Vehicle Certification (VC) Label

Vehicle Certification (VC) Label Locator:

The upper portion of the Vehicle Certification (VC) label contains the manufacturer name, the month and year of manufacture, the certification statement and the VIN. It also includes Gross Vehicle Weight Ratings (GVWR). The VC label is located on the left-hand door jamb.

VEHICLE CERTIFICATION (VC) LABEL REFERENCE







The first set of paint code letters/numbers listed indicate the vehicle primary body color. The second set of paint code letters/numbers listed (if applicable) indicate a two-tone or accent body color.
^ B7 - Zinc Yellow (clear coat)
^ CX - Dark Shadow Gray Metallic
^ D3 - Colorado Red (clear coat)
^ G2 - Redfire (water based) clear coat
^ L2 - True Blue (water based) clear coat
^ L5 - Azure Blue (water based) clear coat (Mach One only)
^ SN - Sonic Blue (water based) clear coat
^ SU - Amazon Green (water based) clear coat
^ UA - Ebony (clear coat)
^ YN - Silver Metallic (water based) clear coat
^ Zl - Oxford White (clear coat)







The brake type codes are:
^ 2 - Four-wheel disc with Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
^ 3 - Traction control
^ 5 - Four-wheel disc with anti-lock brake system (ABS) and traction control







The interior trim codes are listed below. The first letter/number is for the interior fabric. The second letter is for the interior color.
^ 9 - Quantum/Rhodes cloth (base coupe)
^ A - Link weave cloth (Mach One)
^ M - Nudo Leather (Cobra)
^ T - Lea cloth with vinyl (base coupe/convertible)
^ U - Shadow/Twill cloth (GT)
^ X - Lea cloth with vinyl (GT)

The interior trim colors are:
^ 2 - Medium Graphite
^ 2 - Medium Graphite/Midnight Black (Cobra)
^ H - Medium Parchment
^ H - Midnight Black/Medium Parchment (Cobra)
^ R - Midnight Black/Colorado Red (Cobra)
^ W - Midnight Black
^ Z - Oxford White







^ P - White/Gray (tape applique emblem)
^ X - Black (hood and body tape stripe) - Mach One







The radio type codes are:
^ 2 - Premium electronic AM/FM stereo with Compact Disc (CD) player and clock
^ 9 - CDX6+, AM/FM stereo with 6-disc compact disc (CD) changer and MACH 460 subwoofer sound system
^ Z - AM/FM stereo, dual media (MP3) with compact disc (CD) player







The axle ratio is:
^ X5 - 3.8L, non-ABS, 3.27 ratio
^ Z5 - 3.8L, ABS, 3.27 ratio
^ ME - 4.6L, Mach One, 3.55 ratio
^ LE - 4.6L, VX, 3.27 ratio
^ TE - 3.55 locker (with independent rear suspension) - Cobra







The transmission code is:
^ 5 - Five-speed manual (T5OD/TR3150) - base
^ B - Six-speed manual (T56), Cobra
^ K - Five-speed manual (TR3650), GT
^ U - Four-speed automatic (AODE/4R7OW)







The spring code portion of the vehicle certification (VC) label identifies both the front and rear springs. The first letter/number indicates the front spring code. The second letter/number indicates the rear spring code.
^ Front springs - base part number - 5310 (RH/LH)
^ Rear springs - base part number - 5560 (RH/LH)







Powertrain Calibration Information

NOTE: Powertrain calibration information is limited to a maximum of five characters per line on the Vehicle Certification Label. Because of this, calibration identification consisting of more than 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 Label. Only the base calibration information is printed. Revision levels will not appear, however, this information can be found in the 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 has been used since 1998 and carried into the current model year, protocol 1 will be used. Refer to Protocol 1. If the electronic calibration strategy has been used since 1999 and is carried into the current model year, protocol 2 will be used. Refer to Protocol 2. For new electronic calibration strategies introduced since the 2000 model year, use protocol 3. Refer to Protocol 3.

Protocol 1:

Protocol 1

Protocol 2:

Protocol 2

Protocol 3, Part 1:

Protocol 3, Part 2:

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

Model Year
^ Y - 2000
^ 1 - 2001
^ 2 - 2002
^ 3 - 2003

Vehicle Line
^ ZE - Mustang

Transmission
^ 1 - Automatic transmission
^ 2 - Manual 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 easily 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.

Fleet Code
^ 1 - HDGE/Dyno
^ 2 - Fast AMA, U.S.
^ 3 - ADP, U.S.
^ 4 - Not assigned
^ 5 - Not assigned
^ 6 - Evaporative emissions
^ 7 - MACAA
^ 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 standard, includes U.S. green states
^ C - Canada
^ D - China
^ E - European Community (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom)
^ F - Extended European Community (E plus Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland and Yugoslavia)
^ G - Gulf Cooperative Council (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE)
^ H - Hong Kong
^ J - Japan
^ K - Korea
^ L - Malaysia
^ M - Mexico
^ N - New Zealand
^ P - Australia
^ Q - South America (Brazil)
^ S - Singapore
^ T - Taiwan
^ U - South America (unleaded fuel regions)
^ V - Vietnam
^ X - Rest of world (ROW)
^ Y - Military
^ Z - Israel

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