Decode Your VIN
Enter your vehicle's VIN code to discover all technical specifications. The VIN consists of 17 alphanumeric characters.
Nissan Altima VIN Decoder
Decode any Nissan Altima 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, plant, and open NHTSA recalls. No account, no credit card, no email gate.
This page is the dedicated Altima hub: generation-by-generation chassis codes, the two US plants that have built it, the engines used across six generations (including the variable-compression VC-Turbo), a position-by-position guide, and where the VIN is stamped on the car.
About the Nissan Altima
The Altima launched for the 1993 model year as a roomier, more upscale replacement for the compact Stanza, built on a platform derived from the Japanese-market Bluebird. It has been Nissan’s best-selling US model for most of its run and, unlike many rivals, has always been built exclusively in the US. Six generations later, here is how the chassis codes break down:
| Generation | Years | Chassis code | Body | Built at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st (U13) | 1993-1997 | U13 | Sedan, FWD | Smyrna, TN |
| 2nd (L30) | 1998-2001 | L30 | Sedan, FWD | Smyrna, TN |
| 3rd (L31) | 2002-2006 | L31 (Nissan FF-L platform) | Sedan, FWD | Smyrna, TN; Canton, MS (from mid-2004) |
| 4th (L32) | 2007-2013 | L32 (Nissan D platform) | Sedan, FWD; Coupe (2008-2013) | Smyrna, TN; Canton, MS |
| 5th (L33) | 2013-2018 | L33 (Nissan D platform) | Sedan, FWD | Smyrna, TN; Canton, MS |
| 6th (L34) | 2019-present | L34 (updated D-segment platform) | Sedan, FWD/AWD | Smyrna, TN; Canton, MS |
The L31 (2002) was the first Altima built on the FF-L platform and the first to offer a V6, the 240-horsepower VQ35DE. The L34 (2019) flipped that: it dropped the V6 entirely and, for the first time on a Nissan sedan sold in the US, offered all-wheel drive alongside a turbocharged four-cylinder with variable compression. The generation code does not appear as a literal string in the VIN; the decoder above cross-references the full 17-character string against NHTSA’s pattern data to identify which generation you’re looking at.
Nissan Altima WMI code (positions 1 to 3)
The first three characters of a VIN form the World Manufacturer Identifier, assigned by SAE on behalf of ISO. Because every Altima ever sold has been built in the United States, the WMI is remarkably consistent:
| WMI | Country | Manufacturer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1N4 | USA | Nissan North America, passenger car | Every Altima generation, 1993 to present |
We confirmed this against NHTSA’s vPIC database using real VINs pulled from dealer listings spanning all six generations, from a 1995 U13 (1N4BU31D2SC168858) to a 2025 L34 (1N4BL4EV0SN419070). Every one decoded cleanly with 1N4 as the WMI. If a VIN claiming to be an Altima starts with anything else, such as JN1 (a Japan-built Nissan/Infiniti) or KNA (a Kia), treat it as suspect and decode the full string above before trusting the listing.
How to decode a Nissan Altima VIN, position by position
Every Altima built since 1993 uses the 17-character ISO 3779 standard. Here is what each block means and, honestly, what it doesn’t.
Positions 1 to 3: World Manufacturer Identifier
Always 1N4 on a genuine Altima. The 1 marks the country of assembly (USA), N is Nissan, and 4 marks the vehicle class (Nissan passenger car).
Positions 4 to 8: Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS)
Unlike some models that dedicate a single fixed character to engine family, the Altima’s engine, body, and restraint system are encoded jointly across positions 4 through 8, and the pattern shifts between generations and trims. There is no “position 8 equals engine X” rule here, so we verified real examples against NHTSA’s vPIC decoder instead of guessing at a mapping:
| Generation | Verified VDS example (positions 1-8) | Engine confirmed by NHTSA decode |
|---|---|---|
| 1st (U13) | 1N4BU31D | 2.4L KA24DE inline-4 (the only engine offered) |
| 2nd (L30) | 1N4DL01D | 2.4L KA24DE inline-4 (the only engine offered) |
| 3rd (L31) | 1N4AL11D | 2.5L QR25DE inline-4 (base); 3.5L VQ35DE V6 also offered |
| 4th (L32) | 1N4AL2AP (sedan); 1N4BL24E (V6 coupe) | 2.5L QR25DE inline-4; 3.5L VQ35DE V6 |
| 5th (L33) | 1N4AL3AP | 2.5L QR25DE inline-4; 3.5L VQ35DE V6 on SL |
| 6th (L34) | 1N4AL4CV (2019 SR VC-Turbo); 1N4BL4BV / 1N4BL4DV / 1N4BL4EV (2.5L S/SV/SL) | 2.5L QR25DE inline-4; 2.0L VC-Turbo, 2019-2024 |
The 6th-generation VC-Turbo deserves its own mention: the first mass-produced engine with an infinitely variable compression ratio, adjusting on the fly between 8:1 and 14:1 to balance power and efficiency. Nissan offered it on the SR and Platinum trims from 2019 through 2024, then dropped it for 2025 in favor of the standard 2.5L four everywhere. Because the mapping varies by trim and year, decode your specific VIN with the tool above rather than reading the engine off a single digit.
Position 9: Check digit
The check digit catches typos. It is calculated from the other 16 characters using a fixed weighting table and modulo-11 math. Every VIN in this article decoded with NHTSA confirming “Check Digit (9th position) is correct,” confirming these are genuine, checksum-valid Altima VINs.
