Every Buick Encore (2017–2022) carries a 17-character VIN that begins with the KL4 WMI. The Encore is a gas SUV; this page shows what each character of a Buick Encore VIN means and gives 4 checksum-valid sample VINs you can drop straight into test fixtures. Synthetic — not real: no scraping, no real-owner data. The generator below is pre-filtered to the Encore.
Each sample below is built from the real KL4 WMI and the Encore's descriptor, so it decodes to a Buick Encore of the right model year:
Have a real Buick Encore VIN? Decode it →
Worked on the sample KL4CJASB2HB079163 — a 2017 Buick Encore:
| Position | Section | Value | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | WMI | KL4 | Marks the VIN as Buick, built in South Korea |
| 4–8 | VDS | CJASB | Descriptor for the Encore — SUV body, gas powertrain |
| 9 | Check digit | 2 | Mod-11 checksum over the other 16 characters |
| 10 | Model year | H | Code H = 2017 |
| 11 | Plant | B | Assembly-plant code |
| 12–17 | Serial | 079163 | Sequential production number |
Positions 1–3 of every Buick Encore VIN read KL4 — the World Manufacturer Identifier that marks the vehicle as Buick, assembled in South Korea (Asia). After the WMI, positions 4–8 (CJASB in our seed) describe the Encore itself; see the full 17-digit format.
Position 10 encodes the model year. For the Encore, 2017 is code H and 2022 is code N. See the 2022 year code or the check-digit math.
Buick Enclave · all Buick test VINs
A Buick Encore VIN is 17 characters starting with the KL4 WMI, for example KL4CJASB2HB079163. Positions 4–8 describe the Encore, position 9 is the check digit, position 10 is the model year, and 12–17 are the serial number.
Read it left to right: KL4 is the Buick WMI, positions 4–8 are the Encore descriptor, position 9 verifies the VIN via a mod-11 checksum, position 10 gives the year, position 11 the plant, and 12–17 the serial. Paste any VIN into the decoder to do it automatically.
The Encore in our seed uses the KL4 WMI (South Korea). Any VIN beginning with KL4 decodes to Buick.
No. They are synthetically generated but checksum-valid, use the real Buick KL4 WMI, and carry the Encore's descriptor and a valid year code — so a decoder returns a Buick Encore. No real vehicle's VIN is used.