Ford B-MAX VIN Decoder: History, Engines and VIN Lookup Guide

Every Ford B-MAX 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 style and the safety equipment. On a used B-MAX this matters most for confirming the exact engine, telling petrol from diesel, and verifying the model year a seller claims. Run any B-MAX 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 B-MAX VIN is put together

The 17 characters follow a global standard, so each position carries fixed meaning. The B-MAX was built in Craiova, Romania, and its VIN typically begins with WF0, the World Manufacturer Identifier for Ford in Europe. 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. 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 B-MAX VIN position by position

The B-MAX was a small European people mover, best known for its pillarless sliding doors, and it uses the seventeen character VIN. Read it in order and you can settle the year and the engine before you trust the advert.

Ford B-MAX model year codes (position 10)

The B-MAX was sold from 2012 to 2017, and the tenth character reads as follows.

Where to find the VIN on a Ford B-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 a small practical car like this, a quick VIN read confirms the year and engine match the advert.

Reading a B-MAX VIN in practice

Take a car whose VIN opens with WF0 and shows E in position ten. That places it as a European built Ford from the 2014 model year. The descriptor section then shows the trim and engine, and the closing six digits are the car’s own serial number.

About the Ford B-MAX

The B-MAX was a compact mini-MPV built on the Fiesta platform and sold from 2012 to 2017. Its party trick was a set of sliding rear doors and no central B-pillar, which created an unusually wide opening for getting people and child seats in and out, making it a clever and practical small family car.

Ford B-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 B-MAX by model year

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

Reliability and the things worth checking

The B-MAX shares mechanicals with the dependable Fiesta, but confirm a specific car against records by its VIN where possible.

A VIN check together with a careful inspection, especially of the sliding doors, is the best way to choose a good B-MAX.

Buying a used Ford B-MAX

Decode the VIN first and confirm the model year and engine match the advertisement. Decide between the efficient 1.0 EcoBoost petrol and the diesel, make sure the sliding doors and their seals work properly, and prioritise a complete service history with evidence of cam belt maintenance on the small turbo engine. When you are ready, enter your Ford B-MAX VIN in the decoder above to confirm the year, engine and configuration before you buy.

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

Every Ford Aspire 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 country and plant it came from, the engine fitted at the factory, the body and the safety equipment. Because the Aspire name has been used on two very different cars in different markets, the VIN is also the surest way to tell which one you are looking at. Run any Aspire VIN through the decoder above to read it in seconds. The guide below explains how the number is built and what to check.

How a Ford Aspire VIN is put together

The 17 characters follow a global standard, so each position carries fixed meaning. The first three are the World Manufacturer Identifier, which is the key to identifying an Aspire: the 1990s North American Aspire was built in South Korea, so its VIN begins with a Korean manufacturer code, while the later Indian Aspire was built in India and begins with an Indian code. Characters four through eight describe the body, the restraint system 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 Aspire VIN position by position

The Aspire name covers two very different cars. The 1990s Aspire was a small hatchback built by Kia in Korea and sold in America, and the modern Aspire is a compact saloon built in India, sold there as the Figo Aspire. Both use the seventeen character VIN, and the first three characters show which one you are looking at.

Korean built Aspire model year codes, 1994 to 1997 (position 10)

Indian built Aspire model year codes, 2015 on (position 10)

Where to find the VIN on a Ford Aspire

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. Because these were sold in specific markets, matching the number to the local documents is the key check on a car that has since moved country.

Reading an Aspire VIN in practice

Take a car whose VIN opens with MAJ and shows H in position ten. That places it as an Indian built Ford from the 2017 model year. A VIN that opens with KNJ instead points to one of the 1990s Korean built cars. The descriptor section shows the engine, and the closing six digits are the car’s own serial number.

