The Ford Country Squire was the top of the full size Ford wagon range for four decades, from 1950 all the way to 1991, and for most of that time it wore the wood look side trim that made it instantly recognisable. Because it ran for so long, the way you read its VIN depends on the year. This page covers both the older cars and the later ones, so you can decode whichever Country Squire you are looking at.

How a Ford Country Squire VIN is put together

The dividing line is 1981. Wagons from the 1981 model year onward use the modern seventeen character VIN that every car now carries. Earlier Country Squires predate that standard and use a shorter Ford identification number, stamped on the car and repeated on the door data plate. The older number still tells you the year, the plant and the engine, but it does not line up position for position with the modern layout, so the first step is to check which era your car belongs to.

Ford Country Squire VIN position by position (1981 and later)

On the later wagons the seventeen characters break down like this. Reading them in order pins down the year and the factory quickly.

Ford Country Squire model year codes (position 10)

For the final run on the full size platform, the tenth character reads as follows.

Engines through the years

Over forty years the Country Squire carried a long line of Ford V8s, so position eight has to be read against the model year. The rough picture is that the 1950s and 1960s cars used the Y block and then the FE big blocks such as the 352, 390 and 428, the 1970s cars moved to the 351, 400 and the big 460, and the downsized 1979 and later wagons settled on the 302, badged 5.0, as the mainstay. A genuine big block car is worth confirming against the door plate rather than the badges alone.

Where to find the VIN on a Ford Country Squire

On the 1981 and later cars the VIN reads through the windshield at the base of the glass on the driver side, and it repeats on the label in the driver door jamb. On the older wagons look for the plate on the door or door pillar, with the same details set out on the door data tag. If the numbers do not agree, treat that as a warning sign.

Reading a Country Squire VIN in practice

Take a late wagon whose VIN starts with 1FA and shows H in position ten. That marks it as a United States built Ford passenger car from the 1987 model year. Position eight then confirms the engine that left the factory, and the final six digits are the serial number for that individual car.

Reliability and the things worth checking

These were simple, tough, body on frame wagons, and the mechanical side gives little trouble when it has been looked after. Rust is the main concern on any survivor, especially around the tailgate, the wheel arches and the floors. On the wood look cars the applied side trim can lift or fade, and replacing it well is not cheap, so factor that in on a car you want to keep original.

Buying a used Ford Country Squire

Decide whether you want an early big block cruiser or one of the tidier later 5.0 wagons, because they drive and cost very differently. Whatever the year, run the VIN and read the door plate so the year, the engine and the body all agree with what the seller is telling you. A solid, honest wagon with its wood trim intact is far easier to live with than a cheap one hiding rust.

Mercury Cougar VIN Decoder: History, Engines and VIN Lookup Guide

Every Mercury Cougar carries an identification number, and reading it is the quickest way to confirm what a particular car really is before you trust a seller’s description. The Cougar was Mercury’s long running coupe, built from 1967 to 2002, and over those decades it changed from a plush pony car into a mid-size personal coupe and finally a sporty front wheel drive hatch. Because the early cars predate the modern 17 character VIN, this guide covers both the classic Ford and Mercury numbering and the 17 character VIN used from 1981. You can run a Cougar number through the decoder at the top of this page, and the guide below explains how the number is built, walks through the eras, and points out what to check when you look one over.

How a Mercury Cougar VIN is put together

Cougars built before 1981 use a shorter identification number where the first character is the model year, the second is the assembly plant, and further characters give the body and engine codes. From 1981 the Cougar uses the 17 character VIN, which begins with a Mercury manufacturer code such as 1ME for cars built in the United States and places the engine in the middle block and the model year at position ten. The engine code is the part that matters most, because the Cougar ranged from small sixes to big-block and supercharged V8s. The quick reference below covers the clues you will use most often when you read a Mercury Cougar number.

On a car this old, matching the number on the data plate with the title and any other stampings is the first check worth doing, and on an early collectible car it is essential.

How a Mercury Cougar is identified

The Cougar was Mercury’s version of a Ford, and over its long life it sits across the change to the modern VIN. Cars from the 1981 model year on carry the seventeen character VIN, which on a Mercury begins with a Mercury identifier such as 1ME, and the 1999 to 2002 car built at Flat Rock uses the 1ZW code. The tenth character of the VIN gives the model year. The earlier cars, up to 1980, predate that system and are identified by an older Ford number, stamped on the car and set out on the door data plate.

