AssemblyAlertassemblyalert.com · United States

VIN decode · Tax years 2025–2028

US final assembly · UNITED STATES

Was it assembled in the US?

The car-loan interest deduction needs US final assembly and original use that starts with the taxpayer. Paste the VIN. This page scores plant country and a model-year / new-vehicle signal — not whether any loan is deductible.

The free report also lists extra vPIC specs plus public NHTSA recalls, safety ratings, and complaint themes. It does not include accident, wreck, title, or salvage history.

Don't get caught with your pants down. Check that VIN first.

Demo US plant

Point at the dash plate or door sticker. Door sill vertical? Rotate in the scanner, or turn the phone. Scan and upload run on this device — the photo is not sent to AssemblyAlert. Glare and dirty stickers can miss; you can still type the VIN.

Looks like a VIN. Decode reads PlantCountry from NHTSA vPIC.

17 / 17

US assembly passes · year/new-vehicle signal does not

PlantCountry is UNITED STATES (USA), so the US-assembly test passes. The year/new-vehicle signal does not: used vehicles do not qualify. This is not a determination that any loan is deductible.

Separate data checks

Plant-country and year are data checks. Other IRS gates remain. This page does not say the loan is deductible or that you qualify.

VIN

4T1BK36B88U320213

Plant country

UNITED STATES (USA)

Plant

GEORGETOWN, KENTUCKY · Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc.

Make / model / year

2008 TOYOTA Avalon

Series / trim

GSX30L

Body class

Sedan/Saloon

Drive type

4x2

Fuel

Gasoline

Engine

3.5L · 6-cyl · 2GR-FE

Doors

4

Transmission

—

GVWR class

Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Manufacturer

TOYOTA MOTOR MANUFACTURING, KENTUCKY, INC.

Open recalls

6 campaigns for this MY / make / model

Campaigns are published for this model year / make / model. Completion on this VIN can lag or be missing — confirm with a dealer and safercar.gov.

  • 14V743000SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 Rav4 an…

    Remedy. SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge. The recall is expected to began in January 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4…

  • 16V396000SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010…

    Remedy. SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.

  • 09V388000VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

    TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAN GET STUCK IN THE WIDE OPEN POSITION DUE TO ITS BEING TRAPPED BY AN UNSECURED OR INCOMPATIBLE DRIVER'S FLOOR MAT.

    Remedy. TOYOTA FILED AN AMENDED DEFECT REPORT ON NOVEMBER 25, 2009, STATING THAT DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND, ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, ALTER THE SHAPE OF THE FLOOR SURFACE UNDER THE PEDAL. THESE CHANGES ADDRESS THE RISK OF PEDAL ENTRAPMENT DUE TO INTERFERENCE WITH THE FLOO…

  • 10V035000EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

    GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 AND JUNE 2, 2008 WITHOUT THE REQUISIT…

    Remedy. DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. DEALERS WILL ALSO CORRECT THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GULF STATES TOYOTA AT 713-580-3300.

  • 10V036000EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

    SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2011 PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATI…

    Remedy. DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SOUTHEAST TOYOTA AT 1-800-301-6859.

  • 10V017000VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

    TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 AVALON, MODEL YEAR 2007-2010 CAMRY, MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 COROLLA, COROLLA MATRIX, RAV4, MODEL YEAR 2010 HIGHLANDER, MODEL YEAR 2008-2010 SEQUOIA, AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2010 TUNDRA VEHICLES. DUE TO THE MANNER IN WHICH THE FRICTION LE…

    Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REINFORCEMENT BAR IN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHICH WILL ALLOW THE PEDAL TO OPERATE SMOOTHLY. GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS FOR THE PONTIAC VIBE PLEASE SEE 10V-018. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON FEBRUARY 5, 2…

Sample certificate · not a record

Unlock the AssemblyAlert window sticker — $4.00

Generic preview only. Pay to mint this VIN’s vehicle spec sheet — richer fields, recall PDF, serial, and a verify page. Terms · Refunds

Window sticker style

Vehicle Spec Sheet

Assembly Alert · Sample — not issued

Serial

AA-0000-SAMPLE

Sample — not issued

Generic preview of the Assembly Alert vehicle spec sheet. It is not tied to your VIN and is not a record.

Vehicle identification number

1HG••••••••••4352

2003 Example Sedan

US-assembly test

Sample

Generic preview — not this VIN’s verdict.

Year / new-vehicle

Sample

Year / new-vehicle is a separate data check.

Open recalls

2

SAMPLE01, SAMPLE02

Manufacturer-reported specs

Plant city
Example Plant
Plant state
OH
Plant country
UNITED STATES
GVWR class
Class 1C (example)
Body class
Sedan (example)
Drive type
FWD (example)
Fuel
Gasoline
Engine
3.0L · 6-cyl
Doors
4
Series / trim
EX (example)
Transmission
Automatic
Safety ratings
Sample rating line — not a real NHTSA score.
Complaints (MY/make/model)
12 · AIR BAGS (example)
Support
publisher@noticenearby.com

Sample QR

Title & salvage history

Title & salvage history — coming / paid add-on. Not in this report.

