A Buick Riviera VIN opens with 1G4 (the United States). Position 11, the plant, shows 3 codes, most often 4 (79%); a 1999 Riviera carries X in position 10. Decoding one also brings up 17 recall campaigns and 246 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 Riviera VIN
Here is a real 1999 Buick Riviera VIN from our database, split into its parts:
VIN 1G4GD221XX4702121 — 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 Riviera VINs say the car was built
The first three characters are the World Manufacturer Identifier. Across 5 Buick Riviera 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1G4 | United States | — | 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 Riviera
Position 10 carries the model year, skipping I, O, Q, U and Z. The alphabet comes round every 30 years, which the Buick Riviera has not yet outlived: its 18 years still map one-to-one. All 18 model years of the Buick Riviera, 1981 to 1999, with the character each one carries:
| Model year | VIN character (position 10) | Same character as |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | X | — |
| 1998 | W | — |
| 1997 | V | — |
| 1996 | T | — |
| 1995 | S | — |
| 1993 | P | — |
| 1992 | N | — |
| 1991 | M | — |
| 1990 | L | — |
| 1989 | K | — |
| 1988 | J | — |
| 1987 | H | — |
| 1986 | G | — |
| 1985 | F | — |
| 1984 | E | — |
| 1983 | D | — |
| 1982 | C | — |
| 1981 | B | — |
Body and engine characters we see on Buick Riviera VINs
Positions 4–8 are the maker's own build code. Across 5 VINs the Buick Riviera uses 7 different characters in positions 4, 5 and 8:
| Position | Characters seen on real VINs | Variety |
|---|---|---|
| 4 — body | E (40%) · G (40%) · A (20%) | 3 distinct |
| 5 — series | Z (60%) · D (40%) | 2 distinct |
| 8 — engine | Y (60%) · 1 (40%) | 2 distinct |
What a decoded Buick Riviera VIN gets you
Behind a Buick Riviera VIN: 246 owner complaints and every recall campaign NHTSA has on record:
| Data | For this model | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Recall campaigns | 17 campaigns | NHTSA |
| Owner complaints | 246 filed | NHTSA |
| Fuel economy | 19 mpg combined (avg) | EPA |
| Model years covered | 18 years | ForCar catalog |
Where to find the VIN on a Buick Riviera
A Buick Riviera VIN normally opens with 1G4; 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 Riviera VIN decoder free?
Yes, with no account. Besides the year, plant and build characters it shows 17 recall campaigns and 246 owner complaints NHTSA holds on the Buick Riviera.
What year is my Riviera by its VIN?
Read position 10: a 1999 Riviera carries X, a 1998 Riviera carries W, a 1997 Riviera carries V.
Where was my Riviera built?
Position 11 names the plant. Across 241 dated Buick Riviera VINs it reads 4 79%, U 16%, 7 2%.
What does position 4 mean on a Buick Riviera VIN?
It is part of the maker's own build code, so read it against this model, not a generic chart. On 5 Buick Riviera VINs here, E is the most common character in position 4, on 40% of them.
Mark ForCar as a preferred source and our data shows up first in your Google results. One click, no account.