a 2004 Altra carries 4 in position 10.
Got a VIN from another make? The free VIN decoder reads any 17-character VIN, whatever built it.
How to read a Nissan Altra VIN
Every Nissan Altra VIN follows the same 17-character layout:
| 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. |
Model-year codes for the Nissan Altra
Position 10 carries the model year, skipping I, O, Q, U and Z. The alphabet comes round every 30 years, which the Nissan Altra has not yet outlived: its 6 years still map one-to-one. All 6 model years of the Nissan Altra, 1998 to 2004, with the character each one carries:
| Model year | VIN character (position 10) | Same character as |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 4 | — |
| 2002 | 2 | — |
| 2001 | 1 | — |
| 2000 | Y | — |
| 1999 | X | — |
| 1998 | W | — |
What a decoded Nissan Altra VIN gets you
What a decoded VIN opens up:
| Data | For this model | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Recall campaigns | 1 campaigns | NHTSA |
| Fuel economy | 85 mpg combined (avg) | EPA |
| Model years covered | 6 years | ForCar catalog |
Where to find the VIN on a Nissan Altra
Four places on a Nissan Altra carry it, and all four must read the same — a mismatch is where fraud shows itself first.
| 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 Nissan Altra VIN decoder free?
Yes, with no account. Besides the year, plant and build characters it shows 1 recall campaign NHTSA holds on the Nissan Altra.
What year is my Altra by its VIN?
Read position 10: a 2004 Altra carries 4, a 2002 Altra carries 2, a 2001 Altra carries 1.
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