Ford VIN Decoder
Any current Ford owner or prospective buyer can use a Ford VIN decoder from GoodCar to uncover a wealth of information about their passenger car or truck. Quality VIN decoders are located at the manufacturer’s website and forums such as the Ford Truck VIN decoder tool.
Car and truck owners, fleet managers, commercial drivers, and others should know how to use Ford’s excellent tools. One of the best of these tools is the Ford VIN Decoder. Enter the 17-digit code in the lookup space, and the massive Ford Database returns valuable information on the owner’s specific model.
The Ford VIN Decoder returns more than rudimentary information. A Ford VIN check with the company’s decoder offers details such as country of origin and specific Ford manufacturing plants, exact engine and drive type, year and month of manufacturing, and the model year back to 1981.
Insurance and fleet managers use the Ford VIN check tools extensively. Relevant facts such as restraint systems, airbags, and side airbags are encoded into Ford passenger models and fleet vehicles with differing accessories.
Deciphering a Ford VIN
Before the NHTSA standardized the industry, the Ford VIN number could be located anywhere on the vehicle. For example, the 1931 Ford Model A’s VIN number was hand-stamped on the engine block with variations in spacing and orientation. 1973 through 1977 models had a VIN plate situated on the rear face of the driver’s door, etc.
You can find your Ford VIN number in two primary locations: inside the driver’s side door jam and under the windshield, on the driver’s side corner of the dash. The Ford door jam plate is a quick way to get the date of manufacture, Ford VIN number, gross axle weight rating, tire and rim size, pressure, paint codes, transmission, and other information.
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Popular Ford Models
Over the decades, Ford has sold over 41 million F-150s. Making this truck a backbone for the company. Use the Ford and get all the information on your truck.
Ford Mustangs remain a top-selling model for the company. The Mustang VIN Decoder provides information, including where and when the vehicle was built.
The Ford Explorer has been one of the most popular SUVs ever built for the American market. Since 1991, the Explorer is now in its 6th generation. Check the VIN number under the window and door jam to find out a host of valuable information.
Ford builds an average of 1.8 million vehicles per year across its varied product lines, 130,000 more vehicles than any other builder. Vehicle Identification Numbers, or VINs are unique to every vehicle and serve as your Ford’s fingerprint, and no two VIN numbers are ever the same.
The Ford VIN is a one-of-a-kind 17-character code comprising digits and capital letters. Armed with a small bit of knowledge, every Ford owner can decipher the code to their advantage. Use the Ford VIN Decoder tool for the latest information on your car. Especially when purchasing a used Ford, always check the 10th position from the left to verify the model year.
Ford’s iconic standing throughout the world gives the company a rich, documented history of the automobile industry. In December 1908, with a serial number of “220”, Henry Ford built his legendary Model T and put the world on wheels.
Ford VIN Lookup
Since 1981, sub-sections of the automobile industry have evolved to help consumers understand all the information available with their vehicles through third-party lookup tools. This information is separate from a Ford VIN decoder. GoodCar and similar services use a vast number of agency database sources, providing over 31 billion data sets.
GoodCar Vin Checks provide vital information on Your Ford:
GoodCar provides every bit of information tied to your Ford VIN number. Never buy a used car without doing a Ford VIN number lookup.
Learn a car’s history, such as the timeline of your odometer reading. The odometer reading must be documented each time your Ford vehicle is brought in for service. Uncover any potential fraud, open recalls, and TBS alerts.
Know the title of your Ford, is it a salvage title? A salvaged title means the vehicle has suffered significant structural/frame or body damage and may be uninsurable. Know whether your vehicle falls under the HYPERLINK "https://www.autosafety.org/federal-lemonlaw/"Lemon Law or is involved in a manufacturer’s buyback.
Registration information is provided from the first buyer to the current owner. Find out if the vehicle has been registered as a fleet vehicle or comes from an auction yard. Lookup tools inform the owner of any accidents and if the car has been reported as stolen.
Ford Recalls and Technical Service Bulletins
Ford VIN number lookup tools can be linked to a host of actionable items, the most prominent being recent safety and compliance recalls. Use the VIN Recall Look-Up feature and check if your Ford, Lincoln, or Mercury has a service item attached to the VIN or if there is an update to a recall effort. For example, Ford will send out a communique giving the owner every piece of pertinent information tied to that specific VIN and the next step.
Ford Technical Service Bulletins (TBS)
Based on a Ford VIN number, TBS is a bulletin sent out to dealerships, Ford repair shops, and owners to identify, part and vehicle issues and offer a solution.
- For example, Ford sent out a bulletin for the F-150s rain-sensing wipers, and the problem stems from installed software. Owners who use the Ford VIN check tools will be notified early of any problems and what to do.
Perform a Ford VIN check at GoodCar or head to Ford’s TBS site to see if there are any current issues with your automobile.
Ford Recalls
According to the NHTSA, Ford issued 54 recalls affecting nearly 5.7 million vehicles in 2023, down 21% from 2022. Manufacturers voluntarily issue recall alerts. The NHTSA has considerable influence on any recall investigation. The manufacturer must notify the NHTSA and any involved third party if a safety defect is discovered.
Consumers can get all the details on recalls using the Ford VIN number lookup tool at the company’s website, intended exclusively for recall alerts and updates. The site also provides recent safety and compliance recalls.
- The largest recall in Ford’s history occurred between the years 1988 through 1993. The recall involved most of their vehicle lineup with faulty ignition switches. It was the largest recall by a single manufacturer, involving 8.7 million vehicles. Over 1100 Ford Customers reported fires with two severe injuries before they succumbed to public pressure.
- Between the years 2021 and 2023, Ford recalled over 113,000 F-150s due to a defective rear axle hub bolt, causing the truck to roll away. Following an investigation into the F-150 the NHTSA made a filing to the NHTSA. The damaged axle hub bolt can increasingly become weak and fatigued. Only trucks manufactured between 2021 and 2023 are affected.
- Ford was forced to fix close to 5.6 million vehicles in 2023. The largest of these recalls involved 1.3 million Ford Fusions and Lincoln MKZ models. The problem was over a brake jounce hose ( a small piece of flexible hose connecting the brake lines to the caliper) that would fail prematurely due to a design flaw. Some customers reported the sound as an explosion under the vehicle.
- On January 19th, 2024, Ford and the NHTSA announced a recall of the Explorer SUVs between the years of 2011 and 2019. The recall affects nearly 1.8 million of the light-duty vehicles. Certain parts of the A-pillar trim are not properly attached due to HYPERLINK "https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V031-8781.PDF"“improper assembly and repair.” The A-pillar trim may come loose and fall off, potentially affecting other drivers. Of the 1.8 million vehicles, only 5% are estimated to have the defect.