate factory-installed options, and any reported accident history.
Whether you’re evaluating an Acura before purchase or preparing to sell one, beginning with validated, VIN-based vehicle data reduces uncertainty and helps minimize the risk of unexpected mechanical or legal issues. Begin by entering an Acura VIN to get immediate results at no cost and without creating an account. You can then proceed with a more complete and reliable understanding of the vehicle.
Acura VIN Lookup FAQ
Does every U.S.-market Acura have a 17-character VIN?
Yes. Acura launched in the U.S. in 1986, and the 17-character fixed-format VIN system applies to 1981-and-later light vehicles. In practical terms, every U.S.-market Acura you encounter has a standardized 17-character VIN.
What do the first three characters mean on an Acura VIN?
For Acura, the first three characters are the WMI, or World Manufacturer Index. These tell you the manufacturer entity and the vehicle category, and on Acura they also often signal whether you are looking at a passenger car or an SUV/crossover classified as an MPV (multi-purpose vehicle).
The most useful Acura WMIs are these:
| WMI | Meaning |
|---|---|
| JH4 | Acura passenger car, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Japan) |
| 19U | Acura passenger car, Honda Development & Manufacturing of America / Honda of America (U.S.) |
| 19V | Acura passenger car, Honda Development & Manufacturing of America (Indiana filing) |
| 2HH | Acura passenger car, Honda of Canada Mfg. |
| 5J8 | Acura MPV/SUV, Honda Development & Manufacturing of America / Honda of America (U.S.) |
| 5FR | Acura MPV/SUV, Honda Development & Manufacturing of America (U.S.) |
| 2HN | Acura MPV/SUV, Honda of Canada Mfg. |
The common misunderstanding is thinking every Acura should begin with JH4 or 19U. That is wrong: Acura SUVs and crossovers often use MPV-class WMIs such as 5J8, 5FR, or 2HN instead.
What do positions 4 through 8 mean?
These five characters are Acura’s model code section, and this is where the real decoding work happens. Federal rules require passenger car VINs to make decipherable the make, line, series, body type, engine type, and restraint devices, while MPV VINs must make decipherable make, line, series, body type, engine type, GVWR, and restraint information. Acura then implements those rules through year-specific model codes filed with NHTSA.
That is why a 2009 TL code like UA962 can identify a TL SH-AWD sedan, while a 2019 MDX code like YD4H3 identifies a specific MDX SH-AWD configuration. A decoder that ignores model year and just guesses from the first few characters is doing sloppy work, and they are out there.
What does the eleventh character tell me?
The eleventh character is the plant code. That is why two Acuras with the same model and year can still differ at position 11.
Honda/Acura’s NHTSA filings include these plant codes that matter most in Acura decoding:
| Code | Plant |
|---|---|
| A | Marysville, Ohio, USA |
| L | East Liberty, Ohio, USA |
| Y | Marysville Performance Manufacturing Center, Ohio, USA |
| B | Lincoln, Alabama, USA |
| E | Greensburg, Indiana, USA |
| H | Alliston, Ontario, Canada |
| C | Sayama, Saitama, Japan |
| X | Yorii, Saitama, Japan |
| S | Suzuka, Mie, Japan |
| T | Takanezawa, Tochigi, Japan |
Why do some Acura VINs start with JH4, 19U, 19V, 2HH, 5J8, 2HN, or 5FR?
Because Acura VINs encode more than brand. The WMI reflects the manufacturer location and vehicle class, so a Japanese-built Acura passenger car can begin with JH4, a U.S.-built passenger car can begin with 19U or 19V, and an Acura SUV/crossover categorized as an MPV can begin with 5J8, 5FR, or 2HN. A second misunderstanding is assuming a model family keeps one prefix forever. It does not.
How do I decode a historical Acura VIN step by step?
As an example, use this fictional, check-digit-valid example: 19UUA96289A000123. It is built from Acura’s official 2009 TL model-code data and the federal check-digit formula.
| Portion | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 19U | Acura passenger car, U.S. manufacturer entity |
| UA962 | 2009 Acura TL SH-AWD, 5AT, 4-door sedan |
| 8 | Valid check digit |
| 9 | 2009 model year |
| A | Marysville, Ohio plant |
| 000123 | Sequential production number |
Step by step, that reads as a U.S.-built Acura passenger car; a TL SH-AWD sedan using Acura’s 2009 model code UA962; a model year code of 9 for 2009; and plant code A for Marysville, which matches Acura’s own 2009 TL manufacturing information. If you run the federal check-digit math on the other 16 characters, the remainder resolves to 8, so the VIN is structurally consistent.
How do I decode a modern Acura VIN step by step?
Try this fictional, check-digit-valid example: 5J8YD4H34KL012345. It is built from Acura’s official 2019 MDX model-code data and the same federal check-digit method.
| Portion | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 5J8 | Acura MPV/SUV, U.S. manufacturer entity |
| YD4H3 | 2019 Acura MDX SH-AWD, 4WD, 9AT, 5-door SUV |
| 4 | Valid check digit |
| K | 2019 model year |
| L | East Liberty, Ohio plant |
| 012345 | Sequential production number |
Step by step, this tells you immediately that you are not looking at an Acura passenger car but an Acura MPV-class vehicle, which is exactly how MDX-type vehicles are classified in Honda/Acura’s VIN filings. The K year code resolves to 2019 because position 7 is alphabetic, and plant code L points to East Liberty, consistent with Acura’s statement that MDX production continued there.
Can a VIN tell me the exact trim or package?
Sometimes, yes; always, no. Acura’s own NHTSA filings often distinguish trims and packages in the model-code section. For example, you can distinguish the 2009 TL variants base, Tech, SH-AWD, and SH-AWD Tech by their VINs, and also the 2019 MDX configurations Tech, Advance, A-Spec, and others. But this is not guaranteed to be true for every Acura VIN.
But do not overstate what the VIN can do. Federal VIN rules require certain core attributes to be decipherable; they do not require every paint color, wheel finish, accessory, dealer add-on, or option to be embedded in the VIN.
Can a VIN tell me engine, drivetrain, and body style?
Usually yes to body style and engine, and often yes to drivetrain on Acura. The federal rules require those core attributes to be decipherable, and Acura’s model-code tables frequently distinguish 2WD versus SH-AWD/4WD, transmission type, engine family, and body type.
How do I check an Acura for open recalls by VIN?
Use a VIN-specific recall search, not just a year/make/model search. NHTSA’s own [recalls lookup](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls] tells you whether that specific vehicle has an open recall, while year/make/model searches return broader results about recalls, investigations, complaints, and manufacturer communications. A recall often applies to only a specific portion of vehicles sharing the same year, model and trim.
Acura also provides recall lookup through its owners portal by VIN and by year/model/trim. If an open safety recall exists, the repair is performed free at an authorized dealer.
Can I pull Acura service history from a VIN?
Sometimes, and sometimes only partially. Registered users of Acura’s Owners Site can track maintenance performed at Acura dealers and also keep records of work done at non-Acura facilities, which means dealer-network history can be helpful but does not guarantee a perfect cradle-to-grave maintenance file.
What Acura-specific quirks matter most when decoding?
First, Acura SUVs and crossovers are often defined as “MPVs” in the VIN language, not passenger cars, so their WMIs frequently differ from Acura sedans and hatchbacks.
Second, Acura model families move across plants and countries over time: the 2009 TL was built in Marysville, the all-new 2015 TLX began production in Marysville, the all-new MDX continued in East Liberty, the 2023 Integra became the first Integra built in America, and the modern NSX was built to order at the Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville.