Ford VIN Decoder, Build Sheet and Order Code Lookup
Your Ford VIN number is where every build sheet lookup starts. Use our free Ford VIN decoder below to confirm the model, year, engine and plant, then see where to get your Ford build sheet by VIN, as a PDF or a window sticker, depending on the year. Already have your build sheet codes? Paste them into our order code lookup to see your equipment group, packages and paint.
Try It Yourself. Copy/Paste This Ford VIN Into Our Decoder Below: 1FTFW1E81MKD24680
VIN Decoder & Build Sheet
Check VIN identity, factory spec, recalls, complaints, and ownership risks before you buy.
Pre Purchase VIN Check
Fuel Economy, Emissions & Running Cost
EPA fuel economy for the vehicle year and model profile.
Additional Vehicle Specs
Supplementary spec matching for output such as power, transmission, size, and weight.
Recalls, Complaints & Mechanical Failures
Model level safety and complaint data for the decoded year, make, and model.
Vehicle Ownership Insights
Platform specific reliability patterns, critical engine platform audits, and pre purchase inspection guidance.
Likely Factory Option Profile
Probability model for common package combinations around this production era.
The free scan verifies identity and surfaces early risk signals. The paid report goes deeper into what those signals mean for ownership, repairs, and buying confidence.
Unlock Full VIN ReportFord Build Sheet by VIN: What Exists for Your Year
Where you get a Ford build sheet depends on the model year. Ford's production records are licensed out for older vehicles, window stickers cover newer ones, and the door label works on all of them.
| Source | Model years | What you get | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marti Report | 1967 to 2014 | A build sheet from Ford's licensed production records: options, paint, trim, plant, build date and dealer. Delivered as a PDF by email, or printed and mailed. | Paid |
| Duplicate window sticker | 2021 and newer | The original sticker with the trim, equipment group, every package and the MSRP. Ford sends owners of these years to its Ford Show Parts site. | Varies |
| Ford dealer | Most modern Fords | The dealer can look up the original order by VIN, including order codes. | Often free |
| Door label plus our decoder | All years | Model, engine, plant and year from the VIN, plus paint, trim, axle and transmission codes from the door label. | Free |
Fords from 2015 to 2020 fall between Marti's records and Ford's window sticker service, so a dealer is the best route for those years.
Ford VIN Number Breakdown and Decoding Chart
Since 1981 every Ford has a 17 character VIN. The one to know is character 8, because Ford uses it for the engine. Here's a 2021 F-150 SuperCrew 4x4 with the 3.5 EcoBoost.
1FTFW1E81MKD24680: 2021 Ford F-150 SuperCrew 4x4, 3.5 EcoBoost, built in Kansas City
- 1FT: maker and type
- 1 is the US, F is Ford and T is a truck. A Mustang starts 1FA and an Explorer 1FM.
- FW1E: weight class, cab and series
- On trucks these cover the GVWR class, cab style, drive and series. Our decoder reads them together.
- 8: engine
- 8 is the 3.5 EcoBoost V6 on this F-150. See the table below.
- 1: check digit
- Calculated from the other 16 characters. A typo or a fake VIN almost always fails it.
- M: model year
- M is 2021.
- K: plant
- Kansas City Assembly, one of two F-150 plants.
- D24680: serial
- The production number of this one truck.
F-150 engine letters, 2021 and newer
| Character 8 | Engine |
|---|---|
| P | 2.7 EcoBoost V6 |
| 8 | 3.5 EcoBoost V6 |
| D | 3.5 PowerBoost full hybrid V6 |
| 5 | 5.0 V8 |
Ford reuses engine letters across models and years, so a letter only means something alongside the model and year. Our decoder handles that for you.
First three characters
- 1FA Car built in the US: Mustang
- 1FT Truck built in the US: F-150, Super Duty, Ranger
- 1FM SUV or van built in the US: Explorer, Expedition, Bronco, Escape
- 1FD Chassis cab or incomplete vehicle
- 2FM Built in Canada: Edge
- 3FA, 3FM, 3FT Built in Mexico: Fusion, Bronco Sport, Maverick
- NM0 Built in Turkey: Transit Connect
Plant, character 11
- F Dearborn, Michigan: F-150
- K Kansas City, Missouri: F-150, Transit
- E Louisville, Kentucky Truck: Super Duty, Expedition
- U Louisville Assembly: Escape
- G Chicago, Illinois: Explorer
- 5 Flat Rock, Michigan: Mustang
- L Wayne, Michigan: Bronco, Ranger
- R Hermosillo, Mexico: Bronco Sport, Maverick
Model year, character 10
- 52005
- 62006
- 72007
- 82008
- 92009
- A2010
- B2011
- C2012
- D2013
- E2014
- F2015
- G2016
- H2017
- J2018
- K2019
- L2020
- M2021
- N2022
- P2023
- R2024
- S2025
- T2026
Ford Door Sticker Decoder
The certification label in the driver door opening is the closest thing to a free build sheet on the vehicle itself. Under the VIN and build date, a row of short codes records how it was built.
