A classic Hummer VIN starts with 5GR on the H2 or 5GT on the H3, and vPIC lists Hummer as the make with General Motors LLC as the manufacturer. Our H2 patterns decoded to AM General's plant in Mishawaka, Indiana with a 6.0-liter V8, and our H3 patterns decoded to Shreveport, Louisiana with a five-cylinder or a 5.3-liter V8. The electric Hummer is a different story: its VIN starts 1GT on the pickup or 1GK on the SUV, and the make field says GMC. Decode it, then run recalls and a history report.
We ran these patterns through NHTSA's free vPIC decoder on October 14, 2026, because Hummer listings still mix up H2, H2 SUT, H3 and H3T, and some EV ads call the truck a "Hummer" as if it were the old brand. CNBC reported on February 24, 2010 that GM would shut Hummer down after a sale to Sichuan Tengzhong collapsed, and said it would keep honoring existing warranties. GM still handles the recalls. If you are new to the 17 positions, read how to decode a VIN first, and keep our GMC VIN decoder handy for the EV.
Positions 1-3: 5GR H2 versus 5GT H3
A 2003 H2 pattern starting 5GRGN23U decoded to a 3/4-ton 4WD SUV with the 6.0-liter LQ4 V8, built by AM General in Mishawaka. A 2007 H2 with the same prefix came back with the same engine and plant. The SUT pickup changes the body digit: a 2005 pattern starting 5GRGN22U decoded as "Sport Utility Truck" with the same engine and plant. The H3 lives under 5GT. A 2006 H3 starting 5GTDN13E came back as a midsize 1/2-ton 4WD from Shreveport, and a 2010 H3 starting 5GTMNJEE decoded to Luxury trim from the same plant. Car and Driver describes the H2 as built on GM's previous full-size SUVs, and its H3 page ties that truck to GM's small pickups.
Positions 4-8: engine letters on the H3
Position 8 is the engine code, and on the H3 it decides what you are paying for. On our 2006 patterns, 6 decoded as the 3.5-liter L52 five-cylinder and E as the 3.7-liter LLR five-cylinder. On a 2009 pattern, L decoded as the 5.3-liter LH8 V8. So an "H3 Alpha V8" ad with an E in position 8 is a five-cylinder truck, and you should price it that way. One honest negative: a 2009 H2 pattern we built came back with a partial decode, a blank model field and a note that some characters could not be matched. A decoder that prints something has not proven the VIN is right.
The GMC Hummer EV is not a Hummer-brand VIN
A 2022 Hummer EV Pickup pattern starting 1GT40FDA decoded with GMC as the make, Edition 1 trim and a plant listed as Detroit Hamtramck. A 2024 Hummer EV SUV starting 1GKB0RDC and a 2025 pickup starting 1GT10BDD both listed Factory Zero, which is how GM's filings name that Detroit plant now. Car and Driver lists 1000 horsepower from three motors on the top truck and 570 hp on the two-motor version. Honestly, the EV belongs with your GMC research, not with H2 parts forums.
Positions 9-11 and the recalls
Position 9 is the check digit in 49 CFR 565.15, position 10 is the year (3 was 2003, 5 was 2005, 9 was 2009, A was 2010, N was 2022, R was 2024 and S was 2025 in our samples), and 11 is the plant. Then the recalls. NHTSA recall 15V-421 covers 2006-2010 H3 and 2009-2010 H3T trucks whose blower motor speed connector can overheat. On the EV, 22V-771 covers certain 2022-2023 Hummer EV Pickups whose battery pack enclosure may not be sealed, letting water in. Our Hummer recall check by VIN lists the H2 campaigns too.
Look, a heater connector that can overheat is not a "fix it next winter" item on a truck you will park in a garage.
After the decode: history, and what it costs
A decode will not show salvage brands, flood titles, odometer jumps or lift-kit crash repairs. Those come from DMV, insurer, auction and shop records, which CARFAX describes as the basis of its reports. Pull your own report. As of mid October 2026, a CARFAX report through us runs about $5.50 as a guest or about $4.50 as a member, and a CARFAX plus AutoCheck bundle is about $6.75, against roughly $39.99 to $44.99 at retail. Confirm at checkout. We are a licensed CARFAX and AutoCheck reseller, not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck, or Experian.
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