Renault VIN Decoder & VIN Check — Models, Recalls, Specs, MPG & Safety
“Passion for Life”
Renault S.A. is a French multinational automaker headquartered in Boulogne-Billancourt, in the Paris metropolitan area. Founded in 1899 by Louis Renault and his brothers Marcel and Fernand, Renault is the namesake brand of Renault Group, which also owns Dacia, Alpine and Mobilize. Renault's alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi makes it part of the world's third-largest automotive partnership by combined volume.
Renault has won 12 Formula 1 Constructors' Championships (8 outright as Renault F1, 4 as engine supplier to Williams and Benetton during the Renault-engine era). The Clio, Captur, Mégane and Espace anchor European sales, while the Mégane E-Tech, Scénic E-Tech and revived Renault 5 E-Tech represent the brand's electrification. Renault exited the United States in 1987 after the failed Renault-AMC partnership, and the brand has not returned to North America.
Renault Group trades on the Euronext Paris exchange under RNO and on OTC US markets as RNLSY. Recall data for European-market Renault vehicles is tracked through Euro NCAP and equivalent agencies. ForCar.org maintains historical Renault VIN data from the brand's 1957-1987 US era.
Renault at a glance
- Founded
- 1899
- Founders
- Louis, Marcel, Fernand Renault
- Headquarters
- Boulogne-Billancourt, France
- Stock ticker
- OTC: RNLSY / Paris: RNO
- Alliance
- Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi
- F1 titles
- 12 Constructors' (engine + outright)
- US presence
- 1957-1987 (exited)
- Group brands
- Renault, Dacia, Alpine, Mobilize
- Basic warranty
- 2 years / unlimited miles
- Powertrain warranty
- 5 years / 100,000 km
Decode any Renault 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 Renault dealers use to notify owners of safety recalls.
VIN Decoder
Signature Renault technology
Renault heritage
Louis Renault built his first car, the Voiturette 1CV, in 1898 at age 21 and demonstrated it by climbing the Rue Lepic in Montmartre — a feat that earned 12 orders from witnesses. Renault Frères was founded in 1899 by Louis, Marcel and Fernand. Renault dominated French automobile production for the first half of the 20th century. The company was nationalized by France in 1945 (after the German occupation) and privatized in 1996. The 1972 Renault 5 popularized the modern hatchback in Europe, and the 2024 revival as the Renault 5 E-Tech electrifies the lineage.
Market position
Renault competes in mainstream European passenger and crossover segments against Stellantis brands (Peugeot, Citroën, Opel), Volkswagen, Hyundai-Kia and Toyota. The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, restructured in 2023 after Carlos Ghosn's departure, shares platforms across the three brands. Dacia (Renault Group's budget Romanian subsidiary) and Alpine (the sports-car brand) operate as separate marques. Renault has no plans to re-enter the US market.
New-vehicle warranty
RENAULT VIN Decoder — Free VIN Check Video Guide
Watch our quick RENAULT VIN decoder walkthrough. Learn how to decode any RENAULT VIN number to get full vehicle history, recall alerts, specifications, fuel economy (MPG), safety ratings, and known problems — completely free on ForCar.org.
All Renault models (5)
Frequently asked questions
When was Renault founded and by whom?
Renault was founded in 1899 by Louis Renault, Marcel Renault, Fernand Renault and is headquartered in Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
Where is the VIN on a Renault 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 Renault models can ForCar.org decode?
ForCar.org indexes 5 Renault nameplates. Any 17-character Renault VIN is decoded against the NHTSA dataset to return trim, factory options, open recalls and original window-sticker MSRP.
What is the Renault warranty?
Basic: 2 years / unlimited miles (Europe). Powertrain: 5 years / 100,000 km.
How to check Renault 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 Renault, the French automaker brand within Renault Group — not Dacia, Alpine, Mobilize (the other Renault Group brands) or Renault personally.
← All brands