Almost every owner is faced with the need to find out the exact age of household appliances. Most often this happens when purchasing a used device, when the seller cannot give the exact date of purchase, or when ordering spare parts, where the year of manufacture is a critical compatibility parameter. Serial number is a unique identifier that contains encoded information about the manufacturer and the date of production.
However, not all manufacturers use a single labeling system. Some brands hide the date at the beginning of the code, others at the end, and still others use letters for months and years that change every 10 years. Understanding these nuances will help you avoid mistakes when diagnosis of faults and correctly assess the residual life of the compressor.
In this article we will analyze decoding algorithms for the most popular brands on the market and explain where exactly to look for the treasured numbers on the body of your unit. Knowing the real age of the device is the first step to competent maintenance.
Where to look for the serial number on the refrigerator
The first place to start your search is a visual inspection of the case. Manufacturers place information plates (stickers or metal plates) in standardized places to facilitate access to data without dismantling the equipment. Most often, the marking plate is located inside the refrigerator compartment.
Pay attention to the side walls, the upper part of the internal volume or the space above the shelves. In some models, especially built-in ones, the sticker may be located on the end of the door or on the base panel below. If there is nothing inside the chamber, inspect the back wall of the device from the outside.
- 📍 The inner wall of the refrigerator compartment (left or right).
- 📍 The end of the refrigerator or freezer door.
- 📍 The rear metal wall (at the top or bottom).
- 📍 Base part of the case at the front (you need to remove the decorative panel).
On the plate you are interested in the field Serial No, S/N or just a long alphanumeric code. It is this combination of letters and numbers that contains the necessary information. It is important not to confuse it with the Model No, which indicates the type of device, but not its individual history.
⚠️ Attention: Never use abrasives or sharp objects to clean the sticker if it is dirty. Damage to the nameplate may lead to problems with warranty service in the future.
Decoding codes of refrigerators Indesit, Ariston and Hotpoint
The equipment of the Italian concern Whirlpool, which includes brands Indesit, Ariston and Hotpoint, has one of the most understandable coding systems. The production date here is encrypted directly in the serial number, which usually consists of an alphanumeric sequence.
You need to find the first letter in the code. It indicates the year of manufacture. The second letter indicates the month of production. The remaining numbers are the factory serial number. This system has been in effect for many years, but it is important to remember the cyclical nature of the letter designations.
To determine the year, use the following logic: letter A corresponds to 2010 or 2000, B to 2011 or 2001, and so on. Since the cycle is 26 years (the number of letters in the English alphabet), context is important. If you buy a used refrigerator in 2026, the letter M most likely means 2022, not 1996.
Table of correspondence of letters to years (approximate cycle)
A-2010/2000, B-2011/2001, C-2012/2002, D-2013/2003, E-2014/2004, F-2015/2005, G-2016/2006, H-2017/2007, J-2018/2008 (I skipped), K-2019/2009, L-2020/2010, M-2021/2011.
The month is coded as follows: A - January, B - February, C - March and so on until L - December. Knowing this system, you can easily calculate exact age your device with an accuracy of up to a month.
How to find out the production date of Bosch and Siemens refrigerators
German engineering represented by brands Bosch i Siemens approached the issue of labeling more technologically. Here, the production date is not encrypted in the serial number itself, but is placed in a separate field or encoded in the first four digits of the factory number (FD).
Find the line FD (Fabrication Date) on the nameplate. It usually consists of four digits. To decipher the date, you need to subtract one (or sometimes 90, depending on the decade) from the first two digits, and the last two digits will mean the month.
For example, if the FD code is 805123, then the first two digits are 80. Subtract 80 (or look at the offset table for the 2020s), we get the year 20. Month 51? No, here the system is a little more complicated: we subtract 80 from the number 80, we get 0 (2020), and 51 is the wrong month. The correct formula for modern models is: add 1 to the first two digits (if the code starts with 9, then this is 2020+). Simply put, for code FD 9905: 99 - 80 = 19 (2019), 05 - May.
⚠️ Attention: For older Bosch models (before the 2000s), the system may have been different. If the calculations give an absurd result (for example, 1985 for a new-looking refrigerator), check with the documentation or service center.
In modern models, the direct YYMM (Year-Month) format is often found next to the serial number, which greatly simplifies the task. Look for inscriptions like "Date of manufacture: 21/05".
☑️ Checking Bosch/Siemens data
Determination of the age of Samsung equipment and LG
Korean giants Samsung i LG use their own encoding systems, which change frequently. For Samsung the key is the serial number, where the date is often encrypted in the 8th, 9th and 10th digits, or in the first characters, depending on the year of manufacture.
