Ford
Driver-side door jamb label — the two-character code on the "EXT PNT" line (e.g. UM, YZ).
Find your car's factory paint color free from the VIN, then use the make-by-make guide to read the exact paint code off the plate for a perfect touch-up match.
Factory build data from manufacturer and government sources
Every manufacturer prints the paint code somewhere on the vehicle. Decode the VIN to confirm the factory color, then read the exact code here.
Driver-side door jamb label — the two-character code on the "EXT PNT" line (e.g. UM, YZ).
Service Parts Identification label in the glovebox, trunk lid, or spare-tire cover — look for "BC/CC" followed by a WA number.
Driver-side door jamb plate — the three-digit code on the "C/TR" line (e.g. 040, 1F7). C is paint, TR is interior trim.
Color label on the driver-side door jamb — codes look like NH-731P or B-593M.
Firewall plate under the hood or the driver-side door pillar — three-character code such as QAB or KH3.
Driver-side door jamb sticker or a plate under the hood — the code on the "PNT" line (e.g. PW7, PXR).
Driver-side door pillar label — short codes like NKA, UD, or ABP near the tire-pressure chart.
Firewall plate in the engine bay or the driver door jamb — three-character code such as K1X.
Strut tower under the hood or the driver-side door pillar — three-digit code with the color name (e.g. 300 Alpinweiss).
Radiator support bar or the driver-side door pillar — three-digit code on the paint plate (e.g. 149, 197).
Sticker in the trunk floor or spare-wheel well, sometimes the service booklet — L-codes like LB9A or LY9C.
Label at the bottom of the driver-side door pillar — codes like PPSW (Pearl White) or PBSB (Solid Black).
Everything tied to your VIN's factory build — with the color details touch-up and body work depend on.
The color the vehicle was built with, from manufacturer and government build records.
Cabin color and trim as delivered — useful for matching seats, panels, and carpet.
The full decode context, so you know the records match your exact vehicle.
Displacement, transmission, and drivetrain from the same factory build data.
A make-by-make guide to the paint plate location and code format on the car itself.
Unrepaired NHTSA recalls on the VIN, included free with every decode.
Type or paste the 17-character VIN. It is on the driver-side dashboard, the door jamb, and the title.
We pull the factory build records for your VIN — colors, trim, equipment, and specs.
Confirm the factory color, then read the exact code off the paint plate using the location guide.
Enter the 17-character VIN above and VINDecoded decodes it for free — no account or credit card. The decode shows the factory exterior and interior colors the vehicle was built with. Pair that with the make-by-make guide on this page to read the exact manufacturer paint code off the color plate on the car itself.
Not always. The 17 characters of a VIN encode the make, model, trim, engine, plant, and year — most manufacturers do not embed the paint code in the VIN itself. We decode the factory build records tied to your VIN, which include the original color for many makes. When the records only name the color, the paint plate or sticker on the vehicle has the precise code body shops use.
The most common spots are the driver-side door jamb or door pillar label, the glovebox or trunk-lid service parts label (GM), the firewall under the hood (Nissan, Subaru), or the spare-wheel well (Volkswagen and Audi). The guide above lists the exact location and code format for each major make.
Manufacturers often sell a dozen similar-looking colors — several whites, silvers, and blacks in the same model year. Touch-up paint, wraps, and body-shop repairs are mixed to the code, not the color name, so an exact code match is the difference between an invisible repair and a mismatched panel.
A VIN decode always shows the color the vehicle left the factory with. If a previous owner repainted the car, the paint on the body may not match the factory records — which is itself useful to know when buying, since a color change can hide prior bodywork or accident repair. Our accident check covers that history.
Yes. The VIN decode with factory color information, specs, and open recalls is completely free with no account required. Paid CARFAX or VinAudit history reports are optional and only needed for ownership, accident, and title records.
Free decode of the factory colors, specs, and open recalls — no account needed.