VIN Decoder

[phoenix]

A guide to decoding your VIN, with the number referring to the position in the VIN of the character

1 Geographical area
Y = Northern Europe

2 Country
S = Sweden

3 Car manufacturer
3 = Saab Automobile AB

4 Product line
E = 9-5

5 Model Series
A = Saab 9-5 Linear with driver airbag
B = Saab 9-5 Linear with driver and passenger airbag
C = Saab 9-5S/Arc with driver airbag
D = Saab 9-5S/Arc with driver and passenger airbag
E = Saab 9-5SE/Vector with driver airbag
F = Saab 9-5SE/Vector with driver and passenger airbag
G = Saab 9-5 Aero with driver airbag
H = Saab 9-5 Aero with driver and passenger airbag
K = Saab 9-5 Griffin with driver airbag
M = Saab 9-5 Griffin with driver and passenger airbag


6 Body type
4 = 4-door
5 = 5-door

7 Gearbox
5 = Manual 5-speed
8 = Automatic 4-speed
9 = Automatic 5-speed

8 Engine variant
A = 2.3T B235L
C = 2.0 t, B205E
E = 2.3 t, B235E
G = 2.3 Turbo, B235R
D = 2.2 t D223L
L = 3.0 t D308L
Z = 3.0t, B308E

9 Check character
0-9 or X

10 Model year
W = 1998
X = 1999
Y = 2000
1 = 2001
2 = 2002
3=2003
4=2004
5=2005
6=2006
7=2007
8=2008
9=2009
A=2010

11 Place of manufacture
3 = Trollhättan
9 = Trollhättan, preseries

12 Serial number
000001-999999

[warmrain]

Just to add, under position 8 Engine Variant :

W=1.9 turbo diesel

[jmblack]

Is there any easy way, vin or otherwise, to tell if car has sports or standard suspension?

Thanks

[Audax]

On the vin plate on the car there will be a set of 6 groups of characters under the vin.

e.g. AA - BB - C - D - E - F each position refers to part of the suspension.

Position 1 is Front Spring (AA), 2 is Spring rear (BB), 3 is anti-roll bar front (C), 4 is anti-roll bar rear (D), 5 is front shock (E), 6 is rear shock (F).

As for the codes for each item I'm not going to list them, there's 25 front springs, 16 shocks just for the front for cars 1998-2005! If you post up the 6 letters on your car I can look them up for you.

[jmblack]

Excellent - thanks. I'm not where the car is til the weekend so will post then.

Ta

[jmblack]

Have had a look at the vin plate now and below the vin is:

CW FE J J 40 31 AD BC CD DC

Im guessing it's the last 6 pairs you are referring to?

It's on a 2009 95 estate diesel turbo edition built sept 2009

The reference is the same as my wife's 2006 vector built aug 2006 so I'm guessing at standard suspension?

thanks again for your help.

[Audax]

Have had a look at the vin plate now and below the vin is:

CW FE J J 40 31 AD BC CD DC

Im guessing it's the last 6 pairs you are referring to?

It's actually the first 6, the last 4 are for the brakes

Keep in mind that there are different springs and dampers even for standard suspension for different engine types and gearboxes and body styles.

Anyhow, that is:

Front spring red/white, 4d/5d part no. 12755248 (CW)
Front shock yellow, 4d/5d part no. 12760161 (40)
Anti-roll bar Green Sport Chassis part no. 12761909 (J)

Rear spring blue/yellow, 5d part no. 12760113 (FE)
Rear shock, purple, 5d, part no. 12765950 (31)
Anti-roll bar, white, sport chassis part no. 5239124 (J)

As it stands, your car does not have sports suspension but does have sports suspension anti-roll bars, I'm guessing that this was either to try and improve the 9-5's handling a bit while retaining the ride quality when compared to other cars available at the time or that they were just using up whatever parts were kicking about in the factory. 

[jmblack]

Great - thanks very much for your help.

[BornFromJets]

Have had a look at the vin plate now and below the vin is:

CW FE J J 40 31 AD BC CD DC

Im guessing it's the last 6 pairs you are referring to?

It's actually the first 6, the last 4 are for the brakes

Keep in mind that there are different springs and dampers even for standard suspension for different engine types and gearboxes and body styles.

Anyhow, that is:

Front spring red/white, 4d/5d part no. 12755248 (CW)
Front shock yellow, 4d/5d part no. 12760161 (40)
Anti-roll bar Green Sport Chassis part no. 12761909 (J)

Rear spring blue/yellow, 5d part no. 12760113 (FE)
Rear shock, purple, 5d, part no. 12765950 (31)
Anti-roll bar, white, sport chassis part no. 5239124 (J)

As it stands, your car does not have sports suspension but does have sports suspension anti-roll bars, I'm guessing that this was either to try and improve the 9-5's handling a bit while retaining the ride quality when compared to other cars available at the time or that they were just using up whatever parts were kicking about in the factory. 

Do me! Do me! Do me! 

I actually have a 2003 9-3 NG and my struts need replacement because the shop said they cannot adjust the camber because my original ones are way too old...

I've been trying to figure out whether I have sport chassis/suspension or not. By the way a lot of people have the same question and it would help a lot of loyal Saab fans to choose new suspension.

My VIN plate says 2 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -  -  -  and I have a diagram that identifies the positions but it doesn't identify the suspensions... Any help would be great! Thanks