4th gen: VIN stickers on body panels

[MSRP.]

Hi folks,

I've been on a bit of a treasure hunt lately here in Toronto Canada, looking at 4th gens to buy in person. I'm coming across an inconsistent trend with the Toyota VIN stickers on the body panels, and hoping to get some insight from ya'll gurus.

A few had stickers, some incomplete (panels replaced), some had foreign non-toyota-stickers as well, some with none at all--quite a few had none.

So my question is, was Toyota consistent in putting a sticker on every single panel that left their factory?

I've passed on a few 4runners that drove and looked good, but lacked the Toyota VIN sticker on ALL panels! (5 of the 15 or so I looked at had ZERO panels with the toyota VIN sticker)

 

[jahmes143]

With 5 out of 15 vehicles having zero VIN stickers on any panel, odds are either toyota was inconsistent or the stickers were removed/faded with time. Hard to believe 5 people would have replaced every single panel on the vehicle. I've owned 2 T4Rs and they both had lots of stickers. Last week I also noticed the VIN is stamped on my frame as well. I believe it was somewhere in the front passenger area.

 

[fdbyrne]

Mine has stickers all over it too and the VIN stamped on the frame. I know that my rear lift gate has a VIN sticker but I've seen others in various places as well. I just can't remember which panels have them.

 

[MSRP.]

Mine has stickers all over it too and the VIN stamped on the frame. I know that my rear lift gate has a VIN sticker but I've seen others in various places as well. I just can't remember which panels have them.

Thank you for the input. I'm going to err on the cautious side and wait it out for a consistent one. The legitimate samples had the Toyota VIN sticker on every door, tailgate, and if I recall correctly, the front fenders as well.

Easy call out on shady seller if the entire car has the stickers but for a fender and corresponding door--and they didn't disclose the work initially.

 

[Ralph Blake]

Mine has them on everything.
Oh your kid video is making me dizzy.:flamethrwoer2:

 

[MSRP.]

Mine has them on everything.
Oh your kid video is making me dizzy.:flamethrwoer2:

 

[Sungod]

I don't know if it is the same in Canada, but all the Japanese Toyotas that I have ever owned in the US had them on every body panel as well as the trucks that were made in Cali including Tumi. My Indiana made Tundra does not have the stickers.

 

[dta1984]

I've got stickers on all panels. The issue may be the owner or a previous owner may have removed the sticker if it was starting to peel. Or it could have fell off. I've got one starting to peel on the drivers door, but I'd never remove it intentionally.