What the number tells you

On the later cars the seventeen character VIN reads position by position, with the tenth character giving the year and the descriptor section separating the engines, which on the muscle era cars is what matters most. On the earlier cars the stamped number and the data plate together record the year, the plant, the body and the engine, and a genuine big block or an XR7 is worth confirming against the plate rather than the badges.

Where to find the number on a Mercury Cougar

On the later cars the VIN reads through the windshield at the base of the glass on the driver side and repeats on the door jamb label. On the earlier cars look for the data plate on the door or door pillar and the stamped number on the body. On any car of this age the plate, the stamped number and the paperwork all need to agree before you buy.

A short history, generation by generation

The Cougar launched in 1967 as an upmarket cousin of the Mustang, longer and more luxurious, and the early cars including the GT and Eliminator are now sought after classics. Through the 1970s it grew into a mid-size personal luxury coupe, then moved onto the Fox platform in 1980 with the XR-7. The sleek MN12 generation of 1989 brought the supercharged XR7 and later a modular V8, and the final 1999 to 2002 car was a sharp front wheel drive coupe based on the Mondeo and Contour. The table below sums up the eras.

Mercury Cougar engines and specifications

Because the engine code is part of the number, a proper check confirms the engine the car was born with, which can swing a classic Cougar’s value dramatically. The figures below cover the main engines, with power as a range because output changed across the years and the way it was measured changed too.

Mercury Cougar by model year

Buyers searching for a specific year want to know what they are getting, so the table below maps several model years to their year code, era and engine options. Cars before 1981 use the year digit, while later cars use the 17 character VIN year code.

Reliability and the things worth checking

Reliability depends heavily on the era and engine, and you should always run the number through the NHTSA recall database. The most common points to check are summarized below.

Buying a used Mercury Cougar

When you find one worth pursuing, read the number first and make sure the model year, engine and body line up with the seller’s description and the title. On an early car or a supercharged XR7, confirm the car is genuine through the data plate and documentation, and on every Cougar spend your time checking for corrosion. When you are ready, enter your Mercury Cougar number in the decoder above to confirm the year, engine and plant, then use the advice here to make sure the car is genuinely what it claims to be.

Ford Cortina (US) VIN Decoder: History, Engines and VIN Lookup Guide

Every Ford Cortina carries an identification number, and reading it is the quickest way to confirm what a particular car really is before you trust a seller’s description. The Cortina was a British built Ford that was also sold in the United States during the 1960s as an affordable imported compact, including the celebrated Lotus Cortina. Because the Cortina was built before the modern 17 character VIN, it uses a shorter chassis and serial number, and reading it confirms the model and roughly when the car was built.

You can run a Cortina number through the decoder at the top of this page, and the guide below explains the format, walks through the generations, and points out what matters most when you check one.

How a Ford Cortina VIN is put together

The Cortina predates the 17 character VIN that Ford adopted in 1981, so it carries a shorter chassis and serial number rather than a modern VIN. The number is stamped on a plate in the engine bay and on the body, and it identifies the model series and the individual car.

Because these cars are old, the most reliable approach is to match the chassis number on the car with the registration document and any history with it, and an owners club can confirm what a correct number looks like for a given year, which matters most on a Lotus Cortina where value depends on authenticity. The quick reference below covers the clues you will use most often when you read a Ford Cortina number.

On a car this old, matching the chassis number with the paperwork is the first and most important check, and on a Lotus Cortina it is essential.

A short history, generation by generation

The Cortina arrived in 1962 as a light, affordable family car that was an instant success in Britain and was exported widely, including to the United States. The Mk1 gave us the GT and the Lotus Cortina, a twin-cam homologation special that became a motorsport legend. The Mk2 of 1966 carried the formula on with cleaner styling and continued the GT and Lotus versions. The table below sums up the generations sold in this era.

Ford Cortina engines and specifications

Because the engine is central to what a Cortina is worth, confirming it against the car is well worth doing, especially on the performance versions. The figures below cover the main engines, with power as a range because output changed across the years.

Ford Cortina by model year

Buyers searching for a specific year want to know what they are getting, so the table below maps several years to the model series and engine. These cars predate the 17 character VIN and are identified by their chassis number.

Reliability and the things worth checking

These are mechanically simple cars, but every survivor is now a classic, so condition and originality matter far more than complexity. The most common points to check are summarized below.

Buying a used Ford Cortina

When you find one worth pursuing, read the chassis number first and make sure it matches the registration document and any history. On a GT or Lotus Cortina confirm the car is genuine through the number and a recognised registry, since the difference in value is large, and on every Cortina spend your time checking for corrosion.

When you are ready, enter your Ford Cortina number in the decoder above, then use the advice here to make sure the car is genuinely what it claims to be.

