A Buick Regal VIN opens with 2G4 (Canada). Position 11, the plant, shows 8 codes, most often 1 (84%); a 2020 Regal carries L in position 10. Decoding one also brings up 84 recall campaigns and 2,661 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 Regal VIN
Here is a real 2019 Buick Regal VIN from our database, split into its parts:
VIN W04GS6SS1K1077025 — 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 Regal VINs say the car was built
The first three characters are the World Manufacturer Identifier. Across 56 Buick Regal 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2G4 | Canada | — | 35 | |
| W04 | Germany | — | 11 | |
| 1G4 | United States | — | 10 |
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 Regal
Position 10 carries the model year, skipping I, O, Q, U and Z. The alphabet comes round every 30 years, which for the Buick Regal has already happened — 1990 and 2020 share the character L. All 34 model years of the Buick Regal, 1981 to 2020, with the character each one carries:
| Model year | VIN character (position 10) | Same character as |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | L | 1990 |
| 2019 | K | 1989 |
| 2018 | J | 1988 |
| 2017 | H | 1987 |
| 2016 | G | 1986 |
| 2015 | F | 1985 |
| 2014 | E | 1984 |
| 2013 | D | 1983 |
| 2012 | C | 1982 |
| 2011 | B | 1981 |
| 2004 | 4 | — |
| 2003 | 3 | — |
| 2002 | 2 | — |
| 2001 | 1 | — |
| 2000 | Y | — |
| 1999 | X | — |
| 1998 | W | — |
| 1997 | V | — |
| 1996 | T | — |
| 1995 | S | — |
| 1994 | R | — |
| 1993 | P | — |
| 1992 | N | — |
| 1991 | M | — |
| 1990 | L | 2020 |
| 1989 | K | 2019 |
| 1988 | J | 2018 |
| 1987 | H | 2017 |
| 1986 | G | 2016 |
| 1985 | F | 2015 |
To tell the two apart on a car or light truck, look at position 7: a number for 1980–2009 models, a letter from 2010 on.
Body and engine characters we see on Buick Regal VINs
Positions 4–8 are the maker's own build code. Across 56 VINs the Buick Regal uses 15 different characters in positions 4, 5 and 8:
| Position | Characters seen on real VINs | Variety |
|---|---|---|
| 4 — body | G (84%) · W (14%) · A (2%) | 3 distinct |
| 5 — series | S (21%) · J (13%) · F (11%) · K (9%) · R (9%) · N (7%) | 6 distinct |
| 8 — engine | X (39%) · 7 (14%) · K (13%) · 1 (9%) · C (7%) · V (7%) | 6 distinct |
What a decoded Buick Regal VIN gets you
Behind a Buick Regal VIN: 2,661 owner complaints and every recall campaign NHTSA has on record:
| Data | For this model | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Recall campaigns | 84 campaigns | NHTSA |
| Owner complaints | 2,661 filed | NHTSA |
| Fuel economy | 22 mpg combined (avg) | EPA |
| Crash-test ratings | 6 rated model years | NHTSA |
| Model years covered | 34 years | ForCar catalog |
Where to find the VIN on a Buick Regal
A Buick Regal VIN normally opens with 2G4; 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 Regal VIN decoder free?
Yes, with no account. Besides the year, plant and build characters it shows 84 recall campaigns and 2,661 owner complaints NHTSA holds on the Buick Regal.
What year is my Regal by its VIN?
Read position 10: a 2020 Regal carries L, a 2019 Regal carries K, a 2018 Regal carries J. A 1990 and a 2020 share L; position 7 tells them apart, a number for 1980–2009 and a letter from 2010 on.
Where was my Regal built?
Position 11 names the plant. Across 2,628 dated Buick Regal VINs it reads 1 84%, 9 13%, P 1%, 4 1% and 4 rarer codes.
What does position 4 mean on a Buick Regal VIN?
It is part of the maker's own build code, so read it against this model, not a generic chart. On 56 Buick Regal VINs here, G is the most common character in position 4, on 84% of them.
Mark ForCar as a preferred source and our data shows up first in your Google results. One click, no account.