Buick Window Sticker by VIN

This digit shows where the Buick was built. Common codes you’ll see on Buicks include 1/4/5 for the United States, 2 for Canada, 3 for Mexico, and K for South Korea on GM-Korea built models. It’s the country of final assembly, not the brand’s nationality, and it’s part of the global 17-character VIN standard.

Check out another character below:

Identifies the manufacturer within that region. For GM’s Buick builds, this position helps separate divisions under the same umbrella and is essential when decoding older or globally produced models that share platforms. 

For many North American Buicks, the second character is G for General Motors. Some Buicks built by GM Korea Company use L in this position within the WMI (because the WMI reflects the specific GM manufacturing organization, not just the Buick brand).

The third character of VIN shows the vehicle type or the division. For GM, the third character is. Together with the first two characters, this finishes the World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI). 

For Buick passenger cars, the classic WMI is 1G4 (1 = USA, G = GM, 4 = Buick passenger car). That’s the quick way to spot a U.S.-built Buick car before digging into the rest of the VIN. 

Discontinued divisions still decode correctly, and vehicles built before 1981 may use older, non-standard formats. So check the year before you panic, or for more easier way, use our tools to decode the classic/vintage Buick.

On GM VINs (including Buick), the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) runs from the 4th to the 8th character. For the 4th character, it tells you the engineering base. 

Think of this as the bones. A 2021 Buick Envision rides on GM’s compact crossover architecture, while a Buick Enclave uses a larger three-row platform. Same family, different skeletons.

The 5th character indicates the trim level, series, or version within a model line. For example, it can differentiate between a base model and a high-end luxury trim. (Preferred/Essence/Avenir).

It states the body type. Helpful when photos are limited or a listing is vague. For modern Buick, that’s commonly compact/compact-plus/crossover body forms.

It shows you the restraints, such as the airbags and belt configuration. If you’re validating safety claims on a 2018–2024 Buick, this digit is gold for insurers and repair shops.

The service department’s favorite. It differentiates the Envision 2.0L turbo from earlier powertrains, or the Encore GX 1.3L turbo vs. 1.2L. For an Enclave, it flags the 3.6L V6. When you need plugs, coils, belts, or timing parts, this digit keeps you from ordering twice.

Digit 9 is the VIN’s lie detector. For any Buick (Envision, Enclave, Envista, Encore GX), the system runs a federal algorithm against the other characters. The output must equal the 9th position. If not, the VIN is invalid, and history checks, recall lookups, and warranty traces can break.

This character shows the Buick’s model year. Each letter or number stands for a different year. For example, “A” might mean 2010, depending on context. You can match it using a VIN year table. Below are common codes for recent years:

The 11th VIN character tells you where your Buick was built, the assembly plant. GM assigns a unique letter/number to each facility, so that a single digit pins down the factory. After it, the last six characters are your Buick’s unique production sequence. This was some of the confirmed Buick 11th character:

Tip: Plant codes can differ by market/year. If you have a specific VIN, pop it into our tools to confirm the plant line item.

Digits 12–17 are your Buick’s unique serial number. They don’t describe trim or engine; they lock in which Enclave, Envision, Envista, or Encore GX rolled off the line. 

This helps with campaign cutoffs (e.g., “vehicles built up to sequence 128000”) and parts catalogs that changed mid-year. It’s also handy for collectors tracking early vs. late production of a special trim.