Nissan Cube VIN Decoder

Decode any Nissan Cube VIN free: model year, plant, body and engine codes, read from 7 real Cube VINs.

NHTSA · ISO 3779 · 2009–2014 · Updated Nov 4, 2026
Quick answer

Most Nissan Cube VINs open with JN8 (Japan, 2009–2014). Position 11, the plant, shows 2 codes, most often T (97%); a 2014 Cube carries E in position 10. Decoding one also brings up 4 recall campaigns and 182 owner complaints from NHTSA.

How to read a Nissan Cube VIN

Here is a real 2014 Nissan Cube VIN from our database, split into its parts:

1–3 · WMIJN8
4–8 · VDSAZ2KR
9 · Check9
10 · YearE
11 · PlantT
12–17 · Serial352716

VIN JN8AZ2KR9ET352716 — decoded free on its own report page.

FIG.01·Nissan Cube 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

Nissan Cube VIN prefixes, and when each one was used

Every Nissan Cube we have on record, from 2009 to 2014, opens with the same three characters, JN8:

FIG.02·Nissan Cube VIN prefixes by year
VIN starts withYears seenBuilt inVehicle typeVINs on record
JN82009–2014JapanMultipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV)180
ROWS 1·SOURCE NHTSA vPIC · NHTSA complaint VINs

Position 11 names the plant. On the Nissan Cube it is not one number either — assembly moved between 2 of them over the years:

FIG.02b·Nissan Cube assembly plant codes
Plant codeYears activeVINs on recordShare
T2009–201417797%
12009–201032%
ROWS 2·SOURCE NHTSA complaint VINs

Counted from 180 dated Nissan Cube VINs attached to NHTSA complaints, each code checked against the NHTSA manufacturer registry.

Model-year codes for the Nissan Cube

Position 10 carries the model year, skipping I, O, Q, U and Z. The alphabet comes round every 30 years, which the Nissan Cube has not yet outlived: its 6 years still map one-to-one. All 6 model years of the Nissan Cube, 2009 to 2014, with the character each one carries:

FIG.03·Nissan Cube VIN model-year codes
Model yearVIN character (position 10)Same character as
2014E—
2013D—
2012C—
2011B—
2010A—
20099—
ROWS 6·SOURCE ISO 3779

Body and engine characters we see on Nissan Cube VINs

Positions 4–8 are the maker's own build code. Across 7 VINs the Nissan Cube uses 3 different characters in positions 4, 5 and 8:

FIG.04·Nissan Cube VIN body and engine characters
PositionCharacters seen on real VINsVariety
4 — bodyA (100%)1 distinct
5 — seriesZ (100%)1 distinct
8 — engineR (100%)1 distinct
ROWS 3·SOURCE ForCar decoded VINs

What a decoded Nissan Cube VIN gets you

Behind a Nissan Cube VIN: 182 owner complaints and every recall campaign NHTSA has on record:

FIG.05·Nissan Cube data available by VIN
DataFor this modelSource
Recall campaigns4 campaignsNHTSA
Owner complaints182 filedNHTSA
Fuel economy28 mpg combined (avg)EPA
Model years covered6 yearsForCar catalog
ROWS 4·SOURCE NHTSA · EPA · ForCar

Where to find the VIN on a Nissan Cube

A Nissan Cube VIN normally opens with JN8; the full number sits in four places, and all four must match.

FIG.06·Nissan Cube 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 Nissan Cube VIN decoder free?

Yes, with no account. Besides the year, plant and build characters it shows 4 recall campaigns and 182 owner complaints NHTSA holds on the Nissan Cube.

What year is my Cube by its VIN?

Read position 10: a 2014 Cube carries E, a 2013 Cube carries D, a 2012 Cube carries C.

Where was my Cube built?

Position 11 names the plant. Across 182 dated Nissan Cube VINs it reads T 97%, 1 2%.

What does position 4 mean on a Nissan Cube VIN?

It is part of the maker's own build code, so read it against this model, not a generic chart. On 7 Nissan Cube VINs here, A 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 Nissan Cube check the prefix first: most genuine ones open with JN8. 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 7 decoded VINs on ForCar; recalls and complaints from NHTSA. Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
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