A Ford Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a unique 17-character alphanumeric code that identifies specific details about a vehicle. Each part of the VIN provides important information about the car. Here’s a breakdown of what each section of a Ford VIN means:
World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI): The first three characters of the VIN represent the manufacturer of the vehicle. For Ford, the WMI starts with “1F”, “2F”, or “3F” for vehicles made in the United States, “1H” for vehicles made in Canada, and “WF” for vehicles made overseas.
Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS): The fourth to eighth characters provide information about the vehicle’s attributes such as model, body type, restraint system, transmission type, and engine type. Each manufacturer has a specific code that corresponds to these attributes.
Check Digit: The ninth character is a check digit used to validate the VIN. It is calculated through a specific formula that considers the other VIN characters to ensure it is not fraudulent or incorrectly formatted.
Model Year: The tenth character indicates the model year of the vehicle. For example, “A” represents 1980, “B” for 1981, and so on. The letters “I”, “O”, “Q”, “U”, and “Z” are not used to avoid confusion.
Plant Code: The eleventh character identifies the manufacturing plant where the vehicle was assembled. Each Ford plant has its specific code.
Sequential Production Number: The final six characters (positions 12-17) represent the vehicle’s unique serial number. This number is assigned in the order of production and helps to identify the specific vehicle among others manufactured in the same year and at the same plant.
Example of a Ford VIN:
1FMCU9GXXKUA12345
- 1FM: Indicates it’s a Ford Motor Company vehicle.
- C: Indicates the model (in this case, a compact SUV).
- U: Indicates the body type (SUV).
- 9: Indicates the restraint system.
- G: Indicates the engine type.
- X: Indicates the model series.
- X: Check digit.
- K: Indicates the model year (in this case, 2019).
- U: Indicates the plant where it was manufactured.
- A12345: The unique serial number of the vehicle.
Understanding the VIN can help in various situations, such as checking a vehicle’s history, verifying authenticity, and ensuring compatibility with parts during repairs.