Decode any Mazda VIN.

The decoder names the variant, not only the model. That matters most on the MX-5, where one model name covers three generations and two roof types.

ND1, ND2, ND3. The model year places the Miata in a community generation: ND1 (2016–2018), ND2 (2019–2023, with the 181-horsepower engine and telescoping wheel), and ND3 (the 2024 facelift). The full breakdown is in ND1 vs ND2 vs ND3.

RF or soft top. On North American MX-5 VINs, position 7 encodes the trim and the roof together, so the decoder reports both.

AWD or FWD. On the CX-3, CX-5, and CX-9, position 6 encodes the drivetrain. The codes vary by trim and year, so confirm against the tailgate badge or the door-jamb axle rating before you rely on it.

Gen 6 cutoffs vary by market. United States examples include the 2016–2023 MX-5, the 2016–2020 CX-5, and the 2014–2018 Mazda3. Other markets differ, so use the market and trim matrix, then check the About-screen firmware.

NHTSA recalls. Decode the VIN, then select Check NHTSA recalls. The tool asks NHTSA's recall API for every campaign on that year, make, and model. To see whether the repair on this specific car is done, enter the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Any Mazda dealer performs recall repairs for free.

Mazda Special Service Programs. NHTSA lists federally mandated safety recalls. Mazda's own recall page also covers Special Service Programs, Mazda-funded fixes that never appear in the NHTSA feed.

Takata airbags. The largest recall in automotive history reached many 2003–2016 Mazdas. Treat a result that names a Takata inflator as urgent, and get it fixed before driving the car much.

Park it. For a few severe recalls, NHTSA advises keeping the car parked, or parked outside, until it is repaired. The tool shows a banner when a result carries that flag.

A letter but no listing. If you received a recall letter and a database shows nothing, trust the letter. Records lag, and Special Service Programs are not in NHTSA's data. Call any dealer with your VIN to confirm.

Mazda's basic New Vehicle Limited Warranty runs 3 years or 36,000 miles, and the powertrain warranty runs 5 years or 60,000 miles. Both transfer to later owners at no cost, so remaining coverage has real value. The decoder estimates both windows from the model year.

An estimate, not a date. Coverage starts on the original in-service date, and the VIN encodes neither that date nor the odometer. Confirm exact coverage with any Mazda dealer, and read warranty and mods before you change anything on the car.

They are the two things people most often expect a decoder to show. Each lives somewhere else.

Paint code. The Color ID tag in the driver-side door jamb carries it, usually as a three-character code such as 46V (Soul Red Crystal). A paint supplier needs that code, not the VIN.

Window sticker and options. The original window sticker (Monroney) lists every option and the MSRP. Mazda issues it through a dealer portal that requires a dealer login, and paid services recreate it for a few dollars. A build sheet is a different document: the factory assembly record.

The free official checks catch the deal-breakers, and they show whether a paid history report is worth buying.

1. Recalls. Decode the VIN here and check recalls. An unfixed safety recall is leverage: ask the seller to have it repaired, free, before you buy.
2. Theft and total loss. NICB VINCheck screens for reported-stolen and insurance-declared salvage cars at no cost, five lookups a day.
3. Title brand and odometer. NMVTIS is the federal title system. A report from an approved provider costs a few dollars and is the authority on salvage, junk, flood, and rebuilt titles and on odometer readings.
4. Then a paid report. If the car clears, Carfax and AutoCheck add service and accident history. Neither link is an affiliate link.

None of these replaces a pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic. Buying a Gen 6 car to modify the screen? Read before you buy for the compatibility details.