How to Read a Car Part Fitment Table

A fitment table lists every vehicle a part is built to fit, and you need to match each column, not just year, make and model. Read the trim, body style, drive type, engine and notes against your own vehicle before ordering. This guide walks through each column on our product pages, decodes the abbreviations you will see, explains production date splits, and covers when it pays to check your VIN. Getting auto parts fitment right the first time saves a second trip under the car.

What a Fitment Table Shows

Each row describes one vehicle configuration the part fits. Our tables list the year, make and model first, then narrow the match with trim, body style, drive type and engine, plus a notes column for anything the other columns cannot capture. One part can have dozens of rows, so look for the row that describes your exact vehicle, not one that comes close.

If your vehicle does not appear, the part was not listed for it. Do not assume that a neighboring year or a sister model will work, even when the parts look alike in photos. Product photos can be representative, so trust the written fitment over the picture.

Year, Make, Model and Trim

The year column means model year, which can differ from the calendar year the vehicle was built. A truck assembled in late 2020 may be a 2021 model. Make is the manufacturer and model is the nameplate. Similar names do not mean shared parts: a Silverado 1500 and a Silverado 2500 HD use different components in many systems.

Trim is the equipment level, such as LS, LT or XLT. It can change brakes, suspension, lighting and sensors, so a part for one trim may not fit another built the same year. Check the badge on the body, the original window sticker or a VIN decoder if you are not sure which trim you have.

Body Style, Drive Type and Engine

Body style covers sedan, coupe, hatchback, wagon, convertible, SUV, van and pickup, along with cab and bed configurations on trucks. A part that fits the sedan may not fit the coupe. Drive type tells you whether the vehicle is FWD, RWD, AWD or 4WD. It matters most for hubs, axles, suspension and exhaust parts.

The engine column usually shows displacement and cylinder count, and sometimes fuel type, turbocharging or an engine code. Displacement alone may not identify a single engine, since a manufacturer can build two different engines of the same size. Your engine size is often on a label under the hood or in the owner's manual, and the VIN also identifies the engine on most vehicles.

Common Abbreviations in the Notes

The notes column is where many ordering mistakes start. Read every qualifier, because a single word can rule your vehicle in or out. If a note says Exc. Sport Package and your car has that package, the part is not for you, even when every other column matches. These are the abbreviations you will see most:

• Exc. or Excl.: excluding. The part does not fit the named exception.
• Inc. or Incl.: including.
• w/: with, as in w/ tow package or w/ ABS.
• w/o: without, as in w/o sport suspension.
• LH and RH: left hand and right hand, named from the driver's seat.
• Frt: front. OE or OEM: original equipment.
• DOHC and SOHC: double or single overhead camshaft.

Production Date Splits

Manufacturers sometimes change a part partway through a model year. The table then splits the year with a note such as built through 06/2015 or built from 07/2015. That date is the build date of the vehicle, not the date you bought or registered it.

Find the build month and year on the certification label in the driver door jamb. If your date sits close to the cutoff, compare the old part with the new listing: connector, mounting holes, dimensions and any part number stamped on it. Treat vague wording like early or late production as incomplete unless the listing gives the dates.

When to Check Your VIN

The 17-character VIN identifies your exact vehicle. You can find it at the lower left corner of the windshield, on the driver door jamb and on your title, registration and insurance card. A VIN check is worth the extra minute when the table cannot settle the match on its own, as in these cases:

For those parts, contact us with the VIN and the part you need, and keep a photo of the old part handy. Share your VIN privately rather than posting it in a public forum. A VIN confirms the vehicle, but it does not tell you whether a part needs programming or a relearn after installation.

• The catalog shows more than one engine, transmission or brake system for your model.
• The part has a production date split.
• Your vehicle was built near a model year change or redesign.
• The listing says verify by VIN or VIN specific.
• The part involves airbags, steering, brakes, fuel delivery or engine control.
• The vehicle has been modified, rebuilt or imported.

Putting It Together Before You Buy

Before you shop, write down your year, make, model, trim, body style, drive type, engine and build date. Then apply the same habit to every listing. On struts, check the position notes, front or rear and left or right, plus suspension qualifiers; the Chevrolet Camaro struts page is a good place to practice. On fuel pumps, compare the engine rows closely, as on Tahoe fuel pumps.

For AC compressors, confirm the engine and read every qualifier in the notes, then compare with a vehicle page such as Ford F150 AC compressors. If a row still leaves you unsure, our fitment help page explains each column in more detail.