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Windshield VIN Plate Missing

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IGWright

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2004 Durango SLT 5.7
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137 Posts
Discussion starter · #1 ·
So I bought my truck in 2016.
Around 3 months ago I noticed the VIN Plate under the windshield was missing.

I called CHP, and they deal with this by doing a full vehicle inspection and stamping a blue tag on the driver's side door,
indicating the they have verified the truck to not be stolen, or made up of stolen parts.

My question is:

I bought this from a reputable mom and pop.
Registered with the DMV (He printed all the paperwork at the time of the sale.).
I also took the truck to a local Dodge dealership for an inspection.

Wouldn't the mom and pop look for the VIN Plate when purchasing the vehicle for resale,
and the dealership also look for the VIN Plate as a part of their inspection?

I also just had it smogged . . . you'd think the smog inspection would be looking for it as well.

Ian
 
#2 ·
On my 2015 SXT, there appears to be a small plastic/paper/something that has slid down and is covering the VIN plate. The VIN was visible when I took delivery of the truck new; I saw it and know it was there. Now it appears like it's missing as well since whatever this is has slid over and is covering it.
The dealer can pull the VIN from the vehicle computer, and there is a label on the driver door, near the latch, that has the VIN as well with a barcode the dealer can scan.
Others will chime in soon to verify, but I think the VIN is also on the engine block somewhere and on the body.
 
Discussion starter · #3 ·
Thank-you for jumping in.

The concern here in LA is that a missing dash VIN Plate is generally a red flag for a stolen vehicle.
So the scenerio might be, getting a parking ticket, and when the officer issuing the ticket can't see the VIN Plate,
impounds the vehicle in case it's stolen.

Whereas, if you got to the CHP and have it inspected,
there would be a record of the VIN being verified for the vehicle,
and I think some kind of tag visible.

However, based on what you experienced,
I'm gonna take my drop light out to the truck tonight and see if something is simply covering the plate.

Ian
 
#4 ·
Impounding a "suspected" stolen vehicle due to a VIN plate that is not visible sounds a little bit like guilty until proven innocent, and jumping to conclusions. I would think they would need more valid evidence before impounding a vehicle; in my eyes this amounts to theft by the police. Kind of a "shoot first, ask questions later" kind of mentality.
The VIN should be verified when the plates and registration are issued, this would tie your plates to the VIN.
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
tgbraley said:
Impounding a "suspected" stolen vehicle due to a VIN plate that is not visible sounds a little bit like guilty until proven innocent, and jumping to conclusions. I would think they would need more valid evidence before impounding a vehicle; in my eyes this amounts to theft by the police. Kind of a "shoot first, ask questions later" kind of mentality.
The VIN should be verified when the plates and registration are issued, this would tie your plates to the VIN.
Click to expand...
I agree.
But welcome to LA.
There's a kind of Letter of The Law, not The Spirit of the Law practice here.
And basically it seems to come down to the city looking for ways to make money.

I don't operate from a fear stand point,
I move through my days with the faith that things will fix themselves,
but I double dot all my "i"s and double dash all my "t"s - if you know what I mean.

And I guess this is part of the problem with having a mom and pop dealer issue the paperwork.
If I had gone to AAA, they would have discovered the VIN and would have alerted me to it.
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
Aaaaand the prize goes to tgbraley!

tgbraley said:
On my 2015 SXT, there appears to be a small plastic/paper/something that has slid down and is covering the VIN plate. The VIN was visible when I took delivery of the truck new; I saw it and know it was there. Now it appears like it's missing as well since whatever this is has slid over and is covering it.
The dealer can pull the VIN from the vehicle computer, and there is a label on the driver door, near the latch, that has the VIN as well with a barcode the dealer can scan.
Others will chime in soon to verify, but I think the VIN is also on the engine block somewhere and on the body.
Click to expand...
I fashioned a piece of wire with a small hook on the end,
and fished down over the VIN Plate area,
and wala!

