- What you'll get from Ford Transit VIN check?
- Ford Transit Vehicle History Risk Factors
- Characters 1-3 of a Ford Transit VIN
- List of WMI Codes for a Ford Transit
- Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a Ford Transit VIN
- Character 9 is the "check digit" in a Ford Transit VIN.
- 10th Character in the Ford Transit VIN — Year Code
- 11th Character in the Ford Transit VIN — Plant Code(s)
- Known Ford Transit Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)
- VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a Ford Transit
- How to find a Ford Transit's VIN?
- Sample VIN Decode Report for a Ford Transit
What you’ll get from Ford Transit VIN check?
- Model Year: The VIN can provide the vehicle’s model year, such as referencing the 2023 model year for a Ford Transit, offering insights into the vehicle’s age and potential historical value.
- Engine Specifications: It may reveal detailed engine information, including the manufacturer (Ford), configuration (V-Shaped), displacement (3.5L), and specific features like Ecoboost technology, providing a comprehensive understanding of the vehicle’s powertrain.
- Safety Features: The VIN often lists safety equipment, indicating whether features like Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), and Crash Imminent Braking (CIB) are potentially standard or optional on the vehicle, offering potential insights into its safety capabilities.
- Fuel Type: Insights into the vehicle’s fuel preferences can be gleaned, showing that a vehicle, like the example Ford Transit, typically runs on Gasoline, providing potential information on its fuel efficiency and environmental impact.
- Drive Type and Transmission: Details about the vehicle’s drive type, in this case, RWD/Rear-Wheel Drive, and its transmission specifics like automatic with 10 speeds, might be decoded from the VIN, offering potential insights into the vehicle’s handling and performance capabilities.
- Manufacturing Information: The VIN can uncover where the vehicle was manufactured, revealing the plant’s location (Kansas City, Missouri, United States) and the company name (Kansas City: Claycomo, Missouri), offering potential insights into the vehicle’s production origin and quality.
- Body Type and Capacity: It can also provide insights into body class, such as Cargo Van, cab type (Crew/Super Crew/Crew Max), and interior configurations including the number of seat rows (1) and seats (2), offering potential information on the vehicle’s design and passenger capacity.
Ford Transit 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 Transit VIN
Characters 1-3 of a Ford Transit VIN
A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is a unique code used to identify the manufacturer of a vehicle, providing insights into the vehicle’s place of origin, manufacturer name, and vehicle type. For example, the WMI 1FM is designated to Ford Motor Company, specifically for their multipurpose passenger vehicles, such as the Ford Transit. These vehicles are manufactured in Dearborn, Michigan, United States, covering model years from 2015 to 2022. The WMI is essential for recognizing vehicles globally, serving as a standardized method for classifying vehicle manufacturers and the types of vehicles they produce. This system plays a crucial role in vehicle registration, recall processes, and manufacturing standards enforcement.
List of WMI Codes for a Ford Transit
WMI: 1FT
- Model Years Covered: 2015-2024
- Example VIN: 1FTSW2YM1FKA43544
- Manufacturer Name: Ford Motor Company
- Vehicle Type: Truck
- City: Dearborn
- State or Province: Michigan
- Country: United States
WMI: 1FM
- Model Years Covered: 2015-2022
- Example VIN: 1FMZK1CG0FKA81610
- Manufacturer Name: Ford Motor Company
- Vehicle Type: Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle (MPV)
- City: Dearborn
- State or Province: Michigan
- Country: United States
Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a Ford Transit 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 Transit 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 Transit VIN — Year Code
| Year Code | Year |
|---|---|
| R | 2024 Ford Transit |
| P | 2023 Ford Transit |
| N | 2022 Ford Transit |
| M | 2021 Ford Transit |
| L | 2020 Ford Transit |
| K | 2019 Ford Transit |
| J | 2018 Ford Transit |
| H | 2017 Ford Transit |
| G | 2016 Ford Transit |
| F | 2015 Ford Transit |
11th Character in the Ford Transit VIN — Plant Code(s)
Known Ford Transit Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)
| Plant Code | Plant City | Plant State | Plant Country | Plant Company Name | Example VIN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K | Kansas City | Missouri | United States | Kansas City | 1FTSW2YM1FKA43544 |
VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a Ford Transit
The final 6 characters in a Ford Transit’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 Transit’s VIN?
