Order Info / COTUS / ETIS: Explained
 

Disclaimer: I am not an expert at any of this. My knowledge comes from staring at COTUS and reading these forums for the past month. There wasn’t even a Holiday Inn Express involved. If edits or updates are needed, let me know.

*****************

The 2 pieces of information you need to start tracking your order are the Order# and Dealer Code#. They should be at the top of the paperwork you received from the dealer.

Depending on the type of order you placed (A/Z/X or Retail) and what system your dealer is using, you could have one of 3 different pieces of paperwork (that I know of).


Order Summary:
Order# is top left
Dealer Code is top right, labeled “Sales Code”Vehicle Order Confirmation: This is the old system (and the easiest)
Order# top left
Dealer Code top right


DORA (Dealer Order Receipt Acknowledgement):
Order# is after the phrase “BEGIN ORD”
Dealer# is just above that, before dealer name.
DEALER # can also befound at:
US Orders: http://www.fleet.ford.com/fleetdealers/
Canadian Orders: http://www.ford.ca/dealerships/locate/results/


VIN# - This will show up in COTUS and can also be obtained from your dealer, usually within a couple of weeks of ordering. When a VIN is assigned, the dealer should also be able to give you a BUILD WEEK


BUILD DATE: At a minimum this should be available a few weeks before build week. Get this from your dealer or by sending a Private Message (PM) to FordService on this Forum (US Customers). Canadian Orders try FordServiceCA for the PM.


COTUS http://wwwqa.cotus.ford.com/After you have your Order# and Dealer#, you can track your order in COTUS. Sometimes it takes several days for a new order to show up. The ETA is only an estimate, read the footnote.


IN ORDER PROCESSING : This is often referred to as the First Ring of Hell because of the wait. It’s basically Ford’s time to make certain they have the necessary components and herd your order and parts to the starting line. This step could take several weeks, or if a component you ordered isn’t available, maybe longer.


IN PRODUCTION: COTUS will make this change 6-10 days before your build date. A link will show up in COTUS that lets you view your window sticker, the sticker might take a day or two to fill in properly. For a window sticker explanation see: https://www.f150forum.com/f118/answered-window-sticker-explained-291213/

After production COTUS sometimes jumps to DELIVERED for a few days before it moves back to AWAITING SHIPMENT or IN TRANSIT. Don’t freak out,it just does that to boost sales of Xanex.


IN TRANSIT: When it moves to ‘IN TRANSIT’, the ETA will disappear.
If your truck is being shipped by rail, you may be able to track it using this information: https://www.f150forum.com/f118/tracking-thread-vins-build-dates-275592/index87/#post4004703

If your truck is being shipped over the road, you’re flying blind and there’s not any way for you or your dealer to locate it.


DELIVERED: This means check your voice mail and break out the cocktails!!!


ETIS: Electronic Technical Information System

ETIS contains lots of useful information about your truck AFTER it’s built. You’ll need your VIN# to access ETIS. Before your truck is built, the ETIS build date is only a placeholder, something like 30.11.0002. It means nothing so don’t waste time trying to decipher it.

This should be sticky. :thumbsup:

A very nice roll-up of all the different types of info and where to go.

Good job Rich!:thumbsup:

I agree, should be a sticky. Would help the newbies and should help over in the tracking thread to keep for having to repeat ourselves so much.

Wish I had this when I first started!

You may want to add this link that shows any delays and what not

http://www.donlen.com/production-trucks-ford.aspx



Bob

This will be added to the sticky. I have contact a mod to edit as I lost ability to edit.

Great - anyone have more Xanax? I just went to the ETIS site where it shows my truck as "Less Elect Locking Differential" . I specifically ordered the locking rear axle. My window sticker shows that it has the 3.55 electronic lock RR axle. My dealer has no information. I called the number listed for Ford Service. They didn't have any info. Does anyone know where I can get a 3rd point of information on this?

Great post!

I wouldn't worry too much, I put in the VIN of my current vehicle and only about half of what was on ETIS was correct.

It appears to be just another site to torment us... :)

ETIS is an acronym for Ford's Electronic Technical Information System

Nice summary Rich33Y. A couple of notes though;

Receiving a DORA does not mean your dealer has an allocation. It is indeed only a receipt acknowledgement. I received the DORA right away - the allocation didn't come for another 5 weeks.

The Canadian dealer website you list does not provide the Dealer Code. Dealer codes in Canada seem very difficult to obtain if your dealer doesn't want to give it to you.

Definitely check with Brittany and Crystal. You can PM them and they usually get back to you in a day or so.