A U.S.-market Tesla VIN starts with 5YJ (Tesla, Inc. passenger cars, used on the Model S, Model 3 and early Model X and Model Y), 7SA (Tesla multipurpose vehicles, used on newer Model Y and Model X) or 7G2 (the Cybertruck). Position 4 is the model letter, and on recent cars 6 is the restraint package, 7 the battery type and 8 the motor setup, while 10 is the year and 11 is the plant, F for Fremont or A for Austin. Decode it on vPIC, then check recalls by VIN, since many Tesla campaigns are fixed over the air and you have to confirm the software actually landed.
We ran Tesla patterns through NHTSA's free vPIC decoder on October 13, 2026 and lined them up against the VIN table in Tesla's Model Y service manual. This page sticks to the VIN itself. For the history-report side of buying a used Tesla, read our Tesla used car history report checklist, and for wrecked or rebuilt cars, our post on Tesla salvage title battery risks. The general rules for all 17 positions are in how to decode a VIN.
Positions 1-3: 5YJ, 7SA, 7G2, and the codes vPIC rejects
vPIC lists 5YJ as Tesla, Inc., passenger car, 7SA as Tesla, Inc., multipurpose vehicle, and 7G2 as Tesla, Inc., truck. In our runs a 2016 Model S, a 2018 and 2023 Model 3, and a 2021 Model Y all started 5YJ and decoded to Fremont. A 2022 Model X starting 7SAXCBE5 also decoded to Fremont, and a 2024 Cybertruck starting 7G2CEHED decoded to Austin. Tesla's service manual lists LRW for Shanghai and XP7 for Berlin. When we fed vPIC an LRW pattern it returned an error saying the manufacturer is not registered with NHTSA for sale or importation in the U.S. So if someone is selling an LRW or XP7 car in the States, you are looking at an import question first and a price question second.
Position 11 beats position 1 on newer cars
This one surprised us. Tesla's manual pairs 7SA with Austin, yet vPIC decoded a 2023 Model Y starting 7SAYGDEE with an F in position 11 as Fremont and the same pattern with an A as Austin. A 2025 7SAYGAEE pattern with F also came back Fremont. So on the 7SA Model Y and Model X patterns we tested, 2022 through 2025, the WMI did not tell us the factory. Position 11 does: A Austin, F Fremont, and per Tesla's manual B Berlin and C Shanghai.
Positions 4-8: model, restraints, battery and motors
Position 4 is the model line: S, X, 3 or Y. Position 8 is the motor setup, and vPIC decodes it cleanly. A 2018 Model 3 starting 5YJ3E1EA came back Single Motor, and 5YJ3E1EB came back Dual Motor, same year, same plant. A 2016 Model S starting 5YJSA1E2 returned "3 Phase A/C Induction (Dual Motor)" in the engine field. Position 7 is battery or fuel type; Tesla's Model Y table lists E for a ternary lithium-ion pack and F for lithium iron phosphate, and our 2023 Model Y decode returned Lithium-Ion as the battery type. Position 6 is the restraint package, and vPIC spells it out. The 2018 Model 3 returned "Type 2 manual seatbelts (FR, SR*3), PODS", meaning front plus three rear belts and a passenger occupant detection system, while a 2017 Model X starting 5YJXCBE2 returned FR, SR*2, TR*2, a six-seat layout. If a seller swears it is the seven-seater, that field is a fast sanity check.
Positions 9-10: check digit and year
Position 9 is the check digit required by 49 CFR 565.15; it catches typos, not cloned VINs. Position 10 is the model year for Fremont and Austin cars (G 2016, H 2017, J 2018, M 2021, N 2022, P 2023, R 2024, S 2025 in our runs). Tesla's manual notes that for Shanghai and Berlin builds, position 10 is the calendar year built instead.
Recalls: a lot of them are software
Run the VIN, then look at the screen. Recall 23V-838 covered 2,031,220 Model S, X, 3 and Y vehicles because Autosteer's controls may not be enough to prevent driver misuse, and the fix was an over-the-air update. Recall 24V-051 covered 2,193,869 vehicles, Cybertruck included, for an incorrect font size on the brake, park and ABS warning lights, also fixed over the air. Hardware recalls still exist. Recall 21V-035 covered 134,951 2012-2018 Model S and 2016-2018 Model X cars whose 8GB eMMC memory in the center display can wear out and take the rearview camera with it; Tesla replaces the daughterboard. Recall 18V-204 covered 70,421 2012-2016 Model S cars whose power steering motor bolts can corrode and fracture.
Honestly, the OTA ones are where people get lazy. A car that sat parked and offline for months may not have taken the update. Check the software version under Controls, and use our guide to checking recalls by VIN. Battery-specific campaigns are covered in used EV battery recalls.
After the decode
A decode will never show a salvage auction, a flood claim or a title brand from another state. CARFAX says its reports draw on DMV, insurer and shop records, so pull one yourself. The dates matter for warranty too: Car and Driver lists Model Y coverage at four years or 50,000 miles basic and eight years or 100,000 miles for the battery and motors. As of mid October 2026, a CARFAX report through us is about $5.50 as a guest or about $4.50 as a member, and a CARFAX plus AutoCheck bundle is about $6.75, versus 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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