The two Ford Aspire models

The Aspire name has been used on two unrelated cars. The first was a North American subcompact sold from 1994 to 1997, a small, economical hatchback built in South Korea as the successor to the Festiva. The second is a compact sedan sold mainly in India from 2015 to 2022, based on the Figo and offering a roomy cabin and efficient engines for its market.

Ford Aspire 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 given how different the two Aspire models are.

Ford Aspire identification by market

Because the two cars share only a name, the VIN’s country of origin is the fastest way to confirm which Aspire you have.

Reliability and the things worth checking

Both Aspire models are simple and economical, so condition matters most. Confirm a specific car against records by its VIN where possible.

A VIN check together with a careful inspection is the best way to choose a good Aspire and to confirm which version you are buying.

Buying a used Ford Aspire

Decode the VIN first to confirm which Aspire you are looking at, then the model year and engine. On both versions, condition, a tidy service history and a clean accident record matter far more than specification on these affordable, practical cars. When you are ready, enter your Ford Aspire VIN in the decoder above to confirm the market, year, engine and configuration before you buy.

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

Every Ford Anglia 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 Anglia was Ford of Britain’s small car from 1939 to 1967, best remembered for the 105E with its distinctive reverse slanted rear window. Because the Anglia was built long 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 an Anglia number through the decoder at the top of this page, and the guide below explains the classic format, walks through the generations, and points out what matters most when you check one.

How a Ford Anglia VIN is put together

The Anglia 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 rather than packing in the detailed coded fields of a modern VIN. Because these cars are so old, the most reliable approach is to match the chassis number on the car with the number on the registration document and any history that comes with it. An owners club or marque specialist can confirm what a correct number looks like for a given year and model. The quick reference below covers the clues you will use most often when you read a Ford Anglia number.

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

How a Ford Anglia is identified

The Anglia is far 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. On the later cars a serial number ties 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 Anglia

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 an Anglia number in practice

Rather than decoding positions as on a modern VIN, you match the chassis and serial numbers against Ford records and the Anglia 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, particularly on the sought after 105E.

A short history, generation by generation

The Anglia name first appeared in 1939 on a simple side-valve small car, and it carried Ford through the post war years as cheap, dependable transport. The 100E of 1953 brought more modern styling while keeping a side-valve engine, but it was the 105E of 1959 that made the Anglia famous, with its reverse slanted rear window and the new overhead valve Kent engine that would go on to power countless Fords. The 123E added a larger engine before the Anglia gave way to the Escort in 1967. The table below sums up the generations.

Ford Anglia engines and specifications

Because the engine is central to what an Anglia 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 years.

Ford Anglia 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

The Anglia is mechanically simple and easy to maintain, 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 Anglia

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, which is the thing most likely to turn a tempting project into a major restoration, and confirm the car is complete, since missing trim can be hard to replace. When you are ready, enter your Ford Anglia number in the decoder above, then use the advice here to make sure the car is genuinely what it claims to be.

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

Every Ford Aerostar carries a 17 character Vehicle Identification Number, and reading it is the fastest way to confirm what a particular van really is before you trust a seller’s description. The Aerostar was built from 1985 to 1997, and across that run Ford offered it in passenger and cargo forms, in two body lengths, with rear wheel drive and later with electronic all wheel drive. The VIN settles which of those you are actually looking at, along with the model year, the engine the van left the factory with, and the plant that assembled it. You can run any Aerostar VIN through the decoder at the top of this page and read the result in a few seconds. The rest of this guide explains how the number is built, walks through the van’s history, and points out the details that matter most when you check one.

How a Ford Aerostar VIN is put together

The 17 characters are not random. They split into three blocks, and because the layout follows a global standard, the same position always carries the same kind of information. The first three characters are the World Manufacturer Identifier. Passenger Aerostar wagons usually begin with 1FM, which marks a Ford built multipurpose passenger vehicle, while cargo versions often begin with 1FT, the code Ford uses for its trucks and commercial vans. Characters four through eight describe the vehicle itself, including the body type, the restraint system and, most usefully, the engine. The ninth character is a check digit calculated from all the others to catch typos and altered numbers. The last eight characters describe the individual van. Position ten is the model year, position eleven is the assembly plant, and the final six digits are the sequential build number unique to that vehicle. The quick reference below covers the clues you will use most often when you read a Ford Aerostar VIN.

