Where is the VIN number in Land Rover Discovery V (2016-2016)?

This guide shows you where to find the VIN/chassis number on the Land Rover Discovery V (2016-2016), including the easiest “walk-up” spot and a stamped backup location in the engine bay.

Chassis Number Locations

Windshield (Dashboard VIN plate)

• Where to look: Stand outside the vehicle and look through the windshield at the bottom corner of the dashboard. The VIN is printed on a plate visible through the glass.
• Access: Easy to access, but glare/reflections from sunlight and the windshield angle can make it hard to read; wiper blades may partially sit in the same area.
• Note: Writing for LHD (US/EU): this plate is typically on the driver-side lower corner. On RHD vehicles (like the videos), it may appear on the opposite side.
• Tip: If reflections wash out the letters, capture it instantly with the phone VIN scanner so you don’t misread characters like S/5 or B/8 through glass.

Engine Bay (Front Suspension Strut Tower stamping)

• Where to look: Open the hood and locate the front suspension strut tower (the round strut dome at the top of the inner fender). The VIN/chassis number is stamped directly into the metal on top of the strut dome, running roughly parallel with the fender line.
• Access: Usually decent access and lighting, but a thick wiring loom/hose can partially obscure the stamping. The stamping is on painted metal (low contrast), so it can “disappear” unless light hits it at an angle.
• Note: The videos show an RHD Discovery with the stamping on the left-side strut tower. For LHD vehicles, check the front strut tower on either side (start with the more accessible side, then check the opposite tower if you don’t see it).
• Tip: Because the stamped characters are low-contrast and partly blocked by hoses, use a flashlight and scan it directly with ScanVin’s OCR to pull the digits without guessing.

Engine Block (Engine Number — not the VIN)

• Where to look: Deep in the engine bay on a machined flat surface of the engine block (often front/side lower area). It’s a dot-matrix style engraving and may require peering past hoses/covering.
• Access: Difficult—poor lighting, tight space, and the dot-matrix marking is hard to read if dirty or oily.
• Note: This is the Engine Number, commonly confused with the VIN. It’s useful for engine identification and paperwork checks, but it is not the primary VIN location.
• Tip: If you’re crouched over the engine bay and can’t comfortably write it down, use the phone scanner to capture the characters quickly instead of re-checking it multiple times.

Video Guide

Video Tutorial: Range Rover DISCOVERY 5 HSE Engine and Chassis Number Location

▶ Watch Land Rover Discovery V VIN Location Guide

• Clear close-ups of the strut tower VIN stamping plus a detailed look at the engine number location inside the engine bay.

Video Tutorial: LAND ROVER DISCOVERY AND DISCOVERY SPORT CHASSIS NUMBER LOCATION

▶ Watch Land Rover Discovery V VIN Location Guide

• Shows the windshield/dashboard VIN plate and how it appears when viewed through the glass.

Common Problems & Troubleshooting

• Windshield glare: If the VIN plate looks “whitewashed” through the glass, change your viewing angle, shade it with your hand, and scan instead of manually copying.
• Low-contrast stamped metal (engine bay): Painted stampings on the strut tower can be hard to see—use a flashlight at a low angle to create shadows in the indentations.
• Sticker/plate validity warning: If a VIN plate looks tampered with, mismatched, or re-stickered, verify the VIN against multiple vehicle locations and documentation before purchase/registration.

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