Subaru XT6 VIN Decoder

Decode any Subaru XT6 VIN free — model year, assembly plant, engine and body codes, then recalls and owner complaints for the same car.

NHTSA · ISO 3779 · 21 models · Updated Nov 3, 2026
Quick answer

Most Subaru XT6 VINs open with JF1 (Japan, 1988). Position 11, the plant, shows 2 codes, most often H (75%); a 1991 XT6 carries M in position 10. Decoding one also brings up 2 recall campaigns and 4 owner complaints from NHTSA.

How to read a Subaru XT6 VIN

Every Subaru XT6 VIN follows the same 17-character layout:

FIG.01·Subaru XT6 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

Subaru XT6 VIN prefixes, and when each one was used

Every Subaru XT6 we have on record, all from 1988, opens with the same three characters, JF1:

FIG.02·Subaru XT6 VIN prefixes by year
VIN starts withYears seenBuilt inVehicle typeVINs on record
JF11988–1988JapanPassenger Car4
ROWS 1·SOURCE NHTSA vPIC · NHTSA complaint VINs

Position 11 names the plant. On the Subaru XT6 it is not one number either — assembly moved between 2 of them over the years:

FIG.02b·Subaru XT6 assembly plant codes
Plant codeYears activeVINs on recordShare
H1988–1988375%
C1988–1988125%
ROWS 2·SOURCE NHTSA complaint VINs

Counted from 4 dated Subaru XT6 VINs attached to NHTSA complaints, each code checked against the NHTSA manufacturer registry.

Model-year codes for the Subaru XT6

Position 10 carries the model year, skipping I, O, Q, U and Z. The alphabet comes round every 30 years, which the Subaru XT6 has not yet outlived: its 4 years still map one-to-one. All 4 model years of the Subaru XT6, 1988 to 1991, with the character each one carries:

FIG.03·Subaru XT6 VIN model-year codes
Model yearVIN character (position 10)Same character as
1991M—
1990L—
1989K—
1988J—
ROWS 4·SOURCE ISO 3779

What a decoded Subaru XT6 VIN gets you

Behind a Subaru XT6 VIN: 4 owner complaints and every recall campaign NHTSA has on record:

FIG.05·Subaru XT6 data available by VIN
DataFor this modelSource
Recall campaigns2 campaignsNHTSA
Owner complaints4 filedNHTSA
Model years covered4 yearsForCar catalog
ROWS 3·SOURCE NHTSA · EPA · ForCar

Where to find the VIN on a Subaru XT6

Four places on a Subaru XT6 carry it, and all four must read the same — a mismatch is where fraud shows itself first.

FIG.06·Subaru XT6 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 Subaru XT6 VIN decoder free?

Yes, with no account. Besides the year, plant and build characters it shows 2 recall campaigns and 4 owner complaints NHTSA holds on the Subaru XT6.

What year is my XT6 by its VIN?

Read position 10: a 1991 XT6 carries M, a 1990 XT6 carries L, a 1989 XT6 carries K.

Where was my XT6 built?

Position 11 names the plant. Across 4 dated Subaru XT6 VINs it reads H 75%, C 25%.

What if the VIN on the dashboard doesn't match the door jamb?

On a Subaru XT6 check the prefix first: most genuine ones open with JF1. 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 0 decoded VINs on ForCar; recalls and complaints from NHTSA. Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
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