Repair and Diagnosis: Application and ID
IDENTIFICATION CODESVehicle 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.
World Manufacturer Identifier:
The first 3 VIN positions are the world manufacturer code.
- 1FA - Ford Motor Company, USA, passenger car
- 1ME - Mercury, 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 driver and front passenger side impact protection
Vehicle Line, Series and Body Type:
Positions 5 through 7 indicate vehicle line, series and body type.
- M40 - Mercury Sable, front wheel drive (FWD), Luxury
- M41 - Mercury Sable, all wheel drive (AWD), Luxury
- M42 - Mercury Sable, FWD, Premier
- M43 - Mercury Sable, AWD, Premier
- P24 - Ford Taurus, FWD, SEL
- P25 - Ford Taurus, FWD, Limited
- P27 - Ford Taurus, AWD, SEL
- P28 - Ford Taurus, AWD, Limited
Engine Type:
The eighth VIN position is the engine displacement and number of cylinders.
- W - 3.5L, DOHC, 4 valve, V6
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.
- 8 - 2008
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.
- 100001-599999 - Ford
- 600001-999999 - Mercury
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 VIN. It also includes gross vehicle weight ratings (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.
Paint Codes - Ford Taurus, Mercury Sable:
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.
- DI - Dark Ink Blue (Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable)
- DV - Light Tundra/Titanium Green (Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable)
- FX - Merlot (Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable)
- G5 - Alloy Gray (Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable)
- JP - Silver Birch (Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable)
- LS - Light Ice Blue Metallic (Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable)
- ND - Dune Pearl (Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable)
- NH - Light Sage (Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable)
- UA - Ebony (Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable)
- YZ - Oxford White (Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable)
Interior Trim Codes - Ford Taurus, Mercury Sable:
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
- C - Bark cloth seating - Ford Taurus
- H - Milled Pebble leather seating - Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable
- M - Alexis cloth seating - Mercury Sable
Interior Trim Color Code
- C - Camel Tan
- J - Light Camel Tan
- L - Medium Light Stone
- S - Light Stone
- W - Charcoal Black
Tape/Paint Pinstripe Codes - Ford Taurus, Mercury Sable:
Tape and paint pinstripe codes do not apply.
Radio Codes - Ford Taurus, Mercury Sable:
- 2 - Premium electronic AM/FM stereo with CD player and clock
- 6 - Premium electronic AM/FM stereo with 6-disc CD changer (MP3 capable) and clock
- N - AM/FM stereo with CD player, clock and navigation system
Axle Codes - Ford Taurus, Mercury Sable:
The following lists the rear axle ratio.
- 1 - 2.77 ratio
Transmission Code - Ford Taurus, Mercury Sable:
- J - 6-speed automatic
Spring Codes - Ford Taurus, Mercury Sable:
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
- BB - FWD vehicles
- CC - AWD vehicles
Rear Springs
- 33 - FWD vehicles
- 44 - AWD vehicles
Powertrain Calibration Information
Powertrain Calibration Information:
NOTE: Powertrain calibration information is limited to a maximum of 5 characters per line on the 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 Label. Only the base calibration information is printed. Revision levels will not appear, however, they can be found in OASIS. For the current model year, Ford Motor Company is using 3 different protocols which describe powertrain base calibration. These protocols are designed to provide worldwide standardization for vehicle calibration. If the electronic calibration strategy has been used since 1998 and carried into the current model year, Protocol 1 will be used. Refer to Protocol 1 below. If the electronic calibration strategy has been used since 1999 and is carried into the current model year, Protocol 2 will be used. Refer to Protocol 2 below. For electronic calibration strategies introduced in 2000 or later model years, Protocol 3 will be used. Refer to Protocol 3 below.
Protocol 1:
Protocol 2:
Protocol 3:
Protocol 3
The following offers a more detailed explanation of the coding strategy used for Protocol 3.
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
Vehicle Code
The vehicle code indicates the vehicle line to which the code applies.
- PG - Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable
- P5 - Ford Taurus X
Transmission Code
The transmission code identifies the type of transmission used.
- 1 - Automatic transmission
Unique Calibration
The Emissions/CAFE/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 (U.S. 4K, final sale in export markets)
- 1 - HDGE/Dyno
- 2 - Fast AMA U.S.
- 3 - ADP U.S.
- 4 - Not assigned
- 5 - Not assigned
- 6 - Evaporative emissions
- 7 - MACAA
- 8 - On-board diagnostics (OBD)
- 9 - Not assigned
Certification Region
When instances where multiple regions are included in one calibration, the lead region will be listed.
- 5 - U.S. 50 states
- A - U.S. federal, including altitude, may include Canada and/or Mexico
- B - U.S. California standard, includes U.S. 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 UAE)
- 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 - On-board diagnostics (OBD) intermediate level (pre-05)