In older Samsung models (before 2013), the year of manufacture was indicated by the letter: R - 2004, S - 2005, T - 2006, V - 2007, W - 2008, Y - 2009, A - 2010, B - 2011, C - 2012, D - 2013. The month was also coded with letters: 1-9, A, B, C (December). In new models, the format has become more standard: YYYY-MM-DD explicitly or as an 8-digit code at the end of the serial number.
Y LG the situation is similar. The serial number usually starts with 3 letters followed by numbers. The first two digits after the letters indicate the year and month. For example, code 605... means 2006, 5th month (May). Code 701... - 2007, January. For models released after 2010, the first digit may indicate the last digit of the year (1 - 2011, 2 - 2012).
- 🇰🇷 Samsung: Look for the letter code of the year (R, S, T...) at the beginning or middle of the serial number.
- 🇰🇷 LG: The first two digits after the 3-letter prefix are the year and month.
- 🇰🇷 General: In new models of both brands, the date is often written separately next to the nameplate.
Specifics of labeling of Atlant and Liebherr
Brand Atlant (Belarus) is popular due to the availability of spare parts. On the nameplate of these refrigerators, the production date is often indicated explicitly in the format DD.MM.YY or encrypted in the serial number. In the serial number, the year can be encoded as a number: 6 - 2016, 7 - 2017, and so on. However, most often the sticker has a separate field “Date of issue.”
German refrigerators Liebherr are famous for their durability. Their labeling system is very strict. The information sticker always contains the "No." field. (product number) and often a separate date line. If there is no date, look at the first 4 digits of the serial number: the first two are the year (subtract 90 or 80), the second two are the month. For example, 2305... - May 2023 (or 1923, which is unlikely).
| Brand | Where to look for the date | Code format | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indesit | 1st letter of the serial number | Letter (Year) + Letter (Month) | MA12345 (2021) |
| Bosch | String FD | 4 digits (YYMM with offset) | FD 9905 (May 2019) |
| LG | After 3 letters | 2 digits (Year+Month) | 605... (May 2006) |
| Samsung | In the middle/end | Letter or YYYYMM | ...D... (2013) |
When ordering spare parts for Liebherr and Atlant, knowledge of the exact year is critically important, since the design of compressors and control systems could change within the same model row.
Why is it important to know the exact year of manufacture
Many owners ignore this parameter until they encounter a breakdown. However year of manufacture directly affects the availability of components. Manufacturers stop producing spare parts for models older than 7-10 years, and finding an original compressor or control board becomes a task with an asterisk.
In addition, the age of the equipment affects its energy efficiency. Refrigerators produced 15 years ago consume significantly more electricity than modern class models A++ or A+++. Knowing the exact age, you can calculate whether it makes economic sense to repair an old unit or whether it is easier to buy a new one, which will pay for itself by saving electricity.
This is also important for safety. Rubber products (seals, tubes) and refrigerants tend to age. If your refrigerator is already 20 years old, the risk of a freon leak or a wiring fire is statistically higher than that of a 5-year-old unit.
⚠️ Attention: Technical specifications and codes may vary depending on the specific series and assembly plant. Always check the data with the official instructions or service manual for your specific model.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is it possible to find out the year of manufacture of a refrigerator only by the model?
To determine the exact year only by model (for example, Bosch KGN39...) is not possible. The model number indicates the series and characteristics, but the same model could be produced for 5-7 years. For an exact date, you need an individual serial number.
What to do if the plate with the number is lost or unreadable?
If the sticker is destroyed, you can find out the exact date only through the service center by providing a photo of the internals (compressor, circuit boards), since some aggregate parts also have dates. Also, the date can be found in the database by the date of the first sale, if the receipt and warranty card have been preserved.
How to decipher the letter 'I' in the year code?
In most coding systems (especially Indesit and Samsung), the letter I (i) is skipped so as not to confuse it with the number 1. After the letter H usually goes straight to J.
Does the country of assembly affect the format of the serial number?
Yes, it can. For example, Samsung refrigerators assembled in Russia may have different markings from those assembled in Poland or China, even if the model is identical. Always focus on the brand logo and the general style of the nameplate.
Is the date of manufacture considered the start date of the warranty?
No, the warranty usually begins from the date of purchase, confirmed by a receipt. However, if there is no receipt, some manufacturers can count the warranty period from the production date + 3 months (for logistics and storage).