saj288, that's not completely correct.
US models and post-2002 Euro models have a 17 character VIN as you describe. So your codes for character 10 are correct.
Prior to 2002, European models had a 17-character VIN such as:
ZDM H100AA Y B 004940
where the 10th character uses the year code as you describe. (Y = 2000 in this case) but character 9 is not a check digit.
[Edited on 4-5-2004 by Shazaam!]