Ford Contour VIN Decoder: History, Engines and VIN Lookup Guide

Every Ford Contour carries a 17-character Vehicle Identification Number, and decoding it is the quickest way to confirm what a given car really is before you trust a listing. The VIN reveals the model year, the plant it came from, the engine fitted at the factory, the body and the safety equipment. On the Contour this matters most for confirming the engine, separating a four-cylinder from a V6 or the sporty SVT, and verifying the model year a seller claims. Run any Contour VIN through the decoder above to read it in seconds. The guide below explains how the number is built, walks through the model’s run, and points out what to check.

How a Ford Contour VIN is put together

The 17 characters follow a global standard, so each position carries fixed meaning. The Contour was built at Kansas City in the United States, so its VIN begins with 1FA, marking a Ford passenger car built in the United States. Characters four through eight describe the body, the restraint system and the engine, which is where the 2.0 four-cylinder is separated from the 2.5 V6. The ninth character is a check digit, the tenth is the model year, the eleventh is the plant, and the final six are the unique build sequence.

You will find the VIN at the base of the windshield on the driver’s side, on the door jamb label, and in the registration paperwork.

Ford Contour VIN position by position

The Contour was the American version of the European Mondeo, and it uses the seventeen character VIN. Read it in order and you can settle the year, the plant and the engine before you trust the advert, which is worth doing to spot a genuine SVT.

Ford Contour model year codes (position 10)

The Contour was sold from 1995 to 2000, and the tenth character reads as follows.

Where to find the VIN on a Ford Contour

Read the VIN through the windshield at the base of the glass on the driver side, and check it against the label in the driver door jamb. A genuine SVT Contour is worth much more than a standard car, so use the VIN and the engine to confirm it rather than trusting the badges.

Reading a Contour VIN in practice

Take a car whose VIN starts with 1FA and shows X in position ten. That marks it as a United States built Ford passenger car from the 1999 model year. Position eight then tells you whether it left the line as the four cylinder or the V6, and the final six digits are the car’s own serial number.

About the Ford Contour

The Contour was Ford’s compact sedan for North America from 1995 to 2000, based on the European Mondeo and sharing its underpinnings with the Mercury Mystique. It was praised for its European-style handling, and the high-performance Contour SVT, with a tuned 2.5 V6, became a sought-after enthusiast model.

Ford Contour engines and specifications

Because the engine code sits in the middle of the VIN, a check confirms the engine the car was built with, which is exactly what you want when a listing is vague about four-cylinder versus V6.

Ford Contour by model year

The Contour follows the standard VIN year characters, so position ten quickly confirms the year a seller claims.

Reliability and the things worth checking

As an older car, the Contour’s condition matters most. Confirm a specific car against records by its VIN where possible.

A VIN check together with a careful inspection, especially for SVT authenticity and rust, is the best way to choose a good Contour.

Ford Contour recalls

Below are notable safety recalls recorded for the Ford Contour by the American road safety regulator, the NHTSA. This is a reference list, not a check of your individual car, and a recall applies only to certain build dates and VIN ranges.

Recall data is published by the NHTSA and changes over time, so treat this as background rather than a substitute for the official record for your VIN.

Check a specific VIN for open recalls: use the official NHTSA recalls lookup or the Ford recall page. Both are free and show whether the work has already been done.

Buying a used Ford Contour

Decode the VIN first and confirm the model year and engine match the advertisement. The four-cylinder is the simple, economical choice, the V6 is smoother and quicker, and the SVT is the enthusiast pick whose authenticity is worth confirming through the VIN and documentation. On any of them, condition and service history matter most. When you are ready, enter your Ford Contour VIN in the decoder above to confirm the year, engine and configuration before you buy.

Ford Consul VIN Decoder: History, Engines and VIN Lookup Guide

Every Ford Consul carries an identification number, and reading it is the quickest way to confirm what a particular car really is before you trust a seller’s description. The Consul name ran through several eras of Ford of Britain, from the smart Consul saloons of the 1950s to the Granada based Consul of the early 1970s. Because most Consuls were built before the modern 17 character VIN, they use a shorter chassis and serial number, and reading it confirms the model and roughly when the car was built. You can run a Consul number through the decoder at the top of this page, and the guide below explains the format, walks through the eras, and points out what matters most when you check one.

How a Ford Consul VIN is put together

The Consul predates the 17 character VIN that Ford adopted in 1981, so it carries a shorter chassis and serial number rather than a modern VIN. The number is stamped on a plate in the engine bay and on the body, and it identifies the model series and the individual car. Because these cars are old, the most reliable approach is to match the chassis number on the car with the registration document and any history that comes with it, and an owners club can confirm what a correct number looks like for a given year. The quick reference below covers the clues you will use most often when you read a Ford Consul number.

