How to look up Subaru parts by VIN
The same six steps for a Forester, an Outback or a WRX.
- 1. Read the 17-character VIN. Subaru cars from Japan start JF1 and the SUVs JF2, and SUVs built in the United States start 4S4. The free decoder at /vin-decoder/ shows the maker, country of build and model year. A Japanese-market import carries a frame number instead, such as SG5-078370.
- 2. Open the Subaru catalog on VINsearch and enter the VIN or the frame number.
- 3. Check the vehicle record, engine, transmission, equipment and part application before choosing a diagram.
- 4. Open the assembly 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 number Subaru supplies today.
- 6. Check it against the number on the old part before you order. A revised part can differ from the old one only in its last digit.
Reading a Subaru part number
A Subaru number opens with a five-digit part description code that names the part. The front seats of the Impreza 22B show how it works: 64101FA680 is the right seat and 64101FA690 the left, one description code with two different endings.
After the code come letters and digits the factory assigns to the specific part. In Subaru’s classification the last of the ten is the modification code, 0 for the original part, 1 for the first engineering change, 2 for the second, and parts that come painted add a two-digit paint code after it. So two numbers that match except at the end are usually the same part at different revisions, and the catalog tells you which one is current.
One Forester, two engine families
Subaru changes engines inside a generation. For the 2011 model year the naturally aspirated North American Forester moved to the new FB25, which drives its camshafts with a chain, while the 2.5XT turbo kept the EJ255 and its timing belt. Same SH generation, same body, and one car needs a belt kit while the other has no belt to change.
Names move too. The Crosstrek was the XV in most markets for two generations and the XV Crosstrek in North America from 2013 to 2015, and only the third generation, from 2022, carries the Crosstrek name everywhere. The VIN settles which car it is, whatever the badge says.
Two cars built with Toyota
The BRZ and the Toyota 86, later the GR86, were developed together and are built at Subaru’s plant in Ōta, Gunma, with Subaru’s FA-series boxer engine. NHTSA lists Toyota as well as Subaru under JF1, so the Toyota twin carries Subaru’s manufacturer code at the start of its VIN.
The Solterra runs the other way. It is Subaru’s version of the Toyota bZ4X, on the e-TNGA platform the two companies developed together, on sale since mid-2022. On both pairs, check a number against the VIN of the car it is going on before you swap parts across the badges.
Common Subaru 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 |
|---|---|
| Subaru Forester | — |
| Subaru Outback | — |
| Subaru Crosstrek | — |
| Subaru Impreza | — |
Frequently asked questions
Which catalog does Subaru use?
Subaru FAST, Subaru’s own electronic parts catalog. It is not the Nissan catalog of the same name. VINsearch opens it in the browser, with nothing to install.
How do I look up Subaru parts by VIN?
Enter the 17-character VIN, or the frame number on a Japanese-market car, in the Subaru catalog on VINsearch. Check the vehicle record, equipment and part application, open the assembly group, read the genuine number with its supersession conditions, and compare it with the old part before ordering.
What does a Subaru part number look like?
A five-digit part description code followed by letters and digits, such as 64101FA680 for a front seat. The code names the part, and the last character is the modification code, 0 for the original part. Painted parts add a two-digit paint code.
Is the Subaru BRZ the same car as the Toyota GR86?
They were developed together and Subaru builds both in Gunma, so the Toyota carries a VIN beginning JF1, Subaru’s code. Check each number against the VIN of the car it is going on before you swap parts between them.
Can I look up a Japanese-market Subaru?
Yes. Japanese-market cars carry a frame number, such as SG5-078370, instead of a 17-character VIN, and the catalog searches by it.
How much does it cost?
A Day Pass is $5, a month $50 and a year $500. Every plan opens all 53 catalogs, with no per-search fees.