At a glance
- Mercedes WMIs in vPIC
- 37, such as W1K cars, W1N SUVs and 4JG
- Model code
- Positions 4 to 7, four characters
- GLE350 4MATIC code
- FB4F in the 2025 filing, FB7A in 2027
- Engine in the decode
- Mercedes engine code, such as M254
On this page
How to read a Mercedes-Benz VIN
Mercedes-Benz files its VIN tables as "first 4 of the second VIN section": a four-character model code in positions 4 to 7. Each code names one model, such as GLE350 4MATIC, with its body and engine. Here is a real 2026 GLE.
| Position | What it means on a Mercedes | 4JGFB4FB5TB594402 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Country of the WMI: 4 or 5 USA, W Germany | 4 |
| 2 | Part of the WMI 4JG | J |
| 3 | Part of the WMI: 4JG is an SUV registered to Mercedes-Benz of North America | G |
| 4 | Model code, 1st of 4 | F |
| 5 | Model code, 2nd of 4 | B |
| 6 | Model code, 3rd of 4 | 4 |
| 7 | Model code, 4th of 4 | F |
| 8 | Last descriptor character; Mercedes' published tables stop at position 7 | B |
| 9 | Check digit | 5 |
| 10 | Model year | T = 2026 |
| 11 | Plant | B: vPIC returns Vance, Alabama |
| 12 | Serial, 1st digit | 5 |
| 13 | Serial, 2nd digit | 9 |
| 14 | Serial, 3rd digit | 4 |
| 15 | Serial, 4th digit | 4 |
| 16 | Serial, 5th digit | 0 |
| 17 | Serial, 6th digit | 2 |
FB4F is the GLE350 4MATIC in Mercedes' 2025 filing: 4-door MPV with the M254 engine, 255 hp. NHTSA decodes this 2026 VIN the same way.
Mercedes VIN decoder example: a 2026 GLE350 4MATIC
This is NHTSA's vPIC result for 4JGFB4FB5TB594402:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Vehicle | 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, GLE350 4MATIC |
| Body and drive | SUV, 4 doors, all-wheel drive |
| Engine | M254 2.0L four-cylinder turbo, 255 hp, direct injection |
| Transmission | 9-speed automatic |
| Plant | Vance, Alabama |
| GVWR | Class 2E: 6,001 to 7,000 lb |
| Listed as standard | Pedestrian automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, adaptive driving beam |
Mercedes model codes, 2027
A sample of the four-character codes in Mercedes-Benz's 2027 filing. Notice how 4MATIC often changes just the last character: a C300 is AF4G and a C300 4MATIC is AF4H.
| Starts with | Positions 4 to 7 | Model | Engine in the filing |
|---|---|---|---|
| W1K | AF4G / AF4H | C300 / C300 4MATIC sedan | M254, 255 hp |
| W1K | LF4H | E350 4MATIC sedan | M254, 255 hp |
| W1K | 6G7H | S580 4MATIC sedan | M177, 530 hp |
| W1K | 6X7K | Mercedes-Maybach S680 4MATIC | M279, 621 hp |
| W1K | FJ1D | CLA250+ sedan | Electric drive, 268 hp |
| W1N | KM4H | GLC300 4MATIC | M254, 255 hp |
| 4JG | FB7A | GLE350 4MATIC | M254, 255 hp |
| 4JG | FB7D | AMG GLE53e 4MATIC | M256M, 443 hp |
| W1N | WH5A | AMG G63 | M177, 577 hp |
| W1N | NWM0 | G580e | Electric drive, 579 hp |
Several 2027 models were still listed as "TBD" in that filing, so their codes will appear in a later submission.
Same model, different code
Mercedes can move a model to a new code from one year to the next. The GLE350 4MATIC is FB4F in the 2025 filing and in the 2026 VIN above, but FB7A in the 2027 filing. Other codes hold steady: AF4H is the C300 4MATIC in 2027, and a real 2024 VIN, W1KAF4HB7RR214174, decodes as a C300 4MATIC built in East London, South Africa, with the same M254 engine and 9-speed automatic. The decoder always pairs the code with the year in position 10, so you don't have to.
Mercedes-Benz WMIs: W1K, W1N, WDD and 4JG
vPIC lists 37 WMIs registered to Mercedes-Benz companies:
- W1K and W1N: cars and SUVs from Mercedes-Benz in Germany, added to vPIC in November 2019. Older cars carry WDB or WDD, and older SUVs WDC.
- 4JG: SUVs registered to Mercedes-Benz of North America, such as the GLE and GLS. 55S: cars registered to Mercedes-Benz Cars in the USA.
- W1W, W1X, W1Y, W1Z: Mercedes-Benz AG codes for MPVs, incomplete vehicles, trucks and buses built in Germany.
- 8BN to 8BU: Sprinter codes registered from Argentina.
Comparing German brands? The BMW VIN decoder reads a five-character code where Mercedes uses four.
Where is the VIN on a Mercedes-Benz?
Start at the windshield: the VIN plate sits low on the driver's side, readable from outside, as 49 CFR 565.13 requires for cars, SUVs and vans up to 10,000 lb GVWR. The certification label in the driver's door opening carries the VIN, the build month and the GVWR. A Sprinter rated above 10,000 lb GVWR falls outside the windshield rule, so check its door label first.
For options and the original price, the Mercedes-Benz window sticker page explains how to get a copy of the sticker.