This free check does not include accident, wreck, title, or salvage history (NMVTIS).

Not tax advice. Not affiliated with the IRS or NHTSA. Plant-country and year are data checks. Does not certify that any loan is deductible. Manufacturer-reported Part 565 data plus public NHTSA recall, rating, and complaint feeds.

Record seal SAMPLE

VOID UNLESS THIS SERIAL RESOLVES AT ASSEMBLYALERT.COM/V · NOT A GOVERNMENT DOCUMENT

Unlock the AssemblyAlert window sticker — $4.00

The sample above is generic. Payment mints a unique serial for this VIN, a dated open-recall PDF, and a printable window-sticker style spec sheet. Not tax advice. Plant-country Pass is not a deduction. Terms · Refunds

VIN recall check · free

Don't get caught with an open recall.

Same VIN box. Open NHTSA campaigns lead the report. We list what is on file for the model year, make, and model — we do not close recalls.

Check open recalls

Milder cut. Watch the edgy set →

SFW · 60-second Pathé film

The First Digit

assemblyalert.com

Nigel from Accounts calls the gold import a bald eagle with cupholders. Margaret checks the plant. Germany. FAIL. The first digit is a rumour. Fully clothed. Captions on every shot.

Play The First Digit

More commercials · 18+

Don't get caught with your pants down.

The loop above is the milder cut. The 18+ gallery is the pants-down VIN set — posters first, age gate before any of those spots play. Not tax advice.

Built for America? window-sticker stillThe Best VIN Checker Ever boardroom stillHigashi Motors showroom stillWatch the 18+ set

Tax years 2025–2028

A plant-country record for filing season.

People file the One Big Beautiful Bill Act car-loan interest deduction for tax years 2025–2028, up to $10,000 of interest. AssemblyAlert does not decide if a loan is deductible.

A Form 1098-VLI and similar broker statements will show up for many filers around January 2027. This site is a dated NHTSA vPIC plant-country record you can keep for a preparer. It is not an IRS form.

US assembly pass or fail is PlantCountry === UNITED STATES (USA) only. Puerto Rico is not a pass. VIN first character 1, 4, or 5 is a screen, not the test — a BMW VIN that starts with 5 (5UX) can still be Germany.

The report shows separate checks. Assembly-check copy stays Passes the US-assembly test, Fails the US-assembly test, or Could not determine. Vehicle year is scored on its own. Plant-country Pass is not the deduction. Used vehicles do not qualify.

Decode stays free. The optional $4 card is a printable Assembly Alert vehicle spec sheet — window-sticker style fields, recall count, serial at /v/{serial}. It is a filing record for your folder, not a government certificate and not a deduction.

Not tax advice. Not affiliated with the IRS, NHTSA, or the Treasury. Not a government document.

Also on this site

Calculators, facts, and guides

The VIN box above scores US assembly and a model-year / new-vehicle signal. Recalls is the same decode with open NHTSA campaigns first. Español is a Spanish recall page. These pages do not bury the checker — they are extra tools and IRS-cited explainers. Lease payments do not qualify.

Safety

Open recalls

Tools

Car loan calculators

Cards

Fact cards

Reading

Guides

The homepage spot stays the milder loop. The First Digit is the SFW Pathé film. Commercials (18+) is the edgier set — crude VIN / OBBBA pants-down jokes, not porn.

How the test works

Plant country and vehicle year.

Paste a 17-character VIN. The free decode reads manufacturer-reported plant fields and ModelYear from NHTSA vPIC. Those are separate data checks for the OBBBA car-loan interest deduction, tax years 2025–2028.

  • First-character VIN myth

    1, 4, or 5 in position 1 is a WMI screen only — never the verdict. A BMW VIN that starts with 5 (5UX) can still be assembled in Germany.

  • PlantCountry is exact

    Pass only if NHTSA PlantCountry is exactly UNITED STATES (USA). Canada, Mexico, and Germany fail. Puerto Rico is not a pass. Empty is unknown.

  • GVWR class, not pounds

    Classes 1 and 2 (including 1A–1D and 2E–2H) pass the weight screen. Class 3 is uncertain — check the door jamb. Class 4 and above fail.

  • Vehicle year is a separate check

    Used vehicles do not qualify. Older VIN model years usually fail original-use even when the plant is in the United States. A current year is not proof you are the first owner. There is no IRS purchase-price / MSRP cap.

  • Not IRS. Not a deduction.

    AssemblyAlert is not affiliated with the IRS or NHTSA. This page never says your loan is deductible. Plant-country Pass is not the deduction.

How it works

Two VIN checks. The rest stays on you.

  1. 01

    Paste the 17-character VIN

    No I, O, or Q. Incomplete or starred VINs get no tax verdict.

  2. 02

    This page calls NHTSA vPIC first

    DecodeVinValues sets canonical make, model, and year. The free report then adds public NHTSA recalls, safety ratings, and complaint themes. Title and salvage history is not included.

