How to decode a 1989 Mercury Cougar VIN
Characters 1-3 of a 1989 Mercury Cougar VIN
A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is the first three characters of a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which uniquely identify the manufacturer of the vehicle. For the 1989 Mercury Cougar, the WMI “1ME” signifies that Ford Motor Company is the manufacturer. This code is important not only for identifying the make of the vehicle but also provides information on the vehicle’s origin, including the city of Dearborn, Michigan, in the United States, where it was produced. The WMI is integral for tracking the car’s history, recalls, or any manufacturer-specific information, especially for passenger cars like the 1989 Mercury Cougar. Understanding a vehicle’s WMI can be crucial for registration, insurance purposes, and more.
List of WMI Codes for a 1989 Mercury Cougar
WMI: 1ME
- Model Years Covered: 1981, 1983-1997
- Example VIN: 1MEPM62R5KH658918
- 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 1989 Mercury Cougar 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 1989 Mercury Cougar:
| Known VDS for a 1989 Mercury Cougar | |
|---|---|
| PM62R | PM604 |
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 1989 Mercury Cougar 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 1989 Mercury Cougar VIN — Year Code
| Year Code | Year |
|---|---|
| K | 1989 |
11th Character in the 1989 Mercury Cougar VIN — Plant Code(s)
Known 1989 Mercury Cougar Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)
| Plant Code | Plant City | Plant State | Plant Country | Plant Company Name | Example VIN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H | Lorain | Ohio | United States | 1MEPM62R5KH658918 |
VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 1989 Mercury Cougar
The final 6 characters in a 1989 Mercury Cougar’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.
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How to find a 1989 Mercury Cougar’s VIN?
Locating the VIN number on your 1989 Mercury Cougar is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:
- Look at the dashboard on the driver’s side of your 1989 Mercury Cougar, near where the windshield meets the dash. The VIN should be visible from the outside, through the windshield.
- Examine the door post on the driver’s side where the door latches when closed. The VIN might be found on a sticker or a plate in this area.
- Check the engine block of your Mercury Cougar, as the VIN can sometimes be stamped onto the engine itself.
- Inspect the vehicle’s firewall; there might be a VIN plate attached to this area inside the engine compartment.
- Review documents related to the vehicle, like the title, registration, or insurance papers, which will have the VIN listed for your 1989 Mercury Cougar.
What info can a 1989 Mercury Cougar VIN reveal?
- Model Year: The VIN can reveal the vehicle’s model year, possibly indicating the year 1989, offering insights into the age and potential market value of the vehicle.
- Body Class and Doors: A VIN can specify the body class, potentially indicating a Sedan/Saloon body class for the Ford Cougar XR7, and it may have 2 doors, providing detailed insights into the vehicle’s design and structure.
- Drive Type: The drive type can also be identified from the VIN. In the case of the Ford Cougar XR7, it might be a 4x2, which can help in understanding the vehicle’s handling characteristics and drive configuration.
- Engine Type and Power: Through the VIN, specific engine characteristics such as a 3.8L V-shaped engine with 210 horsepower can be identified, possibly indicating a powerful performance.
- Fuel Type: The primary fuel type for this vehicle is likely gasoline, possibly highlighting the type of fuel efficiency and environmental impact it might have.
- Safety Features: The VIN possibly indicates the presence of passive belts for the front seats and active belts for the rear, reflecting the vehicle’s potential safety mechanisms designed to protect occupants.
- Manufacturing Information: It can be inferred from the VIN that the vehicle may have been manufactured in Lorain, Ohio, United States, possibly providing insights into its production origin.
- Body and Size: The presence of possibly 2 doors on this specific model might point towards a more compact and personal vehicle design, potentially tailored for individual or small family use.
Don’t have your 1989 Mercury Cougar’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!
Sample VIN Decode Report for a 1989 Mercury Cougar
| Vehicle Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Body Class | Sedan/Saloon |
| Displacement (CC) | 3801.798848 |
| Displacement (CI) | 232 |
| Displacement (L) | 3.8 |
| Doors | 2 |
| Engine Brake (hp) From | 210 |
| Engine Configuration | V-Shaped |
| Engine Manufacturer | Ford |
| Engine Number of Cylinders | 6 |
| Fuel Type - Primary | Gasoline |
| Model | Cougar |
| Model Year | 1989 |
| Other Engine Info | Electronic Fuel Injection; Supercharged Engine |
| Other Restraint System Info | Passive Belts (front)/ Active Belts (rear) |
| Plant City | Lorain |
| Plant Company Name | |
| Plant Country | United States |
| Plant State | Ohio |
| Seat Belt Type | Manual and Automatic |
| Series | XR7 |
| Vehicle Descriptor | 1MEPM62R*KH |
| Vehicle Type | Passenger Car |
| Sample_VIN | 1MEPM62R5KH658918 |
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