Just joined today, picked up my Rav4 on Monday. I was reading Edmunds and they talked about knowing when your Rav4 was built by reading the VIN. Searched and could not find out how. By the option packages on mine I guess I have one of the early ones.

http://rav4world.com/forums/album_pic.php?pic_id=8527

 

The link that was posted is for reading MODEL codes, not VIN's.

To read a VIN:
1st character - Country of origin
2nd - manufacturer
3rd - type of vehicle
4th to 8th - vehicle description
9th - check digit (see the link i post below, this one is a little hard to explain)
10th - model year
11th - assembly plant
12th to 17th - vehicle #

http://www.vinguard.org/vin.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_Identification_Number

 

Just joined today, picked up my Rav4 on Monday. I was reading Edmunds and they talked about knowing when your Rav4 was built by reading the VIN. Searched and could not find out how. By the option packages on mine I guess I have one of the early ones.

Left to right. Numbers and letters.

 

The VIN doesn't tell you when the vehicle was built - only the model year. If you want the month and year of build, you need to look on the sticker inside the driver's door. It will say something like 01/2009 on it.

 

Thanks to all. Looked at the door sticker and found out my car was built 7/08. I just purchased it on Monday, so it sat around for 7 months. The reason I was asking was it did not have one of the value packages which I heard came on later built ones.

 

. If you want the month and year of build, you need to look on the sticker inside the driver's door. It will say something like 01/2009 on it.

My 08 RAV has no such build date sticker on driver side door pillar. Tire info , yes, but nothing about build dates. I looked twice.
Precisely where is the sticker located that has the build date?

 

. If you want the month and year of build, you need to look on the sticker inside the driver's door. It will say something like 01/2009 on it.

My 08 RAV has no such build date sticker on driver side door pillar. Tire info , yes, but nothing about build dates. I looked twice.
Precisely where is the sticker located that has the build date?

It's MM/YY format ... see post # 15 ... http://rav4world.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3786&highlight=build+date

 

Yes, look again, Don. I suppose it's possible that yours was removed, but it's supposed to be permanent. Should be the lower right outside part of the driver's door opening. White type on black.

 

It should be right by the tire sticker on the driver's side door jam.

 

Thanks, guys. I found it. Duh!? :doh: I just over looked it before. My build date is 09/07