Vehicle Certification (VC) Label

VEHICLE CERTIFICATION (VC) LABEL

Vehicle Certification (VC) Label Locator:

The vehicle (VC) label contains information on the manufacturer name, the month and year of manufacture, the certification statement and the VIN. This label also includes gross vehicle weight (GVW) information.

Vehicle Certification (VC) Label Reference

Paint Codes:

Paint codes may be listed as a two-part code. The first set of characters listed indicate the vehicle primary color code. The second set of characters (if applicable) indicate the accent or roof color code. All colors are base coat/clear coat.

Vehicle Primary Color Codes
- D3 - Colorado Red Solid
- EI - Mint Green Metallic
- FX - Merlot Metallic
- JP - Silver Birch Metallic
- UA - Ebony Solid

Accent or Roof Color Codes
- 2 - Performance White
- A - Evening Black
- B - Silver Birch Metallic
- M - Merlot
- P - Mint Green
- R - Torch Red

Brake Code:

- 3 - Anti-lock brake system (ABS) with Traction Control

Interior Trim Code:

Interior trim codes are listed as a two-part code. The first character identifies the interior trim type. The second character identifies the interior trim color.

Interior Trim Type Code
- B - Imola leather seats

Interior Trim Color Code
- Q - Light Oak
- R - Colorado Red
- W - Black Ink
- Z - Oxford White

Tape/Paint Stripe Code:

Tape and paint stripe codes do not apply.

Radio Type Code:

- X - AM/FM stereo with in-dash, six-disc compact disc (CD) changer

Axle Radio Code:

- 1 - 3.58 conventional

Transmission Code:

- A - Five-speed automatic (5R55S)

Spring Code:

Spring codes are listed as a two-part code. The first characters listed identify the front springs. The second character listed identifies the rear springs.

Front Spring Code
- 2FA - 1W63-18B036-B

Rear Spring Code
- 2RA - 3W63-18W002-A

Powertrain Calibration Information:

Powertrain Calibration Information

NOTE: Powertrain calibration information is limited to a maximum of five characters per line on the vehicle certification (VC) label. Because of this, calibration identification consisting of more that five characters will wrap to the second line on the VC label.

Powertrain calibration information is printed in the lower right corner of the vehicle certification (VC) label. Only base calibration information is printed. Revision levels will not appear, however, they can be found in On Line Automotive Service Information System (OASIS). For the current model year, Ford Motor Company is using three different protocols which describe powertrain base calibration. These protocols are designed to provide worldwide standardization for vehicle calibration. If the electronic calibration strategy was introduced in 1998 and carried into the current model year, Protocol 1 will be used. Refer to Protocol 1. If the electronic calibration strategy was introduced in 1999 and carried into the current model year, Protocol 2 will be used. Refer to Protocol 2. For electronic calibration strategy introduced in 2000 and beyond, Protocol 3 will be used. Refer to Protocol 3.

Protocol 1:

Protocol 1

Protocol 2:

Protocol 2

Protocol 3:

Protocol 3
The following offers a more detailed explanation of the coding strategy used in Protocol 3.

Model Year
- 2 - 2002
- 3 - 2003
- 4 - 2004

Vehicle Line
- SR - Thunderbird

Transmission
- 1 - Automatic transmission

Unique Calibration
The Emissions/CAFE/CO2 Compliance Department is responsible for assigning these calibration numbers. Unique calibration identifications are assigned to cover similar vehicles to differentiate tires, drive configurations, final drive ratios and other calibration-significant factors.

These two characters are chosen by the analyst to provide identifiable information unique to each calibration. For example, using the number 2 to denote a two-valve engine versus using the number 4 to denote a four-valve engine, offers an easily identifiable difference.

Fleet Code
- 1 - HDGE/Dyno
- 2 - Fast AMA, U.S.
- 3 - ADP, U.S.
- 4 - Not assigned
- 5 - Not assigned
- 6 - Evaporative emissions
- 7 - MACCA
- 8 - On-board diagnostics (OBD)
- 9 - Not assigned

Certification Region
- 5 - U.S. fifty states
- A - U.S. federal, including altitude, may include Canada and/or Mexico
- B - U.S. California, includes U.S. green states
- C - Canada
- M - Mexico

Revision Level (not printed on label)
- 91-99 - Hardware calibration levels.
- 01-04 - Preliminary levels.
- 00 - Job 1 production (initial calibration).
- 05-09 - Pre-job 1 revisions to calibrations.
- 10-89 - Post-job 1 revisions to calibrations.
- 0B - Durability test level.
- BD - On-board diagnostics (OBD) intermediate level (pre-05).