Dodge Neon VIN Decoder

Decode any Dodge Neon VIN free: model year, plant, body and engine codes, read from 3 real Neon VINs.

NHTSA · ISO 3779 · 2000–2005 · Updated Nov 3, 2026
Quick answer

A Dodge Neon VIN opens with 1B3 (the United States). Position 11, the plant, shows 8 codes, most often D (83%); a 2005 Neon carries 5 in position 10. Decoding one also brings up 23 recall campaigns and 2,529 owner complaints from NHTSA.

How to read a Dodge Neon VIN

Here is a real 2005 Dodge Neon VIN from our database, split into its parts:

1–3 · WMI1B3
4–8 · VDSES56C
9 · Check8
10 · Year5
11 · PlantD
12–17 · Serial115350

VIN 1B3ES56C85D115350 — decoded free on its own report page.

FIG.01·Dodge Neon 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

Where Dodge Neon VINs say the car was built

The first three characters are the World Manufacturer Identifier. Across 3 Dodge Neon VINs we have on file, these are the codes that actually show up — and the plants behind them:

FIG.02·Dodge Neon assembly by VIN prefix
WMIBuilt inVehicle typeVINs on fileShare
1B3United States—3100%
ROWS 1·SOURCE NHTSA vPIC · ForCar decoded VINs

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 Dodge Neon

Position 10 carries the model year, skipping I, O, Q, U and Z. The alphabet comes round every 30 years, which the Dodge Neon has not yet outlived: its 12 years still map one-to-one. All 12 model years of the Dodge Neon, 1994 to 2005, with the character each one carries:

FIG.03·Dodge Neon VIN model-year codes
Model yearVIN character (position 10)Same character as
20055—
20044—
20033—
20022—
20011—
2000Y—
1999X—
1998W—
1997V—
1996T—
1995S—
1994R—
ROWS 12·SOURCE ISO 3779

Body and engine characters we see on Dodge Neon VINs

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

FIG.04·Dodge Neon VIN body and engine characters
PositionCharacters seen on real VINsVariety
4 — bodyE (100%)1 distinct
5 — seriesS (100%)1 distinct
8 — engineC (67%) · 0 (33%)2 distinct
ROWS 3·SOURCE ForCar decoded VINs

What a decoded Dodge Neon VIN gets you

Behind a Dodge Neon VIN: 2,529 owner complaints and every recall campaign NHTSA has on record:

FIG.05·Dodge Neon data available by VIN
DataFor this modelSource
Recall campaigns23 campaignsNHTSA
Owner complaints2,529 filedNHTSA
Fuel economy28 mpg combined (avg)EPA
Model years covered12 yearsForCar catalog
ROWS 4·SOURCE NHTSA · EPA · ForCar

Where to find the VIN on a Dodge Neon

A Dodge Neon VIN normally opens with 1B3; the full number sits in four places, and all four must match.

FIG.06·Dodge Neon 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 Dodge Neon VIN decoder free?

Yes, with no account. Besides the year, plant and build characters it shows 23 recall campaigns and 2,529 owner complaints NHTSA holds on the Dodge Neon.

What year is my Neon by its VIN?

Read position 10: a 2005 Neon carries 5, a 2004 Neon carries 4, a 2003 Neon carries 3.

Where was my Neon built?

Position 11 names the plant. Across 2,492 dated Dodge Neon VINs it reads D 83%, T 14%, 0 1%, 5 1% and 4 rarer codes.

What does position 4 mean on a Dodge Neon VIN?

It is part of the maker's own build code, so read it against this model, not a generic chart. On 3 Dodge Neon VINs here, E is the most common character in position 4, on 100% of them.

VIN structure per ISO 3779 and NHTSA vPIC. Plant, body and engine characters observed across 3 decoded VINs on ForCar; recalls and complaints from NHTSA. Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
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