Decode a Ford VIN
How to read a Ford VIN (position by position)
Every Ford built for North America since 1981 carries a 17-character VIN. The first three characters are the WMI: NHTSA's vPIC lists 25 WMIs used on Ford vehicles, such as 1F1, 1F7 and 1FA.
| Position | Part | On a Ford VIN |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Country of manufacture | 1, 2, 3, 5, 9, J, K (the United States, Canada, Mexico and Brazil and others) |
| 1–3 | World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) | 1F1, 1F7, 1FA, 1FB, 1FC, 1FD and 19 more |
| 4–8 | Vehicle descriptor | Ford's own codes for model, body, engine and restraints |
| 9 | Check digit | Calculated from the other 16 characters |
| 10 | Model year | G (2016) to S (2025) for current Ford models |
| 11 | Plant | Ford plant code (the decoder names the plant) |
| 12–17 | Serial number | Ford's production sequence |
Ford WMI codes
Ford WMIs point to 6 countries of manufacture: the United States (1F1, 1F7, 1FA, 1FB…), Canada (2FA, 2FC, 2FD, 2FM…), Mexico (3FA, 3FB, 3FC, 3FD…), Brazil (9BF), Japan (JC2) and South Korea (KNJ). vPIC registers Ford WMIs for suv / mpv, passenger car, bus, incomplete vehicle and truck vehicle types.
| WMI | Manufacturer | Country | Vehicle type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1F1 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | UNITED STATES (USA) | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) |
| 1F7 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | UNITED STATES (USA) | Passenger Car |
| 1FA | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | UNITED STATES (USA) | Passenger Car |
| 1FB | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | UNITED STATES (USA) | Bus |
| 1FC | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | UNITED STATES (USA) | Incomplete Vehicle |
| 1FD | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | UNITED STATES (USA) | Incomplete Vehicle |
| 1FM | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | UNITED STATES (USA) | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) |
| 1FT | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | UNITED STATES (USA) | Truck |
| 2FA | FORD MOTOR COMPANY OF CANADA, LTD. | CANADA | Passenger Car |
| 2FB | FORD MOTOR COMPANY OF CANADA, LTD. | UNITED STATES (USA) | Bus |
| 2FC | FORD MOTOR COMPANY OF CANADA, LTD. | CANADA | Incomplete Vehicle |
| 2FD | FORD MOTOR COMPANY OF CANADA, LTD. | CANADA | Incomplete Vehicle |
| 2FM | FORD MOTOR COMPANY OF CANADA, LTD. | CANADA | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) |
| 2FT | FORD MOTOR COMPANY OF CANADA, LTD. | CANADA | Truck |
| 3FA | FORD MOTOR COMPANY, MEXICO | MEXICO | Passenger Car |
| 3FB | FORD MOTOR COMPANY, MEXICO | MEXICO | Bus |
| 3FC | FORD MOTOR COMPANY, MEXICO | MEXICO | Incomplete Vehicle |
| 3FD | FORD MOTOR COMPANY, MEXICO | MEXICO | Incomplete Vehicle |
| 3FE | FORD MOTOR COMPANY, MEXICO | MEXICO | Incomplete Vehicle |
| 3FM | FORD MOTOR COMPANY, MEXICO | MEXICO | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV) |
| 3FT | FORD MOTOR COMPANY, MEXICO | MEXICO | Truck |
| 5LD | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | UNITED STATES (USA) | Incomplete Vehicle |
| 9BF | FORD MOTOR COMPANY BRASIL LTDA. | BRAZIL | Truck |
| JC2 | MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION | JAPAN | Truck |
| KNJ | KIA MOTORS (FORD IMPORTS) | SOUTH KOREA | Passenger Car |
The plant code (11th character) is defined by Ford itself, and vPIC does not publish a list of them; the decoder above shows the plant city and country for any Ford VIN.
Ford model year codes
The 10th character gives the model year: a 2019 Ford Taurus carries K, a 2025 Ford Transit carries S and a 2023 Ford Transit Connect carries P. The letters repeat every 30 years.
Full VIN year chart, 1980–2039 →
Where to find the VIN on a Ford
- On the dashboard, at the base of the windshield on the driver side (read it from outside).
- On the label in the driver-side door jamb.
- On the title, registration and insurance card.
- Often stamped on the engine bay firewall or the frame.
Ford recalls
NHTSA lists 1,684 Ford vehicle recall campaigns across the 2008–2024 model years (counting each campaign once per model year). The 2022 model year has the most, with 160; 2020–2024 models account for 646.
| Model year | Campaigns |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 99 |
| 2023 | 128 |
| 2022 | 160 |
| 2021 | 148 |
| 2020 | 111 |
| 2019 | 76 |
| 2018 | 99 |
| 2017 | 102 |
| 2016 | 102 |
| 2015 | 107 |
| 2014 | 93 |
| 2013 | 99 |
| 2012 | 74 |
| 2011 | 83 |
| 2010 | 63 |
| 2009 | 66 |
| 2008 | 74 |
Ford models in vPIC
vPIC lists 37 Ford models for the 2016–2025 model years. Linked models have year-by-year pages with EPA mpg, owner complaints and recalls.
- '34 2016–2025
- Bronco 2021–2025
- Bronco Sport 2021–2025
- C-Max 2016–2018
- Commercial Chassis 2016–2025
- E-350 2016–2025
- E-450 2016–2025
- Ecosport 2018–2022
- Edge 2016–2024
- Escape 2016–2025
- Expedition 2016–2025
- Expedition EL 2017
- Expedition MAX 2016–2025
- Explorer 2016–2025
- F-150 2016–2025
- F-250 2016–2025
- F-350 2016–2025
- F-450 2016–2025
- F-550 2016–2025
- F-600 2020–2025
- F-650 2016–2025
- F-750 2016–2025
- Fiesta 2016–2019
- Flex 2016–2019
- Focus 2016–2018
- Fusion 2016–2020
- GT 2017–2022
- GT MKII 2023–2025
- Maverick 2022–2025
- Motorhome Chassis 2016–2025
- Mustang 2016–2025
- Mustang GTD 2025
- Mustang Mach-E 2021–2025
- Ranger 2019–2025
- Taurus 2016–2019
- Transit 2016–2025
- Transit Connect 2016–2023
Ford models compared by year →
FAQ
How do I tell the year of a Ford by its VIN?
Read the 10th character: on Ford models from 2016 to 2025 it runs from G to S (L = 2020, R = 2024). The same letters were used 30 years earlier.
What does a Ford VIN tell you?
The maker and country (characters 1–3), model, body and engine (4–8), a check digit (9), the model year (10), the plant (11) and the serial number (12–17). It does not record color, options or accident history.
Can I find a Ford paint code from the VIN?
Usually not: the paint code isn't part of the VIN. It's printed on the vehicle's information label, often in the driver's door jamb, and a Ford dealer can look it up from the VIN.