Here’s our handy guide to tracking down the chassis number in your modern VW Transporter or Camper, and what you can use that number for.
This guide is for Volkswagens built from 1990 to now, which covers the VW T4, VW T5 and T5.1, and the VW T6 and T6.1
If your camper was built between 1955 and 1992 – a Splitscreen, Bay, or T25 – then click here for our classic camper chassis number guide.
What Is a Chassis Number?
A chassis number, or vehicle identification number (VIN), is a way of identifying your modern VW camper van’s production year and other information about your vehicle's history. All vehicles are given one of these unique numbers when they’re manufactured, in order to identify each vehicle.
Where To Find the Chassis Number on Your Modern VW Camper?
The exact location of your camper’s chassis number will vary, depending on the model of campervan you’ve got. Here’s where to look in the VW T4, T5, and T6.
How to find the chassis number on VW T4s
You can find the chassis number on your VW T4 in a few possible places, including the top of the dashboard on offside (right), on the chassis frame behind the nearside (left) rear wheel, on the drivers footwell under the fuse box, or on the right column near the passenger seat.
How to find the chassis number on VW T5s and T6s
The VW T5 and T6 display their chassis number in the same locations, including on the right side of the engine compartment bulkhead and on the nearside (left) of the dashboard casing.
What Do You Need to Know the Chassis Number For?
Knowing your chassis number or VIN is important for a few identification reasons. One of the most important will be when it comes to having work done on your camper or making modifications, as knowing the chassis number allows you to work out what parts, options, features, and modifications will best fit your vehicle.
This number is also used to track its history, including sales, accidents, and repairs and insurance companies may use it to calculate insurance premiums.
If the worst comes to worst and your beloved VW camper gets stolen, the chassis number can be tracked and identified so it can hopefully be recovered. Although thieves often remove or alter the chassis number, there are often multiple hidden places where this number is displayed which they might not find.
How To Decode Your Chassis Number
The numbering system for VW T4s, T5s and T6s are all the same. Modern VW camper chassis numbers are made up of 17 digits split into 3 sections: digits 1-3 identify the manufacturer, 4-9 describe the vehicle and 10-17 identify the vehicle.
Digit 1 is a W showing that the vehicle is from Germany, the second is a V for Volkswagen and the third is a 2 outlining that the vehicle has a multi-purpose vehicle body type.
Digits 4-9 are used to give information on the exact vehicle type, the meaning of these is decided by the maker. In Europe and most countries, digits 4,5,6 and 9 are filler ‘Z’ digits that don’t have any meaning.
However, in the USA these digits give information on your T4, T5 or T6s body and trim styles, engine specs and restraint systems. Digits 7 and 8 are specific to the model of your vehicle. For your modern camper, these will be 70 for T4s, 7H for T5s and 7J for T6s.
The 10th digit encodes for the year of production, with each letter matching a model year. The 11th digit matches a corresponding factory where your specific camper was built and 12-17 are the vehicle's unique identifying number.
Quick Conclusion
We hope this quick guide on finding the chassis number in your modern VW Camper was helpful, and you’ve now been able to find your chassis number and understand what you can use it for.
You’ll find dozens of other helpful guides and blogs written by the JK Team here at Just Kampers, and can always get in touch with us directly if you’ve got a specific question you can’t find an answer to anywhere else.
