Mercedes Sprinter VIN breakdown
The VIN is a unique 17-character number used to identify a vehicle.
Country
The country of origin or the final point is assembly of the vehicle is indicated in the first digits of the VIN number. In most cases, this number refers to the country where the car was made. However, in some European countries, those digits can relate to the manufacturer headquarters. For example:
1,4,5 - United States 🇺🇸
2 - Canada 🇨🇦
3 - Mexico 🇲🇽
J - Japan 🇯🇵
K - Korea 🇰🇷
S - UK 🇬🇧
V - France, Spain 🇫🇷🇪🇸
T - Switzerland 🇨🇭
W - Germany 🇩🇪
Y - Sweden/Finland 🇸🇪🇫🇮
Z - Italy 🇮🇹
As the Mercedes Sprinter is made in Germany, all should start with W.
Its not too complicated, but it is slightly arcane. The major model releases of the Sprinter vans in the United States are known as the
TN1 (US introduction of the Sprinter through model year 2006
NCV3 (model years 2007 through 2018)
VS30 (2019+). Each major model release had some minor revisions through its product lifetime, but the major specifications remained constant.
We owners and after-market equipment and parts suppliers tend to use the TN1, NCV3, and VS30 labels as "catch-all" indicators of features and after market upfitting parts suitability.
Mercedes has internal model numbers; my 2017 2500 170" wheelbase Sprinter is an NCV3 but is also known to Mercedes as the W906. These numbers, and for more detail the engine codes (e.g., OM642) and ultimately the VIN serve as the factory's label used to determine mechanical part fitment, maintenance procedures, etc. A parts supplier might be good with just the model year of your van, or your model year plus engine code. As you have seen, sometimes they want the W906 (NCV3) or W907 (VS30) code. A Mercedes dealership will always want your VIN when you order parts; their tracking system apparently allows for engineering revisions and/or parts availability changes within model years that can result in different parts being used within the production for a given model year. There may be more meaning/detail to the W906/W907 codes but that's beyond my knowledge.
Check out our other post on all the model breakdowns
All Sprinters will begin with the letter W as it shows it’s from a German company.
Second letter should be D as that’s what’s assigned to Daimler AG/Mercedes-Benz
VIN Positions [1 -2 - 3]
W1W - Mercedes Benz MPV
W1K – Mercedes-Benz in the United States??
W1X - Mercedes Benz Incomplete Truck
W1Y - Mercedes Benz Truck
W1Z - Mercedes Benz Bus
W2W - Freightliner Benz MPV
W2X - Freightliner Incomplete Truck
W2Y - Freightliner Truck
W2Z - Freightliner Bus
WDA - Mercedes Benz - Incomplete Vehicle
WDB – Mercedes-Benz
WDC - DaimlerChrysler
WDD – Daimler AG
WDF – Mercedes-Benz Commercial
WD0 - 2008 NVC3 Dodge (shared with T1N Dodges)
WD1 - T1N Chassis Cab
WD2 - T1N Sprinter Truck
WD3 - Mercedes Benz - NVC3
WD4 - Mercedes Benz - Van?
WD5 - T1N Sprinter Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle
WD8 - Dodge T1N (118 confirmed)
WDZ - Mercedes Benz - Bus
WDP - Freightliner - Incomplete Vehicle
WDY - Freightliner - Truck
WCD - Freightliner - Bus
WMX - Mercedes AMG
VIN Positions [4] Chassis Config
P - 2WD (4x2) USA
B - 2WD (4x2) Canada
F - 4WD (4x4) USA
C - 4WD (4x4) Canada
VIN Positions [5 - 6] Wheelbase GVWR
D1 - T1N Short Wheelbase 2500 (118)
D4 - T1N Regular Wheelbase Dually 3500
D5 - T1N Long Wheelbase Dually 3500
D7 - T1N Long Wheelbase
E7 - C2500/P2500 - 3665mm (144) Wheelbase - 8.000lbs to 9.000 Ibs. Class G
E8 - C2500/P2500 - 4325mm (170) Wheelbase - 8.000lbs to 9.000 Ibs. Class G
F0 - C3500 - 3665mm (144) Wheelbase - 9.000lbs to 10,000 Ibs. Class H
F1 - C3500 - 4325mm (170) Wheelbase - 9.000lbs to 10,000 Ibs. Class H
F3 - C3500/3500C - 3665mm (144) Wheelbase - 10,000lbs to 14,000 Ibs. Class 3
F4 - C3500/3500C - 4325mm (170) Wheelbase - 10,000lbs to 14,000 Ibs. Class 3
VIN Position [7] Engines
42 T1N I5 2.7L 50 State Diesel
44 2006 T1N Dodge Sprinter I5 Diesel
45 2008 Dodge Sprinter with MB Diesel - 3.0L/6cyl. No DEF ) 50-State Diesel
46 unconfirmed (2007 Dodge Sprinter with 3.5L V6 Gasoline Engine)
A - Dodge - Diesel - 3.0L/6cyl. (V6)
B - Dodge?
C - MG5+MH5 - Diesel - 3.0L/6cyl. (V6)
D - MG3+MH5 - Diesel - 2.1L/4cVl. (I4)
VIN Position [8] Airbags
A - None
B - SA5 airbag for driver
C - SA5 + SAG airbag for driver and co-driver
D - (SA5 + SAG + (SH6 / SH7) + SH9) side-airbag for driver or driver and co-driver window airbags
VIN Position [9] Check Digit
Check Digit (Calculated from a mathematical computation of all other VIN characters)
VIN Position [10] Model Year
2009 and earlier have a number and were handled differently with the Dodge partnership.
5 - 2005
6 - 2006
7 - 2007
8 - 2008
9 - 2009
A - 2010
B - 2011
C - 2012
D - 2013 (confirmed by our van)
E - 2014
F - 2015
G - 2016
H - 2017
I - 2018
J ?
K - 2019
L - 2020 (confirmed by our van)
M - 2021
VIN Position [11] Build Plant Location
5 - Dusseldorf, Germany 🇩🇪 (Where our 2013 144 was built)
9 - Ludwigsfelde, Germany 🇩🇪
P -
A-E – Sindelfingen
F-H – Bremen
J – Rastatt
X – Graz
T – Karmann
V – Valmet Automotive, Finland
L – Pekan, Pahang, Malaysia
M – Woking, England (SLR)
N – Kecskemet, Hungary
R – South Africa
VIN Position [12-17] Vehicle Serial Number
This is the serial number sequentially assigned at the factory at the Build Plat Location (Plant of Manufacture)
