1. Home
  2. General Toyota Forum
  3. VIN: 7th digit query

VIN: 7th digit query

I'm in the market for a RAV4, and I have been looking for a 2004 model. According to the VIN decoder on the Toyota Fleet website

formatting link
the 7th digitrepresents the restraint type.

From what I've been able to determine, in 2004 front driver and

passenger airbags were standard, and side and curtain airbags were optional. It seems like every single 2004 RAV4 VIN I check (both in person and over the net) has a "0" in the 7th spot, which appears to mean "seatbelts with 2 airbags and curtain airbags". I've also found that many older RAV4s ('97, '98) also have a "0" in the 7th spot, yet side/curtain airbags weren't available.

I have two questions:

  1. Does anyone know for sure that the "0" represents this restraint package? I think it's odd that every single one of the hundreds of
2004 RAV4 VINs I've found on the net has the optional curtain airbags installed????
  1. Also, is there any way to tell whether curtain or side airbags exist in a particular car? I'm taking one for a test drive later this week and I wouldn't mind knowing what to look for. Should there be an SRS sticker somewhere on the door/door jam?

Thanks!

Reply to
scooba_divr
Loading thread data ...

IIRC, the 7th position in the VIN is the 4th digit of the 5-character engine, model, and body style identifier, unless the system has changed.

There should be a sticker or embossed label on the side of the seats for side airbags that say "side airbag" or "SRS." If there is a side curtain air bag, there should be something embossed on the plastic trim on the A pillar next to the windshield.

Reply to
Ray O

According to what I've found on the net, the VIN changed for the 1996 model year. Current VINs use the 7th digit to represent the restraint system in the car.

Reply to
scooba_divr

Correct.

I have an '04 RAV4 which I purchased new. It does not have side or curtain airbags. It has a 0 in the 7th position.

OK.

What leads you to that conclusion? Why do you believe that?

For sure? Not me.

That certainly would be _very_ odd.

I looked at a lot of '04 RAV4s on multiple dealers' lots. I never saw _one_ with side or curtain airbags on the sticker. It was an option that Toyota apparently rarely delivered to dealers.

From _that_ observation, plus looking at my own VIN, I would draw exactly the opposite conclusion that you have.

0 = not present, if I were going to make an assumption.

I believe that Ray's answer is correct. My car has an "SRS" on the steering wheel and on the dash in front of the passenger indicating air bags in those locations. There may even be a law or regulation stating that there has to be an indicator where an airbag is located. I believe that they're supposed to be disabled when the car reaches EOL.

Can't you take a VIN to a dealer and they can look up the exact configuration?

Reply to
ll

Yeah, I guess that's the next step. I thought that I could save myself the time by checking here.

The site that's providing this information is Toyota's own VIN decoder, so obviously it's incorrect.

The l> scooba_divr wrote:

Reply to
scooba_divr

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.