Buyer's guide
How to find the OE part number of a Chinese car from its VIN
A VIN does not contain part numbers. It identifies the exact vehicle; the OE number comes from looking that vehicle up in the manufacturer's electronic parts catalogue (EPC), or from reading the number on the old part. The fastest route is usually the part itself: if the number is legible, you do not need the VIN.
SilkVin parts desk · Published
Six steps
- Look at the old part first. Most Chinese OE parts carry their number on a label, a stamp or a casting mark. A clear photo of that number identifies the line on its own — no VIN, no catalogue lookup.
- Read the full 17-character VIN. On the windscreen corner, the door-pillar plate or the registration document. Write all 17 characters: the letters I, O and Q are never used, so a character that looks like O is a zero.
- Decode what the VIN tells you. Characters 1–3 are the manufacturer code (WMI), 4–8 describe the vehicle (model, body, engine), 10 is usually the model year and 11 the assembly plant. That narrows the model and the variant — it does not name the part.
- Look the vehicle up in the manufacturer's EPC. A brand dealer's parts department, or a buyer with EPC access, enters the VIN and opens the diagram for the system you need (brakes, filters, suspension). The OE number is on that diagram.
- Check for variants and supersessions. Within one model year a part can change with the engine, trim or production date, and numbers are superseded. This is exactly where the VIN earns its place: it settles which variant your vehicle carries.
- Cross-check before you order. Compare the number you found with the one on the old part or with a published cross-reference, and keep the two together on the order. For brakes, steering and control electronics, have a specialist confirm it.
What the VIN can and cannot tell you
The VIN is a vehicle identifier defined by ISO 3779. On a Chinese-built vehicle it starts with L, the letter allotted to China. It tells you who built the vehicle, which model and variant it is, usually the model year, and the plant. It never contains a part number, and no website can turn a VIN into an OE number without the manufacturer's catalogue behind it.
That is why SilkVin treats the VIN as optional: an OE number or a photo of the number on the old part identifies the line directly; the VIN only matters when one model year has several variants of the same part.
By brand · examples from our reference index
What the codes and numbers look like
| Brand | VIN starts with (WMI) | Example OE number | Part | Number format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chery (incl. Omoda, Jaecoo, Exeed) | LVV · LVU | 204000453AA | Front brake discs — Chery and Jetour | Numeric block + two-letter suffix |
| Great Wall · Haval | LGW | 1017100-EG01 | Three-filter service kit — Haval Jolion and H6 | System code + letters and digits |
| Geely | L6T · LB3 | 1056022300 | Oil filter and filter kit — Geely Coolray | Ten digits |
| MG (SAIC) | LSJ | 10088104 | Front brake pads — MG ZS and MG5 | Eight digits |
WMI codes as listed in public VIN references; a brand can hold several codes, and vehicles assembled outside China carry the assembler's code. OE examples are cross-references from our reference index: they identify the part, not that it fits your vehicle.
Common questions
Can I get the part number from the VIN alone, without a catalogue?
No. The VIN identifies the manufacturer, model, variant, model year and plant. The part number lives in the manufacturer's parts catalogue, which is looked up with the VIN.
Do I need to send SilkVin my VIN to get a quote?
Usually not. An OE number, or a photo of the number on the old part, identifies the line on its own. Send the VIN only when a line has several variants within the same model and compatibility has to be confirmed for a specific vehicle.
Why does a VIN from a Chery or MG built outside China start with a different code?
The first characters identify where and by whom the vehicle was assembled. Vehicles assembled outside China carry that assembler's code, so the parts catalogue lookup may differ from the Chinese-built version.
Is an aftermarket number the same as an OE number?
No. An aftermarket brand uses its own numbering and lists the OE numbers it replaces. Always keep the OE number as the reference that identifies the part.
Sources
- ISO 3779:2009 — Road vehicles — Vehicle identification number (VIN) — Content and structure (cited by title).
- Vehicle identification number — Wikipedia and World Manufacturer Identifier list — Wikibooks (consulted 16 Oct 2026).
- SilkVin OE reference index for the example numbers: see the index.
Have the numbers, or only the old parts?
Send the list — OE numbers, photos of the numbers on the parts, or brand, model and year. Add the VIN only for lines that need a variant check.
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