Introduction
This page shows you how to properly break down the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) on a
This page is here to help you break down the V.I.N. on your Ford truck.
Following the 17-digit V.I.N. on your truck, select the character for each box that matches its place in the V.I.N.
Sample V.I.N. (Vehicle Identification Number)
Ford V.I.N. Number Breakdown
Position |
Definition |
| 1st Position (Nation of Origin) | 1 – USA 2 – Canada 3 – Mexico |
| 2nd Position (Manufacturer) | F – Ford |
| 3rd Position (Type of Vehicle) | C – Basic (Stripped) Chassis D – Incomplete Vehicle M – Multipurpose Vehicle T – Truck |
| 4th Position (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) | A – Up To 3,000 lbs. B – 3,001-4,000 lbs. C – 4,001-5,000 lbs. D – 5,001-6,000 lbs. E – 6,001-7,000 lbs. F – 7,001-8,000 lbs. G – 8,001-8,500 lbs. H – 8,501-9,000 lbs. J – 9,001-10,000 lbs. K – 10,001-14,000 lbs. L – 14,001-16,000 lbs. M – 16,001-19,500 lbs. |
| 5th, 6th, 7th Position (Line, Series, Body Type) | E11 — Econoline Club Wagon E31 — Econoline Club Wagon (Heavy Duty) S31 — Econoline Club Wagon (Super Club Wagon) E14 — Econoline E-150 (Cargo Van) E24 — Econoline E-250 (Cargo Van) E27 — Econoline E-250 (Commercial Cutaway) E29 — Econoline E-250 (Commercial Basic) E30 — Econoline E-350 (RV Cutaway) E34 — Econoline E-350 (Cargo Van) E37 — Econoline E-350 (Commercial Cutaway) E39 — Econoline E-350 (Commercial Basic) S24 — Econoline E-250 (Super Van) S34 — Econoline E-350 (Super Van) E40 — E-Super Duty (RV Cutaway) E47 — E-Super Duty (Commercial Cutaway) F07 — F-150 Flareside, 4×2 X07 — F-150 (SuperCab) Flareside, 4×2 F08 — F-150 Flareside, 4×4 X08 — F-150 (SuperCab) Flareside, 4×4 F17 — F-150 Styleside, 4×2 X17 — F-150 (SuperCab) Styleside, 4×2 F18 — F-150 Styleside, 4×4 X18 — F-150 (SuperCab) Styleside, 4×4 F27 — F-250 Styleside, 4×2 X27 — F-250 (SuperCab) Styleside, 4×2 F28 — F-250 Styleside, 4×4 X28 — F-250 (SuperCab) Styleside, 4×4 U12 — Bronco II 4×2 U14 — Bronco II 4×4 U22 — Explorer (2-door), 4×2 U32 — Explorer (4-door), 4×2 U24 — Explorer (2-door), 4×4 U34 — Explorer (4-door), 4×4 U35 — Explorer (4-door), AWD U52 — Mountaineer (4-door) 4×2 U54 — Mountaineer (4-door) 4×4 U55 — Mountaineer (4-door) AWD R10 — Ranger 4×2 R11 — Ranger 4×4 R14 — Ranger 4×2 (2-door SuperCab) R15 — Ranger 4×4 (2-door SuperCab) R18 — Ranger 4×2 (4-door SuperCab) R19 — Ranger 4×4 (4-door SuperCab) R1A — Ranger, Super cab, RWD, Pick-up box delete R1E — Ranger, Super cab, RWD R1F — Ranger, Super cab, 4WD R4E — Ranger, SuperCrew cab, RWD R4F — Ranger, SuperCrew cab, 4WD |
