Your GMC VIN is the starting point for your build sheet. Use our free GMC VIN decoder below to check the model, year, engine and plant on any Sierra, Yukon, Canyon, Acadia or Terrain, then see how to get your GMC build sheet by VIN. Already have the RPO codes? Paste them into our GM RPO decoder to see exactly how your GMC was built.
Try It Yourself. Copy/Paste This GMC VIN Into Our Decoder Below: 1GKS2DKL0NR024680
Check VIN identity, factory spec, recalls, complaints, and ownership risks before you buy.
EPA fuel economy for the vehicle year and model profile.
Supplementary spec matching for output such as power, transmission, size, and weight.
Model level safety and complaint data for the decoded year, make, and model.
Platform specific reliability patterns, critical engine platform audits, and pre purchase inspection guidance.
Probability model for common package combinations around this production era.
The free scan verifies identity and surfaces early risk signals. The paid report goes deeper into what those signals mean for ownership, repairs, and buying confidence.
Unlock Full VIN ReportA GMC build sheet is a list of GM RPO codes, the three character codes GM uses for every factory option. The VIN points to that list, but it doesn't contain it. You get the codes from one of these three places.
Free, already in the truck
Open the glove box on most Sierras, Yukons and Acadias and you'll find a sticker with the VIN and a block of RPO codes. That block is your build sheet. Some newer GMCs don't carry the label, so check before you rely on it.
Free or low cost
Any Buick GMC dealer can pull the factory build record from the VIN and print every RPO code. Ask the service desk rather than sales. It's the best route when the label is missing or worn.
Trim and package names
The sticker names the trim, like SLT, AT4 or Denali, plus each package and its price. It's the easiest document to read, but it won't list the small RPO codes a build sheet does.
GMC uses GM's VIN layout, so character 8 tells you the engine before you open the hood. This 2022 Yukon Denali shows how each part reads.
1GKS2DKL0NR024680: 2022 GMC Yukon Denali 4WD, 6.2 V8, built in Arlington, Texas
| Character 8 | Engine and RPO code |
|---|---|
| D | 5.3 V8, L84 |
| L | 6.2 V8, L87 |
| Y | 6.6 Duramax turbo diesel, L5P, Sierra HD |
GM reuses engine letters across models and years. Read the letter alongside the model year, or let the decoder do it.
Most GMCs have a Chevrolet twin, and both are built from the same parts list. That's why a GM RPO decoder works across both brands. The code is the same, but the name on the window sticker can change.
| GMC | Chevrolet twin | What that means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Sierra 1500 and HD | Silverado 1500 and HD | Engines, axles and towing codes match, so Silverado build data applies to your Sierra |
| Yukon and Yukon XL | Tahoe and Suburban | Same plant, same engines and the same L87 recall |
| Canyon | Colorado | Built side by side in Wentzville |
| Savana | Express | Near identical vans with different badges |
G7C
Sold on Chevrolets as Red Hot.
GBA
Called plain Black on Chevrolets.
G1W
Chevrolet's name is Iridescent Pearl Tricoat.
Denali grilles and AT4 badges are easy to bolt on, and they add real money to a used GMC. Before you pay for the badge, check three things.
Step 1
The series characters in positions 4 to 7 change with the trim. If the decoder doesn't come back with the trim the seller claims, ask why.
Step 2
The original sticker names the trim at the top, Denali, Denali Ultimate, AT4, AT4X, Elevation, SLT or SLE, and lists every package added to it.
Step 3
Trim level features show up on the RPO label. A Denali with cloth seats and no premium audio code is a warning sign.
Type or paste the codes from your glove box label or dealer printout. You'll get each one back in plain English, from the engine and axle ratio to the paint.
Separate codes with spaces, commas or new lines.
Look up an RPO code or search by feature.
Start typing to search the GMC RPO list.
Click a code to copy it. A few GM RPO codes have changed meaning over the years, so check anything important against the dealer record.
GM paint codes start with G and sit on the RPO label with the rest of the build sheet. These are the colors you'll see most on recent Sierras and Yukons.