Locating the VIN number on your Ford Transit is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:
- Look at the lower corner of the windshield on the driver’s side of your Ford Transit. The VIN is usually displayed here on a metal or plastic tag.
- Examine the door post on the driver’s side of your Ford Transit, where the door latches when closed. A VIN plate or sticker can often be found in this area.
- Check the vehicle registration documents for your Ford Transit. The VIN is always listed on these official papers.
- For newer models of Ford Transit, review the maintenance records or user manual. The VIN is usually printed inside the front cover or in a designated section.
Don’t have your Ford Transit’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!
Sample VIN Decode Report for a Ford Transit
| Vehicle Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) | Optional |
| Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) | Standard |
| Backup Camera | Standard |
| Blind Spot Warning (BSW) | Optional |
| Body Class | Cargo Van |
| Brake System Type | Hydraulic |
| Cab Type | Crew/Super Crew/Crew Max |
| Crash Imminent Braking (CIB) | Standard |
| Daytime Running Light (DRL) | Optional |
| Displacement (CC) | 3500.0 |
| Displacement (CI) | 213.58310433156 |
| Displacement (L) | 3.5 |
| Drive Type | RWD/Rear-Wheel Drive |
| Dynamic Brake Support (DBS) | Standard |
| Electronic Stability Control (ESC) | Standard |
| Engine Configuration | V-Shaped |
| Engine Manufacturer | Ford |
| Engine Model | 3.5L V6 Cyclone |
| Engine Number of Cylinders | 6 |
| Event Data Recorder (EDR) | Standard |
| Forward Collision Warning (FCW) | Standard |
| Front Air Bag Locations | 1st Row (Driver and Passenger) |
| Fuel Type - Primary | Gasoline |
| Gross Vehicle Weight Rating From | Class 2G: 8,001 - 9,000 lb (3,629 - 4,082 kg) |
| Keyless Ignition | Optional |
| Lane Departure Warning (LDW) | Optional |
| Lane Keeping Assistance (LKA) | Standard |
| Model | Transit |
| Model Year | 2023 |
| Number of Seat Rows | 1 |
| Number of Seats | 2 |
| Parking Assist | Optional |
| Pedestrian Automatic Emergency Braking (PAEB) | Standard |
| Plant City | Kansas City |
| Plant Company Name | Kansas City: Claycomo, Missouri |
| Plant Country | United States |
| Plant State | Missouri |
| Rear Automatic Emergency Braking | Optional |
| Rear Cross Traffic Alert | Optional |
| Seat Belt Type | Manual |
| Series | 150 |
| Series2 | Crew Van |
| Side Air Bag Locations | 1st Row (Driver and Passenger) |
| Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Type | Direct |
| Traction Control | Standard |
| Transmission Speeds | 10 |
| Transmission Style | Automatic |
| Trim | Medium Roof |
| Vehicle Descriptor | 1FTYE1D8*PK |
| Vehicle Type | Truck |
| Wheel Base (inches) From | 130 |
| Wheel Base (inches) To | 148 |
| Sample VIN | 1FTYE1D80PKA20595 |
Specs tell you what it was built with. A VIN check tells you what's happened since.
Check any Ford Transit 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 Transit?
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 Transit's history for free?
Enter the Ford Transit’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 Transit VIN numbers start with?
Ford Transit VIN's start with 1FT and 1FM 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 Transit.
Decode a Ford VIN
Look up a Ford Transit by license plate:
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