| Label field | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| EXT PNT | Exterior paint code, two characters like YZ for Oxford White. See the paint section below. |
| INT TRM | Interior trim and seat material code. |
| AX | Axle code, which gives the ratio and tells you if the axle is an electronic locker. Key for towing. |
| TR | Transmission code. |
| SPR | Spring code, which relates to the suspension and payload setup. |
| R | Radio or audio system code. |
| DSO | The district the vehicle was ordered for. Fleet and special orders show here. |
| Date | Month and year of manufacture, printed at the top of the label. |
Field names vary slightly by model. Trucks show the most fields, and cars may only show paint and trim.
Ford Build Sheet Codes: How Order Codes Work
Your window sticker, dealer printout or Marti Report lists Ford order codes. Most follow a pattern you can read once you know it.
Equipment groups
The first digit is the trim. On an F-150, 1 is XL, 2 is STX, 3 is XLT, 5 is Lariat, 6 is King Ranch and 7 is Platinum. The higher the middle number, the more equipment, so 302A is a high XLT.
Powertrain codes
Engine codes start with 99 and transmission codes with 44. They change between model years, so read them with the year in mind.
Packages and options
Packages like FX4 Off-Road, Tow/Haul and the appearance packages each get their own code. These are what turn two trucks with the same trim into very different trucks.
Ford Order Code Decoder
Paste the codes from your window sticker, dealer printout or door label. Each one comes back in plain English, so you can see the equipment group, packages and paint at a glance.
Separate codes with spaces, commas or new lines.
Codes not in our list
Find one code
Look up an order code or search by feature.
Start typing to search the Ford order code list.
Click a code to copy it. Ford order codes change by model and year, so your own paperwork is the final word.
Ford Paint Codes and Colors
Find the two character code after EXT PNT on your door label, then match it here. These are the colors you'll see most on recent F-150, Mustang, Bronco, Explorer and Super Duty models.
YZ
Oxford White
Ford's standard white, everywhere from fleet trucks to Platinums.
G1
Shadow Black
Ford's main black on recent models.
UM
Agate Black
Black metallic.
AZ
Star White
Pearl white tri coat, a paid upgrade.
UX
Ingot Silver
Mid silver metallic.
JS
Iconic Silver
Bright silver metallic.
DR
Avalanche
Light solid grey.
M7
Carbonized Gray
Dark grey metallic.
J7
Magnetic
Charcoal metallic.
E7
Velocity Blue
Bright metallic blue.
B3
Atlas Blue
Mid dark blue metallic.
HX
Antimatter Blue
Near black blue.
PQ
Race Red
Bright solid red.
D4
Lucid Red
Deep red tri coat.
NE
Cactus Gray
Green grey, a Bronco color.
KU
Area 51
Blue grey, a Bronco color.
SB
Cyber Orange
Orange metallic tri coat, a Bronco color.
Swatch colors are for screen reference only. Order touch up paint by the code on your door label, not by eye.
Classic Ford VINs: 11 Character Decoder Basics
Before 1981, Ford VINs were shorter, usually 11 characters on cars from the mid 1960s on. Our decoder only reads 17 character VINs, but the old format is easy to read by hand. Take a VIN like 9F02M123456:
| Position | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | Model year, the last digit: 1969 |
| 2 | F | Assembly plant |
| 3 and 4 | 02 | Body code, the body style and series |
| 5 | M | Engine code |
| 6 to 11 | 123456 | Serial number |
On classic Fords the door data plate adds the body, paint, trim, build date, district, axle and transmission codes. A Marti Report confirms the original build from Ford's production records, which is why classic Mustang and Bronco buyers ask for one. Older trucks like OBS F-150s used their own formats, so check those against a truck specific chart.
Known Ford Problems to Check by Engine and Transmission
Once the VIN tells you the engine and the build sheet tells you the transmission, these are the questions worth asking.
| Engine or transmission | Found in | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5 EcoBoost V6 | F-150, Expedition, Explorer | Timing chain stretch and cam phaser rattle at cold start |
| 2.7 EcoBoost V6 | F-150, Edge, Bronco | Oil pan leaks on early engines |
| 5.0 V8 | F-150, Mustang GT | Oil consumption complaints on some years |
| 10 speed automatic | F-150, Mustang, Expedition, Ranger | Harsh or erratic shifts. Ask if software updates have been done. |
| 1.5 and 2.0 EcoBoost | Escape, Fusion, Edge | Coolant loss into the cylinders on some engines |
| PowerShift dual clutch | Focus and Fiesta, around 2011 to 2016 | Shudder, slipping and hesitation from a stop |
| 6.0 Power Stroke diesel | Super Duty, 2003 to 2007 | Head gasket, EGR cooler and oil cooler failures |
| 5.4 Triton V8 | F-150 and Expedition, mid 2000s | Cam phaser noise and spark plugs that break on removal |
Ford Recall Check
Recall records for the model and year show up in our decoder. To see what's open on one vehicle, enter the full VIN on Ford's owner site or NHTSA's recall lookup. Recall repairs are free at any Ford dealer, even if you bought the vehicle used.
