A Buick Encore VIN opens with KL4 (South Korea). Position 11, the plant, reads B; a 2026 Encore carries T in position 10. Decoding one also brings up 13 recall campaigns and 564 owner complaints from NHTSA.
Got a VIN from another make? The free VIN decoder reads any 17-character VIN, whatever built it.
How to read a Buick Encore VIN
Here is a real 2022 Buick Encore VIN from our database, split into its parts:
VIN KL4CJESM9NB538113 — decoded free on its own report page.
| Position | Section | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | WMI | World Manufacturer Identifier — country, manufacturer and vehicle type. |
| 4–8 | VDS | Vehicle Descriptor Section — body style, engine, restraint system, series. |
| 9 | Check digit | A calculated digit that validates the whole VIN. Wrong digit = wrong VIN. |
| 10 | Model year | One character for the model year. Letters skip I, O, Q, U and Z. |
| 11 | Plant | The assembly plant that built the car. |
| 12–17 | Serial | Sequential production number of this exact vehicle. |
Where Buick Encore VINs say the car was built
The first three characters are the World Manufacturer Identifier. Across 131 Buick Encore VINs we have on file, these are the codes that actually show up — and the plants behind them:
| WMI | Built in | Vehicle type | VINs on file | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KL4 | South Korea | — | 131 |
Country and vehicle type come from the NHTSA manufacturer registry. Share is measured across VINs decoded on ForCar, not production volume.
Model-year codes for the Buick Encore
Position 10 carries the model year, skipping I, O, Q, U and Z. The alphabet comes round every 30 years, which the Buick Encore has not yet outlived: its 14 years still map one-to-one. All 14 model years of the Buick Encore, 2013 to 2026, with the character each one carries:
| Model year | VIN character (position 10) | Same character as |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | T | — |
| 2025 | S | — |
| 2024 | R | — |
| 2023 | P | — |
| 2022 | N | — |
| 2021 | M | — |
| 2020 | L | — |
| 2019 | K | — |
| 2018 | J | — |
| 2017 | H | — |
| 2016 | G | — |
| 2015 | F | — |
| 2014 | E | — |
| 2013 | D | — |
Body and engine characters we see on Buick Encore VINs
Positions 4–8 are the maker's own build code. Across 131 VINs the Buick Encore uses 4 different characters in positions 4, 5 and 8:
| Position | Characters seen on real VINs | Variety |
|---|---|---|
| 4 — body | C (100%) | 1 distinct |
| 5 — series | J (100%) | 1 distinct |
| 8 — engine | B (84%) · M (16%) | 2 distinct |
What a decoded Buick Encore VIN gets you
Behind a Buick Encore VIN: 564 owner complaints and every recall campaign NHTSA has on record:
| Data | For this model | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Recall campaigns | 13 campaigns | NHTSA |
| Owner complaints | 564 filed | NHTSA |
| Fuel economy | 29 mpg combined (avg) | EPA |
| Crash-test ratings | 14 rated model years | NHTSA |
| Model years covered | 14 years | ForCar catalog |
Where to find the VIN on a Buick Encore
A Buick Encore VIN normally opens with KL4; the full number sits in four places, and all four must match.
| Where | How to see it | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Dashboard, driver side | Through the windshield, bottom corner | Easiest to check before you touch anything |
| Driver door jamb | Open the door, sticker on the pillar | Also lists tire pressures and build date |
| Under the hood | Firewall or strut tower plate | Survives a windshield replacement |
| Title and insurance | Paper documents | Must match the car — a mismatch means fraud or a swapped panel |
You know what it is. Find out what it's worth.
- Exact value for this VIN, adjusted for mileage
- The original window sticker and factory options
- Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
- Decode a whole list of VINs at once
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Frequently asked questions
Is this Buick Encore VIN decoder free?
Yes, with no account. Besides the year, plant and build characters it shows 13 recall campaigns and 564 owner complaints NHTSA holds on the Buick Encore.
What year is my Encore by its VIN?
Read position 10: a 2026 Encore carries T, a 2025 Encore carries S, a 2024 Encore carries R.
Where was my Encore built?
Position 11 names the plant. Across 564 dated Buick Encore VINs it reads B 100%.
What does position 4 mean on a Buick Encore VIN?
It is part of the maker's own build code, so read it against this model, not a generic chart. On 131 Buick Encore VINs here, C is the most common character in position 4, on 100% of them.
Mark ForCar as a preferred source and our data shows up first in your Google results. One click, no account.