What an engine code is
An engine code is a short code of letters, digits or both that the vehicle manufacturer gives to one version of an engine. Engines of the same displacement and fuel can have different codes when they differ in power, in their injection or exhaust equipment, or in other details.
The name a model is sold under does not reliably identify the engine version. A displacement with a fuel type or a trade name can stand for several engine codes over the years a model is built.
The engine code is not the engine number. The engine number is the serial number of one single engine; on the engines of some manufacturers it begins with the engine code.
An example from the catalogue
Vehicles of one model series that share a name. Their engine codes and KBA numbers tell them apart.
| Engine code | Power | Production | KBA numbers (HSN/TSN) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CGLE, CSUE | 100 kW | 01/2011 – 09/2018 |
|
| CGLC, CMGB | 130 kW | 02/2011 – 04/2015 |
|
| CGLD | 120 kW | 01/2012 – 04/2015 |
|
| CNHA, CZJA, DDDA | 140 kW | 11/2013 – 09/2018 |
|
| CSUD, DDCB | 110 kW | 09/2014 – 09/2018 |
|
Why parts depend on it
Many parts catalogues use the engine code to tell apart vehicles that otherwise look the same. Parts on and around the engine, such as filters, belts, ignition parts and cooling parts, often differ between engine codes of one model.
A part listed for one engine code is therefore not shown to be right for another, even in the same model and the same year.
Where to find it
Where the code is written depends on the manufacturer, the model and the country. None of the places below holds for every vehicle. The owner's handbook or a dealer of the make can say which applies to yours.
- On the engine: stamped into the engine block or the cylinder head, or printed on a label on the engine. A cover or dirt can hide it.
- On a data label of the vehicle: some manufacturers put a label with the vehicle's data, the engine code among them, into the service booklet and into the vehicle itself, for example in the luggage compartment.
- In the vehicle's documents: the registration documents of some countries state an engine code or an engine number, and those of others state neither.
- From the manufacturer: the manufacturer or a dealer of the make may be able to identify, from the vehicle identification number, the engine the vehicle was built with.
If the engine has been replaced, the vehicle's documents and the manufacturer's records may describe the engine the vehicle was built with and not the one fitted now. For parts of the engine, read the code of the fitted engine from the engine itself, and check any other restrictions stated for the part.
Look for the code on the engine only when the engine is switched off and has cooled down, and keep clear of parts that can move.
With a KBA number
A German registration certificate states two key numbers, HSN and TSN, which identify the vehicle type. A parts catalogue that can be searched by them shows the engine codes it lists for that type. Where it shows more than one, the type alone does not decide, and the code has to be found on the vehicle or through the manufacturer.
Engine codes on this site
In our vehicle catalogue the page of a model series lists its vehicles with engine code, power and production period. The heading of a vehicle's page carries its engine codes and its power in kilowatts.
Where a vehicle in our catalogue shows several engine codes, those are the codes our sources record for that entry. Read the code on your vehicle to see which of them applies.
The vehicles' parts lists come from the catalogues of aftermarket suppliers, and a supplier can restrict a part further than the engine code does, for example to a range of chassis numbers. Where a supplier states such a condition, the list shows it with the part number.