WAU
Audi passenger cars built in Germany
Decode any Audi VIN free — A4, Q5, A6, Q7, e-tron, and more — for the factory trim, engine, plant, and open recalls.
Factory build data from manufacturer and government sources
The first three characters (the WMI) identify the manufacturer and where the vehicle was built. Common Audi prefixes:
Audi passenger cars built in Germany
Audi SUVs — Q models
Audi vehicles built in Győr, Hungary
WAU is the classic German-built car prefix; WA1 covers the Q SUV line; TRU means Hungary, where the TT and some compacts were built.
Character 11 identifies the plant — Ingolstadt, Neckarsulm, Győr, or San José Chiapa (Mexico, Q5) — which enthusiasts use to trace a car's origin.
Driver-side dashboard, visible through the windshield
Driver-side door jamb label
Sticker in the trunk floor or service booklet (also carries the L paint code)
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Type or paste the 17-character VIN from the dashboard, door jamb, frame, or title.
Year, model, trim, engine, plant, and factory equipment from manufacturer and government records.
No account, no credit card. Add a CARFAX or VinAudit history report later only if you want one.
The most reliable spots: Driver-side dashboard, visible through the windshield; Driver-side door jamb label; Sticker in the trunk floor or service booklet (also carries the L paint code). All show the same 17-character VIN — if they disagree with the title, do not buy the vehicle.
Volkswagen Group paint codes start with L — LY9C is Ibis White, LZ9Y Phantom Black. The code is on a sticker in the trunk floor or spare-wheel well and in the service booklet; the VIN decode confirms the factory color name.
Most recent Q5s for North America are built in San José Chiapa, Mexico — the plant shows in character 11 of the VIN. The decode also confirms the drivetrain and trim, which matter more for value than the plant does.
Yes. The full Audi decode — year, model, trim, engine, factory equipment, and open recalls — is free with no account or credit card. Paid CARFAX or VinAudit reports are optional and add accident, title, and ownership history.
Free decode of the factory build — trim, engine, equipment, and open recalls.