On a car this old, matching the chassis number with the paperwork is the first and most important check.

How a Ford Consul is identified

The Consul is older than the seventeen character VIN, so it does not have one. A British Ford of this era is identified by its chassis number, stamped on the car and shown on the identification plate in the engine bay, with a serial number tying the body to Ford’s records. There is no modern position by position code to read, so the plate and the stamped number, checked against the paperwork, are what establish the car.

Where to find the number on a Ford Consul

Look for the identification plate in the engine bay, usually on the inner wing or the bulkhead, and for the stamped chassis number on the body. On a car of this age the plate, the stamped number and the registration documents all need to agree. A car whose plate is missing or whose numbers do not match is much harder to value, so check carefully before you buy.

Reading a Consul number in practice

Rather than decoding positions as on a modern VIN, you match the chassis and serial numbers against Ford records and the owners clubs to place the car and confirm its history. The clubs keep the knowledge that turns an old number into a year and a specification, so on a car this age they are the best place to verify what you have.

A short history, generation by generation

The Consul arrived in 1951 as the four cylinder member of Ford of Britain’s new Consul, Zephyr and Zodiac family, modern monocoque cars that were a big step forward. The Mk2 of 1956 grew larger, and the Consul Classic of the early 1960s was a more ornate small saloon. The name then rested until 1972, when it returned as the more affordable four cylinder and V6 version of the new Granada, sold until 1975 when both simply became Granada. The table below sums up the eras.

Ford Consul engines and specifications

Because the engine matters to what a Consul is worth, confirming it against the car is well worth doing. The figures below cover the main engines, with power as a range because output changed across the eras.

Ford Consul by model year

Buyers searching for a specific year want to know what they are getting, so the table below maps several years to the model series and engine. These cars predate the 17 character VIN and are identified by their chassis number.

Reliability and the things worth checking

These are mechanically simple cars, but every survivor is now a classic, so condition and originality matter far more than complexity. The most common points to check are summarized below.

Buying a used Ford Consul

When you find one worth pursuing, read the chassis number first and make sure it matches the registration document and any history with the car. Spend most of your time checking for corrosion, and confirm the car is complete, since trim for these models can be hard to find. When you are ready, enter your Ford Consul number in the decoder above, then use the advice here to make sure the car is genuinely what it claims to be.

Ford Capri VIN Decoder: History, Engines and VIN Lookup Guide

The Ford Capri carries a Vehicle Identification Number that tells you what a given car really is, which is invaluable when buying, restoring or verifying one of Europe’s most loved coupes. From 1981 onward Capris use the standard 17-character VIN that confirms model year, plant, engine and configuration, while earlier cars use shorter factory numbers read with year-specific references. This page covers the classic Ford Capri coupe. Run a VIN through the decoder above to read it, and use the guide below to understand the number and what to check on a classic Capri.

How a Ford Capri VIN is put together

For cars built from 1981 the 17 characters follow a global standard. The first three are the World Manufacturer Identifier, and European Capris built in Germany typically begin with WF0, the identifier for Ford-Werke. Characters four through eight describe the body, the restraint system and the engine, which is where a four-cylinder car is separated from a V6. The ninth character is a check digit, the tenth is the model year, the eleventh is the plant, and the final six are the unique build sequence. Capris built before 1981 predate this system and use shorter codes specific to each year.

You will find the VIN at the base of the windshield, on the door jamb label, on body stampings, and in the registration paperwork.

Ford Capri VIN position by position

On a Capri built from 1981 the seventeen characters break down as follows. Reading the VIN one position at a time is the quickest way to confirm the year, the factory and the engine family before you trust any advert or listing.

Ford Capri model year codes (position 10)

The tenth character carries the model year. For the final Mk3 cars the codes run as below, so a Capri showing E in position ten left the line as a 1984 model.

Identifying the Ford Capri engine from the VIN

Character eight of the VIN records the engine family, and on the Capri it is the character that tells a four cylinder car apart from a V6. Because the Capri was sold with several very different engines, the engine code is also stamped on the block and repeated on the identification plate, so a genuine car matches across all three. The main Capri engines were:

Where to find the VIN on a Ford Capri

On a classic Capri the identification plate sits in the engine bay, usually on the front slam panel or inner wing, and the chassis number is also stamped into the bodywork nearby. Because these cars are decades old, always check that the plate, the stamped chassis number and the engine number agree with each other and with the paperwork. A number that has been ground down or does not match is a reason to walk away.

