Spain · VIN notes & WMI codes
SEAT VIN decoder
SEAT's main WMI is VSS, a Spanish code that Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) lists under SEAT S.A. of Martorell, near Barcelona, together with two further codes, VVW and VWW. SEAT has been wholly owned by the Volkswagen Group since 1990, and since 2018 the same company has also sold cars under the separate Cupra brand. Its range consists of compact cars and crossovers such as the Ibiza, Arona and León.
Enter all 17 characters. For vehicles built for other markets, expect the maker and region rather than full specifications.
- origin: Spain
- no U.S. recall or complaint data (not sold there since 1995)
| Country of origin | Spain |
|---|---|
| Region | Europe |
| NHTSA recall and complaint data | None: not sold in the U.S. under its own name since 1995 |
| WMI codes in NHTSA vPIC | None decode to this brand |
Martorell is SEAT's principal plant and builds the Ibiza, Arona and León. Some Cupra models come from other Volkswagen Group plants, such as the Cupra Born from Zwickau in Germany. Because the WMI reflects the country where the manufacturer is headquartered, a VSS code tells you the car was built for SEAT S.A., not necessarily that it was assembled in Spain.
SEAT has never been sold in the United States. NHTSA's vPIC database has no entry for VSS, and NHTSA's recall search lists no SEAT campaigns for any model year from 1966 to 2026. This page therefore shows no NHTSA recall or complaint statistics, and our decoder can read only the region, country and check-digit result from a SEAT VIN. The notes below explain what the VIN itself tells you and where to check recalls in Europe.
NHTSA’s vPIC database has no WMI records that decode to SEAT, so this page has no WMI table; the VIN notes below explain which codes SEAT uses.
Which WMI codes does SEAT use?
KBA's manufacturer list, dated 15 January 2026, gives three codes for SEAT S.A. Every SEAT VIN quoted in French government recall notices begins with VSS.
| WMI | Manufacturer (KBA) | Country | Vehicle type |
|---|---|---|---|
| VSS | SEAT S.A., Martorell | Spain | Not stated |
| VVW | SEAT S.A., Martorell | Spain | Not stated |
| VWW | SEAT S.A., Martorell | Spain | Not stated |
All three fall in the VS to VW range allocated to Spain. The WMI code guide explains how these prefixes are assigned.
What does a European SEAT VIN look like?
On older models, quite different from a U.S. VIN. Until July 2022, EU rules mirrored ISO 3779, which lets the manufacturer define positions 4 to 9 and does not require a check digit; new EU vehicle types have needed one since 6 July 2022. The SEAT VINs quoted in recall notices on RappelConso, the French government recall site, all belong to models on sale long before that change and show what the old rules allowed:
| Feature | Finding |
|---|---|
| VINs found | 6 distinct VINs in 3 notices (2020–2021) for the Alhambra, Ibiza and Exeo |
| Positions 4–6 | ZZZ in all 6, a filler rather than model data |
| Position 9 | Z in all 6, so none can pass the North American check-digit formula |
| Positions 7–8 | 7N on the Alhambra, KJ on the Ibiza and 3R on the Exeo; the Exeo notice itself calls the model 3R |
| Position 10 | F, G, K, L, 9 and D. The Exeo notice covers model years 2009 to 2013, and its first and last VINs carry 9 and D, the codes for 2009 and 2013 |
So an older SEAT VIN failing a check-digit test is expected, and in these examples the only model-specific characters between positions 4 and 9 are positions 7 and 8. Position 10 follows the familiar year sequence here, but ISO 3779 allows a year code to mean the production year rather than the model year, so confirm the year with the registration certificate. See the model-year code guide and the European VIN decoding guide.
Where is the VIN on a SEAT?
The owner's manual for the SEAT León lists three places: the vehicle data label, the front of the car under the windscreen, and the right-hand side of the engine compartment. Other models may differ, so check your handbook or our guide to where to find your VIN.
How do you check SEAT recalls?
NHTSA's data, which powers our recall lookup, has no SEAT entries. For a European SEAT or Cupra, use:
- United Kingdom: the GOV.UK service Check if a vehicle, part or accessory has been recalled, which looks cars up by registration number or by make, model and year.
- Germany: the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt recall database (Rückrufdatenbank), linked from kba.de.
- France: RappelConso (rappel.conso.gouv.fr), the government recall site, which lists SEAT campaigns.
- Anywhere: a SEAT or Cupra dealer can check open campaigns against the full VIN.
SEAT's Volkswagen Group sister brands are Volkswagen, Škoda, Audi, Porsche, Bentley and Lamborghini.
Why is there a ZZZ in my SEAT's VIN?
ISO 3779, which EU rules followed until July 2022, lets the manufacturer fill unused positions with characters of its choice. Every SEAT VIN we found in French government recall notices has ZZZ in positions 4 to 6 and a Z in position 9. On an older SEAT this is normal and not a sign of a fake VIN.
Can this site decode a SEAT VIN?
Only partly. Our decoder relies on NHTSA's vPIC database, which has no SEAT entries because SEAT has never been sold in the U.S. It can show the region and country and run the check-digit calculation, but it cannot name the model or engine.
Where can I check recalls for my SEAT or Cupra?
Use the GOV.UK recall checker in the UK, the KBA recall database in Germany, RappelConso in France, or a SEAT or Cupra dealer, who can check the full VIN.
Does a SEAT VIN show accident or ownership history?
No. A VIN identifies the vehicle and how it was built. Ownership, accident and mileage records are held by registration authorities and history providers, and this site does not include them.
Brands mentioned in the notes above, each with its own VIN notes and WMI list.
- Volkswagen (32) Germany · 255 recall campaigns
- Škoda (no NHTSA model pages) Czech Republic
- Audi (66) Germany · 214 recall campaigns
- Porsche (104) Germany · 142 recall campaigns
- Bentley (29) United Kingdom · 55 recall campaigns
- Lamborghini (18) Italy · 39 recall campaigns