Online School With JBugs

Lesson 5: How to Read a VW Part Number

In this lesson, we will break down the anatomy of the Volkswagen part number. Early in their development as an auto manufacturer, VW implemented a clever system for numbering their parts to keep things organized at the factory and the dealerships. This system is still in use today.

However, in their own dealer literature Volkswagen acknowledged that are exceptions to that rule. Some parts can be used on multiple vehicles, so the first 3 digits at the beginning of the number do not necessarily mean it will exclusively fit a specific car. There were many instances of parts sharing between early Type 1s and 2s, so a “113” designation at the beginning of a part number does not indicate that it won’t also fit a Type 2.

Vehicle Code

A standard VW part number consists of 9 digits and a modifier code, which was a single letter or series of letters at the end of the sequence. The first 3 digits identify the model for which the part was originally designed.

Here are some examples of model numbers:

111 = Standard Beetle
113 = Deluxe Beetle
131 = Super Beetle
141 = Karmann Ghia
151 = Beetle or Super Beetle Cabriolet (convertible)
181 = Thing
211 = Bus
311 = Type 3

First 3 digits identify the vehicle.

Main Group

The 4th digit in the part number designates the main group to which the part was assigned. VW broke up their parts into 10 main groups. They are as follows:

1 = Engine
2 = Fuel Tank, Exhaust System, and Heating & Air Conditioning
3 = Transmission
4 = Front Axle, Steering, Differential
5 = Rear Axle
6 = Road Wheel and Brakes
7 = Hand-Lever System and Pedal Cluster
8 = Body
9 = Electrical & Sending Units
10 = Factory Accessories (Tools, Stickers, Jack, etc.)

The 4th digit usually identifies the parts group classification. **There are several exceptions to this rule.

Sub Group

According to Volkswagen, the 5th and 6th digit indicate where the part can be found in the main sections listed above. A “611” designation in the middle of the part number means the item is a brake part and can be found in section 11 of the parts book.

It essentially just helps you locate where the item is in the book, which is of little use to most enthusiasts. The sub group designation isn’t important for most people because it does not describe the part itself. That is where the last 3 digits come into play.

Part Number

The final 3 digits in the sequence identify what the actual part is. It is an arbitrarily assigned number designating that particular item. With that said, the 9th digit often identifies which side of the car the part is used on when the item is not universal. A part that is specific to the driver’s (left) side of the car generally end in an odd number, whereas parts for the passenger (right) side of the car end in an even number.

For example, part #113853321CGR is a driver’s side scraper for a ’58 to ’64 Beetle and part #113853322CGR is a passenger’s (right) side scraper on that same vehicle. They are similar enough to require a system to distinguish between the two without examining them by hand.

Generally speaking, parts that can be used on either side are assigned an odd number for the 9th digit.

The 9th digit usually refers to side on a part where there are left/right variants.

Modification Code

One of the great things about Volkswagen is that they were constantly trying to find ways to improve on their initial designs. That is why they required a means of documenting which version of a particular part was used on a specific year and model.

Their solution was to add a suffix following the final 3 digits in the sequence to indicate what modification version it is. In most cases, they go in alphabetical order, so a part with an “A” suffix would be an older version of the same part with a “C” suffix.

It is not uncommon for the suffix to be anywhere from 1 to 3 letters, depending on the part, and a part could carry a modifier even if it is the first time it has been used in production.

A good example of this system can be seen when looking at rear wheel cylinders for the early Beetle. A rear wheel cylinder for a ’54 to ’57 Beetle carries the part number #113611053, whereas a rear wheel cylinder for a ’58 to ’64 Beetle is identified by part #113611053C.

That is because it’s virtually the same part with the same location and function on the car, but has been modified from the original design. A ’53 to ’57 rear wheel cylinder is mounted with two bolts. A ’58 to ’64 wheel cylinder is mounted with a single bolt.

Note: Aftermarket parts manufacturers, distributors, and retailers have defiled the part number system to a degree. There is no easy way to know what version (modification letter) of a part we’re getting, so the modification lettering is often incorrect according to the original system.

On our site, the last one or two letters of the modifier usually designate country of origin, but can also describe a unique quality about a part that we offer. For example, we put HD at the end of some parts to indicate that they are the “heavy duty” version of an already available part. Similarly, many retailers add a “GR” suffix after the original modifier to identify the part as being made in Germany.