- What you'll get from Ford Contour VIN check?
- Ford Contour Vehicle History Risk Factors
- Characters 1-3 of a Ford Contour VIN
- List of WMI Codes for a Ford Contour
- Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a Ford Contour VIN
- Character 9 is the "check digit" in a Ford Contour VIN.
- 10th Character in the Ford Contour VIN — Year Code
- 11th Character in the Ford Contour VIN — Plant Code(s)
- Known Ford Contour Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)
- VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a Ford Contour
- How to find a Ford Contour's VIN?
- Sample VIN Decode Report for a Ford Contour
What you’ll get from Ford Contour VIN check?
- Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicle’s model year, indicating it was manufactured in 1997, offering insights into the age and potential historical value of the vehicle.
- Plant Location: The vehicle was assembled in Kansas City, Missouri, United States, showcasing where its production took place, potentially influencing its heritage and production standards.
- Vehicle Specifications: This sedan/saloon is a Ford Contour LX Sport model, equipped with a 2.5L V-Shaped engine producing 170 hp, emphasizing its potential performance capabilities.
- Engine Details: It features a Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC) valve train and Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI), which are possibly key factors in its efficiency and power output, contributing to its overall performance.
- Fuel Type: This car runs on gasoline, a detail that can help determine fuel compatibility and possibly its economy, contributing to potential cost considerations.
- Safety Features: Equipped with front airbags for both the driver and passenger and manual seat belts, potentially ensuring crucial safety measures are met in the event of an accident.
- Body Class and Size: Classified as a sedan/saloon with 4 doors, providing a general idea of its size and capacity for potential users, possibly influencing its practicality for various needs.
Ford Contour 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 Contour VIN
Characters 1-3 of a Ford Contour VIN
WMIs, or World Manufacturer Identifiers, are unique three-character sequences that denote the manufacturer of a vehicle and provide insight into its origin. For instance, Ford Contour vehicles manufactured between 1995 and 2000 bear two distinct WMIs, signifying their manufacturing locations. The WMI 1FA indicates Ford Contours that were produced by the Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan, USA, while the 3FA WMI is assigned to those made by Ford in Rioverde, S.L.P., Mexico. These identifiers not only reveal the manufacturing company but also specify the country, state, or province, and sometimes the city of origin, offering a valuable reference for vehicle identification and registration purposes.
List of WMI Codes for a Ford Contour
WMI: 1FA
- Model Years Covered: 1995-2000
- Example VIN: 1FALP65L3SK215173
- Manufacturer Name: Ford Motor Company
- Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
- City: Dearborn
- State or Province: Michigan
- Country: United States
WMI: 3FA
- Model Years Covered: 1995-1996, 1998-2000
- Example VIN: 3FALP663XSM138860
- Manufacturer Name: Ford Motor Company, Mexico
- Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
- City: Rioverde
- State or Province: S.L.P.
- Country: Mexico
Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a Ford Contour 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 Contour 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 Contour VIN — Year Code
| Year Code | Year |
|---|---|
| Y | 2000 Ford Contour |
| X | 1999 Ford Contour |
| W | 1998 Ford Contour |
| V | 1997 Ford Contour |
| T | 1996 Ford Contour |
| S | 1995 Ford Contour |
11th Character in the Ford Contour VIN — Plant Code(s)
Known Ford Contour Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)
| Plant Code | Plant City | Plant State | Plant Country | Plant Company Name | Example VIN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K | Kansas City | Missouri | United States | 1FALP65L3SK215173 | |
| M | Cuautitlan | State Of Mexico | Mexico | 3FALP663XSM138860 |
VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a Ford Contour
The final 6 characters in a Ford Contour’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 Contour’s VIN?
Locating the VIN number on your Ford Contour is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:
- Check the dashboard on the driver’s side of your Ford Contour. The VIN is often viewable through the windshield on a small plate.
- Inspect the door jamb on the driver’s side of your Ford Contour. You might find the VIN on a label or sticker where the door closes.
- Look under the hood of your Ford Contour. The VIN can sometimes be found on the engine block or on a metal plate attached to the chassis.
- Examine the rear wheel well of your Ford Contour. Sometimes, the VIN is placed above the tire.
- Check your Ford Contour’s vehicle registration documents or insurance policies. The VIN is always listed there.
Don’t have your Ford Contour’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!
Sample VIN Decode Report for a Ford Contour
| Vehicle Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Body Class | Sedan/Saloon |
| Displacement (CC) | 2000.0 |
| Displacement (CI) | 122.04748818946 |
| Displacement (L) | 2.0 |
| Doors | 4 |
| Engine Brake (hp) From | 130 |
| Engine Configuration | In-Line |
| Engine Manufacturer | Ford |
| Engine Number of Cylinders | 4 |
| Front Air Bag Locations | 1st Row (Driver and Passenger) |
| Fuel Type - Primary | Gasoline |
| Gross Vehicle Weight Rating From | Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less) |
| Gross Vehicle Weight Rating To | Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less) |
| Model | Contour |
| Model Year | 1998 |
| Other Engine Info | EFI |
| Other Restraint System Info | Seat Belts: 3-point belts in all outboard positions. |
| Plant City | Cuautitlan |
| Plant Company Name | |
| Plant Country | Mexico |
| Plant State | State Of Mexico |
| Seat Belt Type | Manual |
| Series | LX |
| Trim | Sport |
| Valve Train Design | Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC) |
| Vehicle Descriptor | 3FALP653*WM |
| Vehicle Type | Passenger Car |
| Sample VIN | 3FALP6533WM108672 |
Specs tell you what it was built with. A VIN check tells you what's happened since.
Check any Ford Contour 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 Contour?
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 Contour's history for free?
Enter the Ford Contour’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 Contour VIN numbers start with?
Ford Contour VIN's start with 1FA for vehicles manufactured by Ford Motor Company in United States, 3FA for vehicles manufactured by Ford Motor Company, Mexico in Mexico. The first three characters of any VIN identify the manufacturer. The full WMI table on this page lists all known codes for the Ford Contour.
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Look up a Ford Contour by license plate:
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