In this post, I will attempt help others gain a better understanding of how best to follow the process after placing an order with a dealer to taking delivery of their truck. These are all things I've learned through reading the forums and tracking my own custom order. If anyone sees errors with my topics, please let me know. This is will be long, but if you're able to stick with it, it should be helpful.

Topics Covered

1. Terminology
2. Major Milestones
3. Window Sticker
4. Tracking Tools
5. When to ask for help
6. Additional Tips & Tricks

1. Terminology
These are common terms used when tracking your order.

• Dealer Code - A 6 digit code specific to your dealer. Dealer codes for USA start with an F with 5 numbers after it. Canada starts with a C and could have an A or a B after it with 6 digits total. This should be on your order sheet, listed at the top as "Sales Code". See below topic 6.1 for a method to find your dealer code.
• Order Code - This is a 4 digit code assigned by the dealer. Sometimes the order number on your order sheet may be different from what the dealer enters into the order system. Ask them for your order code. The order code will also be on your Window Sticker (shown below). You will need this number for some of the tracking tools. This order code is case sensitive when using in the tracker tools.
• Priority Code - The Priority Code is used to determine the timeline of your truck order being pulled against all the other orders your dealer has in the system. The lower the number the better. This impacts when Ford accepts your order.
  • 1-9 is Ford internal. Have to be at least a Zone Manager to assign these number.
  • 10 through 19 is for customer "retail" orders.
  • 20 through 80 is for dealer stock

• VIN - The truck's vehicle identification number (VIN) is the identifying code for a SPECIFIC automobile. The VIN serves as the truck's serial number, no two vehicles in operation have the same VIN. A VIN is composed of 17 characters (numbers and capital letters).
  • Your VIN is assigned after Ford has accepted the order.
  • Your dealer will need to give you your VIN.
  • The VIN is needed to track orders and view window stickers.
  • The 11th character of the VIN tells you which plant is assigned the truck. F = Dearborn K = Kansas City
• Window Sticker - This is the sheet of paper you typically see taped inside the window of a new vehicle. It contains details about the order and configuration options of the vehicle.
  • Customer order window stickers will be green and dealer stock orders will be blue.
  • Window stickers are created and available to view roughly 7 days prior to the date your truck will be built.
• Blend / Blend Date - Blend is the process of assembling your truck. The date is the planned start of assembly. This date is shown at the top of your Window Sticker.
• Window Sticker Update Date - This date is a bit of an unknown. It will may change many times throughout the cycle, with no indication that anything on the sticker or build process has changed. I feel safe ignoring this date completely.

• Constraints - Unavailability of components required to build your order. This can impact Ford accepting your order, if they don't currently have the parts scheduled to be available to build your truck, they may not accept your order until they know they'll have the parts.
• Dealer Allotment - How many vehicles your dealer can order from Ford. Typically larger dealers who sell more trucks will have a higher number of vehicles they can order. When you place an order, you're essentially "competing" with other customer orders, to grab one of their available spots that Ford will grant them. This is where a lower priority number can help you.
• Build Week / Day - The week and day Ford has scheduled to start building your order.
• Rail - Your truck will be shipped part of the way by train.
• Convoy - Shipping by truck transport.

2. Major Milestones
Throughout the lifecycle of of order, these are the most common milestones you should be concerned with. These milestones may not be up to the minute in any tracker, and may be up to several days behind. It's not uncommon for a dealer to take delivery, while the trackers show "In Transit" or "Awaiting Shipping".

1. Order is in - You've placed the order with your dealer.
2. Unscheduled - Ford knows about the order, but hasn't assigned a VIN or a build date.
3. Order Confirmed
   • This can happen days to weeks to months after you place the order with the dealer. It depends on your "Priority Code", "Dealer Allotment" and current "Constraints"
   • Ford has accepted your order.
   • Typically you will get a VIN (from the dealer) and a build week or build day assigned.
   • In Order Processing is another status at this point.
4. In Production
   • Typically happens 1 week prior to your scheduled build day.
   • You Window Sticker will soon be available, if not already.
   • Sub-statuses
     • Sent to Plant - Ford has sent your order to the plant to prepare for your build.
     • Produced - Order has been built
     • Sent Offsite - Order needs to go offsite for installation of components not installed at the plant: bed liner, wheel well liners, tonneau
     • Released to Body Company - Getting one of the above things installed
     • Origin Received - Truck is being stored in a location while it waits on the next step.
5. Built / Produced - Your order is built and complete. Internally the status will show the order has been released and is awaiting shipment.
6. Shipped - Your truck is on its way to the dealer.
7. Delivered - The dealer has taken delivery of the truck and will soon be ready for you to pick up.

3. Window Sticker
The Window Sticker is available about 1 week before your truck is scheduled to be built. The sticker should remain available once it's first displayed, but in some unknown circumstances, it may go missing for a period of time and then come back. It's unknown if this should be cause for concern, but doesn't seem to be an indication of anything bad.

If you have your VIN from your dealer, you can check to see if your Window Sticker is available by pasting this into browser with your VIN after the equals sign.
http://www.windowsticker.forddirect....icker.pdf?vin=

Example: http://www.windowsticker.forddirect....FW1E85MKD08255

Window stickers are also available via links in the trackers listed below. In some instances, when viewing the sticker from those trackers, you may see an outdated cached sticker. Using the link above should avoid that.

 

4. Tracking Tools
There are a few ways to check the status of your order. In all cases, you will need at least your VIN, and in some cases you'll also need your "Order Code".

