Most Nissan Maxima VINs open with 1N4 (the United States, 1994–2023) or JN1 (Japan, 1983–2011). Position 11, the plant, shows 8 codes, most often C (66%); a 2023 Maxima carries P in position 10. Decoding one also brings up 34 recall campaigns and 5,317 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 Nissan Maxima VIN
Here is a real 2023 Nissan Maxima VIN from our database, split into its parts:
VIN 1N4AA6EV0PC506354 — 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. |
Nissan Maxima VIN prefixes, and when each one was used
The Nissan Maxima VINs on record carry 4 different prefixes. The main one is 1N4 (the United States, 1994–2023), then JN1 (Japan, 1983–2011):
| VIN starts with | Years seen | Built in | Vehicle type | VINs on record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JN1 | 1983–2011 | Japan | Passenger Car | |
| 5N1 | 1987–2006 | United States | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) | |
| 1N4 | 1994–2023 | United States | Passenger Car | |
| JN8 | 1997–2009 | Japan | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) |
Position 11 names the plant. On the Nissan Maxima it is not one number either — assembly moved between 8 of them over the years:
| Plant code | Years active | VINs on record | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | 1994–2023 | 3,447 | |
| T | 1982–2011 | 1,605 | |
| M | 1991–2009 | 90 | |
| X | 1984–1998 | 77 | |
| 8 | 1986–2012 | 11 | |
| P | 1989–2005 | 9 | |
| 2 | 1987–2002 | 8 | |
| N | 1992–2007 | 7 |
Counted from 5,256 dated Nissan Maxima VINs attached to NHTSA complaints, each code checked against the NHTSA manufacturer registry.
Model-year codes for the Nissan Maxima
Position 10 carries the model year, skipping I, O, Q, U and Z. The alphabet comes round every 30 years, which for the Nissan Maxima has already happened — 1993 and 2023 share the character P. All 42 model years of the Nissan Maxima, 1981 to 2023, with the character each one carries:
| Model year | VIN character (position 10) | Same character as |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | P | 1993 |
| 2022 | N | 1992 |
| 2021 | M | 1991 |
| 2020 | L | 1990 |
| 2019 | K | 1989 |
| 2018 | J | 1988 |
| 2017 | H | 1987 |
| 2016 | G | 1986 |
| 2014 | E | 1984 |
| 2013 | D | 1983 |
| 2012 | C | 1982 |
| 2011 | B | 1981 |
| 2010 | A | — |
| 2009 | 9 | — |
| 2008 | 8 | — |
| 2007 | 7 | — |
| 2006 | 6 | — |
| 2005 | 5 | — |
| 2004 | 4 | — |
| 2003 | 3 | — |
| 2002 | 2 | — |
| 2001 | 1 | — |
| 2000 | Y | — |
| 1999 | X | — |
| 1998 | W | — |
| 1997 | V | — |
| 1996 | T | — |
| 1995 | S | — |
| 1994 | R | — |
| 1993 | P | 2023 |
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 Nissan Maxima VINs
Positions 4–8 are the maker's own build code. Across 93 VINs the Nissan Maxima uses 13 different characters in positions 4, 5 and 8:
| Position | Characters seen on real VINs | Variety |
|---|---|---|
| 4 — body | A (80%) · C (12%) · B (4%) · D (3%) · E (1%) | 5 distinct |
| 5 — series | A (99%) · J (1%) | 2 distinct |
| 8 — engine | P (69%) · D (13%) · V (9%) · E (5%) · A (2%) · F (1%) | 6 distinct |
What a decoded Nissan Maxima VIN gets you
Behind a Nissan Maxima VIN: 5,317 owner complaints and every recall campaign NHTSA has on record:
| Data | For this model | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Recall campaigns | 34 campaigns | NHTSA |
| Owner complaints | 5,317 filed | NHTSA |
| Fuel economy | 22 mpg combined (avg) | EPA |
| Crash-test ratings | 10 rated model years | NHTSA |
| Model years covered | 42 years | ForCar catalog |
Where to find the VIN on a Nissan Maxima
A Nissan Maxima VIN normally opens with 1N4; 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 |
You know what it is. Find out what it's worth.
- Exact value for this VIN, adjusted for mileage
- The original window sticker and factory options
- Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
- Decode a whole list of VINs at once
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Frequently asked questions
Is this Nissan Maxima VIN decoder free?
Yes, with no account. Besides the year, plant and build characters it shows 34 recall campaigns and 5,317 owner complaints NHTSA holds on the Nissan Maxima.
Why does my Maxima VIN start differently from another Maxima?
Because the Nissan Maxima was built under several maker codes, by plant and period. Across the Nissan Maxima VINs on record we see 4 of them: JN1 (1983–2011), 5N1 (1987–2006), 1N4 (1994–2023), JN8 (1997–2009). Each is genuine for its years.
What year is my Maxima by its VIN?
Read position 10: a 2023 Maxima carries P, a 2022 Maxima carries N, a 2021 Maxima carries M. A 1993 and a 2023 share P; position 7 tells them apart, a number for 1980–2009 and a letter from 2010 on.
Where was my Maxima built?
Position 11 names the plant. Across 5,254 dated Nissan Maxima VINs it reads C 66%, T 31%, M 2%, X 1% and 4 rarer codes.
What does position 4 mean on a Nissan Maxima VIN?
It is part of the maker's own build code, so read it against this model, not a generic chart. On 93 Nissan Maxima VINs here, A is the most common character in position 4, on 80% of them.
What if the VIN on the dashboard doesn't match the door jamb?
On a Nissan Maxima check the prefix first: most genuine ones open with 1N4 or JN1. A plate that starts with anything else, or disagrees with the other copies of the number, needs documents checked before any money changes hands.
Mark ForCar as a preferred source and our data shows up first in your Google results. One click, no account.