GAZ
GMC's standard white, on everything from work trucks to Denalis.
G1W
Pearl white, a paid upgrade.
GBA
Solid black.
GAN
Bright silver.
GXD
Mid silver grey.
G9K
Darker grey metallic.
GNO
Solid dark grey.
GJI
Charcoal metallic.
GXP
Dark blue grey.
GA0
Mid blue.
GLT
Brighter blue.
G6M
Warm grey with a tan tint.
GXN
Dark bronze.
GS6
Smoky grey.
G48
Deep brown red.
G7C
Bright solid red.
GPJ
Deep red tintcoat.
GNT
Rich red tintcoat.
Swatches give you a feel for each color on screen. Match touch up paint to the code, not the swatch.
The engine letter and the RPO label tell you which of these apply to the GMC in front of you.
| Issue | Affects | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| L87 6.2 V8 engine recall | 2021 to 2024 Sierra 1500 and Yukon with the 6.2 | Character 8 is L. Run the full VIN through GMC's recall lookup and ask for proof of the inspection or engine replacement. |
| Lifter failure on cylinder deactivation V8s | 5.3 and 6.2 V8s from 2014 on | Listen for ticking or a misfire at idle and ask for lifter repair records. |
| 8 speed shudder | Sierra, Yukon and Acadia with an 8 speed, late 2010s | Feel for a shake around 25 to 50 mph. A fluid flush service is the usual fix. |
| Duramax fuel pump failure | 2011 to 2016 Sierra HD diesels | Check service records for the high pressure fuel pump. |
| 2.4 oil consumption | Terrain with the 2.4 four, around 2010 to 2017 | Check the oil level and ask how often it's topped up. |
| 3.6 V6 timing chains | Early Acadias | A check engine light with timing codes or a rattle at start up points to stretched chains. |
Recall repairs are free at any Buick GMC dealer, including on trucks bought used.
The GM build sheet codes in our decoder, grouped the way you'd look for them on a Sierra or Yukon.
Paint codes are RPO codes too, so they show on the glove box label alongside everything else.
Read the RPO codes on the glove box label, or ask a Buick GMC dealer to print the factory build record from the VIN. Then decode the codes with our RPO lookup.
Not on its own. The VIN gives the model, year, engine and plant. The full build sheet is the list of RPO codes from the label or the dealer.
A GM dealer can, because they have access to the factory build record. Free VIN decoders can't, because the RPO codes aren't in the VIN.
Yes. Both use GM's RPO system, so a Sierra and a Silverado share codes like L87, NHT and Z82. Some paint names differ between the brands.
Yes, character 8 is the engine. On a recent Sierra 1500 or Yukon, D is the 5.3 V8 and L is the 6.2 V8.
On a 2021 to 2024 Sierra 1500 or Yukon, an L in character 8 or L87 on the RPO label means the 6.2. Check the full VIN for open recalls.
Usually on the inside of the glove box door or the glove box wall. Some newer models don't have one, so use a dealer printout instead.
On the RPO label, as a code starting with G, like GAZ for Summit White or GBA for Onyx Black.
At the base of the windshield on the driver side, on the driver door jamb label, and on your title and registration.
Founder, Check Your Spec. LinkedIn
Dale has spent more than 20 years in vehicle valuations, forecasting and asset management. He was a Forecast Manager at CAP HPI, the UK's leading vehicle valuation authority and a counterpart to Kelley Blue Book.
He helped pioneer early electric vehicle depreciation models adopted by major manufacturers, and his residual value forecasts cover more than 10,000 vehicles. Today his data led insights help buyers, enthusiasts and automotive professionals around the world.
Denali, AT4 and the Max Trailering Package all move the price of a used GMC. See what the options on yours add up to.
Value my GMC optionsFree option values, in seconds.
GMC shares its RPO codes with every GM brand, so these guides fill in the gaps.
Unlock accurate valuations for your car’s features in seconds – find out what your options are worth today and in the future.