Volkswagen Paint Code
by VIN

Where the Volkswagen paint code is

VW does this differently from most brands. The paint code is usually not in the door jamb. It’s on the vehicle data sticker, a paper label that VW puts in the trunk.

Where to look, in order:

1. The spare-tire well. Lift the trunk floor. The sticker is often on the side of the well or on the floor beside it.
2. Under the trunk mat or on the inside of the rear compartment, if the well is clean.
3. The service booklet. On older VWs a copy of the data sticker is often stuck on one of the first pages of the maintenance booklet. Check the glove box for the booklet.
4. The door jamb. Some sources report a paint code on the driver’s door jamb label on certain newer models, so it’s worth a look if the trunk sticker is gone.

If you still can’t find it, a VW dealer’s parts department can look up the original color with your VIN.

What VW paint codes look like

VW codes on the data sticker usually come in two parts, and touch-up suppliers list them together with a slash:

• A four-character code starting with L, like LC9X.
• A short two-character code, like 2T, paired with it.

Both refer to the same color. Suppliers note that your car may show one, the other or both, so give them whatever your sticker shows.

Real VW colors and codes, as listed by touch-up paint suppliers:

Color name	Code
Deep Black Pearl	LC9X / 2T
Pure White	LC9A / 0Q
Platinum Gray Metallic	LD7X / 2R
Tornado Red	LY3D / G2
Reflex Silver Metallic	LA7W / 8E

Treat these as examples. Read your own sticker before ordering.

Is Tornadorot the same as Tornado Red?

• German and English names. VW colors often have a German factory name and an English US name. One supplier lists Tornado Red under the German “Tornadorot”, while another catalog sells LD7X as “Medium Gray” instead of Platinum Gray.
• Two codes for one color. Because a color can be listed as LC9X, 2T or LC9X/2T, two cars in the same Deep Black Pearl can show different codes on their stickers and still be the same paint.
• Audi uses the same style of code. Audi codes are also L-prefixed with a short code after a slash, like LY9B/A2. When you order online, make sure Volkswagen is selected as the make before you type the code.

Can a VW dealer find the color from the VIN?

Yes, from VW’s factory record, though the VIN characters themselves don’t encode color (why the VIN doesn’t contain the paint code).

What StickerByVIN can and can’t do for a Volkswagen

We read factory colors from original window stickers, and we don’t have an original-sticker source for Volkswagen. So we can’t name the color from your VIN alone, and we won’t guess.

Free for every VW VIN:

• The NHTSA decode: year, model, trim, body, engine, drivetrain and plant where reported.
• The number of NHTSA recall campaigns for that VW model and year, with a link to check your own VIN for open ones.
• The location guide above, so you can read the code off the data sticker.

For the original window sticker, ask the selling dealer, check your purchase paperwork or contact VW customer care with the VIN. See Volkswagen window sticker for more.

How do I touch up Deep Black Pearl or Reflex Silver on a VW?

• Order by code, not by color name. Hand the supplier the VW L-code, the short code or both, as they appear on the sticker.
• Pearls and metallics need clear. Deep Black Pearl and Reflex Silver look dull without clearcoat over the color.
• Test on a hidden spot, like the inside of the trunk lid or a lower door edge, and let it dry before you judge.
• Photograph the sticker. The data sticker is paper and sits where water and luggage can wear it. Take a photo while it’s still readable.
• Check for repaints. If a panel looks off next to the trunk interior, it may have been resprayed.

Own a different brand? Our paint code lookup covers the rest.

Sources

• Volkswagen owners and services
• NHTSA vPIC VIN decoder, the free federal database behind our decode
• NHTSA recall lookup, to check open recalls on your exact VIN