There was a rubber gasket covering the VIN Plate.
So I'm busy wiping the egg off my face.
Part of the problem is that the VIN Plate is black,
so even in daylight it's tough to see.

I'm assuming the gasket is a seal for the windshield.
Maybe a secondary seal?
It's square shaped and could be tubing,
but I can't imagine what it would be tubing for.

Anywho, all's well that ends well.
I appreciate you all jumping in,
and we have now solved yet another potential mystery associated with this fine beast of a truck.

I
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
Big time.
I'm fine with heading to the CHP and getting things all official,
but, if I'm gonna spend time on the truck,
I'd rather being doing some repairs.

Next stop: Radiator/Water Pump Gasket

Have a great weekend everybody!

Ian
 
#9 ·
IGWright said:
Aaaaand the prize goes to tgbraley!



I fashioned a piece of wire with a small hook on the end,
and fished down over the VIN Plate area,
and wala!

There was a rubber gasket covering the VIN Plate.
So I'm busy wiping the egg off my face.
Part of the problem is that the VIN Plate is black,
so even in daylight it's tough to see.

I'm assuming the gasket is a seal for the windshield.
Maybe a secondary seal?
It's square shaped and could be tubing,
but I can't imagine what it would be tubing for.

Anywho, all's well that ends well.
I appreciate you all jumping in,
and we have now solved yet another potential mystery associated with this fine beast of a truck.

I
Click to expand...
It looks like a poem, but it doesn't rhyme! But at least, a happy ending. Glad you found it!
 
#13 ·
Hey! 6 years later your solution has saved me from having to replace my Toyota Avalon windshield as some flexible black something had covered up my VIN, Was transferring vehicle from MO to KS and HP VIN check station turned me away from getting the approval as the number was not visible. Took your suggestion and used a leaf rake time with a hook at the end to pull away the rubber. So a huge thank you for posting your issue and the fix as it saved me about $400 to $500 on a new window install.
IGWright said:
Aaaaand the prize goes to tgbraley!



I fashioned a piece of wire with a small hook on the end,
and fished down over the VIN Plate area,
and wala!

There was a rubber gasket covering the VIN Plate.
So I'm busy wiping the egg off my face.
Part of the problem is that the VIN Plate is black,
so even in daylight it's tough to see.

I'm assuming the gasket is a seal for the windshield.
Maybe a secondary seal?
It's square shaped and could be tubing,
but I can't imagine what it would be tubing for.

Anywho, all's well that ends well.
I appreciate you all jumping in,
and we have now solved yet another potential mystery associated with this fine beast of a truck.

I
Click to expand...
Hey! Several years later your solution has saved me from having to replace my Toyota Avalon windshield as some flexible black something had covered up my VIN, Was transferring vehicle from MO to KS and HP VIN check station turned me away from getting the approval as the number was not visible. Took your suggestion and used a leaf rake time with a hook at the end to pull away the rubber. So a huge thank you for posting your issue and the fix as it saved me about $400 to $500 on a new window install.
 
#15 ·
I know this is mostly an ancient thread but....IGwright do you still have your car? Is it a factory windshield, or a Safelite other brand replacement? There is no way it would have left the factory with gasket material covering the VIN tag.....

Glad you found it was covered by something...because if it were actually missing then, with certainty, that would mean that something illegal and problematic had occurred at some point. They don't just fall off.......
(and yes, there are other VIN tags and VIN stampings all over the car......)

Back in the '70's and early '80's I may or may not have known a guy who made a lot of money making and selling (illegally) those special rivets for attaching windshield VIN tags...the NYC illegal tagging industry was quite a big market for him back then.....
 
#16 ·
6104696 said:
Back in the '70's and early '80's I may or may not have known a guy who made a lot of money making and selling (illegally) those special rivets for attaching windshield VIN tags...the NYC illegal tagging industry was quite a big market for him back then.....
Click to expand...
Ah so that is why it is called a VIN...short for Vinnie. 🤡
 
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