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Advanced Vehicle Identification & History Analysis Flashcards

6 cards from real CVA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 6 Advanced Vehicle Identification & History Analysis flashcards as text

  1. How many characters does a standard North American VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) contain?

    Answer: 17

    All North American vehicles manufactured since 1981 use a standardized 17-character VIN as required by NHTSA regulations.

  2. What information does the 10th character of a VIN encode?

    Answer: Model year

    The 10th VIN character is the model year code, using letters and numbers in a standardized NHTSA sequence that cycles every 30 years.

  3. A CVA notices the VIN plate on the dashboard appears to have been re-riveted or shows adhesive residue. What should this trigger?

    Answer: Suspicion of VIN tampering or cloning, requiring additional verification through secondary VIN locations

    Disturbed or re-riveted VIN plates are a red flag for VIN cloning or tampering, requiring the appraiser to check secondary stamped locations on the vehicle.

  4. Which position(s) in the VIN identify the manufacturer and country of origin?

    Answer: Characters 1–3 (World Manufacturer Identifier)

    Characters 1–3 form the World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI), which encodes the country of origin and specific manufacturer.

  5. What is the purpose of VIN character 9, the 'check digit'?

    Answer: To mathematically verify the VIN is legitimate and not randomly fabricated

    The check digit is calculated using a weighted mathematical formula applied to the other 16 VIN characters, allowing detection of fraudulent or altered VINs.

  6. Which federal agency administers VIN standardization requirements for vehicles sold in the United States?

    Answer: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

    NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) administers 49 CFR Part 565, which governs VIN requirements for all vehicles sold in the U.S.