Reading a Ford Capri VIN in practice

Take a 1984 Capri built in Cologne as an example. It begins with WF0, which confirms a Ford-Werke car, and it carries E in position ten, which fixes it as a 1984 model. Position eight then separates a four cylinder 2.0 from a 2.8 injection V6, and the final six digits give the individual build number. Cars built before 1981 predate the seventeen character system and instead use a shorter number that has to be read against the year specific tables rather than this modern layout.

About the classic Ford Capri

The Capri was Ford of Europe’s affordable fastback coupe, sold from 1969 to 1986 and marketed as the car you always promised yourself. Across three generations it offered everything from economical four-cylinders to charismatic V6 models such as the 2.8 injection, and it became a motorsport and enthusiast icon. Ford later revived the Capri name for a modern electric SUV, which is a different vehicle from the classic coupe described here.

Ford Capri engines and specifications

Because the engine code sits in the middle of the VIN on 1981 and later cars, a check confirms the engine the car was built with, which is important for value and originality on a classic coupe.

Reliability and the things worth checking

On a classic Capri, condition and originality matter far more than specification. Confirm a 1981 or later car against records by its VIN where possible.

A VIN check together with a careful inspection for rust and originality is essential on a classic of this age and following.

Buying a used Ford Capri

Decode the VIN first on 1981 and later cars to confirm the model year and engine. On the classic Capri, a solid, rust-free body and a genuine, original drivetrain are everything, and the desirable V6 models in particular reward careful verification through the VIN and history before you pay a premium. When you are ready, enter your Ford Capri VIN in the decoder above to confirm the year, engine and configuration before you buy.

Ford C-MAX VIN Decoder: Generations, Engines and VIN Lookup Guide

Every Ford C-MAX carries a 17-character Vehicle Identification Number, and decoding it is the quickest way to confirm what a given compact MPV really is before you trust a listing. The VIN reveals the model year, the plant it came from, the engine fitted at the factory, the body style and the safety equipment. On a used C-MAX this matters most for confirming the exact engine, telling the five-seat from the seven-seat Grand C-MAX, and verifying the model year a seller claims. Run any C-MAX VIN through the decoder above to read it in seconds. The guide below explains how the number is built, walks through the generations, and points out what to check on each.

How a Ford C-MAX VIN is put together

The 17 characters follow a global standard, so each position carries fixed meaning. European C-MAX models were built in Germany and Spain and typically begin with WF0, the World Manufacturer Identifier for Ford in Europe, while the North American C-MAX hybrid built in Michigan begins with 1FA. Characters four through eight describe the body, the restraint system and the engine, which is where a 1.0 EcoBoost is separated from a diesel or the hybrid. The ninth character is a check digit, the tenth is the model year, the eleventh is the plant, and the final six are the unique build sequence.

You will find the VIN at the base of the windshield on the driver’s side, on the door jamb label, and in the registration paperwork.

Ford C-MAX VIN position by position

The C-MAX is a compact people mover built on the Focus platform. Most were built in Europe, while the hybrid sold in America from 2013 was built in the United States, which the first three characters make clear. It uses the standard seventeen character VIN.

Ford C-MAX model year codes (position 10)

The tenth character gives the model year. Match your letter or number below.

Where to find the VIN on a Ford C-MAX

Read the VIN through the base of the windscreen on the driver side and check it against the plate or label in the door area. On the hybrid it is also worth matching the VIN to the service and battery records, since the battery history matters on any used hybrid.

Reading a C-MAX VIN in practice

Take a car whose VIN shows E in position ten. That places it as a 2014 model. If it opens with WF0 it is a European car, and if it opens with 1FA it is one of the American built hybrids. The descriptor section confirms the engine, and the closing six digits are the car’s own serial number.

Generations of the Ford C-MAX

The C-MAX was Ford’s compact MPV, built on the same platform as the Focus and offered as a practical five-seat car and a longer seven-seat Grand C-MAX. The first generation arrived in 2003, the second generation from 2010 added EcoBoost engines and the seven-seat version, and a hybrid and plug-in hybrid were sold in North America.

Ford C-MAX engines and specifications

Because the engine code sits in the middle of the VIN, a check confirms the engine the car was built with, which is exactly what you want when a listing is vague about the unit or fuel type.

Ford C-MAX by model year

The C-MAX follows the standard VIN year letters, so position ten quickly confirms the year a seller claims for the common later cars.

