|
The
Check Digit, position 9 in your Ford VIN, is used by the factory and law
enforcement agencies to verify that a particular VIN is a valid one for
that vehicle. It is calculated by the following method:
1.
Each number in the VIN is given its
mathematical equivalent value.
2.
Each letter in the VIN is given a
mathematical value based on the following table:
|
A - 1 |
G - 7 |
N - 5 |
V - 5 |
|
B - 2 |
H - 8 |
P - 7 |
W - 6 |
|
C - 3 |
J - 1 |
R - 9 |
X - 7 |
|
D - 4 |
K - 2 |
S - 2 |
Y - 8 |
|
E - 5 |
L - 3 |
T - 3 |
Z - 9 |
|
F - 6 |
M - 4 |
U - 4 |
|
3.
The assigned value of each VIN
character is then multiplied by the position weight factor as specified in
the following table:
|
Position |
Weight Factor |
|
1st................…8 |
10th................9 |
|
2nd..................7 |
11th................8 |
|
3rd...................6 |
12th................7 |
|
4th...................5 |
13th................6 |
|
5th...................4 |
14th................5 |
|
6th...................3 |
15th................4 |
|
7th...................2 |
16th................3 |
|
8th...............…10 |
17th................2 |
|
9th (ignored) |
|
4.
The resulting products are
then added, and that total is divided by 11.
5.
The numerical remainder is the
check digit. If the remainder happens to be 10, X is used. Here is an
example. The check digit has been designated as the question mark in the
sample VIN of 1FAPP64R?LH123456.
|
VIN |
1 |
F |
A |
P |
P |
6 |
4 |
R |
? |
L |
H |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
Assigned
Values |
1 |
6 |
1 |
7 |
7 |
6 |
4 |
9 |
|
3 |
8 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
Weight Factor |
8 |
7 |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
10 |
|
9 |
8 |
7 |
6 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
|
AV * WF |
8 |
42 |
6 |
35 |
28 |
18 |
8 |
90 |
|
27 |
64 |
7 |
12 |
15 |
16 |
15 |
12 |
8+42+6+35+28+18+8+90+27+64+7+12+15+16+15+12
= 403
403
divided by 11 = 36, with a remainder of 7.
The
check digit for this example vehicle is therefore 7.
1FAPP64R7LH123456
By
the way, this "example vehicle" would translate to a 1990 (L) Thunderbird
Super Coupe (model 64, engine R), produced at Lorain, Ohio (H). |
