Decode Your VIN
Enter your vehicle's VIN code to discover all technical specifications. The VIN consists of 17 alphanumeric characters.
Honda Passport VIN Decoder
Decode any Honda Passport VIN free in under three seconds. Type the 17-character vehicle identification number into the decoder above and pull the generation, model year, engine, trim, transmission, assembly plant, and open NHTSA recalls. No account, no credit card, no email gate.
This page is the dedicated Honda Passport hub, and it comes with an unusual disclaimer up front: the name “Honda Passport” has been used on two genuinely different vehicles built by two different companies, more than a decade and a half apart, sharing nothing but a badge. We decode both, and we keep them separate rather than blending them into one continuous history.
About the Honda Passport: one name, two unrelated vehicles
The first Honda Passport went on sale for the 1994 model year. It was not designed or built by Honda. It was a rebadged Isuzu Rodeo, built by Isuzu at the Subaru-Isuzu Automotive (SIA) joint-venture plant in Lafayette, Indiana, on Isuzu’s own body-on-frame platform, sold through Honda dealers under a capacity-sharing arrangement between the two companies. Honda pulled the plug on that Passport after the 2002 model year. For the next sixteen years, there was no Honda Passport at all.
Honda revived the name in 2018 for the 2019 model year on a completely different vehicle: a unibody midsize SUV built on Honda’s own global light-truck platform, closely related to the Honda Pilot, assembled at Honda Manufacturing of Alabama in Lincoln, Alabama. That Honda-built Passport ran through the 2025 model year, then Honda gave it a ground-up redesign for 2026, with a stiffer chassis, a new 285-horsepower V6, a 10-speed automatic, and a rugged, off-road-focused look aimed squarely at the TrailSport buyer.
So when someone says “Honda Passport,” they could mean an Isuzu-engineered 1990s truck or a 2020s Honda crossover that shares no parts, no platform, and no manufacturer with it. We verified both eras independently against NHTSA’s vPIC database using real, checksum-valid VINs, because treating them as one continuous nameplate would misrepresent what’s actually under the sheet metal.
| Era | Years | Built by | Platform | Assembly plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st-gen Passport | 1994-1997 | Isuzu | Body-on-frame, Isuzu Rodeo chassis | Lafayette, Indiana (SIA) |
| Facelifted Passport | 1998-2002 | Isuzu | Body-on-frame, redesigned Rodeo chassis | Lafayette, Indiana (SIA) |
| (nameplate retired) | 2003-2018 | – | – | – |
| 3rd-gen Passport | 2019-2025 | Honda | Unibody, Pilot-based global light-truck platform | Lincoln, Alabama |
| 4th-gen Passport (redesign) | 2026-present | Honda | Unibody, stiffened Pilot-based platform | Lincoln, Alabama |
We confirmed the Isuzu-built plant and engine by decoding a real 1995 Passport VIN (4S6CM58V0S4432276) through vPIC, which returned a clean decode: manufacturer Isuzu Manufacturing Services of America Inc., plant Lafayette, Indiana, engine the 6VD1 3.2-liter V6. We confirmed the current Honda-built cars the same way, decoding real 2021, 2022, and 2026 VINs, all of which returned American Honda Motor Co. as the manufacturer, Lincoln, Alabama as the plant, and the J35Y6 (2019-2025) or J35Y8 (2026-present) 3.5-liter V6.
Honda Passport WMI codes (positions 1 to 3)
The first three characters of a VIN form the World Manufacturer Identifier, assigned by SAE on behalf of ISO. Because the two Passport eras were built by different companies, they carry entirely different WMIs. This is not a quirk of the Passport specifically; it’s the direct result of Isuzu and Honda being separate manufacturers with separate SAE registrations.
| WMI | Country | Manufacturer of record | Passport years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4S6 | USA | Isuzu Manufacturing Services of America, Inc. (SIA plant, Lafayette, Indiana) | 1994-2002 |
| 5FNYF | USA | American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Lincoln, Alabama) | 2019-2025 and 2026-present |
If you’re holding a title for a 1990s Passport, do not expect it to start with anything Honda-branded like 1HG or 5FN. A genuine first-generation Passport carries 4S6, the same WMI family Isuzu used on its own Rodeo, because that’s what it mechanically is. A VIN claiming to be a 1994-2002 Passport that starts with a Honda-specific WMI should be treated as suspect and re-checked with the decoder above.
How to decode a Honda Passport VIN, position by position
Every Passport, in either era, uses the 17-character ISO 3779 standard. What differs between the two generations is who assigned the middle characters and what they mean.
Positions 1 to 3: World Manufacturer Identifier
See the table above. On a 1994-2002 Passport, this block identifies Isuzu’s US manufacturing arm, not Honda, because Isuzu built the car end to end. On a 2019-present Passport, it identifies American Honda’s own plant. The country digit (4 or 5) tells you the car was assembled in the United States in both cases, but that’s the only thing the two WMI blocks have in common.