Reliability and the things worth checking

The C-MAX is generally dependable and shares parts with the Focus, but confirm a specific car against the relevant recall database by its VIN.

A VIN history check together with a careful inspection, especially of the transmission on automatics, is the best way to avoid a C-MAX with a costly hidden fault.

Buying a used Ford C-MAX

Decode the VIN first and confirm the model year, engine and body match the advertisement, then run that number through the relevant recall database. Decide between petrol, diesel and the hybrid, confirm whether you need the five-seat or the seven-seat Grand C-MAX, and prioritise a complete service history, paying attention to the automatic gearbox on cars that have it. When you are ready, enter your Ford C-MAX VIN in the decoder above to confirm the year, engine and configuration before you buy.

Ford Bronco II VIN Decoder: History, Engines and VIN Lookup Guide

Every Ford Bronco II carries a 17-character Vehicle Identification Number, and decoding it is the quickest way to confirm what a given SUV really is before you trust a listing. The VIN reveals the model year, the plant it came from, the engine fitted at the factory, the drivetrain and the safety equipment. On the Bronco II this matters most for confirming the engine and whether the vehicle is rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, and verifying the model year a seller claims. Run any Bronco II VIN through the decoder above to read it in seconds. The guide below explains how the number is built, walks through the model’s run, and points out what to check.

How a Ford Bronco II VIN is put together

The 17 characters follow a global standard, so each position carries fixed meaning. The Bronco II was built in the United States, and its VIN begins with 1FM, marking a Ford sport utility built in the United States. Characters four through eight describe the body, the restraint system, the drivetrain and the engine. The ninth character is a check digit, the tenth is the model year, the eleventh is the plant, and the final six are the unique build sequence.

You will find the VIN at the base of the windshield on the driver’s side, on the door jamb label, and in the registration paperwork.

Ford Bronco II VIN position by position

The Bronco II uses the seventeen character VIN from the start, so every one reads the same way. Go through it in order and you can settle the year, the plant and the engine before you rely on the seller’s word.

Ford Bronco II model year codes (position 10)

The Bronco II ran for a short window, and the tenth character reads as follows.

Where to find the VIN on a Ford Bronco II

Read the VIN through the base of the windshield on the driver side and check it against the label in the driver door jamb. On a small four wheel drive that has often been used off road, make sure the number is intact and matches the paperwork before you buy, since hard use and rust take their toll on these.

Reading a Bronco II VIN in practice

Take a VIN that starts with 1FM and shows H in position ten. That marks it as a United States built Ford SUV from the 1987 model year. The descriptor characters then tell you whether it is two or four wheel drive, position eight identifies the engine, and the final digits are the vehicle’s own serial number.

About the Ford Bronco II

The Bronco II was a compact SUV sold from 1984 to 1990, based on the Ranger pickup and slotting below the full-size Bronco. It offered rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive and a compact, capable package that made it popular before the Explorer replaced it. It used the German-designed Cologne V6 family throughout its life.

Ford Bronco II engines and specifications

Because the engine code sits in the middle of the VIN, a check confirms the engine the SUV was built with, which matters for parts on an older vehicle.

Ford Bronco II by model year

The Bronco II follows the standard VIN year characters, so position ten quickly confirms the year a seller claims.

Reliability and the things worth checking

As an older compact SUV, the Bronco II’s condition matters most. Confirm a specific vehicle against records by its VIN where possible.

A VIN check together with a careful inspection for rust and a working drivetrain is essential on a vehicle of this age.

Ford Bronco II recalls

Below are the safety recalls recorded for the Ford Bronco II by the American road safety regulator, the NHTSA. This is a reference list, not a check of your individual vehicle, and a recall applies only to certain build dates and VIN ranges. Note that the Bronco II’s well known rollover reputation was the subject of NHTSA investigations but did not lead to a rollover recall.

Recall data is published by the NHTSA and changes over time, so treat this as background rather than a substitute for the official record for your VIN.

Check a specific VIN for open recalls: use the official NHTSA recalls lookup or the Ford recall page. Both are free and show whether the work has already been done.

Buying a used Ford Bronco II

Decode the VIN first and confirm the model year, engine and drivetrain match the advertisement. On these compact SUVs, a rust-free body and frame and a healthy drivetrain matter far more than cosmetics, and four-wheel-drive examples should be checked carefully for proper operation. When you are ready, enter your Ford Bronco II VIN in the decoder above to confirm the year, engine and configuration before you buy.

