- What you'll get from Ford Aerostar VIN check?
- Ford Aerostar Vehicle History Risk Factors
- Characters 1-3 of a Ford Aerostar VIN
- List of WMI Codes for a Ford Aerostar
- Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a Ford Aerostar VIN
- Character 9 is the "check digit" in a Ford Aerostar VIN.
- 10th Character in the Ford Aerostar VIN — Year Code
- 11th Character in the Ford Aerostar VIN — Plant Code(s)
- Known Ford Aerostar Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)
- VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a Ford Aerostar
- How to find a Ford Aerostar's VIN?
- Sample VIN Decode Report for a Ford Aerostar
What you’ll get from Ford Aerostar VIN check?
- Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicle’s model year, potentially indicating the year of manufacture, as seen in the case of the 1996 Ford Aerostar.
- Vehicle Specifications: Information encoded within the VIN for vehicles like the Ford Aerostar can include details about the engine type, displacement (e.g., 4.0L or 241 cubic inches), and fuel type (Gasoline).
- Drive Type and Body Class: The VIN may reveal the drive type, such as 4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4, and the body class, for example, Minivan, providing insights into the vehicle’s design and capability.
- Safety Features: The presence and location of safety features, like front airbags in the 1st Row (Driver and Passenger), can be identified, indicating the vehicle’s safety considerations.
- Engine Performance: Insights into the engine’s horsepower, ranging from 152 to 160 hp for this specific model, can highlight the vehicle’s power and performance capacity.
- Manufacturing Information: Details including the plant city (Hazelwood, Missouri) and country (United States) where the vehicle was manufactured provide insight into its production origin.
- Additional Features: Other specifics like the brake system type (Hydraulic), seat belt type (Manual), and the engine’s fuel injection type (Electronic Fuel Injection) can be discovered, offering a fuller picture of the vehicle’s technical specifications and features.
Ford Aerostar Vehicle History Risk Factors
Ford’s used vehicle market is enormous — the F-150 is the best-selling vehicle in America — which means the range of vehicle condition is equally wide. A Bumper VIN check on a used Ford addresses several high-frequency issues.
1.0L and 1.5L EcoBoost coolant intrusion (2013–2018 Escape, Fusion, Focus). Ford’s smaller EcoBoost engines in this generation had a well-documented defect where coolant could leak into the engine, causing overheating and, in some cases, engine fires. NHTSA investigated this issue extensively. A service record showing repeated coolant top-offs or a replaced head gasket is a significant red flag on these models.
6R80 transmission issues on F-150 (2011–2016). Ford’s six-speed automatic in this generation of F-150 generated substantial owner complaints and TSBs related to shuddering, hard shifts, and converter clutch failure. High-mileage examples from this era warrant close inspection of transmission service records.
Rust and frame integrity on pre-2015 F-150s. Earlier aluminum-free F-150s are susceptible to frame and cab corner rust in northern states. Check ownership registration history — a truck that’s spent its life in the Rust Belt will have a different condition profile than one from the Southwest.
Salvage frequency on high-demand models. F-150s, Mustangs, and Explorers appear disproportionately in salvage and rebuilt title databases because of their volume and resale value. Title washing — where a salvage-titled vehicle is re-registered in a lenient state to obtain a clean title — is a real risk on popular Ford trucks and SUVs.
A Bumper VIN check shows accident history, title brands, flood damage, and odometer records for this specific vehicle.
How to decode a Ford Aerostar VIN
Characters 1-3 of a Ford Aerostar VIN
World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) codes are unique sequences of characters assigned to automakers, specifying the vehicle’s manufacturer, country of origin, and vehicle type. For the Ford Aerostar, produced between the years 1986 to 1989 and 1991 to 1997, the designated WMI is 1FM. This WMI establishes that the vehicles were manufactured by Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan, United States, and identifies them as multipurpose passenger vehicles (MPV). This system allows for precise identification and tracing of vehicles, providing essential details about their manufacture and specifications through a standardized global coding system.
List of WMI Codes for a Ford Aerostar
WMI: 1FM
- Model Years Covered: 1986-1989, 1991-1997
- Example VIN: 1FMCA11U9GZB56900
- Manufacturer Name: Ford Motor Company
- Vehicle Type: Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV)
- City: Dearborn
- State or Province: Michigan
- Country: United States
WMI: 1FT
- Model Years Covered: 1995-1997
- Example VIN: 1FTDA14U8SZA17015
- Manufacturer Name: Ford Motor Company
- Vehicle Type: Truck
- City: Dearborn
- State or Province: Michigan
- Country: United States
Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a Ford Aerostar VIN
These characters correspond to components like:
- Engine type
- Transmission
- Model or trim
- Body style
- Gross vehicle weight range
Ford’s Vehicle Descriptor Section follows a consistent encoding structure across its F-Series, Explorer, Mustang, and Escape lineups, though the specific codes vary considerably by platform generation. For F-150s, the VDS encodes cab configuration, bed length, and engine type — all critical details when evaluating a used truck, since a VIN that decodes to a base 3.3L V6 is a very different vehicle than one with the 5.0L Coyote V8 or the 3.5L EcoBoost. The engine character in the VDS is particularly important on Ford’s turbocharged EcoBoost models, where buyers frequently need to verify the specific engine variant for maintenance planning and insurance purposes.