  3. 03

    PlantCountry and ModelYear

    US assembly passes only if PlantCountry is exactly UNITED STATES (USA). Model year is a separate new-vehicle signal. Used vehicles do not qualify. VIN year is not proof of first owner.

Other tests

The VIN does not finish these.

The VIN scores US final assembly and a model-year / new-vehicle signal. Plant-country Pass is not the deduction, and VIN year is not proof of first owner. The items below stay on you.

  • Original use with the taxpayer (used vehicles do not qualify)
  • VIN year is a signal — not proof you are the first owner
  • Loan originated after December 31, 2024
  • Personal use
  • MAGI phaseout starts at $100,000 single / $200,000 joint
  • Interest cap: up to $10,000 — no IRS purchase-price / MSRP cap
  • Tax years 2025–2028
  • Lease payments do not qualify (IRS)

FAQ

Common questions

Was my car assembled in the US?

Paste the 17-character VIN. This page reads PlantCountry from NHTSA vPIC. It passes only if that field is exactly UNITED STATES (USA). Canada, Mexico, Germany, and Puerto Rico fail. An empty plant country is unknown, not a pass.

How do I check US assembly for the car loan interest deduction?

Use this free VIN checker. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act car-loan interest deduction (tax years 2025–2028) requires final assembly in the United States and original use that starts with the taxpayer. AssemblyAlert scores PlantCountry and a VIN model-year / new-vehicle signal. It does not decide whether any loan is deductible.

Does VIN starting with 1 mean US built?

No. VIN position 1 is a WMI screen only. Characters 1, 4, and 5 are often assigned to the United States, but they are never the verdict. A BMW VIN starting with 5 (for example 5UX) can still be assembled in Germany.

Is this official IRS?

No. AssemblyAlert is not affiliated with the IRS, NHTSA, or the Treasury and is not a government document. This is not tax advice.

What is a 1098-VLI?

A Form 1098-VLI and similar broker statements will show up for many filers around January 2027. This site is a dated NHTSA vPIC plant-country record you can keep for a preparer. It is not an IRS form and does not decide if a loan is deductible.

Does a pass mean I qualify for the deduction?

No. Plant-country Pass is not the deduction. The report shows separate checks: US final assembly (PlantCountry) and a vehicle-year / new-vehicle signal from the VIN model year. Used vehicles do not qualify — original use must start with the taxpayer. Older model years usually fail that gate. A current model year is not proof you are the first owner. Other IRS gates remain: personal use, a loan after December 31, 2024, the VIN on the return, the $10,000 interest cap, and MAGI phaseout. There is no IRS purchase-price or MSRP cap. Leases do not qualify. Assembly-check copy stays Passes the US-assembly test, Fails the US-assembly test, or Could not determine. This site never says you qualify and never says a loan is deductible.

Does vehicle year matter for the deduction?

Yes as a signal, not as a substitute for original use. Used vehicles do not qualify. The VIN model year (NHTSA vPIC ModelYear) is a strong signal: model years through 2023 are usually already in service and fail that gate even when the plant is in the United States. A leftover new 2024 can still have original use start with you if the loan is after December 31, 2024. Model years 2025–2028 sit in the new-purchase window, but VIN year is not proof of first owner. Confirm title and sale documents.

Do auto leases qualify for the OBBBA car loan interest deduction?

No. The IRS Working Families Tax Cuts pages state that lease payments do not qualify. AssemblyAlert does not decide whether any loan is deductible. See the lease article and the lease-vs-buy calculator.

Does the free VIN check include accident or salvage history?

No. The free check does not include accident, wreck, title, or salvage history (NMVTIS). That is a coming paid add-on. After a vPIC decode the report lists extra specs plus public NHTSA recalls, safety ratings, and complaint themes for the model year / make / model. Complaint totals are not proof of wrecks on this VIN. Recall completion on this VIN can lag.

What is the $4 vehicle spec sheet?

After a free decode you can unlock a printable Assembly Alert window-sticker style vehicle spec sheet for $4. It repeats the enriched fields, US-assembly Pass/Fail, the year signal, a recall count, a unique serial, and a dated timestamp. It is not an IRS qualification, not a Monroney label, and not tax advice. Plant-country Pass is not a deduction.

Disclaimer

Read this before you file.

  • AssemblyAlert is not tax advice and is not a determination that any loan is deductible.
  • AssemblyAlert is not affiliated with the Internal Revenue Service or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
  • Decoded plant fields are manufacturer-reported Part 565 data as published by NHTSA vPIC. They can be blank or wrong.
  • The Monroney label and the Part 583 final-assembly point are also valid evidence.
  • The IRS has said taxpayers may rely on the NHTSA VIN Decoder plant of manufacture or the window-sticker final assembly point.
  • The IRS Working Families Tax Cuts pages state that lease payments do not qualify.
  • The free VIN check does not include accident, wreck, title, or salvage history (NMVTIS).
  • AssemblyAlert is owned by Record of Sale, LLC (Oregon).