You will find the number stamped at the base of the windshield on the driver’s side, printed on the certification label in the driver’s door jamb, and recorded on the title and insurance paperwork. If the plate at the windshield and the door label do not match, treat that as a reason to look much harder at the van.

Ford Aerostar VIN position by position

The Aerostar was Ford’s rear drive van from the 1980s and 1990s, sold as both a passenger van and a cargo van, and it uses the seventeen character VIN. Read it in order and you can settle the year and the engine before you trust the advert.

Ford Aerostar model year codes (position 10)

The Aerostar was sold from 1986 to 1997, and the tenth character reads as follows.

Where to find the VIN on a Ford Aerostar

Read the VIN through the windshield at the base of the glass on the driver side, and check it against the door jamb label. Many of these vans worked for a living, so make sure the number is intact and matches the paperwork before you buy.

Reading an Aerostar VIN in practice

Take a van whose VIN starts with 1FM and shows K in position ten. That marks it as a United States built Ford from the 1989 model year. Position eight then identifies the engine, the descriptor characters show whether it is rear or all wheel drive, and the final six digits are the van’s own serial number.

A short history of the Ford Aerostar

The Aerostar arrived for the 1986 model year, launched in 1985, as Ford’s answer to the new wave of minivans. Unlike the front wheel drive Chrysler vans it competed with, the Aerostar used a rear wheel drive layout drawn from Ford’s truck thinking, which gave it a strong towing rating and a tougher feel than most people class minivans. It was assembled at the St. Louis plant in Hazelwood, Missouri. Early vans offered modest four cylinder and small V6 power, but the line soon settled around Ford’s Vulcan and Cologne V6 engines, which is what most surviving Aerostars use. From 1990 Ford added an electronic all wheel drive system that split torque automatically, a rarity among minivans of the era and one reason the Aerostar still has a following among people who want a capable, simple van. An extended length body gave buyers more room behind the rear seats. Production continued until 1997, when the front wheel drive Windstar took over as Ford’s mainstream minivan.

Ford Aerostar engines and specifications

Because the engine code sits in the middle of the VIN, a proper check confirms the engine the van was born with, which matters on a vehicle old enough to have seen at least one engine swap. The figures below cover the main configurations, with power given as a range because output shifted across model years.

The 3.0 Vulcan is the economical choice and the 4.0 Cologne is the one to look for if you plan to tow or carry a full load, since it has the torque the smaller engines lack. The four cylinder was dropped early and is rare today.

Ford Aerostar 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 VIN year code and the engines offered. The same model year letter logic runs across the whole production run.

Reliability and the things worth checking

The Aerostar has a reputation as a durable van, but every survivor is now decades old, so condition matters far more than the badge. The most common points to check, by area, are summarized below, and you should always run the VIN through the NHTSA recall database to see whether anything is still outstanding.

Ford Aerostar recalls

Below are notable safety recalls recorded for the Ford Aerostar by the American road safety regulator, the NHTSA. This is a reference list, not a check of your individual van, 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 Aerostar

When you find one worth pursuing, decode the VIN first and make sure the model year, engine and drive type line up with the advertisement, then run the same number through the NHTSA recall search. Confirm whether it is a rear wheel drive or all wheel drive van, since the AWD models are more complex and more sought after, and check that the engine matches what the seller claims. On a vehicle this old, spend your time on condition: look underneath for corrosion, check the transmission and cooling system, and treat a complete service history as worth paying extra for. When you are ready, enter your Ford Aerostar VIN in the decoder above to confirm the year, engine, drive type and plant, then use the advice here to make sure the van is genuinely what it claims to be.