Understanding Car Paint Codes: A Comprehensive Guide

TouchUpDirect can make over twenty thousand car colors for a variety of cars, trucks, and motorcycles. With such an overwhelming amount, how can you possibly get the right shade? Luckily for you, all you need to do is find the color code to get your perfect match.

What’s a Color Code?

Also known as a paint code, the color code is a string of numbers, letters, or both that identify your exact vehicle color. But why are car paint codes necessary? Well, having a car paint code is essential if you want a perfect color match. For example: Let’s say that you have a silver Lincoln Town Car from 2008. You can’t just say “I want silver paint.” You’re looking for a very specific shade. For the 2008 Town Car, you want the Silver Birch Metallic (color code: JP/M7052). This is not to be confused with the Vapor Silver Metallic (color code: ZY) or the Silver Metallic (color code: YN/M6505/M6895), which are both shades of silver that are offered on different models of 2008 Lincolns. If you want to determine exactly which shade is being used on your car’s paint job, you will need the color code.

How Does the Color Code Work?

We’re going to tell you how we, TouchUpDirect, would go about getting you the right color code. First, you’re gonna have to do a little bit of leg work to locate your vehicle’s color code. We’ll explain where in more detail below. After this, you’ve got a few options. First, go to TouchUpDirect’s website and find the make, model, and year of your vehicle. Select your paint from the list and make your purchase. Alternatively, you can enter the paint code you’ve found into our search bar and find your color that way. Once we get your order, we take your color codes and check them against our database. We have the original manufacturer paint codes for most vehicles out there. Once we have the color match formula from your paint code, we mix your paint onsite and voila! Your perfect paint match has entered the world.

Where Do I Find the Color Code?

On many vehicles, the location of the car’s paint code is on the door jamb of the car. But depending on the year, make, model, or manufacturer, the car’s paint code could be located in a different place. Other locations where you can likely find color codes are the glove box, the trunk deck lid, the spare tire compartment, under the mat in the trunk, or the firewall. And how do you know when you’ve found it? It’s usually, but not always, a sticker that also has a barcode, your vin (vehicle identification number), and your paint code. If you’re driving a motorcycle, check under the seat or near the rear end of the frame for the color code. It should be printed on a label near the vin number. Here are the color code locations for the most popular car brands in the automotive world. If you don’t see your car’s brand here, check out their page on our website. These pages should give you the location of the car paint codes.

Ford

With Ford vehicles, you can find the color code located on the driver side door jamb or door frame. Ford Color Code Examples: JA/M6704, F7/M6817, SD/M6766

BMW

With BMW vehicles, the car paint code are usually under the hood, on the right side of the engine compartment. In case you do not find the paint color code sticker at first glance, take a look at the strut towers or the edge of the fender. BMW Color Code Examples: 475, B41, X02

Mercedes Benz

Look for the Mercedes Benz color code at the driver side door jamb, the radiator support bar or the engine compartment. Mercedes Benz Color Code Examples: DB-761, 650/9650, 197/9197

Nissan

The exterior paint code on Nissan vehicles could be located in several different places. Try looking on the driver side door jamb, on the the door pillar, or the hinge area of the door. If you did not find your code there, it may be located on the firewall – on the center or on the passenger side or on the engine compartment and possibly on the radiator support. Nissan Color Code Examples: K36, RAQ, QAB

Toyota

With Toyota vehicles, the color code is located on the driver side door jamb. Toyota Color Code Examples: 218, 1F7, 4T8

Subaru

The paint color code on Subaru vehicles can be found on the strut towers or on the passenger side door edge or door jamb. Subaru Color Code Examples: 37J, G1U

Chevrolet

For Chevrolet vehicles, you’ll want to look in several places. Check out the driver side door jamb, behind/under the driver seat or in the rear of the middle console, the rear deck lid, the spare wheel cover/well or inside the glove box. Chevrolet Color Code Examples: GNX/WA715U, 74/WA9260

Honda

For Honda, the color code is located on the driver side door jamb. Honda Color Code Examples: NH-603P, NH-700M, BG-62M

Jeep

With Jeep vehicles, you can find the color code in several places. If you have a more recent model, check the driver side door jamb. For older models, search for the code on the firewall, on the radiator support bar or under the driver seat. Jeep Color Code Examples: 4D, 5E, PAU/LAU, LC5, S4A

Lexus

On Lexus cars, the color code is located on the driver side door jamb. Lexus Color Code Examples: 212, 1H9, 1G1

Volkswagen

The location of the color code sticker on Volkswagen cars varies. Look for the code on the rear deck lid or the rear compartment, under the trunk mat or inside the spare tire wheel well. Volkswagen Color Code Examples: L041, LZ9Y, LD7

Kia

On all Kia models, the color code is located on the driver side door jamb. Kia Color Code Examples: 3D, Y7, U4

Mazda

Mazda Color codes are located on either the driver side door jamb or the firewall. Mazda Color Code Examples: SQ, PZ/PX, 6W

Infiniti

The Infiniti code can be found on the driver side door jamb, door edge or even lodged under the hinge area. Infiniti Color Code Examples: RAF, KAD, K52

Audi

For Audi models, look within the trunk of your vehicle, under the trunk deck lid, inside the rear compartment, under the mat or on the spare tire wheel well. Audi Paint Code Examples: LY1V, L90E

Hyundai

Hyundai color codes can be found on the driver side door jamb, under the hood, or on the firewall. Hyundai Paint Code Examples: YP5, R2T

Color Match Guarantee

Ok. So we’ve taught you what a color code is and where to find it. What happens if you get the wrong code? Don’t worry! It happens sometimes and it’s not a big deal. Although we do recommend using our test card before you start the touch up process for this very reason. Luckily for you, TouchUpDirect has the Color Match Guarantee. What’s that? Basically, we make sure you get the same color that is on the body of your automobile. If you have purchased the wrong color for whatever reason, contact our customer service and we will send you exactly one replacement color. We want you to have your perfect match and the Color Match Guarantee is our way of making sure that happens.

Need to get that flawless paint job? You’re in the right place. Find your perfect color matching paint at TouchUpDirect. Our store has everything you’ll require to fix your car’s coat. In addition to our touch up paint and applicators, we sell everything from polishing kits to scratch and chip putty . Make sure to sign up for our e-mail list so you don’t miss a sale or a new blog post! And if you’re looking for a little bit of assistance on the touch up process, we’ve got that too! Between our blog posts and the giant library of instructions we’ve created, we’ve got touch up paint walkthroughs that go into more detail. And if you don’t want to read, check out the many instructional videos on our YouTube page or contact our incredible customer service for assistance.