A Buick Rendezvous VIN opens with 3G5 (Mexico). Position 11, the plant, shows 3 codes, most often S (98%); a 2007 Rendezvous carries 7 in position 10. Decoding one also brings up 10 recall campaigns and 973 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 Rendezvous VIN
Here is a real 2007 Buick Rendezvous VIN from our database, split into its parts:
VIN 3G5DA03147S531880 — 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 Rendezvous VINs say the car was built
The first three characters are the World Manufacturer Identifier. Across 5 Buick Rendezvous 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3G5 | Mexico | — | 5 |
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 Rendezvous
Position 10 carries the model year, skipping I, O, Q, U and Z. The alphabet comes round every 30 years, which the Buick Rendezvous has not yet outlived: its 7 years still map one-to-one. All 7 model years of the Buick Rendezvous, 2001 to 2007, with the character each one carries:
| Model year | VIN character (position 10) | Same character as |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 7 | — |
| 2006 | 6 | — |
| 2005 | 5 | — |
| 2004 | 4 | — |
| 2003 | 3 | — |
| 2002 | 2 | — |
| 2001 | 1 | — |
Body and engine characters we see on Buick Rendezvous VINs
Positions 4–8 are the maker's own build code. Across 5 VINs the Buick Rendezvous uses 5 different characters in positions 4, 5 and 8:
| Position | Characters seen on real VINs | Variety |
|---|---|---|
| 4 — body | D (100%) | 1 distinct |
| 5 — series | A (100%) | 1 distinct |
| 8 — engine | E (60%) · L (20%) · 1 (20%) | 3 distinct |
What a decoded Buick Rendezvous VIN gets you
Behind a Buick Rendezvous VIN: 973 owner complaints and every recall campaign NHTSA has on record:
| Data | For this model | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Recall campaigns | 10 campaigns | NHTSA |
| Owner complaints | 973 filed | NHTSA |
| Fuel economy | 20 mpg combined (avg) | EPA |
| Model years covered | 7 years | ForCar catalog |
Where to find the VIN on a Buick Rendezvous
A Buick Rendezvous VIN normally opens with 3G5; 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 Rendezvous VIN decoder free?
Yes, with no account. Besides the year, plant and build characters it shows 10 recall campaigns and 973 owner complaints NHTSA holds on the Buick Rendezvous.
What year is my Rendezvous by its VIN?
Read position 10: a 2007 Rendezvous carries 7, a 2006 Rendezvous carries 6, a 2005 Rendezvous carries 5.
Where was my Rendezvous built?
Position 11 names the plant. Across 965 dated Buick Rendezvous VINs it reads S 98%, 5 1%, F 0%.
What does position 4 mean on a Buick Rendezvous VIN?
It is part of the maker's own build code, so read it against this model, not a generic chart. On 5 Buick Rendezvous VINs here, D 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.