Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Locator

The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a 17-digit combination of letters and numbers. The VIN is stamped on a metal tab riveted to the instrument panel top, upper left of the dash. The VIN is also found on the Vehicle Certification (VC) label. If the VIN plate requires replacement, authorized dealers must contact their respective regional office.

1. World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI)
2. Restraint-type code
3. Vehicle line, series, body type code
4. Engine type code
5. Computer-generated check digit
6. Model year code
7. Assembly plant code
8. Production sequence number

World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI)

The first 3 VIN positions are the World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) code.

• 1FA - Ford Motor Company, USA, passenger car

Restraint Type

The fourth VIN position is the vehicle restraint-type code.

• H - Active safety belts - all positions, driver and front passenger air bags with 1st and 2nd row side impact protection

Vehicle Line and Series

Positions 5 through 7 indicate vehicle line and series.

• P2D - Taurus, Front Wheel Drive (FWD), SE
• P2E - Taurus, FWD , SEL
• P2F - Taurus, FWD , Limited
• P2H - Taurus, All-Wheel Drive (AWD), SEL
• P2J - Taurus, AWD , Limited
• P2K - Taurus, AWD , SHO
• P2L - Taurus, FWD , Police Interceptor
• P2M - Taurus, AWD , Police Interceptor

Engine Type

The eighth VIN position is the engine displacement and number of cylinders.

• K - 3.7L, DOHC, V6
• T - 3.5L, DOHC, turbo-charged, 4 valve, V6
• 8 - 3.5L, Twin Independent Variable Cam Timing (Ti-VCT) V6
• 9 - 2.0L Gasoline Turbocharged Direct Injection (GTDI), in-line 4 cylinder

Additional engine information can be obtained from the engine tag. Refer to Section 303-01A , Section 303-01B or Section 303-01C or Section 303-01D.

Check Digit

The ninth VIN position is a government-assigned, computer-generated check digit.

Model Year

The tenth VIN position is the model year code.

• E - 2014

Assembly Plant

The eleventh VIN position is the assembly plant code.

• G - Chicago (Chicago, Illinois)

Production Sequence Number

The last 6 VIN positions are a numeric code for the vehicle build sequence. This is also the vehicle serial and warranty number. The serial number can also be found on the engine block, transmission and frame.

• A00001-L99999

Vehicle Certification (VC) Label

Vehicle Certification (VC) Label Locator

The Vehicle Certification (VC) label contains the manufacturer name, the month and year of manufacture, the certification statement and the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). It also includes Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR).

If a vehicle requires replacement of the VC label and is 4 years old or less, an authorized dealer must submit the VIN to their respective regional office. The regional office will submit a web form to the assembly plant for the replacement label. Once the label has been printed, a representative from the regional office will deliver the label to the dealer and witness installation on the vehicle. If a vehicle is more than 4 years old and requires a replacement label, the dealer must submit a request to the Department of Motor Vehicles.

1. Exterior paint code
2. Region code
3. District Special Order (DSO)
4. Interior trim code
5. Tape/paint pinstripe code
6. Radio code
7. Axle code
8. Transmission code
9. Spring code
10. Powertrain calibration numbering

Paint Codes

Vehicle paint codes may be listed as a 2-part code. The first set of paint code numbers/letters listed indicate the vehicle primary body color. The second set of numbers/letters listed (if applicable) indicate a 2-tone or accent body color. All colors are base coat/clear coat.

• AQ - Arizona Beige
• BT - Dark Side
• BU - Medium Brown Metallic
• D7 - Sunset
• HG - Smokestone
• J1 - Kodiak Brown Metallic
• J4 - Deep Impact Blue
• JL - Dark Toreador Red
• KR - Norcea Blue Pearl
• LK - Dark Blue Solid
• LM - Royal Blue Solid
• LN - Light Blue Metallic
• LS - Light Ice Blue Metallic
• MM - Ultra Blue #2
• RR - Ruby Red (tri-coat)
• TM - Light Gray Solid
• TN - Silver Gray Metallic
• UA - Ebony Solid
• UG - White Platinum (tri-coat)
• UH - Tuxedo Black Metallic
• UJ - Sterling Gray Metallic
• UX - Ingot Silver Metallic
• YG - Medium Titanium
• YZ - Oxford White Solid

Interior Trim Codes

The interior trim codes are listed below. The first digit listed indicates the seat and fabric style. The second digit listed indicates the interior trim color.

Trim Codes
• 7 - Greenwich cloth seating
• C - Cloth seating (police package)
• J - Milled Pebble leather seating
• M - Kensington cloth seating
• P - SOHO mini-perforated leather seating
• Q - Leather with perforated suede seating
• R - Cloth/vinyl seating (police package)
• S - SOHO leather seating

Interior Trim Color Code
• D - Dune
• M - Charcoal Black/Mayan Gray
• W - Charcoal Black

Tape/Paint Pinstripe Codes

Tape and paint pinstripe codes do not apply.