Ford Bronco Sport VIN Decoder: Specifications and VIN Lookup Guide

Every Ford Bronco Sport carries a 17-character Vehicle Identification Number, and decoding it is the quickest way to confirm what a given SUV really is before you trust a listing. The VIN reveals the model year, the plant it came from, the engine fitted at the factory, the body and the safety equipment. On the Bronco Sport this matters most for confirming whether a vehicle has the standard three-cylinder or the stronger 2.0 EcoBoost, and verifying the model year and trim a seller claims. This page covers the Ford Bronco Sport, the unibody compact SUV launched for 2021. Run any Bronco Sport VIN through the decoder above to read it in seconds, and use the guide below to understand the number and what to check.

How a Ford Bronco Sport VIN is put together

The 17 characters follow a global standard, so each position carries fixed meaning. The Bronco Sport is built in Hermosillo, Mexico, so its VIN begins with 3FM, marking a Ford sport utility built in Mexico. Characters four through eight describe the body, the restraint system and the engine, which is where the 1.5 EcoBoost is separated from the 2.0 EcoBoost. The ninth character is a check digit, the tenth is the model year, the eleventh is the plant, and the final six are the unique build sequence.

You will find the VIN at the base of the windshield on the driver’s side, on the door jamb label, and in the registration paperwork. Note that the Bronco Sport is a different vehicle from the larger body-on-frame Bronco, which has its own page.

Ford Bronco Sport VIN position by position

The Bronco Sport is a compact crossover built in Mexico, and it uses the seventeen character VIN. Read it in order and you can settle the year, the plant and the engine before you trust the advert.

Ford Bronco Sport model year codes (position 10)

The tenth character gives the model year. Match the letter below.

Where to find the VIN on a Ford Bronco Sport

Read the VIN through the windshield at the base of the glass on the driver side, and check it against the label in the driver door jamb. On a small SUV that is often bought for light off road use, a quick VIN read is the easiest way to confirm the trim and engine match the advert.

Reading a Bronco Sport VIN in practice

Take a VIN that starts with 3FM and shows N in position ten. That marks it as a Mexican built Ford SUV from the 2022 model year. Position eight then tells you whether it left the line with the 1.5 or the 2.0 EcoBoost, and the final six digits are the vehicle’s own serial number.

The Ford Bronco Sport

The Bronco Sport arrived for 2021 as a rugged-looking unibody compact SUV built on the same platform family as the Escape, with standard all-wheel drive and genuine light off-road ability in the Badlands trim. It pairs everyday running costs with off-road styling, which made it an instant success.

Ford Bronco Sport engines and specifications

Because the engine code sits in the middle of the VIN, a check confirms the engine the SUV was built with, which is exactly what you want when a listing is unclear about which unit is fitted.

Ford Bronco Sport by model year

The Bronco Sport follows the standard VIN year letters, so position ten quickly confirms the year a seller claims.

Reliability and the things worth checking

The Bronco Sport is still a young model, but confirm a specific vehicle against the NHTSA recall database by its VIN.

A VIN history check together with a careful inspection is the best way to avoid a Bronco Sport that has had a hard or poorly documented life.

Ford Bronco Sport recalls

Below are notable safety recalls recorded for the Ford Bronco Sport by the American road safety regulator, the NHTSA. Many of these are shared with the Escape and Maverick, which use the same platform and engines. This is a reference list, not a check of your individual car. A recall applies only to certain build dates and VIN ranges, so a model year here does not mean every car of that year is affected.

Recall data is published by the NHTSA and changes over time, so treat this as background rather than a substitute for the official record for your VIN. Check a specific VIN for open recalls: use the official NHTSA recalls lookup or the Ford recall page. Both are free and show whether the work has already been done.

Buying a used Ford Bronco Sport

Decode the VIN first and confirm the model year, engine and trim match the advertisement, then run that number through the NHTSA recall search, which is worthwhile on the early vehicles. Decide whether the efficient 1.5 or the stronger 2.0 Badlands suits you, confirm the trim through the VIN rather than the badges, and prioritise a complete service history. When you are ready, enter your Ford Bronco Sport VIN in the decoder above to confirm the year, engine and configuration before you buy.

Ford Bronco VIN Decoder: Full History, Generations and VIN Lookup Guide

The Ford Bronco wears a 17-character Vehicle Identification Number on every model built since 1981, and reading it is the fastest way to confirm what a truck really is before you trust a listing. The VIN tells you the model year, the plant it came from, the engine fitted at the factory, the body style and the safety equipment. For a vehicle as heavily modified and as collectible as the Bronco, that confirmation matters: it separates a genuine early 4×4 or a real Raptor from a lookalike, and it stops you buying the wrong configuration. Enter any Bronco VIN in the decoder above to read it in seconds. Below we explain how the number is built, walk through every generation, and point out what to check on each one.

