Most Land Rover Discovery Sport VINs open with SAL (the United Kingdom, 2019–2023). Position 11, the plant, reads H; a 2026 Discovery Sport carries T in position 10. Decoding one also brings up 15 recall campaigns and 46 owner complaints from NHTSA.
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How to read a Land Rover Discovery Sport VIN
Here is a real 2025 Land Rover Discovery Sport VIN from our database, split into its parts:
VIN SALCJ2FX4SH359892 — 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. |
Land Rover Discovery Sport VIN prefixes, and when each one was used
Every Land Rover Discovery Sport we have on record, from 2019 to 2023, opens with the same three characters, SAL:
| VIN starts with | Years seen | Built in | Vehicle type | VINs on record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAL | 2019–2023 | United Kingdom | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) |
Counted from 46 dated Land Rover Discovery Sport VINs attached to NHTSA complaints, each code checked against the NHTSA manufacturer registry.
Model-year codes for the Land Rover Discovery Sport
Position 10 carries the model year, skipping I, O, Q, U and Z. The alphabet comes round every 30 years, which the Land Rover Discovery Sport has not yet outlived: its 12 years still map one-to-one. All 12 model years of the Land Rover Discovery Sport, 2015 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 | — |
Body and engine characters we see on Land Rover Discovery Sport VINs
Positions 4–8 are the maker's own build code. Across 51 VINs the Land Rover Discovery Sport uses 11 different characters in positions 4, 5 and 8:
| Position | Characters seen on real VINs | Variety |
|---|---|---|
| 4 — body | C (100%) | 1 distinct |
| 5 — series | R (24%) · P (22%) · J (20%) · T (14%) · A (12%) · K (4%) | 6 distinct |
| 8 — engine | X (76%) · G (16%) · N (6%) · T (2%) | 4 distinct |
What a decoded Land Rover Discovery Sport VIN gets you
Behind a Land Rover Discovery Sport VIN: 46 owner complaints and every recall campaign NHTSA has on record:
| Data | For this model | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Recall campaigns | 15 campaigns | NHTSA |
| Owner complaints | 46 filed | NHTSA |
| Fuel economy | 21 mpg combined (avg) | EPA |
| Model years covered | 12 years | ForCar catalog |
Where to find the VIN on a Land Rover Discovery Sport
A Land Rover Discovery Sport VIN normally opens with SAL; 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 |
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Frequently asked questions
Is this Land Rover Discovery Sport VIN decoder free?
Yes, with no account. Besides the year, plant and build characters it shows 15 recall campaigns and 46 owner complaints NHTSA holds on the Land Rover Discovery Sport.
What year is my Discovery Sport by its VIN?
Read position 10: a 2026 Discovery Sport carries T, a 2025 Discovery Sport carries S, a 2024 Discovery Sport carries R.
Where was my Discovery Sport built?
Position 11 names the plant. Across 46 dated Land Rover Discovery Sport VINs it reads H 100%.
What does position 4 mean on a Land Rover Discovery Sport VIN?
It is part of the maker's own build code, so read it against this model, not a generic chart. On 51 Land Rover Discovery Sport 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 Land Rover Discovery Sport check the prefix first: most genuine ones open with SAL. A plate that starts with anything else, or disagrees with the other copies of the number, needs documents checked before any money changes hands.
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