Auto manufacturers have some discretion to decide how they want to code this section, but its contents and decoded results are generally consistent.
Character 9 is the “check digit” in a Ford Aerostar VIN.
Based on a formula developed by the US Department of Transportation, it helps reduce fraud by ensuring the validity of the VIN.
10th Character in the Ford Aerostar VIN — Year Code
| Year Code | Year |
|---|---|
| V | 1997 Ford Aerostar |
| T | 1996 Ford Aerostar |
| S | 1995 Ford Aerostar |
| R | 1994 Ford Aerostar |
| P | 1993 Ford Aerostar |
| N | 1992 Ford Aerostar |
| M | 1991 Ford Aerostar |
| K | 1989 Ford Aerostar |
| J | 1988 Ford Aerostar |
| H | 1987 Ford Aerostar |
| G | 1986 Ford Aerostar |
11th Character in the Ford Aerostar VIN — Plant Code(s)
Known Ford Aerostar Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)
| Plant Code | Plant City | Plant State | Plant Country | Plant Company Name | Example VIN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Z | Hazelwood (St. Louis) | Missouri | United States | 1FMCA11U9GZB56900 |
VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a Ford Aerostar
The final 6 characters in a Ford Aerostar’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.
Want to unlock even more detailed info about your vehicle?
How to find a Ford Aerostar’s VIN?
Locating the VIN number on your Ford Aerostar is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:
- Look for the VIN on the lower corner of the dashboard, on the driver’s side of your Ford Aerostar. This is easily visible through the windshield from outside the vehicle.
- The door jamb on the driver’s side is another common place where the VIN can be found. For the Ford Aerostar, check for a sticker or plate when the door is open.
- Examine the engine block, as the VIN is sometimes stamped directly onto the Ford Aerostar’s engine parts, offering a permanent identifier.
- Review your Ford Aerostar’s vehicle registration documents. The VIN will be listed along with other important vehicle details.
- Inspect the rear wheel well. Try looking above the tire. In some Ford Aerostar models, the VIN might be located in this unusual but accessible place.
Don’t have your Ford Aerostar’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!
Sample VIN Decode Report for a Ford Aerostar
| Vehicle Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Body Class | Minivan |
| Brake System Type | Hydraulic |
| Displacement (CC) | 3949.282424 |
| Displacement (CI) | 241 |
| Displacement (L) | 4.0 |
| Doors | 3 |
| Drive Type | 4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4 |
| Engine Brake (hp) From | 152.00 |
| Engine Brake (hp) To | 160 |
| Engine Configuration | V-Shaped |
| Engine Manufacturer | Ford |
| Engine Number of Cylinders | 6 |
| Front Air Bag Locations | 1st Row (Driver and Passenger) |
| Fuel Type - Primary | Gasoline |
| Gross Vehicle Weight Rating From | Class 1D: 5,001 - 6,000 lb (2,268 - 2,722 kg) |
| Model | Aerostar |
| Model Year | 1996 |
| Other Engine Info | Fuel Injection Type: Electronic Fuel Injection |
| Plant City | Hazelwood (St. Louis) |
| Plant Company Name | |
| Plant Country | United States |
| Plant State | Missouri |
| Seat Belt Type | Manual |
| Series | XLT |
| Vehicle Descriptor | 1FMDA41X*TZ |
| Vehicle Type | Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle |
| Sample VIN | 1FMDA41X2TZA76428 |
Specs tell you what it was built with. A VIN check tells you what's happened since.
Check any Ford Aerostar for accident history, flood damage, salvage title, and odometer fraud.
Run a free VIN check →Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the VIN on a Ford Aerostar?
On most Ford vehicles, the VIN is located on the driver’s side dashboard, visible through the windshield from outside the car. It’s also on a sticker inside the driver’s side door jamb, and on your insurance card, title, and registration documents.
How do I check a Ford Aerostar's history for free?
Enter the Ford Aerostar’s 17-digit VIN into Bumper’s free VIN check at bumper.com. The free check shows factory specs and open NHTSA recalls. For the full history including accident records, title brands, theft status, and ownership history, run a full Bumper report.
What do Ford Aerostar VIN numbers start with?
Ford Aerostar VIN's start with 1FM and 1FT for vehicles manufactured by Ford Motor Company in United States. The first three characters of any VIN identify the manufacturer. The full WMI table on this page lists all known codes for the Ford Aerostar.
Decode a Ford VIN
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