Toyota Tacoma VIN Decoder: Cab, Drive and Engine Codes

A Tacoma VIN is easiest to read in one block: characters 4 through 8. Toyota uses that five-character string to encode cab, engine, airbags, series and drive, and its NHTSA filings list every valid combination. On a 2025 Tacoma, for example, LC5LN is a Double Cab hybrid with four-wheel drive, while JDAHN is a two-wheel-drive Large Cab with the 228 hp version of the 2.4L turbo. Older third-generation trucks use a completely different scheme: on a 2023 the fifth character picks between a four-cylinder and a V6, while on a 2025 it marks which version of the 2.4L turbo the truck got.

Toyota files a separate "VIN coding system" sheet for the Tacoma most model years. On November 8, 2026 I read three of them from NHTSA's manufacturer database: the June 2020 sheet, the 2023 model year sheet, and the 2025 model year sheet. Between them they cover the bulk of used Tacomas listed right now, and they show why a generic decoder sometimes gets these trucks wrong.

Characters 1-3: where it was built

Recent Tacomas start with one of two codes. 3TM is Toyota Motor Manufacturing de Baja California and 3TY is Toyota Motor Manufacturing de Guanajuato, both in Mexico. The June 2020 sheet adds a third: 5TF, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas. So a US-assembled Tacoma from that era starts with 5, and the eleventh character backs it up (more on that below). If the first three characters and the plant code disagree, something is off with the VIN plate or the paperwork.

2016-2023 trucks: the third-generation layout

For the 2023 model year, Toyota's sheet uses each character in the 4-8 block for one job:

• 4th: body, grade, wheelbase and drive. A through D are Double Cab SR5-grade trucks (A and C on the long wheelbase in 2WD and 4WD, B and D on the super long wheelbase). E through H are the same four layouts in Limited grade. R and S are Extra Cab SR5-grade trucks, 2WD and 4WD.
• 5th: engine. X is the 2TR-FE 2.7L four-cylinder rated at 159 hp. Z is the 2GR-FKS 3.5L V6 at 278 hp.
• 6th: restraints. 5 covers front and knee airbags, first-row side airbags and curtain airbags for all rows.
• 7th: series. A, B, C, D, E and G map to Toyota's internal 305, 310, 325, 330, 245 and 265 series codes.
• 8th: N for Toyota Tacoma.

The 2020 sheet spells those series out as model codes: A through D are GRN305L through GRN330L, while E and G are TRN245L and TRN265L. Toyota's own GVWR table pairs the GRN codes with the V6 (Z) and the TRN codes with the 2.7L (X). That gives you a free consistency test. A truck whose fifth character is Z and seventh is E does not appear in Toyota's list, and a VIN that fails that test deserves a hard look.

Notice what is missing. The grade field only says SR5 grade or Limited grade. TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road and TRD Pro do not get their own character on these sheets, so the VIN alone will not prove a TRD package. That is why our post on VIN decoders showing the wrong trim exists, and why you should ask for the window sticker or build sheet on any Tacoma priced like a Pro.

2024 and newer: the fourth-generation layout

Toyota changed the approach for the new truck. The 2025 sheet treats characters 4-8 as a single code and lists each valid combination with its specs. Every 2025 entry uses the T24A-FTS 2.4L turbo four, and the differences show up in output, cab and drive:

• 4th: J is a Large Cab, K is a Double Cab in GVWR Class D (5,001-6,000 lbs) and L is a Double Cab in Class E (6,001-7,000 lbs).
• 5th: the engine version. B is listed at 278 hp, D at 228 hp, E at 270 hp, and C is the hybrid with an electric motor (Toyota lists 275 and 278 hp entries).
• 6th: restraints. A appears on Large Cabs (curtain airbags for row one) and 5 on Double Cabs (curtains for rows one and two).
• 7th: series and drive. F is the 40 series 2WD, H the 41 series 2WD, J the 45 series 4WD, K the 46 series 4WD and L the 47 series 4WD used by the hybrid.
• 8th: N, Toyota Tacoma.

So if a seller lists a 2025 as a hybrid and the 4-8 block is anything other than LC5LN, the truck is not a hybrid. That one check catches a lot of copy-paste listings.

Characters 9-11 and the serial

The ninth character is a check digit computed from the rest of the VIN under federal rules. The tenth is the model year: P is 2023 and S is 2025. The eleventh is the plant: M for Baja California and T for Guanajuato on recent sheets, plus X for the Texas plant on the 2020 sheet. Positions 12-17 are the sequential production number.

How I would use this on a used Tacoma

Honestly, Tacomas hold value so well that people get creative with listings. Start by matching the VIN on the dash, the door label and the title. Then decode the 4-8 block against the claims in the ad: cab, engine, drive, hybrid or not. Our Toyota VIN decoder guide covers the other models, and the used Tacoma buying guide goes deeper on what wears out.

Then check recalls. NHTSA's lookup shows open safety recalls by VIN, but not ones already repaired, not recalls older than 15 years, and not manufacturer customer-service campaigns. Our Toyota recall check explains the rest, and older trucks should also get a look at the Toyota frame rust warranty history.

Last, the history report. CarVins is licensed to resell CARFAX and AutoCheck reports, and we are independent of CARFAX, AutoCheck and Experian. In June 2026 Edmunds found retail prices of $44.99 for one CARFAX and $29.99 for one AutoCheck. Ours run lower, but check the price in the cart before you pay, since it shifts. A clean decode on a Tacoma with a salvage brand two states back is still a salvage truck.

Sources

• Toyota 2025 Tacoma VIN coding system (NHTSA vPIC MID)
• Toyota 2023 Tacoma VIN coding system (NHTSA vPIC MID)
• Toyota Tacoma VIN coding system, June 2020 (NHTSA vPIC MID)
• eCFR: 49 CFR 565.15, check digit and model year codes
• NHTSA VIN recall lookup and its limits
• Edmunds, June 2026 history report price check