Each year automobile manufacturers launch new models of their trucks in various paint colors according to changing trends. For example, Ford F150 also has paint codes according to its model year and trim level.
Where is the Paint Code on a Ford F150? You can find the paint code of the Ford F150 by checking the information sticker on the driver side door jamb in the form of two letters. You can also find it by providing the dealer or Ford service department VIN of your truck. The truck’s owner manual can also be a place to have information regarding the paint code. It is essential to find the paint code of your truck due to the variety of shades and matching paint in case of patchwork.
This article will guide truck owners regarding finding the exact color of their vehicles. In addition, it will help them restore the truck’s appearance with new paintwork. You can also need it if the body gets damaged due to an accident or corrosion.
What is the paint code of the Ford F150?
Ford changes the paint colors for F150 for each truck generation or part of mid-year upgrades.
Therefore, knowing the color name is not sufficient for finding the exact matching paintwork as each color has different shades.
For example, red is available in two shades like Ruby red and Vermilion red, for the 2009-2014 Ford F150.
Therefore, the manufacturer has assigned one letter or multi-letter code for earlier models and two letters for newer models.
It can also be a combination of a digit and a letter. For example, the 2021 Ford F150 has code HN for Guard Metallic, JS for Iconic Silver Metallic, and J1 for Kodiak Brown Metallic shades.
Where to locate the paint code of the Ford F150?
The information sticker is the most prominent place to find the paint code for the Ford F150 pickup truck.
It contains the data like VIN, specifications of the vehicle, and paint code. In addition, there will be two color codes separately for external and internal paint colors.
I have found the information sticker on most Ford trucks on the driver-side door jamb, and it is the same for Ford truck generations.
You will find the words EXT PNT: followed by two letters code. It will be precisely below the bar code for the vehicle.
Moreover, the interior trim code will be below the exterior paint code under the letters INT TR. Therefore, it will also consist of two letters.
Find the Ford F150 paint code using the VIN
VIN is a 17 letters special code that is unique for every vehicle. Ford assigns the VIN according to a specific classification scheme, and each letter or digit has certain information.
Although it does not contain the information regarding the paint of your truck, it can be a source to track the one from the manufacturer or dealership.
Truck dealers have complete data regarding make, model, year, and other truck specifications saved with VIN. Therefore, you can call them and get the requisite code by telling the VIN.
Moreover, several online forums and our websites have databases for vehicle color codes according to their model years.
You can search over, thereby providing a few details regarding your truck.
Use the owner’s manual
The owner manual is an important document containing information about the efficient and safe usage of the Ford F150 and best maintenance practices.
It also includes the data regarding vehicle specifications and its various systems. Finally, you should consult the manual to find this code.
Even if it does not provide the exact code, it can guide the location of the sticker on your truck.
Although the driver-side door jamb is most common for its location, it can sometimes be at unusual places like under the hood, depending on the vehicle model.
Why is it important to find the paint color code on a truck?
It is essential to know the color code of your truck before doing a paint job. The latest Ford F150 is available in unique paint shades not commonly known in the market.
If your vehicle has body damage due to scratches, corrosion, or an accident, the paintwork is necessary to restore its look.
You can’t simply go to a paint shop and ask for the job. Instead, they will ask for a color code to do homogenous paintwork that will match the rest of the area.
If you don’t have a paint code, the newly painted patch will be visible from a distance. It will reduce the truck’s overall resale value and make it look not pleasant.
Another option will be to repaint the whole truck body, which will be costlier to choose.
It will cost you about $2000-$2500 for the completely new paint.
Do Ford F150 paint codes vary by year and model?
Yes, different models and year vehicles have varying paint codes for the F150 truck. The reason can be the introduction of new color shades as a part of upgrades or generation change.
Moreover, manufacturers can also delete a few shades in recent model years. Despite the same color name, manufacturers can make slight changes in the paint shade by making it lighter or brighter.
Therefore, there can also be variations in two model-year pickup trucks by Ford having the same color but different color codes.
You cannot just decide by looking at the body of your truck about its touch-up paint.
Can you match the color of your truck without a paint code?
If you cannot find the paint code of your Ford F150 and the paintwork is due for its upkeep, you have to match the color by adopting a few methods.
Besides consulting online forums or different websites, you can use a spectrophotometer to detect the color components.
Visit your nearest paint shop and ask for the equipment. It will perform a spectral analysis of the paintwork of your truck.
The resultant data will be helpful for the supplier or vendor to arrange the matching color for the vehicle.
Some expert painters can also assist you in deciding the paint shade by looking at the truck and choosing based on his experience.
However, before applying it to your truck, you should try it on a rough surface to check the matching.
How to find the paint code if the information sticker is damaged or missing?
One of my friends purchased a 2006 model Ford F150 from a dealer. It has an information sticker missing on the driver-side door.
He has to do touch-up paintwork to restore the look of the truck. He got information regarding the previous owners from the dealer and called them. Finally, they helped him to find this color for his truck.
It can be a good idea to contact the truck owners to check if they have any information regarding its color.
As already mentioned, you can also contact the dealer by providing him with the VIN of the truck.
How to get a paint code for a two-tone Ford F150?
Some Ford F150 can be two-tone, having two different paint shades, like the base and upper layer colors.
Therefore, there should be two codes on the information sticker. If you find only one code on such trucks, you can call the Ford customer assistance center.
They will ask for the VIN and provide both paint codes for a vehicle with two shades.
Related Articles:
Issues with the Ford F150 Catalytic Converter
F150 Active Grill Shutter Problems
Common problems with Ford F150 Body Control Module