Ford Order Code List
These are the codes in our decoder. The powertrain, equipment group and package codes come from Ford's 2026 F-150 order guide. Other models and years use different codes, so check them against your own paperwork.
Engine and transmission codes, 2026 F-150
- 99P 2.7 EcoBoost V6
- 998 3.5 EcoBoost V6
- 99D 3.5 PowerBoost full hybrid V6
- 995 5.0 V8
- 44G 10 speed automatic
- 44H 10 speed automatic for the hybrid
Equipment group codes, 2026 F-150
- 101A XL high equipment group
- 300A XLT standard equipment group
- 301A XLT mid equipment group
- 302A XLT high equipment group
- 500A Lariat standard equipment group
- 501A Lariat mid equipment group
- 502A Lariat high equipment group
- 600A King Ranch high equipment group
- 700A Platinum standard equipment group
- 701A Platinum high equipment group
Package and option codes, 2026 F-150
- 55A FX4 Off Road Package
- 53T Tow/Haul Package
- 68L Bed Utility Package
- 50M Mobile Office Package
- 193 XLT Black Appearance Package
- 19P XLT Black Appearance Package Plus
- 86B XLT Chrome Appearance Package
- 195 Lariat Black Appearance Package
- 76D Ford Connectivity Package
- 41H Engine block heater
- 18B Black platform running boards
- 18C 6 inch angular step bar
- 425 50 state emissions
Paint codes
- YZ Oxford White
- G1 Shadow Black
- UM Agate Black
- AZ Star White
- UX Ingot Silver
- JS Iconic Silver
- DR Avalanche
- M7 Carbonized Gray
- J7 Magnetic
- E7 Velocity Blue
- B3 Atlas Blue
- HX Antimatter Blue
- PQ Race Red
- D4 Lucid Red
- NE Cactus Gray
- KU Area 51
- SB Cyber Orange
Paint codes are the two characters after EXT PNT on the door label.
Ford VIN and Build Sheet Questions
How do I get a Ford build sheet by VIN?
For 1967 to 2014, order a Marti Report. For 2021 and newer, get a duplicate window sticker, which Ford points owners to through its Ford Show Parts site. For any modern Ford, a dealer can pull the original order by VIN.
Can I get a Ford build sheet as a PDF?
Yes. Marti Reports are emailed as a PDF, and duplicate window stickers are usually supplied as a PDF too.
Is there a free Ford build sheet by VIN?
The closest free options are a Ford dealer, who can often print the original order, and the door label, which our page helps you decode. Marti Reports are paid.
Does a VIN decoder show my Ford's options?
No. The VIN gives the model, year, engine, plant and body. Options and packages are on the window sticker or build sheet.
What do Ford build sheet codes mean?
They're Ford order codes. Equipment groups like 302A show the trim and equipment level, codes starting 99 are engines, 44 are transmissions, and packages like 55A FX4 have their own codes.
What does the 8th character of a Ford VIN mean?
Character 8. On a 2021 or newer F-150, P is the 2.7 EcoBoost, 8 the 3.5 EcoBoost, D the PowerBoost hybrid and 5 the 5.0 V8.
How do I find my Ford paint code?
On the label in the driver door opening, after EXT PNT. It's two characters, like YZ for Oxford White or PQ for Race Red.
How do I decode an 11 digit Ford VIN?
On most classic Ford cars, the first digit is the year, then the plant, a two digit body code, the engine letter and a six digit serial number.
How can I find the build date of my Ford?
It's printed at the top of the door label as a month and year. The VIN gives the model year, which isn't always the same.
Where is the VIN on a Ford?
On the dash at the bottom of the windshield on the driver side, on the door label, and on the title and registration.
Dale Ogden
Dale has spent more than 20 years in vehicle valuations, forecasting and asset management. He was a Forecast Manager at CAP HPI, the UK's leading vehicle valuation authority and a counterpart to Kelley Blue Book.
He helped pioneer early electric vehicle depreciation models adopted by major manufacturers, and his residual value forecasts cover more than 10,000 vehicles. Today his data led insights help buyers, enthusiasts and automotive professionals around the world.
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