| 8th Position (Engine Type) | A – 2.3-Liter 4-Cylinder (Ranger 1997 and older) B – 2.5-Liter 4-Cylinder Diesel (Ranger) C – 2.5-Liter 4-Cylinder (Ranger)(2.0 on older Rangers) E – 2.3-Liter 4-Cylinder Diesel (Mitsubishi) E – 4.0-Liter 6-Cylinder – SOHC (Explorer, Mountaineer) F – 7.3-Liter 8-Cylinder Diesel (Econoline) H – 2.3-Liter 4-Cylinder EcoBoost L – 5.4-Liter 8-Cylinder (Econoline, F-150, F-250) M – 5.4-Liter 8-Cylinder Natural Gas (Econoline, F-150, F-250) P – 2.2-Liter 4-Cylinder Diesel (Ranger) P – 5.0-Liter 8-Cylinder (Explorer/Mountaineer) S – 2.8-Liter 6-Cylinder (Ranger) S – 6.8-Liter 10-Cylinder (Econoline) T – 2.9-Liter 6-Cylinder (Ranger) U – 3.0-Liter 6-Cylinder (Ranger) W – 4.6-Liter 8-Cylinder (F-150, F-250) X – 4.0-Liter 6-Cylinder (Explorer, Ranger) Z – 5.4-Liter 8-Cylinder (Econoline, F-150, F-250) 2 – 4.2-Liter 6-Cylinder (Econoline, F-150, F-250) 6 – 4.6-Liter 8-Cylinder (Econoline, F-150, F-250) |
| 9th Position (Check Digit) | Ignore |
| 10th Position (Model Year) | A – 1980 B – 1981 C – 1982 D – 1983 E – 1984 F – 1985 G – 1986 H – 1987 J – 1988 K – 1989 L – 1990 M – 1991 N – 1992 P – 1993 R – 1994 S – 1995 T – 1996 V – 1997 W – 1998 X – 1999 Y – 2000 1 – 2001 2 – 2002 3 – 2003 4 – 2004 5 – 2005 6 – 2006 7 – 2007 8 – 2008 9 – 2009 A – 2010 B – 2011 K – 2019 L – 2020 M – 2021 N – 2022 P – 2023 R – 2024 S – 2025 |
| 11th Position (Assembly Plant) | B – Oakville (Oakville, Ontario Canada) C – Ontario Truck (Oakville, Ontario Canada) D – Avon Lake (Avon Lake, Ohio) E – Kentucky Truck (Jefferson County, Kentucky) H – Lorain (Lorain, Ohio) K – Kansas City (Claycomo Missouri) L – Michigan Assembly plant (Wayne, Michigan) M – Cuautitlan, Mexico N – Norfolk (Norfolk, Virginia) P – Twin Cities (St. Paul, Minnesota) S – Allen Park (Allen Park, Michigan) T – Edison (Edison, New Jersey) U – Louisville (Louisville, Kentucky) Z – St. Louis (Hazlewood, Missouri) |
| 12th Position (Sequential Number) | Last 6-Digits Are the Sequence Number Beginning with:
A00001 (Ford) or J00001 (Lincoln/Mercury) |
Here Is A Sample Ford V.I.N. To Break Down:
V.I.N.# 1FTCR15X0TTA01050
Using the sample V.I.N. given, you can see that this vehicle is:
Sample V.I.N. Decoded |
||
| Position | Code | Definition |
| 1 | (1) | Made in the USA |
| 2 | (F) | Made by Ford |
| 3 | (T) | Is a Truck |
| 4 | (C) | Has a G.V.W.R. of 4,001 – 5,000 lbs. |
| 5, 6 & 7 | (R15) | Ranger 4×4 (2-Door SuperCab) |
| 8 | (X) | Has a 4.0 Liter V-6 |
| 9 | (5) | Check Digit – Ignore |
| 10 | (T) | Was built in 1996 |
| 11 | (T) | Was built in Edison New Jersey |
| 12 | (A) | Ford Division |
| 13 thru 17 | (01050) | Was the 1,050th truck built that year |
As you can see, the VIN identifies the vehicle as a 1996 Ford Ranger SuperCab 4×4 with a 4.0L V-6 that was the 1,050th Ranger built in 1996 in Edison, New Jersey.
Updated
Updated to include 2019+ Ford Ranger
Last Updated:
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About The Author
Jim Oaks is the founder of TheRangerStation.com, the longest-running Ford Ranger resource online since 1999. With over 25 years of hands-on experience building and modifying Ford Rangers — including magazine-featured builds like Project Transformer — Jim has become one of the most trusted authorities in the Ford Ranger off-road and enthusiast space. In 2019, he was loaned a Ranger FX4 by Ford Motor Company to test and document across the TransAmerica Trail. Jim continues to inspire and guide Ranger owners around the world.