How a Ford Bronco VIN is put together

The 17 characters follow a global standard, so each position always means the same thing. The first three are the World Manufacturer Identifier, which on the modern Bronco is 1FM, marking a Ford sport utility built in the United States at the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne. Characters four through eight describe the body, the restraint system and the engine, which is where a 2.3 EcoBoost is separated from a 2.7 EcoBoost V6 or a Bronco Raptor. The ninth character is a check digit that validates the whole number. The tenth is the model year, the eleventh is the assembly plant, and the last six are the unique build sequence for that truck.

This logic applies to the 1981 and later trucks. The classic Broncos built before 1981 use shorter factory numbers with a different layout and must be read with year-specific references. You will find the VIN at the base of the windshield on the driver’s side, on the door jamb label, and in the registration paperwork.

Ford Bronco VIN position by position

The Bronco name covers the original full size four wheel drive from 1966 to 1996 and the modern Bronco that arrived in 2021. The trucks from 1981 on use the seventeen character VIN, while the earlier ones carry a shorter Ford number on the door tag and the frame, so the first step is to work out which side of 1981 your Bronco sits on.

Full size Bronco model year codes, 1981 to 1996 (position 10)

New Bronco model year codes, 2021 on (position 10)

Where to find the VIN on a Ford Bronco

On the modern truck read the VIN through the windshield at the base of the glass on the driver side and check it against the door jamb label. On a classic look for the door tag and the number stamped on the frame. These are among the most desirable and most modified Fords, so on both the old and the new trucks it is worth confirming the number matches the paperwork.

Reading a Bronco VIN in practice

Take a modern truck whose VIN starts with 1FM and shows N in position ten, which places it as a 2022. On a classic, an H in that slot on a seventeen character VIN points to a 1987 full size Bronco. The descriptor characters confirm the drive and body, position eight identifies the engine, and the closing digits are the serial number.

A short history, generation by generation

The Bronco began in 1966 as a compact, purpose-built 4×4 rival to the Jeep, then grew into a full-size SUV based on the F-Series for most of its first life. After the fifth-generation truck ended in 1996 the name went quiet for more than two decades, until Ford revived it for 2021 as a body-on-frame off-roader sharing its underpinnings with the global Ranger. The reborn Bronco is offered with turbocharged EcoBoost engines and a hardcore Raptor at the top of the range. Note that the unibody Bronco Sport is a separate model with its own page.

Ford Bronco engines and specifications

Because the engine code lives in the middle of the VIN, a check confirms the engine the truck was built with, which is what you want when a seller’s description is vague. The modern range is summarized below.

Ford Bronco by model year

The modern Bronco maps to the standard VIN year letters, so a quick check of position ten confirms the year a seller claims.

Reliability and the things worth checking

Reliability depends on the generation and on how hard the truck has been used off-road. Always confirm a specific vehicle against the NHTSA recall database by its VIN.

Because Broncos are bought to be driven off-road and modified, a VIN history check together with a careful physical inspection counts for a lot here.

Ford Bronco recalls

Below are notable safety recalls recorded for the sixth generation Ford Bronco, from 2021 on, by the American road safety regulator, the NHTSA. This is a reference list, not a check of your individual car. A recall applies only to certain build dates and VIN ranges, so a model year here does not mean every car of that year is affected.

Recall data is published by the NHTSA and changes over time, so treat this as background rather than a substitute for the official record for your VIN.

Check a specific VIN for open recalls: use the official NHTSA recalls lookup or the Ford recall page. Both are free and show whether the work has already been done.

Buying a used Ford Bronco

Decode the VIN first and confirm the model year, engine and plant match the advertisement, then run that number through the NHTSA recall search. Check that the engine matches the badge, that a Raptor really is a Raptor, and on classic trucks spend your time looking for rust and frame corrosion. On any modified Bronco, ask what was changed and whether it was done properly, since lift kits, regears and oversized tyres affect reliability and value.

Common questions

Buyers often ask whether the Bronco and Bronco Sport are the same, and they are not: the Bronco is a body-on-frame off-roader while the Bronco Sport is a smaller unibody crossover with its own VIN and platform. People also ask whether a pre-1981 Bronco can be decoded here, and the answer is that the standard 17-character tool only covers 1981 and newer trucks. If your VIN starts with 1FM, you have a Ford sport utility built in the United States. When you are ready, enter your Ford Bronco VIN in the decoder above to confirm the year, engine and configuration before you commit to a purchase.