VIN stands for Vehicle Identification Number, it’s unique for each car as fingerprints to humans. It’s crucial information using which you can find out lots of details about your car. On SpyDrill, I have covered an article on how to track a car by license plate. But, in this article, I am going to show you how you can track car location by VIN. So that you can track a new car or even an old one if it gets stolen.
If you have a question in your mind like how to track my car location by VIN number then you must read this article. Here you will definitely get your answer.
Table Of Contents
- Quick Summary
- Can You Track A Car’s Location By VIN?
- Alternative Methods
- How To Know My VIN?
- Final Verdict
Quick Summary
VIN does not track the car’s real-time location. However, it can provide you with other vital information such as vehicle sales, registration, and service history. This information can help you track and locate a stolen car. If your car has built-in GPS you can easily track your car’s location without VIN. In case your car does not have a GPS, you must install a third-party GPS on it for easy tracking.
Can You Track A Car’s Location By VIN?
Honestly, unlike a GPS device a VIN or license plate number does not provide real-time location tracking. In other words, it is difficult to track a car without GPS. However, you can use online VIN check tools to obtain a vehicle history report that shows you information such as ownership history and service listing locations. This report can provide valuable details, which you can use to take appropriate measures and attempt to retrieve a lost or stolen car.
Here are the scenarios when you would want to track a car by VIN:
1. When The Car Is Stolen
In general, a VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is not used for real-time tracking of a car. However, if a car has been stolen or lost, you can use the VIN to track down the vehicle’s history and potentially locate it. Similarly, you can also track a stolen car with Bluetooth. However, both these methods have limitations.
2. While Buying A Second-Hand Car
VIN can help you know the sale history of the car you are about to purchase. Using the sales history you can tell whether the car is owned by more than one owner or not. It’s vital information you must know before buying a used car.
Tracking a car by VIN is a multi-step process. You need to follow all the steps mentioned below carefully.
Step 1
To locate a vehicle by its VIN number, you can start by getting a vehicle history report from reputable companies like AutoCheck or CarFax. These companies maintain a database of vehicle information, including title and registration history, accident, damage reports, and ownership transfers.
By entering the VIN number into their database, you can obtain a detailed report on the vehicle’s history. However, these tools are mostly paid so you have to make a payment before getting any information.
Step 2
After obtaining the report, review it carefully to see where the vehicle was recently registered or serviced. Look for the most recent service or registration as this could give you an indication of where the vehicle is currently located.
If the report does not provide enough information, you can search the VINCheck database maintained by the National Insurance Crime Bureau. This database contains information on vehicles reported as stolen or salvaged. It can help you locate the vehicle if it has been listed in the past five years.
Step 3
If the report or VINCheck database search shows that the vehicle is located in a different state or county, you should contact the authorities in that area and inform them that your vehicle has been stolen.
Provide them with a copy of the police report and vehicle history report, and ask them to investigate and retrieve the vehicle. Keep in mind that this process can take some time, and it’s important to be patient to locate the vehicle.
Alternative Methods
1. File A Report
If your car is stolen and you want to track it then you should immediately file a report at your nearest police station. You can provide them with all the details you have about the car like its VIN, license plate number, etc. which will make it easier for them to find and locate your car.
2. With A GPS
If your car has built-in GPS then you can easily track your car without VIN. However, if your car does not have a GPS then the only way to track the car is through third-party GPS devices like this. However, to track your lost car with a GPS, you must have installed it on the car before it being stolen.
3. With Spyware
How can you track a car with spyware you may ask. Well, you can actually spy on someone’s car with spyware. All you have to do is install the spyware on either the driver’s phone or you can install it on your spare phone and then hide it in their car.
With the help of spyware not only can you track the car’s location in real-time, but also bug a car for audio to listen to phone surrounding sounds. Which means you can listen to the conversation happening inside the car using it. FlexiSPY is a good spyware you can use to track a car since it is totally hidden and allows you to remotely track all the activities on the target device. Check my FlexiSPY review for more details.
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How To Know My VIN?
Most new car owners don’t know how to find their car’s VIN number. Don’t worry if you are among them then I am going to show you how you can know your car’s VIN number.
Typically, you can find it on a sticker close to the right hood latch or at the bottom left-hand side of the car’s windshield. However, if you don’t have access to the car, don’t worry! You can find the VIN in other places too.
One option is to check it on your car’s registration papers. Another possibility is to search for your VIN in your car’s insurance documents. If these documents were left in the stolen vehicle, you can contact your insurer to obtain the number. And if you have the owner’s manual, it’s worth taking a look there as well.
You can also find the VIN number of a car through its license plate by using a free tool like this one.
Following is some information you can get about a car if you know its VIN.
- Country of the car’s manufacturing: The 1st digit of the Vehicle Identification Number indicates the nation where the car was made.
- Vehicle manufacturer: The 2nd and 3rd digits represent the vehicle manufacturer.
- Vehicle type of division: The digits from 4 to 8 describe the vehicle’s features, such as the model, body style, engine type and size, and other relevant details.
- Model year: The 9th digit of the VIN shows the model year of the vehicle.
- Assembly plant: The 10th digit represents the location where the vehicle was assembled.
- Vehicle serial number: The final six digits of the VIN depict the unique serial number assigned to the vehicle by the manufacturer.
By decoding the VIN of a car, you can get a lot of information about the vehicle’s history, including its origin, features, and production details.
Final Verdict
VIN is an important detail of your car that can tell you a lot about it like when was it made, the last service location, and much more. However, it is not vital information to track the car’s real-time location. Nonetheless, in case your car is stolen you can make use of your car’s VIN number to track it with the help of the Police. In order to track a car’s location in real-time, it’s ideal to install a GPS device on your car.