Positions 4 to 8: Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS)
This is where the two eras diverge completely, because it’s populated according to each manufacturer’s own internal scheme.
On the Isuzu-built Passport, positions 4 to 8 follow Isuzu’s own body and engine coding, not a Honda standard. Our decoded 1995 sample carries CM58V in that block, corresponding to the 3.2-liter 6VD1 V6. Isuzu also sold the early Passport with a 2.6-liter four-cylinder base engine (the 4ZE1) before standardizing on the V6, but we did not verify that specific character combination against a real decoded VIN, so we won’t assign it a position here. Isuzu’s internal VDS key for this era isn’t published the way Honda’s later filings are; use the decoder above to pull the confirmed detail on any individual 1994-2002 VIN.
On the current Honda-built Passport, positions 4 to 8 (YF8H6, YF9H5, and similar strings across our confirmed samples) resolve to trim, body configuration, and drivetrain through Honda’s own model-code filing, the same system Honda uses across the Pilot, Ridgeline, and Odyssey built at the same Alabama plant. The engine itself moved from the J35Y6 3.5-liter V6 (268 horsepower, 2019-2025) to the J35Y8 3.5-liter V6 (285 horsepower, paired with a new 10-speed automatic) with the 2026 redesign. Both engine codes are confirmed directly from vPIC decodes of real VINs, not inferred.
Position 9: Check digit
The check digit is the one character in the VIN that catches typos. It’s calculated from the other 16 characters using a fixed weighting table and modulo-11 math. Mistype a single character anywhere in the VIN and the math no longer matches; any compliant decoder, every state DMV, and the NHTSA recall database will reject the entry. This is the reason “look up by VIN” is more reliable than “look up by license plate” for confirming a specific car, and it works identically on both Passport eras because the check-digit formula is a federal standard, not a manufacturer choice.
Position 10: Model year
The 10th character maps to model year on a 30-year cycle defined by SAE J853 and mirrored in ISO 3779. The letters I, O, and Q are never used because they can be misread as 1 and 0. Because the two Passport eras sit in different cycles, here’s the full picture for both:
1994-2002 (Isuzu-built Passport), earlier cycle:
| Char | Year | Char | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| R | 1994 | X | 1999 |
| S | 1995 | Y | 2000 |
| T | 1996 | 1 | 2001 |
| V | 1997 | 2 | 2002 |
| W | 1998 |
Our decoded 1995 sample carries S at position 10, which checks out exactly against this cycle.
2010-2034, current cycle (covers the 2019-present Honda-built Passport):
| Char | Year | Char | Year | Char | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 2010 | K | 2019 | T | 2026 |
| B | 2011 | L | 2020 | V | 2027 |
| C | 2012 | M | 2021 | W | 2028 |
| D | 2013 | N | 2022 | X | 2029 |
| E | 2014 | P | 2023 | Y | 2030 |
| F | 2015 | R | 2024 | 1 | 2031 |
| G | 2016 | S | 2025 | 2 | 2032 |
| H | 2017 | 3 | 2033 | ||
| J | 2018 | 4 | 2034 |
Our decoded 2021, 2022, and 2026 samples carry M, N, and T respectively, all matching this cycle exactly. Since there was no Passport built between 2003 and 2018, a WMI of 5FNYF paired with a position-10 character from the earlier cycle (say, Y for 2000) is a contradiction; the decoder above will flag that kind of mismatch.
Position 11: Assembly plant
A single character identifies the specific factory, and here again the two eras use unrelated coding because they come from different manufacturers.
| Char | Plant | Era |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Lafayette, Indiana (Subaru-Isuzu Automotive) | 1994-2002 Isuzu-built Passport, confirmed on our 1995 sample |
| B | Lincoln, Alabama (Honda Manufacturing of Alabama) | 2019-present Honda-built Passport, confirmed on 2021, 2022, and 2026 samples |
Every Passport, regardless of era, has been built at a single US plant for its entire production run. There is no multi-country assembly history to track here the way there is with the Accord or CR-V.
Positions 12 to 17: Serial number
The final six characters are the production sequence stamped on your specific Passport as it left the line. Combined with the previous 11 characters, this makes every Passport VIN globally unique. Two cars with the same generation, year, plant, and engine still differ here.
Passport trim levels and how they appear in the VIN
Trim is reconstructed from the VDS block combined with the factory build sheet, not spelled out directly in plain text.
- 1994-1997 (Isuzu-built): Base four-cylinder, DX, LX
- 1998-2002 (Isuzu-built, facelifted): LX, EX
- 2019-2022 (Honda-built): Sport, EX-L, TrailSport, Touring, Elite
- 2023-2025 (Honda-built): EX-L, TrailSport, TrailSport Elite, Black Edition
- 2026-present (Honda-built redesign): RTL, TrailSport, TrailSport Elite
When you decode a current Passport VIN with the tool above, the result also calls the drivetrain (FWD or AWD, standard on TrailSport and most trims) and equipment package.
