Does my car have remote start, AWD or a sunroof? What the VIN can tell you
You can find out a lot about a car from its VIN for free: the drive type, the engine, often the trim. Other features, such as remote start, a sunroof or heated seats, are not in the government data that free decoders read. For those you need a different source, and this page says which one.
Why a free decoder knows some things and not others
In the United States, manufacturers file the meaning of their VINs with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which publishes it in a free database called vPIC. Free decoders, ours included, read vPIC. The database has a fixed list of fields, 145 when we checked. If a feature has no field, no free decoder can show it, however the site is worded.
Having a field is not the same as having the answer, either. The manufacturer fills in what it chooses, and older models often leave the driver-assistance fields blank.
Feature by feature
| Feature | In the free VIN data? | Where else to check |
|---|---|---|
| AWD, 4WD, FWD or RWD | Yes, “Drive Type”. Usually filled in | Badge on the back, owner’s manual |
| Engine size and cylinders | Yes. Usually filled in | Sticker under the hood |
| Trim (LX, XLT, xDrive35i…) | Yes, “Trim”. Often filled in, not always | Window sticker, original invoice |
| Transmission | Yes, but often blank | Owner’s manual, the dealer |
| Backup camera, adaptive cruise, blind spot or lane departure warning | Yes, as fields. Mostly on recent models | The screen and the buttons on the wheel |
| Push-button start (keyless ignition) | Yes, as a field. Often blank | A start button by the wheel |
| Remote start | No | Window sticker, the dealer, the key fob, the brand’s app |
| Sunroof or panoramic roof | No | Window sticker, or look up |
| Heated or cooled seats, leather | No | Window sticker, the seat controls |
| Navigation, sound system, towing package | No | Window sticker, the dealer |
A real example: the sample VIN that NHTSA uses in its own documentation, a 2011 BMW X3, comes back as trim xDrive35i, all-wheel drive, 3.0 liters and 6 cylinders. Its driver-assistance fields come back empty.
Remote start: how to really check
This is the one people search for most, and no free decoder can answer it. In order, from quickest to most certain:
- The key fob. Factory remote start usually has its own button on the fob. If the fob is missing or was replaced, this proves nothing.
- The brand’s app. On many recent cars, remote start comes through the manufacturer’s app and a connected-services plan. Whether it works can depend on that plan being active.
- The window sticker. It lists the factory options installed on that car (see below).
- A dealer of the brand. With the VIN, the service desk can look up how that exact car was built. This is the most reliable answer, and a phone call is usually enough.
None of this covers a remote starter added after the sale. A VIN describes the car as it left the factory, so aftermarket equipment does not appear in any VIN lookup.
The window sticker is the full list
Federal law requires every new car to leave for the dealer with a label on the window, often called the Monroney sticker. Besides the make, model and VIN, it must show the suggested price of each accessory and item of optional equipment installed at the factory. That makes it the document that settles questions like sunroof, heated seats or a towing package.
If the sticker is gone, ask the seller whether they kept it, or ask a dealer of the brand. Some manufacturers can reprint it from the VIN.
Check what the free data says now
Free and without an account, with data from NHTSA’s vPIC: drive type, engine, trim and the driver-assistance fields when the manufacturer filled them in. It also checks the 9th character, the check digit, so a mistyped VIN does not pass unnoticed.
What car is this?
Type the VIN and see everything the manufacturer recorded about it. Free, no account.
Free lookup. Keep your sheet with its link, QR and printable PDF for US$9.99, one payment per vehicle.
Buying the car? A decoder does not tell you what happened to it after it was built: when you also need a history report. Want to read the VIN yourself? What each digit means. Already own it? A VIN Card keeps its spec sheet and service history in one place, one payment per vehicle.
Sources, read on November 1, 2026
- NHTSA: vPIC API, including the list of vehicle variables
- NHTSA: Product Information Catalog and Vehicle Listing (vPIC)
- 15 U.S. Code § 1232: Label and entry requirements (the window sticker)
Questions people ask before buying.
Can I check if my car has remote start by VIN for free?
Not with a free VIN decoder: the government data they read, NHTSA’s vPIC, has no remote start field. Check the key fob for a remote start button, the brand’s app, the window sticker, or call a dealer of the brand with the VIN.
Can a VIN tell me if a car is AWD?
Usually yes. vPIC has a Drive Type field and manufacturers normally fill it in, so a free decoder shows AWD, 4WD, FWD or RWD for most cars.
Does a VIN show the trim level?
Often. vPIC has a Trim field, but not every manufacturer fills it in for every model. If it comes back empty, the window sticker or the original invoice will have it.
Does a VIN show aftermarket equipment?
No. A VIN describes the car as it left the factory. A remote starter, wheels or a stereo added later do not appear in any VIN lookup.
Before you choose