How to decode a 1986 Mercury Capri VIN
Characters 1-3 of a 1986 Mercury Capri VIN
A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is the first three characters of a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), designating the vehicle’s manufacturer, where it was produced, and the vehicle type. For instance, the 1986 Mercury Capri has a WMI of “1ME”, indicating that it was manufactured by Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. The Mercury Capri, a passenger car, falls under the auspices of Ford’s manufacturing capabilities during the mid-1980s. This specific WMI is crucial in identifying key information about the vehicle’s origin and category, making it an essential aspect of automotive identification and tracking. Hence, WMIs serve as a global standard for classifying vehicles right from their production lines.
List of WMI Codes for a 1986 Mercury Capri
WMI: 1ME
- Model Years Covered: 1981-1982, 1984-1986
- Example VIN: 1MEBP79M0GF604009
- Manufacturer Name: Ford Motor Company
- Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
- City: Dearborn
- State or Province: Michigan
- Country: United States
Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a 1986 Mercury Capri VIN
These characters correspond to components like:
- Engine type
- Transmission
- Model or trim
- Body style
- Gross vehicle weight range
Below find the known vehicle descriptor codes for a 1986 Mercury Capri:
| Known VDS for a 1986 Mercury Capri |
|---|
| BP79M |
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 1986 Mercury Capri 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 1986 Mercury Capri VIN — Year Code
| Year Code | Year |
|---|---|
| G | 1986 |
11th Character in the 1986 Mercury Capri VIN — Plant Code(s)
Known 1986 Mercury Capri Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)
| Plant Code | Plant City | Plant State | Plant Country | Plant Company Name | Example VIN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | Dearborn | Michigan | United States | 1MEBP79M0GF604009 |
VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 1986 Mercury Capri
The final 6 characters in a 1986 Mercury Capri’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.
Check your Mercury Capri’s VIN below:
How to find a 1986 Mercury Capri’s VIN?
Locating the VIN number on your 1986 Mercury Capri is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:
- Look at the dashboard near the windshield on the driver’s side of your 1986 Mercury Capri; the VIN should be visible.
- Examine the door frame on the driver’s side when you open the door. The VIN might be located on a sticker where the door latches.
- Check the frame of the car. Sometimes on older vehicles like the 1986 Mercury Capri, the VIN can be stamped on the chassis or the frame.
- Examine the engine block, as the VIN might also be stamped onto the engine itself, which is a common location for many vehicles.
- Look at the vehicle’s registration documents, insurance cards, or titles, as the VIN is typically listed on all official vehicle paperwork.
What info can a 1986 Mercury Capri VIN reveal?
- Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicle’s model year, which in this case is 1986, providing insights into the age and potential market value of the vehicle.
- Manufacturing Location: The VIN may pinpoint the manufacturing location down to the city and country, such as Dearborn, Michigan, United States, offering insights into the origin of the vehicle.
- Vehicle Specifications: The VIN encodes detailed vehicle specifications including the make, which in this example is Ford, and the model, which is Capri RS. This encompasses the body class as Hatchback/Liftback/Notchback and indicates it is a Passenger Car with 3 doors, providing a detailed understanding of the vehicle’s design and structure.
- Engine Details: From a VIN, one can deduce the engine’s characteristics, such as it being a V-Shaped, 5L (302 cubic inches or 4948.89 CC) engine by Ford with 8 cylinders. It specifies the engine to have a High output Electronic fuel injection, presenting a rich depiction of the vehicle’s performance capabilities.
- Fuel Type: The VIN specifies the primary fuel type a vehicle uses. For this example, it runs on Gasoline, indicating its fuel efficiency and emissions characteristics.
- Safety Features: Information about seat belt type, like Manual in this instance, gives a clue to the vehicle’s safety features and compliance with safety regulations during its manufacturing year.
- Series and Special Information: The series indicator, such as RS in this vehicle, can provide insights into the performance level, trim, and special features or editions that might be associated with the vehicle, often tied to the power output or luxury inclusions.
- Other Engine Info: The VIN may include critical additional engine information such as “High output Electronic fuel injection,” which hints at enhancements for better performance or efficiency, demonstrating the depth of information available from the VIN.
Don’t have your 1986 Mercury Capri’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!
Sample VIN Decode Report for a 1986 Mercury Capri
| Vehicle Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Body Class | Hatchback/Liftback/Notchback |
| Displacement (CC) | 4948.893328 |
| Displacement (CI) | 302 |
| Displacement (L) | 5 |
| Doors | 3 |
| Engine Configuration | V-Shaped |
| Engine Manufacturer | Ford |
| Engine Number of Cylinders | 8 |
| Fuel Type - Primary | Gasoline |
| Model | Capri |
| Model Year | 1986 |
| Other Engine Info | High output Electronic fuel injection |
| Plant City | Dearborn |
| Plant Company Name | |
| Plant Country | United States |
| Plant State | Michigan |
| Seat Belt Type | Manual |
| Series | RS |
| Vehicle Descriptor | 1MEBP79M*GF |
| Vehicle Type | Passenger Car |
| Sample_VIN | 1MEBP79M0GF604009 |
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