How to Read Window Sticker to Find Build/Ship Date

[mets67]

Can't wait to get my car! Trying to figure out how to read window sticker to see build date/ship date. There is a date on the bottom next to where it says method of transportation (Rail). There's a whole bunch of numbers and letter and then the date 4/19/13.

 

Does this mean it was shipped on 4/19/13 or scheduled to be built on this day. And if it was built on this day how long does it take to build then ship approximately? 

[jeff_h]

If that date is 4/19, that's the date the sticker was created... take that VIN and input at www.etis.ford.com and if it's been built (likely has by now), it will show on the right and the date format is probably opposite of what you're used to seeing.  And don't flip out since it says the VIN is a Transit Connect, it says that for all of the Fusion VINs... but this site does work for showing the actual build date.

[Russael]

The only thing you can find from the VIN is the build week, which is the DRxx number.  For example, mine is DR32, which puts my build week of May 13.  DR31 is the week of May 6th  The rest of the stuff is just serial number.  To find your exact build date, your dealership could reach out to Ford and find that out for you, and shipping would also need to be done through the dealership.

 

I don't believe the window sticker with all of its extra info shows build day or ETA on shipping/delivery.  If it does, I've been unable to decipher it. :)

 

And Jeff beat me to it. :)

Edited April 30, 2013 at 12:35 PM by Russael

[mets67]

If that date is 4/19, that's the date the sticker was created... take that VIN and input at www.etis.ford.com and if it's been built (likely has by now), it will show on the right and the date format is probably opposite of what you're used to seeing.  And don't flip out since it says the VIN is a Transit Connect, it says that for all of the Fusion VINs... but this site does work for showing the actual build date.

Thanks for the tip. It says the build date was April 27th. Pretty cool...and the window sticker has DR30. Any idea of what this might mean in terms of ship date - how long after the build is a car shipped? Thanks again, this was so helpful!

[murphy]

Thanks for the tip. It says the build date was April 27th. Pretty cool...and the window sticker has DR30. Any idea of what this might mean in terms of ship date - how long after the build is a car shipped? Thanks again, this was so helpful!

It depends on the availability of railcars and whether they have enough vehicles going to the same destination to fill a railcar.  They don't load a railcar until they have enough vehicles lined up to fill it.  Depending on the size of the vehicles a railcar holds 10 to 15 vehicles.

 

My car shipped the day after it was built.

[jeff_h]

 

My car shipped the day after it was built.

 

And this is where another facet comes into play:

 

1 - VINs likely get matched up to go onto the same rail car that are headed to the same final offload point or to the same transfer point if needed... I don't know how that works other than that a VIN might sit at the plant waiting for shipment consolidation actions

 

2 - Did the VIN pass final inspection and be eligible to catch an immediate rail car? My car had status of 'released' one day and then 're-released' 4 days later, so I assume there was some issue that was found and corrected... it was then shipped out about 4-5 days later, probably after getting back into the transportation mix and being scheduled IAW #1 above

 

So bottom line, if the stars align sure your VIN may get onto transport within a day, but there are several variables that there's not a hard-n-fast rule to be able to determine this, IMHO.

Edited April 30, 2013 at 04:08 PM by jeff_h

[http]

This is a very helpful topic.  My Energi is scheduled to be built next week.I've been hammering the server at http://fordlabels.webview.biz, but still no sticker. :wub:  The etis site acknowledges my VIN, but until the car is built, it's not much help.

 

Apparently you can track the rail shipment if you know the rail car number.  Cars coming from Hermosillo ship on Union Pacific. Mine will probably get transferred to a CSX consist for the trip to Northern Virginia.

 

I got this from a 2-year old thread on an F-150 Ford Raptor forum, don't know if it still works:

 

First and most important. Never talk to live personnel at the railroad! Only use automated phone system. If it attempts to transfer you to a live person please hang up. The railcar information we are provided by is given as a courtesy and if we call live personnel we may lose the access and ability to track.

 

CSX
1. Call the CSX 1-800-235-2352
2. When prompted for location or weight, press "1" on your phone for location.
3. When prompted for the car initials, say CN (or whatever initials you have) then wait for the next prompt.
4. When prompted for the car number, say 907048 (or whatever your number is)
5. When prompted for next car say DONE.
6. That's it; enjoy your updated status report.

Union Pacific
1. Call UP at 1 800 877-5123 1 800 877-5123
2. Follow phone prompts for Trace
3. Say the railcar number complete and clearly. Example CN123456 all together
4. Listen for your update

These automated systems can be frustrating. Keep in mind they are intended for use by folks that use them daily all day long. Like I said if you are being transferred to a live person please hang up and try again.

[murphy]

You might want to set up an audio recorder to record what the computer generated voice.  Sometimes it takes multiple hearings while looking at a map to understand what the voice said.

[jeff_h]

CSX

1. Call the CSX 1-800-235-2352

2. When prompted for location or weight, press "1" on your phone for location.

3. When prompted for the car initials, say CN (or whatever initials you have) then wait for the next prompt.

4. When prompted for the car number, say 907048 (or whatever your number is)

5. When prompted for next car say DONE.

6. That's it; enjoy your updated status report.

 

These automated systems can be frustrating. Keep in mind they are intended for use by folks that use them daily all day long. Like I said if you are being transferred to a live person please hang up and try again.

