How to look up Porsche parts by VIN
The same six steps work on a 911, a Cayenne or a Taycan.
- 1. Take the 17-character VIN from the car or its papers. Porsche cars start WP0 and the SUVs WP1. The free decoder at /vin-decoder/ reads basic structure, including maker, country of origin and model year where these can be determined.
- 2. Open Porsche PET on VINsearch and enter the VIN.
- 3. Check the selected vehicle record, equipment and part-application notes before opening the diagrams.
- 4. Open the main group you need, such as engine, transmission, brakes, body or electrical, and find the part on the exploded diagram.
- 5. Read the genuine part number and follow its supersession to the currently listed number, observing any conditions.
- 6. Check it against the number on the old part before you order. On brakes and suspension, look at the option codes too.
Reading a Porsche part number
The classic Porsche number has eleven digits in four blocks, as in 996 107 225 53. The first block is the model the part was designed for, here the 996-generation 911. The first digit of the second block is the main group: 1 engine, 2 fuel and exhaust, 3 transmission, 4 front axle and steering, 5 rear axle, 6 wheels and brakes, 7 levers and pedals, 8 body, 9 electrical. The third block identifies the part.
The last two digits are the modification number. A part as first produced ends in 00, and anything else means it has changed since. 996 107 225 53 replaced 996 107 225 52, so a box marked 52 holds the older revision of the same filter.
Numbers that open with 999, 900 or N are generally hardware used across several models, so their prefix tells you nothing about the car.
The prefix names the first car, not your car
That 996 oil filter also fits the 997 up to 2008, the 986 and 987 Boxster, the first Cayman, and the Cayenne S and Turbo V8 of 2003 to 2006. Porsche carried the part forward without renumbering it, so a Cayenne diagram can show a 996 number and be right. Read the prefix as history. Check application using the vehicle record and catalog notes.
Cars built on shared Volkswagen Group platforms add a second pattern. The first Cayenne shared its platform with the Volkswagen Touareg and Audi Q7, the current one sits on MLB Evo with the Touareg, the Q7 and Q8, the Bentley Bentayga and the Lamborghini Urus, and the first Macan shares its platform with the first Audi Q5. Some numbers on those cars are written the Volkswagen way. The Macan’s genuine air filter is 95B 129 620, nine characters with a letter in the model block and no two-digit suffix.
Two Macans, and options that change parts
In May 2024 the Leipzig plant started building the electric Macan, on the PPE platform shared with the Audi Q6 e-tron, alongside the petrol Macan derived from the Q5. One name, two platforms. Select and check the generation by VIN before opening a diagram.
Options split the range again. Code 450 is Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes, with discs and pads of their own. 030 is sport suspension or PASM sport suspension depending on the car, and 475 means PASM on some models and asbestos-free brake pads on others. Read an option code with the model and year beside it, and check application in the corresponding diagram.
Common Porsche nameplates
These nameplates help you find the right vehicle family. Confirm the exact model, market and production period against the active catalog before quoting a part:
| Model | Production years |
|---|---|
| Porsche 911 | — |
| Porsche Cayenne | — |
| Porsche Macan | — |
| Porsche Panamera | — |
| Porsche Taycan | — |
Frequently asked questions
Is Porsche in ETKA?
No. ETKA covers Volkswagen, Audi, Škoda, SEAT and Cupra. Porsche has its own catalog, PET, laid out the same way. Some parts on the Cayenne and Macan carry Volkswagen-style numbers because those cars share group platforms, and PET lists them for the Porsche.
How do I look up Porsche parts by VIN?
Enter the 17-character VIN, starting WP0 for cars or WP1 for SUVs, in Porsche PET on VINsearch. Check the vehicle record, equipment and application, open the main group, read the genuine number with any conditional supersession, and check it against the old part and the option codes before you order.
What does a Porsche part number like 996 107 225 53 mean?
996 is the model the part was first designed for, the 1 in 107 is the engine group, 225 identifies the part and 53 is the modification number. A part as first produced ends in 00.
Why does a Cayenne diagram show a 996 part number?
Because the part kept its original number when Porsche fitted it to later models. The oil filter 996 107 225 53 was designed for the 996 and also fits the Cayenne S and Turbo V8 of 2003 to 2006. Check vehicle application; the prefix alone is insufficient.
How much does it cost?
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