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Honda Accord VIN Decoder

Decode any Honda Accord VIN free: model year, plant, body and engine codes, read from 1,046 real Accord VINs.

NHTSA · ISO 3779 · 1983–2026 · Updated Nov 3, 2026
Quick answer

Most Honda Accord VINs open with 1HG (the United States, 1984–2022) or JHM (Japan, 1981–2017). Position 11, the plant, shows 8 codes, most often A (90%); a 2026 Accord carries T in position 10. Decoding one also brings up 97 recall campaigns and 20,554 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 Honda Accord VIN

Here is a real 2026 Honda Accord VIN from our database, split into its parts:

1–3 · WMI1HG
4–8 · VDSCY2G5
9 · Check5
10 · YearT
11 · PlantA
12–17 · Serial551702

VIN 1HGCY2G55TA551702 — decoded free on its own report page.

FIG.01·Honda Accord 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

Honda Accord VIN prefixes, and when each one was used

The Honda Accord VINs on record carry 10 different prefixes. The main one is 1HG (the United States, 1984–2022), then JHM (Japan, 1981–2017):

FIG.02·Honda Accord VIN prefixes by year
VIN starts withYears seenBuilt inVehicle typeVINs on record
JHM1981–2017JapanPassenger Car1,563
1HG1984–2022United StatesPassenger Car18,520
2HG1988–2015CanadaPassenger Car23
JHL1998–2010JapanMultipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV)8
2HK1999–2016CanadaMultipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV)8
3HG2000–2007MexicoPassenger Car119
5J62003–2014United StatesMultipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV)23
5FN2005–2016United StatesMultipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV)13
5KB2009–2013United StatesPassenger Car64
19X2010–2015United StatesPassenger Car5
ROWS 10·SOURCE NHTSA vPIC · NHTSA complaint VINs

Position 11 names the plant. On the Honda Accord it is not one number either — assembly moved between 8 of them over the years:

FIG.02b·Honda Accord assembly plant codes
Plant codeYears activeVINs on recordShare
A1984–202218,47690%
C1981–20171,5738%
G1998–20181221%
B1995–2016800%
01990–2016700%
L1992–2014530%
11990–2017320%
H1988–2016310%
ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaint VINs

Counted from 20,346 dated Honda Accord VINs attached to NHTSA complaints, each code checked against the NHTSA manufacturer registry.

Model-year codes for the Honda Accord

Position 10 carries the model year, skipping I, O, Q, U and Z. The alphabet comes round every 30 years, which for the Honda Accord has already happened — 1996 and 2026 share the character T. All 46 model years of the Honda Accord, 1981 to 2026, with the character each one carries:

FIG.03·Honda Accord VIN model-year codes
Model yearVIN character (position 10)Same character as
2026T1996
2025S1995
2024R1994
2023P1993
2022N1992
2021M1991
2020L1990
2019K1989
2018J1988
2017H1987
2016G1986
2015F1985
2014E1984
2013D1983
2012C1982
2011B1981
2010A—
20099—
20088—
20077—
20066—
20055—
20044—
20033—
20022—
20011—
2000Y—
1999X—
1998W—
1997V—
ROWS 30·SOURCE ISO 3779

To tell the two apart on a car or light truck, look at position 7: a number for 1980–2009 models, a letter from 2010 on.

Body and engine characters we see on Honda Accord VINs

Positions 4–8 are the maker's own build code. Across 1,046 VINs the Honda Accord uses 15 different characters in positions 4, 5 and 8:

FIG.04·Honda Accord VIN body and engine characters
PositionCharacters seen on real VINsVariety
4 — bodyC (100%) · S (0%) · A (0%)3 distinct
5 — seriesR (23%) · V (22%) · Y (17%) · P (13%) · M (12%) · G (5%)6 distinct
8 — engine3 (25%) · 8 (21%) · 5 (16%) · 4 (11%) · 7 (9%) · 6 (7%)6 distinct
ROWS 3·SOURCE ForCar decoded VINs

What a decoded Honda Accord VIN gets you

Behind a Honda Accord VIN: 20,554 owner complaints and every recall campaign NHTSA has on record:

FIG.05·Honda Accord data available by VIN
DataFor this modelSource
Recall campaigns97 campaignsNHTSA
Owner complaints20,554 filedNHTSA
Fuel economy29 mpg combined (avg)EPA
Crash-test ratings16 rated model yearsNHTSA
Model years covered46 yearsForCar catalog
ROWS 5·SOURCE NHTSA · EPA · ForCar

Where to find the VIN on a Honda Accord

A Honda Accord VIN normally opens with 1HG; the full number sits in four places, and all four must match.

FIG.06·Honda Accord 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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Everything on the Honda Accord
Recalls415 campaignsFuel economy48 mpg bestReliability4.0/5Common problems24,369 complaintsCheck a VINAgainst this exact buildDimensionsSize, weight, generationsCargo space34 cu ftUsed prices14,970 listingsWhat yours is worthValue by year & mileageInsurance costEstimated per yearWindow stickerOriginal Monroney labelAbout this car1981–2026

Frequently asked questions

Is this Honda Accord VIN decoder free?

Yes, with no account. Besides the year, plant and build characters it shows 97 recall campaigns and 20,554 owner complaints NHTSA holds on the Honda Accord.

Why does my Accord VIN start differently from another Accord?

Because the Honda Accord was built under several maker codes, by plant and period. Across the Honda Accord VINs on record we see 10 of them: JHM (1981–2017), 1HG (1984–2022), 2HG (1988–2015), JHL (1998–2010), 2HK (1999–2016), 3HG (2000–2007), 5J6 (2003–2014), 5FN (2005–2016), 5KB (2009–2013), 19X (2010–2015). Each is genuine for its years.

What year is my Accord by its VIN?

Read position 10: a 2026 Accord carries T, a 2025 Accord carries S, a 2024 Accord carries R. A 1996 and a 2026 share T; position 7 tells them apart, a number for 1980–2009 and a letter from 2010 on.

Where was my Accord built?

Position 11 names the plant. Across 20,437 dated Honda Accord VINs it reads A 90%, C 8%, G 1%, B 0% and 4 rarer codes.

What does position 4 mean on a Honda Accord VIN?

It is part of the maker's own build code, so read it against this model, not a generic chart. On 1,046 Honda Accord VINs here, C 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 Honda Accord check the prefix first: most genuine ones open with 1HG or JHM. 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 1,046 decoded VINs on ForCar; recalls and complaints from NHTSA. Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
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