Where to find the VIN on a Honda Passport
- Lower-left corner of the windshield, visible from outside the vehicle (all model years)
- Driver’s side door jamb or B-pillar sticker
- Stamped on the frame rail or firewall in the engine bay
- Vehicle title, registration, insurance card, and, on 2019-present cars, the HondaLink app
On a 1994-2002 Passport, the frame stamp is on the same body-on-frame chassis Isuzu used for the Rodeo; the two vehicles share identical stamp locations because they share the identical body.
Honda Passport recalls and safety
Because the two eras are unrelated vehicles, their recall histories don’t overlap, and one campaign makes the split especially visible: NHTSA campaign 10V436000 covers “certain model year 1998-2002 Isuzu Rodeo” vehicles for a rear suspension defect, and it surfaces in NHTSA’s own database as relevant to the 1998-2002 Passport too, even though the recall text names only the Rodeo. That’s the shared-platform relationship in action: identical hardware, different badge, one fix.
Other real Isuzu-era campaigns include 94V132000 (a camshaft seal issue on the 1994 engine), 97V034002 (a voltage regulator defect that could affect the alternator), and 98V170000 (an improperly crimped underhood ground connection on 1998 models).
The current Honda-built Passport has been part of several real, verified NHTSA campaigns:
- 20V439000 and 23V431000: backup camera display issues affecting 2019-2022 Passport alongside Pilot and Odyssey
- 21V932000: a hood latch/structure issue on 2019 Passport and contemporary Pilot models
- 21V165000: a tire-related campaign covering 2019-2020 Passport and Pilot
- 24V184000: a steering rack and pinion defect on 2023 Passport and Ridgeline
- 24V900000: a fuel tank filler pipe issue on 2023-2024 Passport and 2023-2025 Pilot
To check your specific Passport:
- Decode the VIN with the tool above to confirm the exact model, generation, and year
- Cross-reference the 17-character VIN with Honda’s US recall lookup or NHTSA’s recall database
- Contact your nearest Honda (or, for a 1994-2002 model, any shop familiar with the Isuzu Rodeo) service department for any open campaign repair
Recall repairs are free regardless of vehicle age, mileage, or ownership history.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1994-2002 Honda Passport the same vehicle as the current Passport?
No. The 1994-2002 Passport was a rebadged Isuzu Rodeo, engineered and built by Isuzu on a body-on-frame platform at a plant in Lafayette, Indiana. The 2019-present Passport is a Honda-designed unibody SUV built on Honda’s own Pilot-related platform in Lincoln, Alabama. They share a name and nothing else: not a platform, not an engine family, not a manufacturer.
How do I decode a Honda Passport VIN?
Type the 17-character VIN from the windshield, door jamb, or title into the decoder at the top of this page. Results return in under three seconds and include era, model year, engine, trim, transmission, assembly plant, and any open NHTSA recalls. No sign-up.
What does a Honda Passport VIN starting with 4S6 mean?
4S6 is the WMI for Isuzu Manufacturing Services of America, Inc., the joint-venture plant in Lafayette, Indiana that built the Isuzu Rodeo and the original 1994-2002 Passport side by side. A VIN starting 4S6 is a genuine Isuzu-built Passport, not a Honda-engineered vehicle.
What does a Honda Passport VIN starting with 5FNYF mean?
5FNYF is the WMI American Honda Motor Co. uses for the current, Honda-designed Passport built at Honda Manufacturing of Alabama in Lincoln, Alabama. Every Passport from the 2019 relaunch through the 2026 redesign carries this WMI.
Why was there no Honda Passport between 2003 and 2018?
Honda discontinued the Isuzu-based Passport after the 2002 model year as its supply agreement with Isuzu wound down and Isuzu exited the US passenger-vehicle market. Honda didn’t revive the nameplate until 2018, on an entirely new, Honda-built vehicle for the 2019 model year, leaving a 16-year gap with no Passport in production.
Is the Honda Passport VIN decoder really free?
Yes. VinDecoderPlus decodes every Honda Passport VIN free of charge with no sign-up, for either era. The basic decode covers everything the factory stamped into the VIN. A full vehicle history report (accident records, odometer history, prior ownership, salvage status) is available as a paid upgrade if you need it.
Decode any Honda Passport VIN free
Type your 17-character Passport VIN into the decoder at the top of this page for an instant breakdown, whether it’s a 1990s Isuzu-built truck or a current-generation model. To go deeper into VIN structure or check other Honda models:
- Honda VIN decoder hub
- Honda Pilot VIN decoder
- Honda CR-V VIN decoder
- How to read a VIN number
- What every character in a VIN means
- VIN decoder vs. vehicle history report
- VIN check digit explained
- VIN number formats by country
- Check for open recalls by VIN
- Check if a car is stolen by VIN
