Ford VIN Decoder

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Ford VIN Check: What is a Ford VIN?

In 1908, Ford revolutionized the auto industry with the release of the Model T. By using the latest manufacturing techniques, they were able to build the first affordable mass-produced car. Since then, they have expanded their operations across the world, building some of the most popular and influential models in automotive history. Whether you’re looking to buy a Focus for your commute or a classic Mustang for your next restoration, looking up the VIN can help you decide if a vehicle is worth buying.

On most Fords, you can find the VIN printed on a plate on the dashboard, near the bottom left or right corner of the windshield. Ford also puts this code on door sill plates, frames and many other locations. It’s even listed in some of their infotainment systems.

Using our site to get a VIN report can help you determine exactly what type of Ford you have. Here’s where you can find your vehicle information number, and decode that number to find information about the vehicle including the model, engine, frame construction, chassis and engine.

List of Ford Models

Ford VIN Number Lookup

Why should you look up your Ford’s VIN? This factory-issued number is an important inspection tool, allowing you to verify the history of a vehicle before you buy it. This code can tell you the year of manufacture, where the vehicle was built, its trim level, and its original equipment. Inconsistencies can reveal engine swaps and other changes that indicate the vehicle isn’t original. You can also use it to check the vehicle’s history through the DMV and third party record agencies. Unlike a license, the VIN stays with the vehicle, letting you search through records going back to its date of manufacture.

Where to Search for the VIN?

You can find the VIN on 1968 and later Fords in these locations:

  • On one of the body pillars, usually next to the driver’s side door sill
  • On the dashboard, next to the lower driver’s side corner of the windshield

The location of the VIN on 1967 and earlier vehicles isn’t standardized. Look in the following locations for a plate with the number printed on it:

  • On the pillars on the driver’s side of the car
  • In the glove box
  • On the right side dash panel
  • On the frame between the firewall and the steering box
  • On some older cars, the VIN is called the “warranty number”.

There are two ways to find the VIN electronically. If you use the FordPass program, you can find the VIN for your vehicle in the program’s app. To get the VIN, log into the app, select the vehicle, and select “Vehicle Details”. Scroll down and select “Vehicle Details” again. You should now see the VIN.

If your vehicle has Sync 3 or later, you can look up the VIN in your infotainment system. Press “Settings”, then “General” and finally “About SYNC”. Ford started offering Sync 3 for the 2016 model year. It is also offered as an upgrade for earlier vehicles.

Still can’t find the VIN? It’s also printed on some vehicle documentation, including insurance policies, lease agreements and vehicle registrations.

Where to find VIN on a vehicle?
🟡 Basic Report Cost: Free
🟡 Ford VIN Database: 60.2M+
🟡 Car-on-Sale Photos: Up to 100
🟡 Full Report: Extensive History

Comprehensive VIN Decoder Guide

Here’s a breakdown of what all the digits mean in this number.

VIN Decode Guide

Digits 1-3

This is the World Manufacturer Identifier. The first digit is the country, the second digit is the manufacturer, and the third digit identifies groups of plants.

CodeWMICodeWMI
1F0 Ford Motor Company USA2FMFord Motor Company of Canada, Ltd.
1F1Ford Motor Company USA2FTFord Motor Company of Canada, Ltd.
1F6Detroit Chassis LLC USA3FAFord Motor Company Mexico
1F7MSX International Detroit, MI USA3FBFord Motor Company SA Mexico
1F8American Transportation Corp. USA3FDFord Motor Company Mexico
1FAFord Motor Company USA3FEFord Motor Company Mexico
1FBFord Motor Company USA3FNBlue Diamond Trucks S. De RL De CV Mexico
1FCFord Motor Company USA3FRBlue Diamond Trucks S. De RL De CV Mexico
1FDFord Motor Company USA3FTFord Motor Company Mexico
1FMFord Motor Company USA3M9Mopesa Motores Power S Mexico
1FTFord Motor Company USA6F1Ford Motor Company Australia
1ZVFord Motor Company USA9BFFord Brasil Brazil
1ZWAutoAlliance International USANM0FORD-OTOSAN Turkey
2FAFord Motor Company of Canada, Ltd.SBCIveco Ford Truck Ltd. United Kingdom
2FDFord Motor Company of Canada, Ltd.SFAFORD-OTOSAN Turkey
2FMFord Motor Company of Canada, Ltd.SFAFord Motor Company Ltd United Kingdom
2FTFord Motor Company of Canada, Ltd.TW2Ford Lutisania Sarl Portugal
3FAFord Motor Company MexicoUN1Henry Ford and Son Ltd Ireland
3FBFord Motor Company SA MexicoX9F LLC Ford Motor Company Russia
3FDFord Motor Company MexicoXLCFord Nederland NV Holland
VS6Ford Espana SA SpainY4FFord Union, Belarus
WF0Ford Werke AG GermanyWF0Ford Motor Company LLC Russia
WF1Ford Werke AG Germany  

Digit 4

This digit is the body type:

CodeBody Type
A5 door hatchback or limousine
Bthree door hatchback or limousine
Ctwo door coupe
Dthree door station wagon or two door combi (van with passenger seating and cargo space)
Etwo door sedan or three door limousine
Ffour door sedan
H5 door hatchback or combi, used only on the 5thgeneration Fiesta, made from 2001 to 2008, and the Torneo Connect
Lconvertible
N5 door station wagon or 4 or 5 door cargo-passenger van
Ppickup
Sminibus or combi
U5 door hatchback or cargo-passenger van, used on 1stgeneration Fusion, produced from 2002 to 2009
Ttwo door sedan or limousine
Vvan
Wtwo door combi

Digits 5, 6 and 7

These digits identify equipment specific to the model. This is usually enough information to determine the engine and cylinder head installed at the factory, as well as the trim level. Some VINs use the 7thdigit for equipment information, while others use it for manufacturing location.

