Daewoo NUBIRA VIN Decoder

Decode any Daewoo NUBIRA VIN free: model year, plant, body and engine codes, read from 2 real NUBIRA VINs.

NHTSA · ISO 3779 · 1997–1999 · Updated Nov 4, 2026
Quick answer

Most Daewoo NUBIRA VINs open with KLA (South Korea, 1998–2002). Position 11, the plant, shows 2 codes, most often K (96%); a 2002 NUBIRA carries 2 in position 10. Decoding one also brings up 3 recall campaigns and 325 owner complaints from NHTSA.

How to read a Daewoo NUBIRA VIN

Here is a real 1999 Daewoo NUBIRA VIN from our database, split into its parts:

1–3 · WMIKLA
4–8 · VDSJF69V
9 · CheckE
10 · YearX
11 · PlantK
12–17 · Serial293693

VIN KLAJF69VEXK293693 — decoded free on its own report page.

FIG.01·Daewoo NUBIRA VIN structure
PositionSectionWhat it tells you
1–3WMIWorld Manufacturer Identifier — country, manufacturer and vehicle type.
4–8VDSVehicle Descriptor Section — body style, engine, restraint system, series.
9Check digitA calculated digit that validates the whole VIN. Wrong digit = wrong VIN.
10Model yearOne character for the model year. Letters skip I, O, Q, U and Z.
11PlantThe assembly plant that built the car.
12–17SerialSequential production number of this exact vehicle.
ROWS 6·SOURCE ISO 3779 / NHTSA vPIC

Daewoo NUBIRA VIN prefixes, and when each one was used

Every Daewoo NUBIRA we have on record, from 1998 to 2002, opens with the same three characters, KLA:

FIG.02·Daewoo NUBIRA VIN prefixes by year
VIN starts withYears seenBuilt inVehicle typeVINs on record
KLA1998–2002South KoreaPassenger Car313
ROWS 1·SOURCE NHTSA vPIC · NHTSA complaint VINs

Position 11 names the plant. On the Daewoo NUBIRA it is not one number either — assembly moved between 2 of them over the years:

FIG.02b·Daewoo NUBIRA assembly plant codes
Plant codeYears activeVINs on recordShare
K1998–200231196%
11999–200141%
ROWS 2·SOURCE NHTSA complaint VINs

Counted from 313 dated Daewoo NUBIRA VINs attached to NHTSA complaints, each code checked against the NHTSA manufacturer registry.

Model-year codes for the Daewoo NUBIRA

Position 10 carries the model year, skipping I, O, Q, U and Z. The alphabet comes round every 30 years, which the Daewoo NUBIRA has not yet outlived: its 6 years still map one-to-one. All 6 model years of the Daewoo NUBIRA, 1997 to 2002, with the character each one carries:

FIG.03·Daewoo NUBIRA VIN model-year codes
Model yearVIN character (position 10)Same character as
20022—
20011—
2000Y—
1999X—
1998W—
1997V—
ROWS 6·SOURCE ISO 3779

Body and engine characters we see on Daewoo NUBIRA VINs

Positions 4–8 are the maker's own build code. Across 2 VINs the Daewoo NUBIRA uses 3 different characters in positions 4, 5 and 8:

FIG.04·Daewoo NUBIRA VIN body and engine characters
PositionCharacters seen on real VINsVariety
4 — bodyJ (100%)1 distinct
5 — seriesF (100%)1 distinct
8 — engineV (100%)1 distinct
ROWS 3·SOURCE ForCar decoded VINs

What a decoded Daewoo NUBIRA VIN gets you

Behind a Daewoo NUBIRA VIN: 325 owner complaints and every recall campaign NHTSA has on record:

FIG.05·Daewoo NUBIRA data available by VIN
DataFor this modelSource
Recall campaigns3 campaignsNHTSA
Owner complaints325 filedNHTSA
Fuel economy23 mpg combined (avg)EPA
Model years covered6 yearsForCar catalog
ROWS 4·SOURCE NHTSA · EPA · ForCar

Where to find the VIN on a Daewoo NUBIRA

A Daewoo NUBIRA VIN normally opens with KLA; the full number sits in four places, and all four must match.

FIG.06·Daewoo NUBIRA VIN locations
WhereHow to see itWhy it matters
Dashboard, driver sideThrough the windshield, bottom cornerEasiest to check before you touch anything
Driver door jambOpen the door, sticker on the pillarAlso lists tire pressures and build date
Under the hoodFirewall or strut tower plateSurvives a windshield replacement
Title and insurancePaper documentsMust match the car — a mismatch means fraud or a swapped panel
ROWS 4·SOURCE ForCar
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Frequently asked questions

Is this Daewoo NUBIRA VIN decoder free?

Yes, with no account. Besides the year, plant and build characters it shows 3 recall campaigns and 325 owner complaints NHTSA holds on the Daewoo NUBIRA.

What year is my NUBIRA by its VIN?

Read position 10: a 2002 NUBIRA carries 2, a 2001 NUBIRA carries 1, a 2000 NUBIRA carries Y.

Where was my NUBIRA built?

Position 11 names the plant. Across 324 dated Daewoo NUBIRA VINs it reads K 96%, 1 1%.

What does position 4 mean on a Daewoo NUBIRA VIN?

It is part of the maker's own build code, so read it against this model, not a generic chart. On 2 Daewoo NUBIRA VINs here, J is the most common character in position 4, on 100% of them.

What if the VIN on the dashboard doesn't match the door jamb?

On a Daewoo NUBIRA check the prefix first: most genuine ones open with KLA. A plate that starts with anything else, or disagrees with the other copies of the number, needs documents checked before any money changes hands.

VIN structure per ISO 3779 and NHTSA vPIC. Plant, body and engine characters observed across 2 decoded VINs on ForCar; recalls and complaints from NHTSA. Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
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