Decode any Cadillac VIN free in seconds. Enter the 17-character vehicle identification number from your Cadillac into the decoder above and get the model, year, engine family, trim, factory options, plant code, and recall status — instantly, with no sign-up and no credit card.

This page is the Cadillac VIN hub. Below you’ll find Cadillac-specific WMI codes, the brand’s plant codes, a position-by-position guide to reading a Cadillac VIN, where to find the VIN on your Cadillac, and direct links to the Cadillac VIN decoders for individual models.

About Cadillac

Cadillac was founded in Detroit in 1902 by Henry Leland and joined General Motors in 1909, where it has served ever since as GM’s flagship luxury division. The brand’s golden age in the 1950s and 1960s established the tail-fin, V8, and ‘Standard of the World’ image that current Cadillac product strategy is steadily moving away from in favor of electric models like the Lyriq and Celestiq.

Today’s Cadillac lineup mixes ICE crossovers (XT4, XT5, XT6), a flagship sedan (CT5 with its Blackwing performance variants), the V-series performance cars, the Escalade full-size SUV, and the new electric Lyriq and Celestiq. WMI 1G6 identifies a US-built Cadillac passenger car; 1GY identifies a US-built Cadillac SUV.

Cadillac WMI codes (positions 1–3)

The first three characters of your VIN — the World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) — tell you who built the vehicle and where. The WMI is assigned by SAE International on behalf of ISO. Here are the WMIs you’ll encounter on Cadillac vehicles:

If your Cadillac VIN begins with any of the codes above, it’s a genuine Cadillac. A Cadillac VIN starting with an unlisted WMI may indicate a rebadge, a regional partner build, or a counterfeit — decode the full VIN with the tool above to confirm.

How to read a Cadillac VIN — position by position

Every Cadillac VIN built since 1981 uses the ISO 3779 17-character standard. The 17 characters split into three blocks:

Here is what each position means specifically on a Cadillac:

Positions 1–3: World Manufacturer Identifier

See the WMI table above. The country code at position 1 tells you where the vehicle was assembled — not where Cadillac is headquartered. A Cadillac assembled outside USA (Detroit-Hamtramck, Lansing, Spring Hill) carries the country code of the assembly plant.

Positions 4–8: Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS)

Cadillac follows General Motors VDS conventions: position 4 = body style, position 5 = restraint, position 6 = car line, position 7 = series, position 8 = engine. Engine code in position 8 is critical for parts and service identification.

Position 9: Check digit

The check digit is the most important single character in any VIN. It is calculated from the other 16 characters using a fixed weighting table and modulo-11 math. If even one character of a Cadillac VIN is mistyped, the check digit will not match — and any compliant decoder, DMV, or insurance system will flag the VIN as invalid.

Position 10: Model year

The 10th character maps to a model year on a 30-year cycle. Skim the chart below to translate yours:

The letters I, O, and Q are never used in any VIN — including Cadillac — because they look too similar to the digits 1 and 0.

Position 11: Assembly plant

The single character at position 11 identifies the specific factory. 5 = Bowling Green (Corvette, formerly XLR), 9 = Detroit-Hamtramck (CT6, ELR), R = Arlington (Escalade), K = Lansing Grand River (CT4, CT5).

Positions 12–17: Serial number

The final six characters are the production sequence number stamped on your specific Cadillac as it rolled off the line. Combined with the previous 11 characters, this makes every Cadillac VIN globally unique.

Where to find the VIN on a Cadillac

You can find your Cadillac VIN in several places. The lower-left windshield and the door jamb are the easiest to read; the others are useful when one of those labels has been damaged or replaced.

• Lower-left windshield (visible from outside)
• Driver-side door jamb sticker
• Engine bay (stamped on the front of the engine block on V-series)
• Cadillac myCadillac app, vehicle title, registration

If your Cadillac is older and built before 1981, the chassis number is shorter than 17 characters and follows a Cadillac-specific format. For pre-1981 vehicles, use our classic car VIN decoder guide.

Check Cadillac recalls and safety information

Open and historic recalls on Cadillac vehicles are tracked by national transport authorities. The fastest way to check a specific Cadillac:

1. Decode the VIN with the tool above to confirm the model and model year
2. Cross-reference the 17-character VIN with the Cadillac recall lookup and NHTSA
3. Review any open safety actions and contact your nearest Cadillac authorised service centre for free repair

Recalls are repaired free of charge by the manufacturer regardless of vehicle age or ownership history.

Frequently asked questions

How do I decode my Cadillac VIN?

Type the 17-character VIN from your Cadillac’s windshield, driver-side door jamb, or vehicle title into the decoder at the top of this page. Results return in seconds and include make, model, model year, body style, engine family, transmission, plant of origin, and open NHTSA recalls. No registration is required.

Where is the VIN on my Cadillac?

The two easiest spots are the lower-left corner of the windshield (visible from outside the car) and the driver-side door jamb sticker. Both locations are required by federal labelling regulation on every road-going Cadillac sold in North America and the EU.

Is the Cadillac VIN decoder free?

Yes. VinDecoderPlus decodes every Cadillac VIN free of charge with no sign-up or credit card. Full vehicle history reports — including ownership records, accident history, and odometer history — are available as an optional paid upgrade.

What does the VIN tell me about my Cadillac?

A VIN decode confirms the original factory configuration of your Cadillac: model, year, body style, engine, transmission, trim level, factory options, country and plant of origin, and any recall actions issued against that VIN. It does not record colour (which is on the build sheet), current mileage, accident history, or ownership chain — for those, you need a paid vehicle history report.

Can a Cadillac VIN be faked?

The 17 characters themselves can be retyped, but the check digit at position 9 makes silent tampering nearly impossible — any single-character change breaks the math. Cadillac VIN plates are tamper-resistant by federal standard. If you suspect a cloned VIN, our guide how to check if a car is stolen by VIN walks through the next steps.

Decode any Cadillac VIN free

Type your 17-character Cadillac VIN into the decoder at the top of this page and get a full breakdown instantly. To learn more about VIN structure in general, see our guides:

• How to read a VIN number
• What every character in a VIN means
• Classic car VIN decoder (pre-1981)
• VIN decoder vs. vehicle history report