Position 10: Model year
The 10th character maps to model year on a 30-year cycle:
| Char | Year | Char | Year | Char | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 1993 (first MY) | 9 | 2009 | K | 2019 |
| R | 1994 | A | 2010 | L | 2020 |
| S | 1995 | B | 2011 | M | 2021 |
| T | 1996 | C | 2012 | N | 2022 |
| V | 1997 | D | 2013 | P | 2023 |
| 2 | 2002 | E | 2014 | R | 2024 |
| 4 | 2004 | F | 2015 | S | 2025 |
| 5 | 2005 | G | 2016 | T | 2026 |
| 6 | 2006 | H | 2017 | ||
| 7 | 2007 | J | 2018 |
The letters I, O, and Q are skipped because they look like 1 and 0. We verified this directly: an Altima with S in position 10 decoded to model year 1995, and a different Altima with S in position 10 decoded to model year 2025, thirty years apart, exactly as the cycle predicts.
Position 11: Assembly plant
A single character identifies the factory, confirmed here by decoding real VINs against NHTSA’s plant data:
| Char | Plant | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| C | Smyrna, Tennessee | Original Altima plant, building it since 1993 |
| N | Canton, Mississippi | Added Altima production in June 2004 |
Positions 12 to 17: Serial number
The final six characters are the production sequence stamped on your specific Altima. Combined with the previous 11 characters, this makes every Altima VIN globally unique, even two cars with the same generation, year, plant, and engine.
Altima trim levels and how they appear in the VIN
A VIN does not spell out the trim name directly; the decoder reconstructs it from the VDS pattern matched against NHTSA’s build data. Common North American Altima trims by generation:
- U13 / L30 (1993-2001): XE, GXE, SE, GLE
- L31 (2002-2006): S, SL, SE, and the high-output SE-R (2005-2006)
- L32 (2007-2013): 2.5, 2.5 S, 2.5 SL, 3.5 SE, 3.5 SR (sedan and coupe)
- L33 (2013-2018): 2.5, 2.5 S, 2.5 SV, 2.5 SL, 3.5 SL, later SR
- L34 (2019-present): S, SV, SR, SR VC-Turbo, SL, Platinum, Platinum VC-Turbo (VC-Turbo trims through 2024 only)
The decoder above also returns drivetrain (FWD or AWD, where offered) and body style so you can match a VIN against a sticker or build sheet.
Where to find the VIN on a Nissan Altima
- Lower-left corner of the windshield, visible from outside the car
- Driver’s side door jamb sticker (B-pillar label)
- Stamped on the engine block near the firewall
- Vehicle title, registration, insurance card, NissanConnect app
The windshield and door jamb are easiest to read on a used-car lot. The engine block stamp is physically tied to the car and harder to swap, so it’s the one to check if you suspect a cloned plate.
Nissan Altima recalls and safety
The Altima has been part of several notable NHTSA recall campaigns:
- Takata airbag inflators (2013-2016 Altima): About 216,678 vehicles were recalled for a defective PSDI-5D driver-side inflator that could rupture during deployment, part of the broader, industry-wide Takata recall.
- Hood latch (2013-2018 Altima): Campaign 20V-315 covered roughly 1.83 million Altimas. If the primary hood latch released unintentionally and a corroded secondary latch failed to catch, the hood could fly open while driving. Nissan’s 2020 notice asked owners to double-check the latch; a revised 2021 remedy added a stronger release spring and a warning label.
To check your specific Altima: decode the VIN with the tool above to confirm the exact model and year, cross-reference it with Nissan’s recall lookup or NHTSA’s recall database, then contact your nearest Nissan dealer for any open repair. Recall repairs are free regardless of vehicle age, mileage, or ownership history.
Frequently asked questions
How do I decode a Nissan Altima 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 generation, model year, engine, trim, plant, and any open NHTSA recalls. No sign-up.
Where is the VIN on a Nissan Altima?
The two easiest spots are the lower-left corner of the windshield, read from outside the car, and the driver-side door jamb sticker. Both are required by federal labeling regulation.
What does an Altima VIN starting with 1N4 mean?
1N4 is the WMI for a US-built Nissan passenger car. Since every Altima has been assembled in the United States, at Smyrna, Tennessee or Canton, Mississippi, 1N4 is the only WMI you should ever see on a genuine Altima. A VIN starting with anything else is not an Altima.
How do I tell the generation of my Altima from the VIN?
There is no single character that spells out “L31” or “L34” the way some brands encode a platform name directly. The decoder above cross-references the model-year character (position 10), the plant character (position 11), and the VDS pattern (positions 4 to 8) against NHTSA’s data to identify the exact generation, engine, and trim.
Does the VIN show whether my Altima has the VC-Turbo engine?
Not by reading one fixed digit; the engine designator shifts position by generation and trim, as shown in the table above. Decoding the full VIN with the tool at the top of this page is the reliable way to confirm whether a 2019-2024 Altima has the 2.0L VC-Turbo or the standard 2.5L four.
Is the Nissan Altima VIN decoder really free?
Yes. VinDecoderPlus decodes every Nissan Altima VIN free with no sign-up. The basic decode covers everything the factory stamped into the VIN. A full vehicle history report (accidents, odometer history, prior ownership, salvage status) is a paid upgrade if you need it, and the guide how to check if a car is stolen by VIN explains what to look for before you buy.
Decode any Nissan Altima VIN free
Type your 17-character Altima VIN into the decoder at the top of this page for an instant breakdown, or go deeper into VIN structure:
- Nissan VIN decoder hub for the brand-wide guide
- How to read a VIN number for the general standard
- What every character in a VIN means for a position-by-position reference
- Classic car VIN decoder for pre-1981 and vintage VIN formats
- VIN decoder vs. vehicle history report for what a decode covers vs. what it doesn’t
