How to Decode a Ford Part Number

Whether it is easy or complicated to decode a Ford part number, it depends on the knowledge of the person doing it. Knowing how to read a Ford part number will help you determine which part is best to use for your Ford vehicle. A Ford part number usually consists of alpha-numeric characters, which are used as a reference code. It is divided into three parts: prefix, basic part number and suffix. A prefix is usually made of four digits. A basic part number usually has four or five digits, but it may consist of more than five digits if the part is for the body of a car. A suffix is usually made up of one letter, unless it indicates color.