Western Star VIN Decoder
Free instant safety reports for any Western Star. Recalls, complaints, and complete specs.
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How to Read a Western Star VIN
Western Star is a Daimler Truck North America brand, and every Western Star VIN is 17 characters long. US-built trucks begin with 5KJ when complete and 5KK when sold as a chassis; Canadian-built trucks begin with 2W. Here is what each part means, using a real truck.
EXAMPLE: 2015 WESTERN STAR 4900
5KJNALD10FLGN6445
Positions 1–3 · Manufacturer
Registered to Daimler Truck North America LLC (United States).
Positions 4–8 · Vehicle attributes
Model, body, weight class and engine. NHTSA decodes this truck as: 4900, Truck-Tractor, Class 8, Detroit Diesel DD16.
Position 9 · Check digit
Calculated from the other 16 characters, so a mistyped VIN is caught before you search.
Position 10 · Model year
2015.
Position 11 · Assembly plant
Cleveland, North Carolina.
Positions 12–17 · Serial number
The production sequence number for this individual truck.
Western Star VIN Prefixes
The first three characters of a VIN identify who built the vehicle. These are the main prefixes NHTSA has registered for Western Star trucks. "Truck" means it left the factory complete; "incomplete vehicle" means it was sold as a chassis for a body builder to finish.
| Prefix | Registered to | Type | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5KJ | Daimler Truck North America LLC | Truck | United States |
| 5KK | Daimler Truck North America LLC | Incomplete vehicle | United States |
| 2WK | Western Star Trucks Inc | Truck | Canada |
| 2WL | Western Star Trucks Inc | Incomplete vehicle | Canada |
| 2WM | Western Star Trucks Inc | Incomplete vehicle | Canada |
Where to Find the VIN
Open the driver's door and read the certification label on the door frame or door edge. Most heavy trucks also have the VIN stamped into the frame rail, and it is printed on the title, registration and insurance card.
On a phone, tap Scan VIN and point the camera at the label instead of typing.
Western Star Models Covered
The decoder works with any Western Star VIN NHTSA has on file, including the 4700, 4800, 4900, 5700, 6900, 47X, 49X, and 57X.
What You'll Get
Safety Alerts
Recall campaigns plus crash and fire complaints from the federal database
Complete Specs
Engine, GVWR, dimensions — every spec NHTSA has on file for the VIN
Find Similar
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Enter or Scan VIN
Type the 17-character VIN or use your camera
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