OK, now this is weird. I've owned my car for 1 and a half years (bought new from main dealer), and I've always thought I never remember seeing a VIN plate in the engine bay. Well that's because it isn't there - the space for it is there, but the VIN plate is not! However, the VIN number is stamped on the floor underneath the carpet inside the car, and its also located on a label on the upper part of the dashboard. But for some reason, the actual VIN plate is missing.

Update: Finally got a VIN plate ordered up through the main dealer. At first they wanted me to pay £75 for it. Told them it has been like this since new, got Ford customer relations involved. Ford is paying for it. Dealer said they looked at some other Kas, some in the workshop and some in the car park, some have them and some don't. So it seems this is actually a common build omission on the old Ka?

dodgy!!!

glad they sorting it for you!!

All cars must have a vin plate. Chances are that your car has been the proceeds of organised crime at some point. Nothing to worry too much about though.

Jonny87, hard to tell if you are being sarcastic or not. I'm the first registered owner - bought brand new from Lookers Ford, the main Ford dealership in Sheffield. Organised crime? Possible, but highly unlikely......

got it sorted yet...

PS we just never know with Jonny!!

When cars are made they put a VIN plate on em. They never forget to do this, its not possible, a car doesn't even officialy exist without a VIN. They are fixed to the car, never to come off. The only people in the business of removing VIN plates are criminals. I'm not saying that the person who sold it to you is a criminal, but the person who sold it to them could well have been. If I was you I would start investigating your car, start by looking for the other vehicle identity marks, let us know what you find.

Im not sure where the VIN is stamped onto the KA but in most fords its under a flap in the carpet on the drivers side. If you find it, check it against the one on your V5c. Car is sprayed after stamping so if its stamped onto bare metal, or if it looks like somebody has been over the area with a grinder, you will want to investigate further.

Get back to us

ps. this sort of thing is more common than you will ever know, so dont discount the possibility until you can be sure.

EDIT:

After giving this all a bit more thought it is maybe more possible that your car is kosher and the crims are nicking legit VIN plates off of cars on the forecourt, or even while they are on the transporter / ship / any other place in the delivery chain. These would then be put onto the dodgy motors. A car wouldnt even pass QC without a VIN, let alone the countless other checkpoints.

Isn't there a VIN visible in the front windscreen too?

Isn't there a VIN visible in the front windscreen too?

Yeah, I think they call it a 'Visible VIN' ie you can see the vin without opening the car or bonnet. I think you have to put the windscreen through to get at it too. Its an anti-crime measure.

Yeah, I think they call it a 'Visible VIN' ie you can see the vin without opening the car or bonnet. I think you have to put the windscreen through to get at it too. Its an anti-crime measure.

Then it should serve as another check against other VIN codes on the car I suppose (and to the V5).

I can assure everyone there's nothing to worry about. On the old shape Ka, there are 4 places where the VIN is visible. Inside the door on the pillar there is a sticker, on upper left side of the dashboard there is a sticker. The VIN is stamped into the floor. And finally there is a metal plate on the bonnet lock crossmember in the engine bay. The three VINs I currently have on the car all match with the V5 document and the original invoice.

Jonny87, I have found pictures of Ford Kas online which have the metal plate in the engine bay missing - so this isn't the only one.

Furthermore, it is evident that the plate has never been fitted since the date of manufacture. The metal is completely unmarked - and one of the holes has never been punched through!

I can assure everyone there's nothing to worry about. On the old shape Ka, there are 4 places where the VIN is visible. Inside the door on the pillar there is a sticker, on upper left side of the dashboard there is a sticker. The VIN is stamped into the floor. And finally there is a metal plate on the bonnet lock crossmember in the engine bay. The three VINs I currently have on the car all match with the V5 document and the original invoice.

Jonny87, I have found pictures of Ford Kas online which have the metal plate in the engine bay missing - so this isn't the only one.

Furthermore, it is evident that the plate has never been fitted since the date of manufacture. The metal is completely unmarked - and one of the holes has never been punched through!

How weird, I wonder why Ford aren't fitting VIN plates to the KA anymore. Seems strange to me.

There's no metal VIN plate on my Focus ST either. And I'm the first and only owner of this car, which was built to order.

It has the visible VIN on the windscreen, stamped in the floor on the driver's side and also printed on a sticker on the B pillar in the door-shut.

Standard practice nowadays :)

Might as well update this. Eventually got it sorted, all done for free, so my Ka now has a nice shiny VIN plate. :D

It's worth pursuing with Ford head office if your new Ford is missing the VIN plate from the engine bay - could potentially cause issues when selling the car later, or when having an MOT done (depends on the tester I suppose, some are picky, some are not.)

Might as well update this. Eventually got it sorted, all done for free, so my Ka now has a nice shiny VIN plate. :D

It's worth pursuing with Ford head office if your new Ford is missing the VIN plate from the engine bay - could potentially cause issues when selling the car later, or when having an MOT done (depends on the tester I suppose, some are picky, some are not.)

Hi just thought id help on this subject. You will have no issues with out a vin plate at mot or when selling as cars made after 2006 (aprx) do not need the old style metal plate due to the use of the other methods mentioned above. In fact cars that have had a plate added may look more suspect if the norm on that model is for the plate to be left off (i.e. it may look like youve changed it to alter details). personaly i feel better with them on but i think thats perhaps were all a little stuck in the past.

Hi just thought id help on this subject. You will have no issues with out a vin plate at mot or when selling as cars made after 2006 (aprx) do not need the old style metal plate due to the use of the other methods mentioned above. In fact cars that have had a plate added may look more suspect if the norm on that model is for the plate to be left off (i.e. it may look like youve changed it to alter details). personaly i feel better with them on but i think thats perhaps were all a little stuck in the past.

Ive got a Ranger Wildtrak 06 with no VIN plate on the engine.....having major grief trying to get it registered in Australia. What to do?