Kia Borrego VIN Decoder

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

NHTSA · ISO 3779 · 2009–2009 · Updated Nov 4, 2026
Quick answer

Most Kia Borrego VINs open with KND (South Korea, 2009). Position 11, the plant, reads 5; a 2011 Borrego carries B in position 10. Decoding one also brings up 4 recall campaigns and 78 owner complaints from NHTSA.

How to read a Kia Borrego VIN

Here is a real 2009 Kia Borrego VIN from our database, split into its parts:

1–3 · WMIKND
4–8 · VDSJH741
9 · Check2
10 · Year9
11 · Plant5
12–17 · Serial013003

VIN KNDJH741295013003 — decoded free on its own report page.

FIG.01·Kia Borrego 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

Kia Borrego VIN prefixes, and when each one was used

Every Kia Borrego we have on record, all from 2009, opens with the same three characters, KND:

FIG.02·Kia Borrego VIN prefixes by year
VIN starts withYears seenBuilt inVehicle typeVINs on record
KND2009–2009South KoreaMultipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV)78
ROWS 1·SOURCE NHTSA vPIC · NHTSA complaint VINs

Counted from 78 dated Kia Borrego VINs attached to NHTSA complaints, each code checked against the NHTSA manufacturer registry.

Model-year codes for the Kia Borrego

Position 10 carries the model year, skipping I, O, Q, U and Z. The alphabet comes round every 30 years, which the Kia Borrego has not yet outlived: its 3 years still map one-to-one. All 3 model years of the Kia Borrego, 2009 to 2011, with the character each one carries:

FIG.03·Kia Borrego VIN model-year codes
Model yearVIN character (position 10)Same character as
2011B—
2010A—
20099—
ROWS 3·SOURCE ISO 3779

Body and engine characters we see on Kia Borrego VINs

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

FIG.04·Kia Borrego VIN body and engine characters
PositionCharacters seen on real VINsVariety
4 — bodyJ (100%)1 distinct
5 — seriesJ (67%) · H (33%)2 distinct
8 — engine1 (100%)1 distinct
ROWS 3·SOURCE ForCar decoded VINs

What a decoded Kia Borrego VIN gets you

Behind a Kia Borrego VIN: 78 owner complaints and every recall campaign NHTSA has on record:

FIG.05·Kia Borrego data available by VIN
DataFor this modelSource
Recall campaigns4 campaignsNHTSA
Owner complaints78 filedNHTSA
Fuel economy18 mpg combined (avg)EPA
Model years covered3 yearsForCar catalog
ROWS 4·SOURCE NHTSA · EPA · ForCar

Where to find the VIN on a Kia Borrego

A Kia Borrego VIN normally opens with KND; the full number sits in four places, and all four must match.

FIG.06·Kia Borrego 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 Kia Borrego VIN decoder free?

Yes, with no account. Besides the year, plant and build characters it shows 4 recall campaigns and 78 owner complaints NHTSA holds on the Kia Borrego.

What year is my Borrego by its VIN?

Read position 10: a 2011 Borrego carries B, a 2010 Borrego carries A, a 2009 Borrego carries 9.

Where was my Borrego built?

Position 11 names the plant. Across 78 dated Kia Borrego VINs it reads 5 100%.

What does position 4 mean on a Kia Borrego VIN?

It is part of the maker's own build code, so read it against this model, not a generic chart. On 3 Kia Borrego 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 Kia Borrego check the prefix first: most genuine ones open with KND. 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 3 decoded VINs on ForCar; recalls and complaints from NHTSA. Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
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