VIN codes | Ford Thunderbird forum club group 1955-2005 models
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VIN codes

  • Thread starter Thread starter flyboy514
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Hey, I found this on my 2002 Ford Car Service CD. Hope you find it interesting.

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 number is also found on the vehicle certification (VC) label.
The first three vehicle identification number (VIN) positions are the world manufacturer code.
1FA — Ford Motor Company — USA, passenger car
The fourth VIN position is the vehicle restraint system type code.
H — Active safety belts — all positions, driver and air bags, driver and passenger side impact air bags
Positions 5 through 7 indicate vehicle line and series.
P60 — Thunderbird — 2-door convertible
P64 — Thunderbird — 2-door convertible, feature car
The eighth VIN position is the engine displacement and number of cylinders code.
A — 3.9L, eight cylinder, DOHC, EFI
The ninth VIN position is a computer generated check digit code (0-9).
The tenth VIN position is the model year code.
2 — 2002
The eleventh VIN position is the assembly plant code.
Y — Wixom, Michigan (USA)
The last six VIN positions are the production sequence number. This set of numbers is also used as the vehicle serial and warranty number.
Ford Motor Company— Begins with 100000
Vehicle Certification (VC) Label
The upper portion of 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). The VC label is located on the left-hand front door jamb.
Item Description
1 Exterior paint color code
2 Region code
3 Special order code (DSO — domestic special order FSO — foreign special order PTO — paint, tire option special order)
4 Brake type code
5 Interior trim code
6 Tape/paint stripe code
7 Radio type code
8 Axle ratio code
9 Transmission code
10 Spring code
11 Powertrain calibration code

The exterior color codes are:
UA — Ebony
W5 — Ceramic White Solid
D3 — Colorado Red
LY — Thunderbird Blue
C5 — Inspiration Yellow
TL — Satin Silver
The brake type codes is
3 — Anti-lock brakes (ABS) with Traction Control
The interior trim codes are listed below. The first letter/number is for the interior fabric. The second letter/number is for the interior color.
A — Leather interior
The interior trim colors are:
W — Midnight Black
R — Colorado Red
B — Thunderbird Blue
Y — Inspiration Yellow
S — Light Satin Silver
The radio type codes are:
X — AM/FM stereo (CDX6) with in-dash six disc CD changer
The axle ratios are:
53 — 3.58 conventional
The transmission code is:
A — 5-speed, automatic (5R55N), Sharonville
The spring codes are:
Front spring modules — base part number — 5310
Rear spring — base part number — 5560
NOTE: Powertrain calibration information is limited to a maximum of five characters per line on the Vehicle Certification (VC) Label. Because of this, calibration identification consisting of more than five characters will wrap to the second line in the powertrain calibration field of the VC label.
Powertrain calibration information is printed in the lower right corner of the Vehicle Certification (VC) Label. Only the base calibration information is printed. Revision levels will not appear, however, they can be found in On Line Automotive Service Information System (OASIS).
Item Description
1 Model year
2 Vehicle code
3 Transmission code
4 Unique calibration
5 Fleet code
6 Certification region
7 Revision level (will advance as revisions occur). Not printed on label

The following offers a more detailed explanation of the coding strategy used.
Model Year
2 — 2002
Vehicle Line
SR — Thunderbird
Transmission
1 — Automatic transmission
Unique Calibration
The Emission/CAFE/CO2 Compliance Department is responsible for assigning these calibration numbers. Unique calibration identifications are assigned to cover similar vehicle to differentiate tires, drive configurations, final drive ratios and other certification-significant factors.
These two characters are chosen by the analyst to provide easily identifiable information unique to each calibration. For example, using the number 2 to denote a two-valve engine versus the number 4 to denote a four-valve engine.
Fleet Code
0 — Certification (U. S. 4K, final sale in an export market)
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
9 — Not assigned
Certification Region
5 — U. S. fifty states
A — U. S. federal, including altitude, may include Canada and Mexico
B — U. S. California standard, includes U. S. green states
C — Canada
D — China
E — European community
F — Israel, South Korea
G — Gulf Cooperative Council (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon 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)

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Man, you could fill up a whole website trying to analyze all this info.

What's really interesting about what you posted is that the names of three colors are different than the advertised names = the midnight black, whisper white and torch red are all identified differently on your decode stuff.
 
I can only guess that the color names were changed by marketing. You will notice the blue and yellow were correct. Anyway, didn't mean to load up the website, just found it interesting to understand what the VIN means and what the options codes are. Since there aren't many options to chose from the decode is pretty much the same for everyone.
 
I have LonO'Connell working to try to find out the meaning of the brake codes for the Thunderbird. What is listed on that Service CD is NOT what is printed on the door tag codes for the Thunderbirds.

What would really help us with the brake codes is for those of you with your cars, to tell us

1- what brake code your car has and
2- whether your car is a premium or a deluxe model.
3- If yours is a delux model, then do you know if yours came with or without the traction control???? (check your window sticker invoice - you DID save that didn't you??)

The premium codes I've spotted on ebay show a brake code of "4" so I assume all premiums will have that code since the traction control is supposed to be standard on those cars.

Note: Canadian cars should all have the "4" since that's what I've spotted on those cars and all Canadian cars come with traction control - is that correct??

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Dot, tbird blue w/white top on order, #18/26 the New T-bird
 
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