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Why Do You Need to Find the Build Date?
If you’re the proud owner of a Ford vehicle, you may be wondering how to find out when it was built. Knowing the build date of your Ford is important for a few reasons. First off, you may want to know the age of your vehicle so you can make a plan for when it’s time for any repairs or maintenance. You may also be curious about how long it took for your vehicle to be built. Finally, the build date of your car can be helpful for checking the warranty for your Ford.
What Is a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)?
The first step in finding out the build date of your Ford is to locate its vehicle identification number, or VIN. This unique numerical sequence is like a fingerprint for your car. It contains important information about your Ford’s manufacturer, make, model, interior features, and engine. The VIN can usually be found on the driver’s side dashboard, near the windshield, or inside the driver’s side door frame. You can also find the VIN on your vehicle registration or insurance card.
How to Decipher the VIN
Once you’ve located the VIN, it’s time to break it down. The VIN is composed of 17 characters, with the 10th character indicating the year your Ford was built. This character is represented by a letter or number, and is often referred to as the “build date code.” For example, if your VIN has a “G” as the 10th character, then your Ford was built in 2021. If your VIN has a “2” as the 10th character, then your Ford was built in 2022.
VIN Check for Older Fords
If your Ford was built before the 1980s, then the 10th character in the VIN won’t tell you the exact year it was built. In this case, you’ll need to check your Ford’s model year, which is usually listed on the driver’s side door panel. For example, if your Ford’s model year is listed as 1981, then you can assume your Ford was built in 1980.
Check the Warranty
Once you know the build date of your Ford, you can use it to check the warranty. Ford offers a variety of warranties that cover different parts of the vehicle, including powertrain and emissions warranties. The length of the warranty varies depending on the build date of your Ford. For instance, Ford’s emissions warranty lasts for 8 years or 80,000 miles, whichever comes first, if your Ford was built on or after January 1, 2021.
Conclusion
Knowing the build date of your Ford can be helpful for understanding the age of your vehicle and for checking the warranty. The best way to figure out the build date of your Ford is to locate its VIN, which can be found on the driver’s side dashboard, near the windshield, or inside the driver’s side door frame. Once you’ve located the VIN, look at the 10th character in the sequence, which will tell you the year your Ford was built. Or you can check the model year, which is listed on the driver’s side door panel if your Ford was built before the 1980s. Now that you know how to find the build date of your Ford, you can make sure your car is running in peak condition. You can also use the build date to check your Ford’s warranty and make sure you’re covered in case anything happens. And don’t forget, no matter how old your Ford is, it will always be a classic! “My old Ford still feels like new, it’s the best car I ever knew…” —Song lyric from “My Old Ford” by John Prine.