 

I have called the CSX number 10-20 times, seems to be able to get and report the rail car into when being pulled by Union Pacific (UP), Norfolk Southern (NS), have also heard Canadian National Railway (CN) and of course by CSX. 

 

For those on the East coast, if you get status one day and then cannot get status for the next day or two, don't freak out the train hasn't crashed (we hope), just try again the next day and it should start reporting again.  For those on the West coast, the UP number is probably the better move but I've never used that one.

 

I don't know if I've referenced this on the Energi site before (have referenced it on Hybrid forum), however below is an extract from a past user's Vehicle Visibility Report, which shows the initial checkpoints and timing of this particular VIN being moved... may not be the exact timing and routing of your particular VIN in question, but most find it interesting and helpful in seeing the various data points involved in the production and shipment.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 30, 2013 at 05:43 PM by jeff_h

[mets67]

And this is where another facet comes into play:

 

2 - Did the VIN pass final inspection and be eligible to catch an immediate rail car? My car had status of 'released' one day and then 're-released' 4 days later, so I assume there was some issue that was found and corrected... it was then shipped out about 4-5 days later, probably after getting back into the transportation mix and being scheduled IAW #1 above

 

So bottom line, if the stars align sure your VIN may get onto transport within a day, but there are several variables that there's not a hard-n-fast rule to be able to determine this, IMHO.

How can you check if the VIN passed final inspection? 

[jeff_h]

How can you check if the VIN passed final inspection? 

 

Your dealer has the ability to run a vehicle visibility report, like the sample I linked above... the above report is a historical report that shows each step of the way, and from this your dealer can check the progress dates (to include the release and re-release if applicable) and see if/when it got onto a rail car, and can also give you the rail car number (in above sample it was ETTX800173) and then you can call the 800 number in another post above and check status.  As a test, give that 800 number a call and check status on ETTX800173 and see where in the country it is currently rolling, so you can see how the process works... but if the automated system says it is transferring you to an operator, hang up as a live operator will likely tell you that the service is for shipping partners and not for personal use. etc etc.

 

So from what I have seen actual dealer reps post in the other Fusion forums, all dealers have access to this, but some dealers apparently limit this access to the sales manager or inventory manager and the lower-echelon salesmen might not even know about the process (mine didn't), so if your salesman says he/she is unaware of this they may just not be in-the-know on the process, or may know about it and just don't feel like taking the time to look up the info (even though looking up a VIN takes under one minute)... so hopefully your dealer is cooperative and actually WANTS their customers to have a positive order/delivery/purchase experience, but sadly it seems that not all tend to be that way.

[http]

So I got an email from my sales guy last night who said my car was "in production" on May 1. Actually, he just cut a pasted a line from whatever system he uses to check.  I still can't see my sticker and ETIS has the 30.11.2002 default.  Is there normally a lag?

 

I take it the "in production" status means it's getting ready to roll down the line.

 

I would like to see the sticker to make sure they got the order right,  The anticipation is killing me.  Reading this forum doesn't help.  I can't recall reading about any product that has so few negative comments.  Everybody seems very pleased with the features, gas mileage and styling of the Fusion.

[jeff_h]

I take it the "in production" status means it's getting ready to roll down the line.

 

It may not be that far along... my car went "to production" on Nov 8th when the VIN was assigned and sent to plant for scheduling, and the build week was scheduled for Dec 4th which was 4 weeks out -- and I was in just the place that you're in right now, anxious to see the window sticker and to make sure that what I ordered is what I will get.  And I did, exactly.

 

I looked in the locator area on Blue Oval Forums and don't see a topic started by you yet... if you want, create an account on BOF (if not done already) and make at least 10 valid posts (there are plenty of Fusion topics there too) and then start a topic of your own and post your VIN.  Each morning a unofficial Ford rep (meaning an employee who does this on his own time as he knows how anxious retail customers are) with access to Ford's ordering system will look up the requested VIN and post the latest status.  So if your VIN has a build week or build date, that's where you would find it if the dealer says he/she doesn't know.

 

Here is the link, pay strict attention to the rules and see other topics already started to see how it is done.

 

http://www.blueovalforums.com/forums/index.php?/forum/80-vehicle-locator-by-ford-employees/

Edited May 2, 2013 at 04:57 PM by jeff_h

[BadRock]

 The anticipation is killing me.  Reading this forum doesn't help.  I can't recall reading about any product that has so few negative comments.  Everybody seems very pleased with the features, gas mileage and styling of the Fusion.

 

I have the same problem!  :drool:

[http]

Jeff_h

 

Thanks for the advice.  I DO have an account on the BOF, but I spend most of my time here.  Just like the conversations better.

However, I'll follow up on your recommendation and start posting to Blue Oval.

 

I really like my salesman at Ted Britt Ford in Fairfax.  He seems to be on top of my order.