This guide contains affiliate links to eBay and CarVX. See the note at the end.
Quick answer: A Japanese model code like DAA-AYH30W has three parts: an emissions prefix (DAA-), the chassis code (AYH30), which identifies the platform and usually the engine, and a variant suffix (W). Drop the prefix, search eBay with the chassis code plus the part, and send the seller your frame number and build date so they can check a catalogue.
Your import's parts search wants a 17-character VIN, and your car doesn't seem to have one. No, you didn't buy a ghost. The fix is the Japanese model code on your export papers, a string like DAA-AYH30W, and this guide shows you how to read it, where to find it on the car and how to use it to order parts that fit first time.
If the parts counter has ever asked "which Alphard?" and you didn't have an answer, this is for you. (The missing VIN is one of our 10 week-one surprises of a Japanese import.)
Why your import has a frame number, not a VIN
Cars built for the Japanese domestic market are identified by a frame number (車台番号, shadai bangō) rather than the 17-character VIN used in Australia, the US and Europe. It looks like this:
AYH30-0012345
The part before the dash is the chassis code. The digits after it are that individual car's serial number.
That's why online VIN decoders and "check if this fits" tools often give up on grey imports: they're looking for a format your car never had. Your car may have had a local VIN plate fitted during compliance, but that number won't mean anything to a Japanese parts catalogue.
The three parts of a model code
The full model code (型式, katashiki) on Japanese paperwork looks like DAA-AYH30W. Read it in three pieces.
1. The prefix: DAA-
The letters before the dash are an emissions identification code set by Japan's transport ministry. On cars from the mid-2000s onwards you'll often see:
- DAA-: a hybrid certified to Japan's 2005 emissions standard at the "75% lower" level
- DBA-: a non-hybrid petrol (or LPG) car certified to the same level
Cars certified to newer standards carry different prefixes (a late 80-series Noah, for example, is a 3BA-ZRR80G), so don't worry if yours isn't on this list.
For buying parts, the prefix matters least. Drop it when you search, but keep it handy in case a seller asks.
2. The chassis code: AYH30
This is the important bit. It identifies the platform and usually the engine. Within one model, different codes mean different engines:
| Code | Model | Engine |
|---|---|---|
| AGH30 | Alphard / Vellfire 30 | 2.5 L petrol (2AR-FE) |
| GGH30 | Alphard / Vellfire 30 | 3.5 L V6 (2GR-FE, later 2GR-FKS) |
| AYH30 | Alphard / Vellfire 30 | 2.5 L hybrid (2AR-FXE) |
All three look the same in the car park, but an oil filter, spark plug or air filter for one may not fit another. Always search with the chassis code, not just the model name.
The number (the "30") usually tracks the generation. A 20-series Alphard (ANH20, GGH20, ATH20) is a different car with different parts. Watch for a changed last digit too: on many Toyotas a 5 in place of the 0 (AGH35, ANH25) marks the 4WD version.
3. The suffix: W
Letters after the chassis code mark a variant, and what they mean changes from maker to maker and model to model. On the 80-series Voxy and Noah, for example, the letter follows the body rather than the badge (ZRR80W is the wider aero body, ZRR80G the standard one), while 80 vs 85 separates 2WD from 4WD. On other cars the same letter means something else entirely.
Don't try to decode the suffix yourself. Just include it when you ask a seller.
Short cut: paste your model code into our free Model Code Lookup. It tells you which car and engine the code points to, links to the matching parts pages and writes the seller message below for you.
Where to find your model code
Check these places, in order:
- Your Japanese export certificate (輸出抹消仮登録証明書). Most importers hand this over with the car, often with an English translation. Look for the boxes labelled 型式 (model code) and 車台番号 (frame number).
- The model plate on the car. Many Japanese cars carry a small plate in the engine bay or a door jamb showing the model code, frame number, engine and colour code. Where it sits varies by make.
- The frame number stamped on the body, usually in the engine bay. Photograph it once and keep the photo in your phone.
- Your import or compliance paperwork. Compliance documents often record the original chassis code.
The export certificate also lists a model designation number (型式指定番号) and a classification number (類別区分番号). Together they pin down the exact type-approved spec, and some Japanese parts sellers ask for them, so keep a copy handy.