Order Status Trackers
https://fordtracker.tech/ - Enter your VIN and click "Load Car Information"

https://seg.fyi/mache-vin/#/details - Enter your VIN and Order Code (Case sensitive, use UPPER case letters) and click "Submit". For additional info, click "Show Raw Details".

https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/pages/tracker/ - Enter your VIN and Order Code (Case sensitive, use UPPER case letters) and click "Load Vehicle Information"

https://shop.ford.com/vehicleordertracking#/status - Enter your VIN and Order Code (Case sensitive, use UPPER case letters) and click "Accept & Track"



Some of these trackers won't show all of the configuration options from your order. If you paste this into a browser, and replace YOURVINHERE with your VIN, and YOURORDERNUMBER with your order number (UPPER case letters), you'll see line by line, everything in your order. The Firefox browser will display the info in the most readable way.
https://shop.ford.com/aemservices/sh...OURORDERNUMBER


Shipping Trackers
https://palsapp.com - Site for Jack Cooper, one of Ford's larger transport companies. You will be able to see your VIN on their site almost as soon as it's created, regardless of whether or not your truck will eventually ship with Jack Cooper. When not yet shipped, your status will show "Pending".


After shipment, you will see some status updates.


Placeholder for Rail tracking.



5. When to ask for help
If you're unsure or confused about any of these topics, ask here. There are many helpful forum members who know this entire process better than I do, who are more than willing to help.

Your dealer shouldn't be avoided. You're paying them to help you complete a VERY large purchase. Ask them questions, ask them for status updates. Yes, it's sometimes easier to ask here, but it's also time consuming work for forum members, and they're not getting paid for their time like your dealer is.

There is a thread in this forum for asking about order updates, please use it as your last resort.

If your dealer is telling you you don't have a VIN, and it's been several weeks since placing your order, ask in the tracking thread. You will need your "Dealer Code" and your "Order code".

The three trackers above will give you a lot of good information. While the tracking thread may be able to provide a few additional details, it won't be able to tell you a different delivery date than what these show. The tracking thread also won't be able to tell you a different major milestone. If the Ford tracker shows "In Production", so will the info in the tracking thread. The best time to ask for an update in the tracker thread is when one of those major milestones has changed in one of the three tracking tools.


6. Additional Tips & Tricks

1. Finding your dealer code.

Navigate to the Cassens page located here, https://www.cassens.com/pages/dealer-display/ . Enter the dealer name and select Ford.




Hope this helps. Please add as many other tips, tricks and knowledge you can. The more information and tools we have at our disposal, the better.

 

Amazing job, we should get this sticky-ed.

1. You should also add in the direct API query: And make sure people know the ordernumber is case sensitive. it needs to be capitals.

2. Also, the f150gen14 tracker caches your window sticker. The window sticker will be older than if you query the API directly. This is another common question that comes up.

3. Giving out your order number exposes private information about you and the dealer who made the order for you. In almost ALL circumstances, you should refrain from publically sharing your order number on the forums, unless you are okay with people knowing your last name tied to the order and the dealer you ordered the truck from.

 

Comprehensive Information! Thanks for doing this!
With the shutdowns, and shortages of important parts, we are in for a tough ride, I fear.
For my own info, KC was shut down on the day my 502a build was to commence. Anyone's guess when/if it will actually happen.
I have a 2018 Lariat 500A that keeps appreciating in value with the shortages of good trucks for sale on dealers lots. I'm wondering if I wouldn't be further ahead to take the leased 502a when it comes and sell mine on the open market when mine finally arrives? Its at 55600Km and I was offered $27500 cash plus a lease of $500/month on a lease. I have no idea what mine might be worth now given the climate of the market.
I would sure appreciate some opinions from someone in the industry in Ontario Canada

 

Good points, I added the bit about the case on the order number and the caching of the window sticker.

I didn't add info about giving out the order number. For the most part, with a VIN, you can find the window sticker which will have the order number on it. If people are willing to post their VIN, their already giving up their personal info.

Do you have any "after" notes regarding pulling the complete JSON? I think I remember you doing a write up and mentioning Firefox displaying the data better, but I can't find it now. If you want to post here, or PM, I'll add the detail to the tracker section. I think the main benefit is that it shows some additional details about order config that the other three don't, correct?

 

It is good to note that if you get "Awaiting Shipment" status but it doesn't seem to be doing anything for a couple days, that doesn't mean it hasn't shipped. Mine went from "Awaiting Shipment" to "Delivered", where some go to "Shipped". Sometimes steps seem to not make it onto the tracking page even though they have happened.

 

Someone said they saw someone go from "In production" to it being at their dealer without any change in the Primary Status. /shrug

I guess nothing is certain in these strange and uncharted times for Ford.

 

You might also want to add the convoy shipping company that Ford uses. People can use this website to track their delivery once it's been picked up:

https://palsapp.com/

All you need to do is supply your VIN.

 

So one less reason to bug Pioneer then. Knowing that some people’s truck has actually shipped while the Ford system shows “in production.” This would be the way to know for sure if your truck is enroute eh? Is there any reason why my VIN would be picked up on this site before it actually shipped or was received by the convoy company?

 

Yes, but I think if your method of shipment is RAIL, then this won't apply. I think palsapp is just for CONVOY.. but who knows.

My VIN is picked up too, with a different FREIGHT BILL #. So that tells me they have your VIN in their database and already have a Freight Bill # ready for it when it's picked up.

Would be nice to see what this looks like with a truck that has already been shipped. Maybe someone can scan the forums and get a VIN of a shipped truck and plug it into the website.