VIN deciphering for Jayco travel trailers and others

[gobdeep]

I started down a rabbit hole today with NHTSA regarding recalls for my travel trailer VIN. Unfortunately, NHTSA doesn't list all vehicle makes and models and I was getting an error on my VIN search. Although I know that my VIN is a legitimate VIN as this was a custom build from the Jayco factory and purchased through a dealer, I was getting an error on some third party sites as well. I finally answered all my burning questions about Jayco VIN codes through hours of searching this morning and I hope this helps those who may have similar questions. Keep in mind that certain characteristics of the VIN may change based on merger, manufacturer, location, model years, etc.

The easy way = run your VIN through NHTSA's vPIC decoder, which can be found here: https://vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/decoder

The manual way, and what I wanted to know each position stood for, is below. Take your Jayco VIN and write it out. Here is my Jayco VIN (slightly modified for privacy purposes) to help with the deciphering process:
1UJBJ0BN9M1JS0987

Next, note the position of the characters. For example, positions 1, 2, and 3 of my VIN are 1, U, and J. Position 9 is always a check digit and is based on a mathematical calculation of each position.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17
1 | U | J | B | J | 0 | B | N | 9 | M  | 1  | J  | S  | 0  | 9  |  8 | 7

VIN Sections
The VIN is broken up into sections.

• Section 1 = positions 1, 2, 3 = Manufacturer and type
• Section 2 = positions 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 = Identifies unique trailer attributes
• Section 3 = position 9 = always a check digit
• Section 4 = positions 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 = manufacturer specifics
• -Position 10 = model year
• -Position 11 = manufacturing plant
• Unique to Jayco trailers:
• -Positions 12 and 13 = represent product series and model designation
• -Positions 14, 15, 16, and 17 = represent the number sequentially assigned by Jayco as they build the trailer

VIN position meanings

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17
1 | U | J | B | J | 0 | B | N | 9 | M  | 1  | J  | S  | 0  | 9  |  8 | 7

• Position 1 = Assigned by SAE international using the World Manufacturer Identifier
• Position 2 = Assigned by SAE international using the World Manufacturer Identifier
• Position 3 = Assigned by SAE international using the World Manufacturer Identifier
• Position 4 = Type
  -A = Bumper pull camping trailer
  -B = Bumper pull travel trailer
  -C = 5th wheel trailer or goose neck
• Position 5 = Make
• Position 6 = Body type
  -0 = RV trailer
  -H = Hybrid RV trailer
  -S = Sport utility trailer
• Position 7 = Number of axles
  -A = one axle
  -B = two axles
  -C = three axles
  -N = reserved no wheels none
  --Years 1980-2009 use designations 1, 2, 3, 8, and 9
• Position 8 = Trailer length - (see attached picture)
• Position 9 = Always a check digit (see attached Manufacturer Handbook for calculation)
• Position 10 = Model year - (see attached picture)
• Position 11 = Plant ID
  -1 = Middlebury, Indiana
  -2 = Topeka, Indiana (Harper, Kansas < 2010)
  -3 = Wakarusa/Shipshewana, Indiana (or Three Rivers, Michigan or Bristol, Indiana)
  -4 = Brunner, Ontarioa, Canada
  -5 = LaGrange, Indiana
  -6 = Middlebury, Indiana (North)
  -7 = Twin Falls/Kimberly, Idaho
  -8 = Wakarusa, Indiana
  -9 = Wakarusa, Indiana
• Position 12 = Model designation - Based on the model list chart
• Position 13 = Model designation - Based on the model list chart
• Position 14 = Production sequential number
• Position 15 = Production sequential number
• Position 16 = Production sequential number
• Position 17 = Production sequential number

Deciphering

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17
1 | U | J | B | J | 0 | B | N | 9 | M  | 1  | J  | S  | 0  | 9  |  8 | 7

• Position 1 = 1 = Jayco
• Position 2 = U = Jayco
• Position 3 = J = Jayco
• Position 4 = B = Travel trailer
• Position 5 = J = Jayco
• Position 6 = 0 = RV trailer
• Position 7 = B = Two axles
• Position 8 = N - 28.0-29.11 feet
• Position 9 = 9 = my calculation .818
• Position 10 = M = 2021
• Position 11 = 1 = Middlebury, Indiana;
• Position 12 = J = Somewhere this translates to 24
• Position 13 = S = Somewhere this translates to BH
• Position 14 = 0
• Position 15 = 9
• Position 16 = 8
• Position 17 = 7

Resources used:

• NHTSA VIN vPIC - https://vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/decoder/Decoder
• NHTSA Organization Lookup - https://vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/decoder/M...r/Details/9892
• NHTSA vPIC - https://vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/
• RVIA Standards and Regulations - https://www.rvia.org/standards-regulations
• WMI - https://www.nsai.ie/certification/au...er-identifier/
• A lot of caffeine and time

Hopefully this will bring together the multiple threads about VINs and help to answer the Jayco VIN deciphering questions.

[kutterpost]

How do you get the model list for code related to model chart list?

[Jayco407]

Where did you find your VIN? Was it inside the camper or on the tongue?

[gobdeep]

Originally Posted by kutterpost

How do you get the model list for code related to model chart list?

Lots of research!

[gobdeep]

Should be on a yellow sticker on the side of your unit. If not, check the tongue A frame area.

[Jayco407]

Originally Posted by gobdeep

Should be on a yellow sticker on the side of your unit. If not, check the tongue A frame area.

Any particular spot in the unit?

[gobdeep]

Mine is on the driver’s side immediately behind the passthrough door.

[JFlightRisk]

Originally Posted by Jayco407

Where did you find your VIN? Was it inside the camper or on the tongue?

If your VIN is being elusive, crawl around underneath with a light, and look for a VIN tag riveted to the frame. It might be almost anywhere under there, and I think I accidentally found one on ours on the passenger side towards the rear. The VIN was stamped into an aluminum plate.