Still choosing the car? The same frame number (車台番号) is what a vehicle history service needs. CarVX looks up a Japanese car's history by its frame number, including recorded mileage, so you can check it before you bid or pay a deposit. (Affiliate link. See the note at the end.) Our main site explains how odometer fraud works on Japanese used cars and which documents you can check yourself.
Using the code to buy parts
Here's the routine that avoids most "doesn't fit" returns:
- Search with chassis code + part, for example "AYH30 cabin air filter", not "Alphard cabin filter".
- Look for an OEM part number in the listing, then search that number too. It's the most reliable match there is.
- Message the seller before you buy anything that isn't cheap and cheerful. Send the frame number and the build month if you know it. Sellers who deal with Japanese cars every day can usually check the exact part in a catalogue.
- Watch for mid-life changes. Many Japanese models changed parts at a facelift. If a listing says "2015–2017" or "from 2018", go by your build date, not your import date or registration year.
- Compare the landed cost. Price plus international shipping plus GST (or VAT in the UK). A cheap part from overseas can end up dearer than a local one.
A quick message you can send to sellers
Hi, I'd like to confirm this fits my car before I buy. It's a Japanese-market import.
Model code: DAA-AYH30W
Frame number: AYH30-00XXXXX
Build date: 2016/05 (if known)
Engine: 2AR-FXE
Could you check it against your catalogue? Thanks.
Swap in your own details. Masking the last few digits is fine for a first question, but the seller will need the full frame number to check a catalogue properly.
Japanese battery size codes, decoded
One more code you'll meet: many Japanese 12V batteries carry a JIS size code like 46B24L.
- 46: a performance rank (higher is stronger)
- B: the size class of the battery's end (width and height)
- 24: the length, roughly in centimetres
- L / R: where the terminals sit
The size class, length and terminal position all need to match your battery tray and cable reach, so compare the code with the battery that's already in the car. The performance number can usually go up but shouldn't go down. Some hybrids use a specific auxiliary battery, so check those by part number rather than size alone.
See all Toyota Corolla Fielder & Axio Parts with live eBay prices →
FAQ
Why doesn't my Japanese import have a VIN?
Cars built for the Japanese domestic market are identified by a frame number (車台番号) such as AYH30-0012345 rather than a 17-character VIN. Your car may have had a local VIN plate fitted during compliance, but that number won't mean anything to a Japanese parts catalogue.
What does DAA or DBA mean in a Japanese model code?
It's an emissions identification code set by Japan's transport ministry. DAA- marks a hybrid and DBA- a non-hybrid petrol (or LPG) car certified to Japan's 2005 standard at the "75% lower" level; for buying parts, the prefix matters least.
Where do I find the model code on my Japanese car?
Check your Japanese export certificate (look for the 型式 and 車台番号 boxes), the model plate in the engine bay or a door jamb, the frame number stamped on the body, and your import or compliance paperwork.
Do AGH30, GGH30 and AYH30 Alphard parts interchange?
Not reliably. They look the same in the car park, but AGH30 is the 2.5 L petrol, GGH30 the 3.5 L V6 and AYH30 the 2.5 L hybrid, so an oil filter, spark plug or air filter for one may not fit another. Always search with the chassis code.
What does 46B24L mean on a Japanese battery?
It's a JIS size code: 46 is a performance rank, B the size class of the battery's end, 24 roughly the length in centimetres, and L or R where the terminals sit. Match the size class, length and terminal position to your current battery; the performance number can usually go up but shouldn't go down.
Shop by chassis code
Our model guides walk through the codes for the most common imports: Alphard and Vellfire, Aqua, Estima, Voxy and Noah and Elgrand. For parts pages sorted by chassis code:
- Grey Import Family Cars: Alphard, Vellfire, Estima, Voxy, Noah, Elgrand, Aqua and more
- Just Imported? Fix These First: FM band expanders, English owner's manuals, JOBD scanners and the other things most imports need
- English owner's manuals for Japanese imports
- JOBD-compatible OBD2 scanners
Each page searches eBay Australia, the US, the UK and Germany for that part, and you sort and filter the results yourself.
Ad / Affiliate links: YOU SHOULD, SHA. Parts links to eBay and to CarVX (vehicle history reports). We earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through those links, at no extra cost to you. We are not eBay and not the seller. Always confirm fitment with the seller or a qualified mechanic.