Ford VIN Decoder

Decode Your Vehicle Identifications Number for Free.

FAQ

Where is the VIN number on a Ford?

Please make sure your Ford is made by a US manufacturer.
Location A appears on the front part of the dashboard on the driver's side of the vehicle, at the base of the windshield. A highly recommended way to find your VIN is to look through the windshield from outside the car.
Location B should be on the driver's door post. Open the door first, and you will find the VIN near the area where the door latches to the vehicle.
Location C is under the hood. A gasoline-powered vehicle usually has the code stamped on the front of the engine block. For older cars, the VIN can also be located at the front end of the frame.
Location D can be found on your vehicle's title, car registration, or insurance documents.
Four possible locations for a VIN number You should be able to find a Ford's VIN at the locations above.

What is a VIN number (Vehicle Identification Number)?

A VIN, or Vehicle Identification Number, is a distinctive identifying code assigned to any Ford vehicles at the time they were constructed. It is a linear sequence of 17 characters without any intervening spaces or the letters Q (q), I (i), and O (o), which are omitted to prevent confusion with the digits 9, 1, and 0. The VIN works similarly to a person's social security number or a product's serial number. Each segment of the VIN offers detailed information about your Ford, for instance, body style, year, model, engine type, and so forth.

There was no single standard prior to 1981. That said, the VIN standards may vary between manufacturers, which made it highly challenging or frequently impossible to check a Ford's history using an old format. Our free Ford VIN decoder covers those vehicles equipped with current VINs.

Why my Ford VIN number doesn't decode?

Decoder error? Here's a check list.
Possibility A: The most likely reason why our intelligent Ford VIN decoder detects a mistake is that you might have entered the 17-digit code with numbers and capital letters in a wrong way. Please check the VIN again and retype it.
Possibility B: It took until 1981 for the current VIN format to be officially approved. Our VIN lookup tool might not be able to decode your Ford if it was manufactured prior to then.
Possibility C: If your Ford was not originated from the US, it might not be accompanied by a VIN. Before you use our free VIN lookup tool, don't forget to check your Ford's birthplace.
Possibility D: To avoid confusion, you would never find letters I, O, and Q in a standard VIN. Check if your Ford's VIN is along with these letters.

How to decode a Ford VIN number?

Curious about what hides behind a Ford's VIN number?
  • The very first character tells you the exact country or region of the manufacturer.
  • Number two digit reveals the vehicle manufacturer.
  • Digit three is to specify what kind of vehicle it is, an SUV, truck, etc. The first three digits are known as WMI (World Manufacturer Identifier ).
  • Positions four to eight give a general report of a vehicle. They are put together as VDS (Vehicle Descriptor Section).
  • Number nine serves as the check digit, which is based on a mathematical formula from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
  • The tenth character refers to the model year of your car.
  • The eleventh position indicates information about what plant your vehicle is from.
  • The final six digits denote the vehicle's production sequence numbers.
Now enter your Ford's VIN in the decoder above to check its history for FREE! Precise meanings of the 17-digit VIN number

What Ford vehicles can be identified by our free VIN decoder?

Our Ford VIN decoder can be well applied to practically all types of Ford vehicles that come with certified 17-character codes which allow drivers to acquire valuable information. Despite the fact the original VIN was utilized in the 1950s, the standard format was not widely adopted until the 1980s. Therefore, before doing a VIN decode, it is highly recommended to confirm your Ford's birthday. You can check all Ford vehicles with our sophisticated VIN search.

Through our advanced Ford VIN decoder, you would be able to learn fundamental information about your Ford vehicles, for instance, model year, vehicle class, engine type, trim level, etc. Each character of a VIN is strategically determined by particular formulae. Get a full history report for your Ford cars through an easy VIN search at FordPartsGiant NOW!