How to Find My Car’s Color Code: Your Key to a Perfect Paint Match

So, you’re ready to tackle those scratches and rock chips with our DIY touch-up paint bottles or aerosol cans – that’s fantastic! The first and most crucial step for a seamless repair is finding your car’s exact paint color code. This unique combination of letters and numbers tells us precisely what shade of paint your vehicle rolled off the assembly line with, ensuring a perfect match.

At Complete Paint Care, we custom-match your paint to this code, so let’s unlock your car’s secret color!

Why the Color Code is So Important

You might think, “It’s a red car, just give me red paint!” But automotive colors are incredibly complex. There can be dozens of variations of “red” even within the same car manufacturer, sometimes with subtle differences in metallic flake, pearl, or shade. Using your car’s specific paint code eliminates guesswork and guarantees the best possible color match for your touch-up.

Where to Find Your Car’s Paint Code: Common Locations

Automakers are pretty good about putting a label or sticker somewhere on your vehicle that lists this vital information. The exact spot can vary by make, model, and year, but here are the most common places to check:

1. Driver’s Side Door Jamb (Most Common):
   • Open your driver’s side door and look at the edge of the door itself, the door frame (the B-pillar), or the door sill.
   • You’re looking for a sticker or a metal plate. It often contains a lot of information, including the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), tire pressure, and manufacturing date.
   • The paint code might be labeled as “EXT PNT,” “PAINT,” “COLOR,” “C/TR,” or simply a series of numbers and/or letters.
2. Under the Hood:
   • Some manufacturers place the paint code on a sticker or plate located under the hood.
   • Check the radiator support, the firewall (the metal wall separating the engine from the cabin), or the inner fender wells.
3. Trunk Area:
   • Less common, but some vehicles (especially older ones or certain European makes) might have the code in the trunk.
   • Look under the trunk mat, in the spare tire well, or on the underside of the trunk lid.
4. Glove Compartment:
   • Occasionally, you’ll find a service parts identification (SPID) label inside the glove compartment that lists various codes, including the paint code.

What Does a Paint Code Look Like?

Paint codes are typically a combination of 2 to 5 characters (numbers and letters). They usually don’t have a descriptive name like “Bright Red,” but rather something like:

• GM: WA8624, 8624, U8624, 8624L
• Ford: YZ, UX, G9, L2
• Toyota/Lexus: 040, 1F7, 218
• Honda/Acura: NH-700M, B529P, BG62M
• BMW: 300, 475, B41
• Mercedes-Benz: 197, 744, 755

Still Can’t Find It? No Problem!

If you’ve checked all these spots and still can’t locate your paint code, don’t worry. Here are a couple of alternatives:

• Check Your Owner’s Manual: Sometimes the original window sticker or a specific section of the owner’s manual will list the paint code.
• Contact a Dealership: Provide your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number – typically on your dashboard visible through the windshield) to a dealership for your car’s make. They can look up the original paint code for you.
• Contact Us!

Once You Have Your Code…

Once you have your car’s unique paint code, you’re ready to get started! This code is exactly what we need at Complete Paint Care to custom-mix your perfect touch-up paint bottle or aerosol can. With the right color in hand, you’re well on your way to making those scratches and chips disappear.

Ready to find your perfect match? Grab your paint code and visit www.completePaintCare.com to order your custom touch-up paint today!