K = 1989 and 2019
A VIN with K in position 10 was built as a 1989 and 2019 model year vehicle.
Example VIN with K at position 10 → 1989 and 2019 model year
What Code "K" Means
Under NHTSA's VIN standard (effective since 1981), position 10 of every VIN encodes the model year using a single letter or digit from a fixed table. The letter K maps to the model years 1989 and 2019.
Ambiguous code — two possible years
The code K repeats every 30 years. A VIN with this code could be from 1989 or 2019. To determine the actual year, check the NHTSA full decode (which uses the full VIN to confirm the year), the vehicle's title, or the manufacturer's label on the door jamb.
Model Year Code Table — All Codes
Decode a 1989 and 2019 VIN
Enter a complete 17-character VIN to see the full breakdown.