Buick VIN Decoder & VIN Check — Models, Recalls, Specs, MPG & Safety
“Dream Up”
Buick is an American premium-brand subsidiary of General Motors, headquartered alongside its parent in Detroit, Michigan. Founded in 1903 by Scottish-American inventor David Dunbar Buick, Buick was acquired by William C. Durant in 1904 and used as the foundation upon which Durant built General Motors in 1908. Buick is the oldest American automobile brand still in production.
Buick survived GM's 2009 bankruptcy reorganization while sister brands Pontiac, Saturn, Hummer and Saab were eliminated. The brand was preserved largely because of strong sales in China, where Buick has been a high-volume premium nameplate since the Shanghai GM joint venture launched the brand there in 1999. The current US lineup centers on three crossovers — Encore GX, Envista and Enclave — plus the Envision midsize SUV. Buick has committed to an all-electric lineup by 2030.
General Motors trades on the New York Stock Exchange under GM. Recall data for every Buick VIN is reported to NHTSA, and EPA fuel-economy ratings, IIHS scores and J.D. Power studies provide independent benchmarks. ForCar.org decodes any Buick VIN to surface trim, factory options, open recalls and original MSRP.
Buick at a glance
- Founded
- 1903
- Founder
- David Dunbar Buick
- Headquarters
- Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Parent
- General Motors (NYSE: GM)
- GM heritage
- Foundation of GM 1908
- Oldest US brand
- Yes (still in production)
- China presence
- Major (since 1999 Shanghai JV)
- All-electric by
- 2030
- Basic warranty
- 4 years / 50,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty
- 6 years / 70,000 miles
Decode any Buick VIN
Enter a 17-character VIN below to retrieve the trim, factory options, original window-sticker MSRP and any open NHTSA recall affecting that specific vehicle. ForCar.org pulls the same dataset that Buick dealers use to notify owners of safety recalls.
VIN Decoder
Signature Buick technology
Buick heritage
David Dunbar Buick patented the overhead-valve engine in 1902 and founded Buick Motor Company in 1903. After financial struggles he turned management over to William C. Durant, who used Buick as the holding company that became General Motors in September 1908. The 1936 Buick Special introduced styling cues that defined American premium cars for the next 20 years. Buick was also the brand that introduced the turbocharger to mass-market US production in the 1962 Special.
Market position
Buick competes in the premium-mainstream segment between Chevrolet and Cadillac, with sales heavily skewed toward Chinese and (to a lesser extent) US markets — Buick has not been sold in Europe since the 1990s. The Avenir trim line, introduced in 2017, designates upscale variants competing with Acura and INFINITI on price and features. Buick's 2030 EV-only commitment ahead of Chevrolet positions the brand as GM's mid-tier electric flagship.
New-vehicle warranty
BUICK VIN Decoder — Free VIN Check Video Guide
Watch our quick BUICK VIN decoder walkthrough. Learn how to decode any BUICK VIN number to get full vehicle history, recall alerts, specifications, fuel economy (MPG), safety ratings, and known problems — completely free on ForCar.org.
All Buick models (27)
Frequently asked questions
When was Buick founded and by whom?
Buick was founded in 1903 by David Dunbar Buick and is headquartered in Detroit, USA.
Where is the VIN on a Buick vehicle?
The 17-character VIN appears in four standard locations: dashboard at the windshield base (driver side), driver-side door jamb sticker, the engine bay (firewall or engine block stamping), and the vehicle's title, registration and insurance documents.
How many Buick models can ForCar.org decode?
ForCar.org indexes 27 Buick nameplates. Any 17-character Buick VIN is decoded against the NHTSA dataset to return trim, factory options, open recalls and original window-sticker MSRP.
What is the Buick warranty?
Basic: 4 years / 50,000 miles. Powertrain: 6 years / 70,000 miles.
How to check Buick recalls by VIN?
Enter your VIN in the decoder above. ForCar.org queries NHTSA's open-recall dataset for that specific VIN and returns any safety recalls or Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) that affect your vehicle.
Disambiguation: This page covers Buick, the GM brand — not the Buick LeSabre concept (a 1951 GM showcar) or any David Dunbar Buick personal references.
← All brands