United States · NHTSA recalls & complaints
Tesla VIN decoder
Tesla, Inc. is an electric-vehicle maker headquartered in Austin, Texas. Its 2025 annual report lists five consumer models, the Model 3, Model Y, Model S, Model X and Cybertruck, plus the Tesla Semi. In its second-quarter 2026 update, Tesla said the Model S and Model X lines at Fremont had been decommissioned and that production of the Cybercab had begun in Texas.
Enter all 17 characters to see the build details NHTSA holds and the recalls for that model year.
- 7 model pages
- 94 recall campaigns
- 13,632 owner complaints
- model years 2008–2026
- 4 WMI codes in vPIC
- origin: United States
| Country of origin | United States |
|---|---|
| Region | North America |
| NHTSA recall and complaint data | Yes, model years 2008–2026 |
| WMI codes in NHTSA vPIC | 4 |
| Model pages | 7 |
| Vehicle recall campaigns | 94 |
| Owner complaints | 13,632 |
| Complaints reporting a crash | 1,609 (11.8%) |
| Complaints reporting a fire | 126 (0.9%) |
| Complaints reporting an injury | 588 (4.3%) |
| Complaints reporting a death | 48 (0.4%) |
| Data updated | September 25, 2026 |
Tesla builds vehicles on three continents. In the US, its Fremont, California factory builds the Model 3 and Model Y, and Gigafactory Texas in Austin builds the Model Y, Cybertruck and Cybercab; the Semi is being commissioned in Nevada. Outside the US, Tesla's Shanghai factory builds the Model 3 and Model Y and its Berlin factory builds the Model Y. NHTSA's vPIC database lists four WMIs for Tesla, Inc., all registered to the US company, and none for the Shanghai or Berlin plants.
Tesla VINs follow the 17-character standard used in North America since model year 1981. For US-market Teslas, NHTSA's vPIC database decodes model, body, motor configuration and plant well; Teslas built for China or Europe may return less detail. Tesla also publishes its VIN decoder in its filings with NHTSA. For another US EV maker, see Rivian.
NHTSA’s files hold 94 vehicle recall campaigns and 13,632 owner complaints for Tesla vehicles from model years 2008 to 2026, summarised here on 7 model pages. The Model 3 has the most complaints (4,325), followed by the Model Y (4,164) and the Model S (3,390). Of those complaints, 1,609 report a crash, 126 a fire, 588 at least one injury and 48 at least one death; the figures count complaints, not people.
The World Manufacturer Identifier is the first three characters of the VIN. NHTSA’s vPIC database decodes 4 WMIs to Tesla; this is the complete list, with the manufacturer name, country and vehicle type vPIC records for each.
| WMI | Manufacturer (vPIC) | Country | Vehicle type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5YJ | TESLA, INC. | United States | Passenger Car |
| 7G2 | TESLA, INC. | United States | Truck |
| 7SA | TESLA, INC. | United States | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) |
| SFZ | TESLA, INC. | United States | Passenger Car |
See the WMI code guide for how the codes are assigned.
Each model page lists NHTSA’s recall campaigns and owner complaints for that model name, by model year and component. Models are sorted by complaints; the data covers model years 2008–2026.
– means NHTSA has no records of that kind under the model name.
Which WMI codes appear on Tesla VINs?
Tesla's model-year 2027 filing with NHTSA assigns 5YJ to passenger cars (Model 3 and Cybercab), 7SA to MPVs (Model Y) and 7G2 to trucks (Cybertruck and Semi). These WMIs are verified in vPIC:
| WMI | Manufacturer (NHTSA vPIC) | Country | Vehicle type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5YJ | TESLA, INC. | United States | Passenger car |
| 7SA | TESLA, INC. | United States | MPV |
| 7G2 | TESLA, INC. | United States | Truck |
| SFZ | TESLA, INC. | United States (per vPIC) | Passenger car |
vPIC lists SFZ under Tesla with the US as the manufacturer's country, although S is a region code for the United Kingdom. Tesla's current filings do not use it.
What does each position of a Tesla VIN mean?
Tesla's model-year 2027 VIN decoder, filed with NHTSA in August 2026 (NHTSA Manufacturer Information Database file ORG26907), defines:
| Position | Meaning | Codes for model year 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Make and line | 3 = Model 3, Y = Model Y, A = Cybercab, C = Cybertruck, T = Semi |
| 5 | Body type and GVWR (cars and MPVs); chassis, cab and restraints (trucks) | For example E = sedan, 4-door |
| 6 | Restraint system (cars and MPVs); GVWR class (trucks) | Letter or number per model |
| 7 | Fuel type | E = electric |
| 8 | Motor or drive unit | For example A = single motor, B = dual motor on the Model 3 |
| 9 | Check digit | Assigned under 49 CFR 565.15(c) |
| 10 | Model year | V = 2027 |
| 11 | Plant | F = Fremont, California; A = Austin, Texas; N = Reno, Nevada (Semi) |
| 12-17 | Serial number | 000000-999999 |
To check a Tesla VIN for typos, use the check digit calculator.
How do I tell if my Tesla was built in Fremont or Austin?
Look at position 11. In Tesla's model-year 2027 VIN decoder filed with NHTSA, F means Fremont, California and A means Austin, Texas. The Semi uses N for its Nevada plant.
Why does my imported Tesla decode with limited details?
NHTSA's vPIC database is built from filings for vehicles sold in the United States, and vPIC lists no WMI for Tesla's Shanghai or Berlin factories. A Tesla built for China or Europe may therefore decode with less detail than a US-market car.
Can I check Tesla recalls with the VIN?
The decoder shows recalls NHTSA has issued for your Tesla's make, model and model year, using NHTSA's public data for US-market vehicles. To confirm whether one specific VIN still has an open recall, use NHTSA's VIN search or contact Tesla. See recalls.
Does a Tesla VIN reveal battery health or accident history?
No. The VIN encodes factory data such as model, body, restraints, motor configuration, model year and plant. Battery condition, accidents and ownership are not part of it, and this site does not connect to history providers.
Brands mentioned in the notes above, then other North American brands, each with its own VIN notes and WMI list.
- Rivian (4) United States · 24 recall campaigns
- Buick (20) United States · 170 recall campaigns
- Cadillac (33) United States · 197 recall campaigns
- Chevrolet (172) United States · 751 recall campaigns
- Chrysler (37) United States · 208 recall campaigns
- Dodge (58) United States · 436 recall campaigns
Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files and NHTSA vPIC, updated September 25, 2026.