A GMC Acadia VIN opens with 1GK (the United States). Position 11, the plant, shows 8 codes, most often J (66%); a 2026 Acadia carries T in position 10. Decoding one also brings up 38 recall campaigns and 5,136 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 GMC Acadia VIN
Here is a real 2027 GMC Acadia VIN from our database, split into its parts:
VIN 1GKENKKS2VJ118222 — 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 GMC Acadia VINs say the car was built
The first three characters are the World Manufacturer Identifier. Across 245 GMC Acadia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1GK | United States | — | 245 |
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 GMC Acadia
Position 10 carries the model year, skipping I, O, Q, U and Z. The alphabet comes round every 30 years, which the GMC Acadia has not yet outlived: its 20 years still map one-to-one. All 20 model years of the GMC Acadia, 2007 to 2026, with the character each one carries:
| Model year | VIN character (position 10) | Same character as |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | T | — |
| 2025 | S | — |
| 2024 | R | — |
| 2023 | P | — |
| 2022 | N | — |
| 2021 | M | — |
| 2020 | L | — |
| 2019 | K | — |
| 2018 | J | — |
| 2017 | H | — |
| 2016 | G | — |
| 2015 | F | — |
| 2014 | E | — |
| 2013 | D | — |
| 2012 | C | — |
| 2011 | B | — |
| 2010 | A | — |
| 2009 | 9 | — |
| 2008 | 8 | — |
| 2007 | 7 | — |
Body and engine characters we see on GMC Acadia VINs
Positions 4–8 are the maker's own build code. Across 245 VINs the GMC Acadia uses 13 different characters in positions 4, 5 and 8:
| Position | Characters seen on real VINs | Variety |
|---|---|---|
| 4 — body | K (72%) · E (27%) · L (1%) | 3 distinct |
| 5 — series | N (70%) · V (16%) · R (13%) · M (1%) | 4 distinct |
| 8 — engine | S (60%) · D (27%) · 4 (8%) · A (4%) · 7 (2%) · B (0%) | 6 distinct |
What a decoded GMC Acadia VIN gets you
Behind a GMC Acadia VIN: 5,136 owner complaints and every recall campaign NHTSA has on record:
| Data | For this model | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Recall campaigns | 38 campaigns | NHTSA |
| Owner complaints | 5,136 filed | NHTSA |
| Fuel economy | 21 mpg combined (avg) | EPA |
| Crash-test ratings | 16 rated model years | NHTSA |
| Model years covered | 20 years | ForCar catalog |
Where to find the VIN on a GMC Acadia
A GMC Acadia VIN normally opens with 1GK; 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 GMC Acadia VIN decoder free?
Yes, with no account. Besides the year, plant and build characters it shows 38 recall campaigns and 5,136 owner complaints NHTSA holds on the GMC Acadia.
What year is my Acadia by its VIN?
Read position 10: a 2026 Acadia carries T, a 2025 Acadia carries S, a 2024 Acadia carries R.
Where was my Acadia built?
Position 11 names the plant. Across 5,117 dated GMC Acadia VINs it reads J 66%, Z 33%, 1 0%, 7 0% and 4 rarer codes.
What does position 4 mean on a GMC Acadia VIN?
It is part of the maker's own build code, so read it against this model, not a generic chart. On 245 GMC Acadia VINs here, K is the most common character in position 4, on 72% of them.
Mark ForCar as a preferred source and our data shows up first in your Google results. One click, no account.