Where is the VIN number in BMW Seria 2 (F23) [2015-2017]?

This guide shows the exact VIN (chassis number) locations on the BMW 2 Series Convertible (F23) produced between 2015 and 2017, including the quickest places to check and the harder stamped location in the engine bay.

Chassis Number Locations

B-Pillar (Door Jamb) Label

• Where to look: Open the front door and inspect the lower section of the B-pillar (lock pillar). Look for a black manufacturer label with the VIN on the top line, usually alongside tire pressure information.
• Access: Easy to reach, but the area can be dirty/greasy from normal use and the sticker text is vertical (you may need to hold your phone sideways).
• Note: On LHD cars, this label is typically on the left (driver-side) B-pillar. On RHD cars, it may appear on the left B-pillar (passenger side) depending on market.
• Tip: If the print is smudged or you don’t want to fight the vertical angle, use the camera to scan the VIN directly with ScanVin.app so OCR captures it cleanly without transcription errors.

Windshield (Dashboard)

• Where to look: From outside the car, look through the windshield at the lower corner of the dashboard, where the VIN plate sits under the glass.
• Access: Quick check, but glare/reflections are common, and the wiper position can partially block the view if it’s parked high.
• Note: On most LHD (EU/US) vehicles it’s typically on the left/driver side of the windshield; on some RHD markets it may be on the opposite side.
• Tip: Reflections can make characters look like “8/B” or “5/S”—use your phone to capture it instantly with the VIN scanner from a slight angle so the app reads it before glare shifts.

Engine Bay (Chassis Stamping)

• Where to look: Open the hood and locate the VIN stamped into the metal on the right-side fender support rail / chassis leg (vehicle right), between the strut tower area and the headlight assembly. It’s not on the strut top cap—look down along the structural rail.
• Access: Hardest location. The stamping is low-contrast on body-colored metal, can be obscured by hoses/cables, and often needs cleaning to read.
• Note: This engine-bay stamping is typically on the right side of the bay regardless of LHD/RHD.
• Tip: Scrub the rail clean and use a light to cast shadows across the stamp—then use High Contrast AI scanning on ScanVin.app to pull the characters out of faint/dirty metal.

Video Guide

Video Tutorial: BMW 218i (F23) CONVERTIBLE VIN LOCATION & ENGINE NUMBER LOCATION CareDrive

▶ Watch BMW Seria 2 VIN Location Guide

• Shows the F23 Convertible VIN in the engine bay stamping, plus the B-pillar label, with close-up zoom for the difficult stamped location.

Common Problems & Troubleshooting

• Windshield VIN glare: If the characters “wash out” in sunlight, move your viewing angle or shade the area with your body; avoid trying to memorize it through reflections.
• Engine bay stamping won’t read: Dirt + body-color paint kills contrast—clean the rail, use a flashlight to create shadow lines, and refocus the camera close-up.
• Sticker vs. stamped VIN: Door-jamb labels can be replaced—when buying a car, always cross-check the label VIN against the windshield VIN and the engine-bay stamped VIN for consistency.

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