Digits 7 and 8: Assembly Plant

This is the location where the vehicle was assembled.

7thand 8thdigit:

CodeLocation
BADagenham, England
BBHalewood, England
BCLangley, England
BDSouthampton, England
CECork, Ireland
CNAmsterdam, Netherlands
CPAzambuja, Portugal
GACologne, Germany
GBGenk, Belgium
GCSaarlouis, Germany
GKKarmann, Germany
SHHiroshima, Japan
WGBarcelona, Spain
WPValencia, Spain
ZVFlat Rock, USA
TTKocaeli, Izmit, Tutsia

8thdigit only:

CodeLocation
ACologne / Dagenham
AAbchak, Belarus
BHalewood, UK
BSan Bernado, Brazil
CSaarlouis, Germany / Langley
EGenk / Hailwood
ECork
KRhine, Germany
MReine (USA)
NAmsterdam
NPacheco, Spain
RValencia, Spain / Azambuya

Digit 9: Model Code

This code identifies the model of vehicle. Since it only uses letters, each letter may represent several models. Here are some examples from Ford’s European offerings:

CodeModel
AEscort. Orion and Focus
BTaunus, Sierra, Cortina, Mondeo and Cougar
DFocus
ECapri, Puma and Probe
FFiesta and Courier
GGranada and Scorpio
JFiesta, Courier and Fusion
RKa
UMaverick
VTransit and Tourneo
WGalaxy

Digit 10

This is the check digit, which helps reduce errors during data entry. It’s always the same as digit 4.

Digit 11: Year of Manufacture

This code alternates between numbers andletters. Some letters, like “O”, are skipped to avoid confusion with similar-shaped characters.

CodeCountryCodeCountryCodeCountryCodeCountry
G 1986 T 1996 6 2006 G 2016
H 1987 V 1997 7 2007 H 2017
J 1988 W 1998 8 2008 J 2018
K 1989 X 1999 9 2009 K 2019
L 1990 Y 2000 A 2010 L 2020
M 1991 1 2001 B 2011 M 2021
N 1992 2 2002 C 2012 N 2022
P 1993 3 2003 D 2013 P 2023
R 1994 4 2004 E 2014 R 2024
S 1995 5 2005 F 2015 S 2025

Digit 12: Month of Manufacture

Ford uses four letters for each month, rotating through them every four years. These letters are in order for the 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 model years.

MonthCode
JanuaryB, J, L, C
FebruaryR, U, Y, K
MarchA, M, S, D
AprilG, P, T, E
MayC, B, J, L
JuneK, R, U, Y
JulyD, A, M, S
AugustE, G, P, T
SeptemberL, C, B, J
OctoberY, K, R, U
NovemberS, D, A, M
DecemberT, E, G, P

Digit 13 to 17: Production Number

This serial number is unique to the vehicle. Production numbers are reused, but the same number is never used on two vehicles with the same date code.

Ford VIN Samples

  • 1FA3PBC0MF2465641: 021 Ford Mustang GT 5.0l coupe built in the United States
  • 2FMGK5BC9CBD20631: 2012 Ford Flex SE 3.5l built in Canada
  • 1FTCR10UXTPA78180: 1996 Ford Ranger Splash 3.0l built in the United States
  • 2008 FORD Expedition MAX

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  • 2007 FORD Expedition MAX

    2007 FORD Expedition MAX

    VIN 1FMFK15597LA36353
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  • 2008 FORD Expedition MAX

    2008 FORD Expedition MAX

    VIN 1FMFK15578LA75220
    Listed for sale on:
    06/09/2015
    Price:
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    Odometer:
    160,318 km

Frequently Asked Questions

Locations vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. However, there are three places you can find the code on most vehicles:

- Look through the windshield at the dashboard. On the driver’s side, you should see a small metal plate with the number stamped into it.
- Open the driver’s door. Look at the front and side of the door pillar for an I.D. sticker. It usually has the manufacturer’s logo on it. The code should be on this sticker.
- Open the hood. You may see a sticker on the firewall or near the passenger’s side strut tower. Some cars have the number engraved in one of these areas.

Since this number is used to identify the vehicle on official documents, you can also find it on the title, the window sticker, and on insurance policies.

We also decode numbers for RVs, heavy-duty trucks and motorcycles. If you need to decode an RV number, make sure it’s the one issued by the chassis manufacturer, not the RV outfitter.

No. Canadian and Mexican cars usually use the same format. Other countries use their own formats.

It’s up to the manufacturer to determine what they want to include for some parts of the number. For example, some companies don’t include information about transmissions or trim levels.

Usually, no. A few manufacturers stamp the code into the engine. If the VINs on the engine and car match, then it’s the original engine. On most vehicles, there isn’t anything that ties an engine to a specific vehicle. At most, looking up the vehicle on our website will tell you if a different type of engine was installed. For example, if someone swaps a V8 into a Ford Mustang, our site will tell you it originally came with a V6.

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