Transmission by VIN
Enter a VIN and NHTSA returns the transmission style and number of speeds the manufacturer filed for it, free. If the field comes back blank, the manufacturer did not file it; the VIN is not wrong and the car is not missing a transmission. For twelve makes decoded on September 15, 2026, 7 returned a transmission style and 3 returned a speed count. The table below shows which.
Facts and links on this page were checked on September 15, 2026.
What came back for twelve makes
One VIN per make, decoded through NHTSA vPIC on September 15, 2026 (public-listing VINs for ten makes; pattern-valid test VINs for Subaru and Harley-Davidson). This is the honest picture of how often the transmission is on file.
| Make (sample vehicle) | Transmission style | Speeds | Drive type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford (2019 F-250) | Automatic | 6 | 4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4 |
| Toyota (2021 Camry) | not filed | not filed | 4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4 |
| Honda (2023 Civic) | Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) | not filed | 4x2 |
| Chevrolet (2020 Equinox) | Automatic | 6 | FWD/Front-Wheel Drive |
| Nissan (2021 Kicks) | Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) | not filed | 4x2 |
| BMW (2011 550i) | not filed | not filed | AWD/All-Wheel Drive |
| Audi (2016 A6) | Automatic | not filed | AWD/All-Wheel Drive |
| Jeep (2021 Wrangler) | Automatic | 8 | 4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4 |
| Subaru (2020 Outback) | Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) | not filed | 4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4 |
| Hyundai (2025 Tucson) | not filed | not filed | 4x2 |
| Kia (2025 Niro) | not filed | not filed | 4x2 |
| Harley-Davidson (2007 Street Glide) | not filed | not filed | not filed |
Why a blank is not an error
vPIC decodes from the VIN patterns each manufacturer submits under 49 CFR 565. The regulation says what positions 4 to 8 must make decipherable for a passenger car: line, series, body type, engine type and restraint system. Transmission is not on that list, so a maker that does not fold it into the pattern files nothing for it, and NHTSA returns nothing. The vehicle still has a transmission, the VIN is still valid, and the decoder above says "not filed with NHTSA by the manufacturer" rather than guessing. The same goes for speeds: a CVT has no gear count, and some makers file the style without the number.
Where to look when the field is blank
- The window sticker. The Monroney label names the transmission. For Ford, Jeep, Ram, Dodge and Chrysler there is a manufacturer lookup; see window sticker by VIN.
- The build record.The manufacturer's own record for the VIN, which the paid CarWorthIt report reproduces.
- The car. The transmission case carries a tag or stamping; the service-parts or certification label on some makes lists a transmission code.
- A dealer.The parts desk reads the transmission from the VIN in the manufacturer's system.
What free sources can show
- Transmission style (automatic, manual, CVT) and speed count where the manufacturer filed them with NHTSA.
- Drive type (front, rear, 4x2, 4WD/AWD) where filed, and the electrification level for hybrids and EVs.
- The rest of the decode: year, make, model, trim, engine, body, plant.
- The free CarWorthIt report: open recalls, crash-test ratings and running costs.
What they cannot
- A transmission the manufacturer did not file: a blank is a blank filing, and the decode cannot invent it.
- Whether the transmission was replaced or swapped since the car was built.
- The exact transmission model code or fluid specification: that is the service manual or the case tag.
- Options and the window sticker: the build record is in the paid report.
Common questions
Can you tell the transmission from the VIN?
Sometimes. NHTSA's vPIC database returns a transmission style (automatic, manual, CVT) and a speed count only when the manufacturer included them in the VIN pattern it filed. For the twelve makes we decoded on September 15, 2026, 7 of 12 returned a transmission style and 3 of 12 returned the number of speeds. A blank is a blank filing, not a fault in the VIN.
Why is the transmission blank for my VIN?
Because the manufacturer did not file that attribute for the pattern. The VIN standard (49 CFR 565.15) requires cars to encode line, series, body type, engine type and restraint system; transmission is not on the list, so it appears only where the maker chose to include it. In our sample, Toyota, BMW, Hyundai and Kia VINs came back blank while Ford, Honda, Chevrolet, Nissan, Audi, Jeep and Subaru VINs did not.
Where else is the transmission recorded?
On the window sticker (Monroney label), which lists it by name; in the manufacturer's build record, which is what the CarWorthIt Full Report reproduces; on the certification or service-parts label on some makes; and, physically, on the transmission case tag. A dealer can also read it from the VIN through the manufacturer's own system.
Does "4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4" mean the same as AWD?
vPIC records whatever the manufacturer filed. The Toyota Camry sample, a sedan, returned "4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4", while the BMW and Audi samples returned "AWD/All-Wheel Drive" and the Chevrolet returned "FWD/Front-Wheel Drive". Treat 4WD and AWD values as "power to all four wheels" rather than as a statement about the specific system.
Can the decode tell me if the transmission has been replaced?
No. The decode is the build record: what the vehicle left the factory with. A replacement or a swap is not reported to NHTSA. Service records and a physical inspection of the case tag are the only ways to know.
What is the difference between transmission style and transmission speeds?
Style is the type (automatic, manual, CVT, automated manual); speeds is the count of forward gears, which vPIC records as a number such as 6 or 10. A CVT has no fixed speed count, so the Subaru sample returned the style "Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)" and left speeds blank.
If NHTSA has nothing, the build record usually does
The CarWorthIt Full Report ($6.99) is built on the manufacturer's build record for the exact VIN: the transmission as specified, the engine, the sticker price when new, installed options and standard equipment. It also includes the local-market valuation at the car's mileage. Run the VIN free first: the free report already shows recalls, safety ratings and running costs. See a sample.
Related free tools
Sources checked for this page
- NHTSA vPIC API, DecodeVinValues, checked September 15, 2026
- 49 CFR Part 565, Vehicle Identification Number Requirements (eCFR), checked September 15, 2026: 565.13: 17 characters, check digit in position 9, no I, O or Q, VIN readable through the windshield at the left pillar. 565.15 Table VII (2005 to 2039) and Table XIII (1980 to 2013) give the model-year codes.
CarWorthIt is not an NMVTIS-approved data provider, does not sell vehicle history reports, and is not affiliated with Carfax, AutoCheck, Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds or NADA.
Checking a specific car?