Radio Codes
• H - High-definition AM/FM stereo with CD player and clock
• X - Premium electronic AM/FM stereo with CD player and clock
• Z - Electronic AM/FM stereo with CD player and clock

Axle Codes

The following lists the axle ratios.

• 1 - 2.77 ratio
• 2 - 3.16 ratio
• 3 - 3.39 ratio
• 4 - 3.07 ratio

Additional axle information can be obtained from the axle tag. Refer to Section 205-00.

Transmission Code
• 6 - 6-speed automatic (6F35)
• C - 6-speed automatic (6F55)
• J - 6-speed automatic (6F50)

Additional transmission information can be obtained from the transmission tag. Refer to Section 307-01A.

Spring Codes

Spring codes list both front and rear spring codes. The first set of characters identify the front springs. The second set of characters identify the rear springs.

Front Springs
• AA - Front Wheel Drive (FWD) vehicles
• BB - All-Wheel Drive (AWD) vehicles
• CC - AWD , Gasoline Turbocharged Direct Injection (GTDI)
• DD - AWD , GTDI performance package
• EE - FWD vehicles
• FF - FWD vehicles
• GG - AWD vehicles
• HH - AWD , GTDI performance package

Rear Springs
• AA - AWD vehicles
• BB - FWD , GTDI performance package
• CC - FWD vehicles
• GG - FWD vehicles
• GG - AWD , GTDI performance package
• HH - AWD vehicles
• MM - AWD , GTDI performance package
• NN - AWD , GTDI performance package
• PP - AWD , GTDI performance package

Powertrain Calibration Information

NOTE: Powertrain calibration information is limited to a maximum of 5 characters per line on the Vehicle Certification (VC) Label. Because of this, calibration identification consisting of more than 5 characters will wrap to the second line on the VC label.

Powertrain calibration information is printed in the lower right corner of the VC. Only the base calibration information is printed. Revision levels will not appear, however, they can be obtained through a scan tool using the most current software revision.

1. Model year (year in which calibration strategy was first introduced)
2. Vehicle code
3. Transmission code
4. Unique calibrations (designates different hardware to similar vehicles), example: tires or drive ratios
5. Fleet code (describes fleet to which the vehicle belongs), example: 6 - Evaporative Emission (EVAP)
6. Certification region (lead region where multiple regions are included in one calibration), example: A - US federal
7. Revision level (will advance as revisions occur), not printed on label

Model Year

Model year code indicates the year in which the calibration code was introduced.

• 0 - 2000
• 1 - 2001
• 2 - 2002
• 3 - 2003
• 4 - 2004
• 5 - 2005
• 6 - 2006
• 7 - 2007
• 8 - 2008
• 9 - 2009
• A - 2010
• B - 2011
• C - 2012
• D - 2013
• E - 2014

Vehicle Code

The vehicle code indicates the vehicle line to which the code applies.

• PH - Ford Taurus

Transmission Code

The transmission code identifies the type of transmission used.

• 1 - Automatic transmission

Unique Calibration

The Emissions/Corporate Average Fuel Economy/CO2 Compliance Department is responsible for assigning these calibration numbers. Unique identifications are assigned to cover similar vehicles to differentiate between tires, drive configurations, final drive ratios and other calibration-significant factors.

These 2 characters are chosen by the analyst to provide identifiable information unique to each calibration. For example, using the number 2 to denote a 2-valve engine versus using the number 4 to identify a 4-valve engine provides an easily identifiable difference.

Fleet Coding

Identifies the fleet to which the vehicle belongs.

• 0 - Certification (US 4K, final sale in export markets)
• 1 - Heavy duty gasoline engines/Dyno
• 2 - Fast Automobile Manufacturer's Association - U. S.
• 3 - Alternative durability protocol - U. S.
• 4 - Not assigned
• 5 - Not assigned
• 6 - Evaporative Emission (EVAP)
• 7 - Mileage accumulation aging endurance durability
• 8 - On-Board Diagnostic (OBD)
• 9 - Not assigned

Certification Region

When instances where multiple regions are included in one calibration, the lead region will be listed.

• 5 - US 50 states
• A - US federal, including altitude, may include Canada and/or Mexico
• B - US California standard, includes US green states
• C - Canada
• D - China
• E - European Community (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom)
• F - European Extended Community (E plus Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland and Yugoslavia)
• G - Gulf Cooperative Council (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirate)
• H - Hong Kong
• J - Japan
• K - Korea
• L - Malaysia
• M - Mexico
• N - New Zealand
• P - Australia
• Q - South America (Brazil)
• S - Singapore
• T - Taiwan
• U - South America (unleaded fuel regions)
• V - Vietnam
• X - Rest Of World (ROW)
• Y - Military
• Z - Israel

Revision Level (not printed on label)
• 91-99 - Hardware and certification levels
• 01-04 - Preliminary levels
• 00 - Job 1 production (initial certification)
• 05-09 - Pre-job 1 revisions to calibrations
• 10-89 - Post-job 1 revisions to calibrations
• 0B - Durability test level
• BD - OBD intermediate level (pre-05)